U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

2

Access to Park Information

With over 300 million hits a year, the NPS website is second only to the Internal Revenue Service 

for traffi c to an individual agency website. The Wall Street Journal recently rated www.nps.gov #1 

for travel information for history buff s.

The National Park Service collaborated with a private partner to improve the lighting system at the Thomas Jeff erson 

Memorial (DC). The project increased the lighting coverage of the memorial by 30 percent while reducing energy 

requirements by 80 percent. 

Cover photo: Shenandoah National Park (VA)
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

1

“My Administration’s National Parks Legacy Project was initiated to ensure 

proper care of our National Park System. Through thoughtful and diligent 

eff orts, the National Parks Legacy Project will enhance the National Parks’ 

ecosystems, improve outdoor opportunities, address infrastructure needs, 

and establish accountability through performance goals.”

President George W. Bush

National Park Week Proclamation

April 22, 2002

National Park Service:

PARTNERING AND MANAGING FOR EXCELLENCE

President George W. Bush at 

Sequoia National Park (CA). 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

2

A LEGACY WITH A FUTURE

Grand vistas, historic trails, memorable battle 

sites, and national monuments—our National 

Park System preserves and maintains these 

touchstones of America’s culture, history, and 

natural landscapes. In his 2002 National Park 

Week Proclamation, President Bush affi rmed 

his commitment to “ensure proper care of our 

National Park System” and “improve outdoor 

opportunities” through his National Parks 

Legacy Project.

The National Park Service manages 388 park 

units that contain some of the nation’s most 

signifi cant cultural, natural, and historic 

treasures. Established in 1916, the National 

Park Service serves as steward to these special 

places that attract millions of visitors who 

hike, canoe, explore, and learn about our 

nation’s history, culture, lands, and waters.

President Bush’s National Parks Legacy sets 

forth a vision of caring for and enhancing 

these special places. President Bush’s 

leadership team is carrying out this vision 

through Interior Secretary Gale Norton’s 

4 C’s—conservation through cooperation, 

communication, and consultation. National 

Park Service Director Fran Mainella and the 

National Park Service (NPS) are restoring 

facilities, improving landscape health, 

enhancing opportunities for visitors to enjoy 

their parks, and inspiring volunteers to 

participate in their care. President George W. Bush and Secretary of the Interior 

Gale Norton at The White House.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

3

To implement President Bush’s National Parks Legacy Project, Secretary Norton and Director Mainella 

are focusing their eff orts on four major areas: 

This report highlights National Park Service accomplishments toward fulfi lling the goals of President 

Bush’s National Parks Legacy Project.

President George W. Bush and Secretary Norton visit with 

National Park Service employees during a tour of Sequoia 

National Park (CA).

• Maintenance Backlog and

Facility Management 

Excellence 

• Recreation, Volunteers, 

and Partnerships

• Resource Protection

through Science and 

Cooperation

• Serving Visitors and 

Keeping Parks Safe
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

4

I. MAINTENANCE BACKLOG AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

Broken irrigation systems, poorly maintained trails, antiquated sanitation facilities, roofs in ill-repair, 

and rutted and poorly surfaced roads have kept our national parks from realizing their full potential. In a 

campaign speech in 2000, then-Governor George W. Bush highlighted that “good roads, safe trails, clean 

lakes and streams, and well-kept campgrounds are basic needs that the Federal government must meet 

for the public to continue to enjoy our national parks.”

Operating and maintaining in good condition nearly 7,500 facilities for park visitors presents a perennial 

challenge. Over many decades, an accumulating backlog of maintenance needs in our national parks 

had grown to $4.9 billion as we entered the 21st Century. This fi gure, according to a May 1998 report to 

Congress by the General Accounting Offi ce (GAO), is more than double the backlog that existed just a 

decade earlier. This backlog has had a profound eff ect on the visitor experience and the public’s ability to 

appreciate and enjoy our national parks’ natural, historic, and cultural wonders.

Yellowstone National Park (MT/WY/ID) is replacing failing sewer systems and installing 

new sewer lines throughout the park to protect park resources and better serve visitors. 

Maintenance Backlog Project

Protecting Natural Resources
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

5

Addressing a $4.9 Billion Maintenance Backlog

President Bush has committed to reverse this 

trend, proposing more than $760 million annually 

over a five-year period for a total of $3.84 billion to 

pay for non-road, deferred maintenance projects. 

