SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Rod Blagojevich is cutting more than 450 jobs and closing nearly two dozen state parks and historic sites - including the David Davis Mansion and parks near LeRoy and Clinton - as part of the state's lingering budget impasse. | List of parks, historic sites closing | 'Dark day for history' and David Davis Mansion | Union: Residents will notice job cuts

One union official described the plan as a "bloodbath" that will have wide-ranging effects on the services provided to state taxpayers.

The Department of Children and Family Services will lose 304 positions, while the Department of Human Services will be cut by 73 employees. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will lose 39 workers and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency will be cut by 34 employees.

Parks targeted for closure include Moraine View State Park near LeRoy and Weldon Springs State Park in DeWitt County. Historic sites on the chopping block include the Davis home in Bloomington and Bishop Hill.

The historic sites will close Oct. 1 while parks will close Nov. 1.

Brooke Dooley, 13, of LeRoy rides horses at Moraine View. Dooley was recruiting her friends to help save Moraine View during her lunch hour at LeRoy Junior High.

She and her parents are planning to have a petition at the LeRoy/Heyworth football game Friday night for residents to sign.

If she could talk to the Governor, Dooley says she would tell him what a bad idea it is to close Moraine View.

"It's a really bad thing to do," Dooley said. "Lots of people use the park, especially school groups."

Dooley and her friends talked about how the 5th grade students at LeRoy ELementary end their school year with a bike hike to the lake. Dooley suggested the state charge a dollar entry fee to use the park as a way to save it from closure.

Other students have also started petitions, and have left them at local businesses and at the concession area at the lake. They plan to collect signatures at the park over the weekend, when dozens of horse campers will be using the park.

Blagojevich has said the cuts are necessary after he slashed $1.4 billion from the state's spending plan in July. He says the Democrat-controlled Legislature wanted to spend more money than the state will receive in the coming fiscal year.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said the governor is trying to force the General Assembly to return to Springfield to approve new revenue streams.

"I know he's trying to make people feel the pain," Luechtefeld said.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, bemoaned the closing of the Davis site, saying 50,000 people toured the home last year.

"Closing an historic treasure that attracts that many visitors to our community is an absolute travesty," Brady said.

The loss of Weldon Springs would hurt the local economy, said DeWitt County Board finance committee Chairman Ed Young.

"That park means so much to the tourism industry for DeWitt County," he said. "We promote that on our tourism brochures. It's a main focus when we are discussing economic development.

"It's a terrific park which gets lots of use from DeWitt County residents as well as those outside the area. To shut that down would not be right and as a county, we will do everything we can to stop that from happening."

Jonathan Goldman, director of the Illinois Environmental Council, called the cuts "utterly appalling."

"The governor is off at the Democratic convention in Denver hugging people. When he returns to Illinois there will be many families needing more than hugs," Goldman said.

Department of Natural Resources spokesman Chris McCloud said park entrances will be locked Nov. 1. People who venture into the parks after that date could be charged with trespassing.

"These aren't decisions we wanted to make," McCloud said.

The cuts come as other state agencies are grappling with the effects of the governor's actions.

On Wednesday, Comptroller Dan Hynes said his office was poised to lay off workers. Other statewide officers have imposed hiring freezes and are asking whether some workers want to take early retirement in a bid to trim costs.

Secretary of State Jesse White is mulling whether to close some driver's license facilities.

Blagojevich also has tied his plan to close Pontiac Correctional Center to the budget impasse.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union vowed to fight to keep its workers on the job.

"Lawmakers should return to Springfield as soon as possible to take whatever action is necessary to fix the budget and stop these cuts," AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer said.

The cuts at the Department of Natural Resources are troubling to some lawmakers because the agency has already lost scores of workers.

"It's obviously unfortunate," said state Rep. Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle.

Granberg, who is retiring as a lawmaker, said it will be a challenge rebuilding the state park system if money is ever restored to reopen them.

"It's going to be a hard road," Granberg said.

Kevin Barlow contributed to this report.