National parks are a distinctly American idea. In 1833 artist George Catlin proposed establishing in the West "a nation's park, containing man and beast, in all the wild and freshness of their nature's beauty." The park, he wrote, would be "a beautiful and thrilling specimen for America to preserve and hold up to… the world, in future ages." It was another 40 years (1872) before Yellowstone became the world's first national park. The powerful, humbling, and frequently ennobling character of America's national parks, especially the crown jewels like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite, have long captured the imagination of citizens worldwide ever since.
Now, 125 years after that event, the original concept is in danger of being lost. If present trends continue for the next 25 years, those who inherit the earth from us will not enjoy one of this country's most distinctive social inventions—the preservation of the majestic natural landscapes and the biological wealth they hold for the benefit of future generations. The basis for this somber assessment comes from scores of conversations with those "closest to the parks" who indicate that the situation is considerably worse than we thought.
- Because park boundary lines are unnatural, the bison, grizzly bears, wolves and other large mammals may not survive. They cannot possibly respect the "pens" in which we have sought to confine them for our viewing pleasure, and surrounding lands are managed in ways incompatible with their survival. Another severe winter of slaughter like the one barely past and the last of America's free-roaming bison in Yellowstone could be eliminated forever.
- With respect to park staff—rangers, naturalists, land stewards, etc.—their legendary dedication is matched by little more than neglect by their employer. A bright spotlight needs to be focused on National Park Service personnel, the guardians of our national treasures.
- The Park Service, as an agency, is in serious trouble, but almost no one knows this except the insiders. While it appears well-dressed from the outside, it is living with serious pathologies inside—many of which, it must be said, are neither a product of its own doing nor a reflection of its dedicated staff.
- Ask a park ranger what has happened to interpretive programs, the natural history presentations for which the national parks have always been distinguished. Ask how many park naturalists are looking after wildlife today. Ask about any aspect of park management including employee morale. Too frequently the responses begin with a look of anguish and frustration.
- Park visitor numbers continue to grow as an urban-based population yearns to experience nature in its more pristine forms. Increasing demand for a resource alters habitats and thereby threatens the existence of wild species. Habitat loss inexorably leads to species loss.
- Booming commercial developments in "gateway" towns on park borders and aerial intrusions via overflights diminish the natural quality of the entire "park experience" for visitors.
- Man-made structures in the parks—trails, roads, buildings—have been deteriorating for a long time. Park facilities are dilapidated; many are falling down; and others have been closed. Estimates put the renovation costs above $5 billion. Widespread deterioration of park infrastructure has spawned pressures for corporate sponsorships—which, in turn, have provoked disgust and outrage in many quarters at the prospect of Pepsicola, Texaco, SONY or Siemens bringing us the wonders of the Tetons (Wyoming), the majesty of Denali (Alaska), the tranquility of the Great Smoky Mountains (Tennessee and the Carolinas), or the wildlife of the Everglades (Florida).
- A troubling and enduring disconnect persists between (a) the devotion of an overwhelming majority of Americans to their national parks, and (b) the rather shabby treatment of parks by their representatives in Congress. While campground closings have been national news, funding shortfalls occur in nearly all operational areas
We see opportunities to maintain the treasures represented by America's national parks. But Americans will have to demonstrate interest and voice concern—to ensure that all of us—Washington politicos included—hear the cri de coeur of generations to come. Our national parks represent an unusual opportunity for bipartisan collaboration. But where is the leadership for reversing current direction? The larger national environmental organizations are surprisingly silent on the national parks. Without genuine political resolve, the national parks themselves may become an endangered species.
Theodore M. Smith
Executive Director
April 15, 1997
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