Together with the nearly $1.26 billion in road 

maintenance to be spent over five-years, President 

Bush will fulfill his commitment to address the 

$4.9 billion maintenance backlog identified in the 

1998 GAO report. In addition, for the first time in 

its history, the National Park Service will have a 

state-of-the-art system to monitor and prioritize 

ongoing maintenance needs and to prevent a 

recurrence of maintenance backlogs in the future.

President Bush’s commitment is achieving 

tangible results. Since FY 2002, nearly $2.9 billion 

has been provided to address the $4.9 billion 

backlog. Over $1 billion is requested for FY 2004, 

nearly 50 percent more than was provided in 

FY 2000. From battlefields in Fredericksburg to 

campground restrooms at the Grand Canyon, 

the NPS has begun to improve the condition 

of hundreds of park assets using the increased 

funding provided under President Bush’s National 

Parks Legacy Project. For example:

• $16.5 million is committed to Federal Hall 

National Memorial (NY) to repair cracks 

in the building

• $4.1 million is being used at Everglades

National Park (FL) to repair a 135,000

gallon-per-day wastewater treatment 

system

• $4.1 million has gone to Lava Beds

National Monument (CA) to relocate the

visitor center away from fragile

underground resources

• $2.1 million is being used at Yellowstone 

National Park (MT/WY/ID) to replace a

 wastewater treatment plant and relocate 

the Old Faithful sewer line

NPS Deferred Maintenance Backlog Funding FY1995-2006

( $ in millions )
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

6

The NPS has tackled approximately 900 repair 

and rehabilitation projects in just two years. These 

projects, including 60 fire suppression and safety 

projects, have enhanced visitor and employee 

safety. They have improved health protection by 

upgrading and repairing 186 water, wastewater, 

and sewer facilities. They have made buildings 

better and safer for visitors through over 325 

general building and safety rehabilitation projects. 

And this is just the beginning. Another 500 

projects are underway in 2003 and approximately 

400 more are programmed for 2004. 

As part of President Bush’s National Parks Legacy 

Project, park roads, too, will be brought into good 

condition. In 2001, just 35 percent of park roads 

were in good condition. Under a proposed new 

transportation bill which would provide $1.89 

billion over six years for the Park Roads and 

Parkways Program, President Bush’s budget would 

bring over 80 percent of park roads into good or 

excellent condition and would leave virtually no 

road in poor condition. 

These efforts will make a dramatic difference 

for park visitors. Observing the results of the 

National Parks Legacy Project, retired National 

Park Service Pacific West Regional Director John 

Reynolds notes:

“The ability to protect the national parks, inspire 

visitors, and facilitate their enjoyment is directly 

dependent on the quality of the visitor centers, 

roads, trails, historic structures, sewage treatment 

plants, and the rest of the infrastructure of a 

national park.”

President Bush’s National Parks Legacy project is 

meeting this challenge.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

7

Preventing Future Backlogs

An essential component of the National Parks 

Legacy Project is a vigorous eff ort to bring stateof-the-art facilities management to the parks. 

The fi rst step is to understand the condition of 

the facilities at each park. Accordingly, the NPS 

is accelerating its eff orts to complete facility 

condition assessments at all 388 parks to provide, 

for the fi rst time, a complete inventory of 

maintenance needs. 

Under Secretary Norton’s and Director Mainella’s 

leadership, the NPS launched an aggressive 

training and implementation plan to inventory 

and assess the condition of park facilities. 

Assessments at 125 parks were completed 

by December 2002. By the end of FY 2003, 

assessments will be completed at all but four 

of the largest parks. The NPS will complete 

assessments at these large parks in FY 2004 

and FY 2005. Through these eff orts, the NPS 

inventoried nearly 15,000 assets in 2002 and 

established a Facility Condition Index (FCI) for 

13,000 assets. The FCI provides the NPS with 

a quantifi able measure of a facility’s condition 

and replacement value and allows the NPS to 

establish maintenance and rehabilitation priorities 

that include deferred maintenance investment, 

adaptive reuse, or replacement, as appropriate.

Professional facility management also requires 

regular maintenance to prevent facilities from 

gradually falling into disrepair. The new NPS 

facility management system will track the need 

for recurring maintenance, and a robust cyclic 

maintenance program will prevent facility 

condition decline. Beginning in FY 2003, funding 

for cyclic maintenance increased from $22 million 

to $42 million, and President Bush requested $56 

million for FY 2004. This investment will prevent 

a maintenance backlog recurrence by ensuring 

performance of appropriate levels of cyclic and 

preventative maintenance at regular intervals. 

Maintenance Backlog Project

Preserving Historic Treasures

The NPS is rehabilitating the Painted Desert Inn 

to repair structural damage and protect its unique 

architecture and design. A product of the New 

Deal, the Painted Desert Inn is a National Historic 

Landmark.The two-story structure is sited on a 

mesa top overlooking the colorful painted desert of 

Petrifi ed Forest National Park (AZ). 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

8

MAINTENANCE BACKLOG PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTS

Acadia National Park, ME

Rehabilitation of the historic carriage road bridges to 

correct drainage and waterproofing problems

Big Bend National Park, TX

Repair of the exterior and interior of the Persimmon 

Gap Visitor Center

Blue Ridge Parkway, NC/VA

Rehabilitation of the Mt. Pisgah water distribution and 

sewage collection system

Boston National Historical Park, MA

Repair of the Bunker Hill Monument and surroundings, 

and rehabilitation of the neighboring Bunker Hill 

Museum as a major interpretive center

Brown v. Board of Education

National Historic Site, KS

Rehabilitation of the historic Monroe School for 

adaptive reuse as a visitor center, museum, library, and

administrative facility

Cape Cod National Seashore, MA

Rehabilitation of the Salt Pond Visitor Center to correct 

health, safety, and code compliance problems

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 

National Historical Park, MD/DC/WV

Stabilization of the Monocacy Aqueduct, an icon of 

early American engineering, to protect visitors and 

preserve the stone structure

Colonial National Historical Park, VA

Protection of the 1.1 million historic and culturally 

significant items contained in the Jamestown 

Visitor Center 

Everglades National Park, FL

Construction of a wastewater treatment plant to serve 

the park headquarters, the main visitor center, and 

other facilities in the Pine Island District

Gateway National Recreation Area, NY

Rehabilitation of an existing visitor center to create 

a new environmental education/visitor orientation 

facility at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Glacier National Park, MT 

Stabilization of the historic Many Glacier Hotel, a 

National Historic Landmark

Golden Gate National Recreation Area, CA

Repair and rehabilitation of the 92-year-old Cliff 

House 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN

Replacement and construction of a new science 

facility to provide storage space for lab and natural 

history collections and work space for scientists

Independence National Historical Park, PA

Repair of several long-standing conditions on 

Independence Square that threaten the historical 

integrity of the property, including a brick retaining 

wall, irrigation systems, and landscaping

Keweenaw National Historical Park, MI

Rehabilitation of the historic 1888 Union Building, 

a property listed on the National Register of 

Historic Places

Lava Beds National Monument, CA

Relocation and construction of a new 4,685-square 

foot visitor center to protect park resources and 

provide room for exhibits, restrooms, first aid 

station, and other services

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Rehabilitation work to protect the Painted Desert 

Inn – a National Historic Landmark

Redwood National and State Parks, CA

Removal of certain abandoned roads to protect 

park resources, including the Lost Man Creek 

watershed and a tributary to Redwood Creek

Yellowstone National Park, WY/MT/ID

Replacement of water and wastewater treatment 

facilities to protect park resources

Wind Cave National Park, SD

Protection from polluted run-off of unique 

ecological features and cave ecosystem
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

9

Construction continues on the new visitor center at Lava Beds National Monument (CA). The new visitor 

center, highlighted on page 8, is needed to protect from further degradation fragile cave resources and provide 

additional services for the visiting public, including restroom facilities and a fi rst aid station.

Maintenance Backlog Project

Protecting Natural Resources
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

10

Improving Park Operations

Managing national parks requires not only 

the dedication and professionalism of park 

employees, it also demands sophisticated 

financial, facility, and information management. 

Director Fran Mainella champions the continued 

development of park business plans, an initiative 

underway since 1998 to enhance the management 

of parks across the nation. Consider the 

complexities at just one park—the Golden Gate 

National Recreation Area (CA). The park covers 

75,500 acres, with 31,000 of those acres under 

direct NPS management. Within the park are 667 

historic structures, 358 identified archeological 

sites, 2 million square feet of built space, 129 

miles of paved roads, 65 miles of hiking trails, 

two electrical distribution systems, three water 

treatment facilities, and housing for employees. 

Managing a park of this size is like managing 

a small city. The business plan initiative gives 

Golden Gate National Recreation Area—and 

many other parks—the information and strategic 

focus to attract visitors and provide them 

outstanding recreation and other experiences.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

11

Enhancing Fiscal Accountability

origin and 20% are used Service-wide. 

The Intermountain Region’s Treasurycertified banking program, in partnership 

with Key Bank Corporation, has improved 

accountability of more than $100 million 

in partnership, recreation fee, and other 

revenues. The banking program has improved 

management of the deferred maintenance 

backlog by better enabling the parks to invest 

their fee monies quickly.

The NPS is matching its improvements in facility 

management with innovations in financial 

management. To improve accountability in the 

Recreation Fee Demonstration Program, the 

National Park Service’s Intermountain Region 

established the Federal government’s first webbased electronic banking program. The Recreation 

Fee Demonstration Program, instituted in 1997, 

returns 100% of recreation fee revenues to the 

National Park Service. Under the fee program, 

80% of the fee revenues remain at the site of 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

12

II. RECREATION, VOLUNTEERS, AND PARTNERSHIPS

Perhaps no Federal agency has closer ties to the American people than does the National Park 

Service. The many historic, cultural, and natural resources accessible throughout the National Park 

System provide public opportunities for much needed respite, reflection, and outdoor recreation. 

The public looks to the national parks for recreation opportunities and help to conserve publicly 

accessible lands, rivers, and open spaces. This connection of people to these special places provides 

a rich context within which to engage the public, establish partnerships, and promote volunteerism 

in America. 

Seamless National Network of Parks, Historic Places, and Open Spaces

In March 2002 the National Park System Advisory 

Board challenged the National Park Service to 

“be an energetic advocate of outdoor recreation 

and open space conservation...[and to] serve as a 

catalyst to encourage collaboration among public 

and private park and recreation systems at all 

levels – to build a national network of parks and 

open space across America.” The NPS is working 

toward creating this network. 

The NPS, through the seamless network concept, 

seeks to connect the tens of thousands of citizens, 

non-profi t groups, city, state, and regional entities, 

Federal agencies, land trusts, and park and forest 

districts, each of whom is working to provide 

more recreation opportunities for the public. 

The NPS is serving as a catalyst and encouraging 

these many individuals and organizations to 

leverage resources and information, overcome 

organizational and procedural barriers, and 

increase cooperation and consultation. By 

coming together, the NPS and this multitude of 

partners will form a nationwide network with a 

shared vision to expand the spectrum of outdoor 

recreation opportunities, better protect natural 

and cultural resources, and provide the backbone 

for the improved physical health of the public.

Visitors enjoy the challenges of mountain biking at Canyonlands National Park (UT). The park preserves a colorful landscape of 

sedimentary sandstone that the Colorado River and its tributaries have eroded into countless canyons, mesas, and buttes.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

13

Land and Water Conservation Fund

Seventy-five percent of the total LWCF funds 

have gone to locally sponsored projects that 

provide close-to-home recreation opportunities 

readily accessible to America’s youth, adults, 

senior citizens, and individuals with special 

needs. In addition to creating thousands of 

smaller recreation areas, LWCF grants have 

helped states acquire and develop new parks of 

statewide or national significance such as the 

Allagash Wilderness Waterway (ME), Liberty 

State Park (NJ), the Willamette River Greenway 

(OR), Platte River Park (Denver, CO), Herman 

Brown Park (Houston, TX), and Illinois Beach 

State Park (Chicago, IL).

Through the Land and Water Conservation 

Fund (LWCF), NPS provides matching grants 

to states and local governments to acquire 

and develop public outdoor recreation areas 

and facilities. President Bush’s commitment 

to fund the LWCF state assistance program 

has resulted in $241 million in FY 2002 and FY 

2003. President Bush has requested $160 million 

in his FY 2004 budget proposal to benefit an 

estimated 1,100 state and local conservation 

and outdoor recreation development projects. 

LWCF grants have helped create places for the 

public to hike, camp, bike, swim, and enjoy 

many other outdoor recreation opportunities. 

(Request)
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

14

Healthier U.S. Initiative: Recreation in the Parks

Interior Secretary Gale Norton, accompanied by NPS Director Fran Mainella 

and Superintendent Doug Faris, leads a group of visitors along C & O Canal 

National Historical Park (MD) for National Trails Day, 2002.

In 2002, President Bush launched the “Healthier 

U.S. Initiative” to alert Americans to the health 

benefi ts of physical activity and good nutrition. 

The NPS, which plays a central role in this 

initiative, is encouraging fi tness by helping 

communities create close-to-home trails, 

greenways, and parks to make physical activity an 

easy part of people’s daily lives.

Advancing President Bush’s initiative to 

promote physical activity, Secretary Norton and 

Director Mainella designated 26 new National 

Recreation Trails covering 836 miles in 16 states 

and promoted the use of trails as “pathways to 

health” in celebration of National Trails Day 

in June 2002. For the 2003 National Trails Day 

event, the NPS designated 23 trails in 12 states. 

National Recreation Trails recognize existing 

trails that connect people to local resources and 

enrich their quality of life. The designated trails 

promote community partnerships and encourage 

physical fi tness by broadening outdoor 

recreation opportunities. 

Expanding Recreation Opportunities 

In 2001 and 2002 the NPS assisted states, local governments, and the private sector in creating 

more than 3,300 miles of trails and protecting more than 1,500 miles of river corridors. 

Additionally, in 2001 and 2002, NPS partnerships with states, counties, and communities 

protected more than 127,000 acres of park, habitat, and open space. These partnerships expand 

recreation opportunities for all Americans while enhancing environmental benefi ts.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

15

Regional Hiking Partnership

In 2001, the NPS, through the Rivers, Trails 

and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA), 

initiated a unique partnership with the American 

Hiking Society (AHS), a national nonprofi t 

organization committed to increasing the 

miles of hiking trails and numbers of hiking 

trail organizations in the nation. Through the 

Southern Appalachians Initiative, RTCA and 

AHS are partnering to support hiking trail 

organizations with the development of a 3000-

mile interconnected network of hiking trails 

throughout the Southeast Region, linking trails 

such as the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the 

Cumberland Trail, the Pine Mountain Trail, the 

Pinhoti Trail, and the Florida National 

Scenic Trail. 

In 2001, RTCA and AHS organized the Southeast’s 

fi rst regional hiking trail conference at Unicoi 

State Park in northern Georgia, attracting more 

than 150 hiking trail enthusiasts from more than 

20 hiking trail organizations. The enthusiasm and 

interest of this conference led AHS and RTCA 

to help these organizations create the Southeast 

Regional Foot Trails Coalition in 2002. This 

coalition is helping create a more cohesive trails 

community for the region and help focus agency, 

political, and community support on some key 

trail linkages in the region.

Unity, Hope, and Healing

Secretary Norton and Director Mainella invited all Americans to visit their national parks on 

Veterans Day weekend 2001 for a fee-free weekend of Unity, Hope, and Healing following the 

events of September 11, 2001.

The weekend provided Americans the opportunity to seek solace and inspiration from the 

nation’s parks, monuments, and memorials. The National Park Service led a collaborative 

effort that resulted in special events and fee waivers among public and private recreation 

providers, including local park systems, 26 state park systems, multiple concessionaires and 

park partners, and all federal land management agencies.

Acadia National Park (ME) is rehabilitating the 

surfaces, vistas, and bridges of the park’s roads and 

carriage road system. The project will improve the 

safety, aesthetics, and accessibility of Acadia’s road 

systems for the public.

Acadia National Park (ME) is rehabilitating the 

Maintenance Backlog Project

Improving Visitor Access
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

16

Maintenance Backlog Project 

Preserving Historic Treasures

Preserve America

American Battlefi eld Protection

Under the American Battlefi eld Protection Program, 14 grants totaling over $345,000 were 

awarded for battlefi eld surveys and planning in 2002. One such grant of $29,500 was awarded 

to the City of Brownsville, Texas, to conduct an archeological investigation of the Resaca de la 

Palma battlefi eld, a National Historic Landmark. The battle of Resaca de la Palma, fought on May 

9, 1846, was the second major clash of the U.S. Mexican War. The archeological and preservation 

work on this site increased community awareness and connection to this important national 

historic site. 

Antietam National Battlefi eld (MD) is repairing and reinforcing historic stone walls. The stone walls at Antietam are classifi ed as 

historic structures and played an important part in the landscape of the Civil War. The battle that took place here on September 

17, 1862, claimed more than 23,000 men killed, wounded, and missing and played a role in Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation 

Proclamation.

Preserve America initiative. Preserve America 

includes awards and recognition for exemplary 

accomplishments in sustainable use and 

preservation of cultural and natural heritage 

assets through partnerships. These awards 

and recognitions complement the signifi cant 

contributions of the NPS to community-based 

heritage tourism and recreation. Through its many 

national heritage programs such as the National 

Register of Historic Places, NPS provides 

assistance to citizen-driven eff orts to sustain and 

preserve vibrant communities. 

On March 3, 2003, First Lady Laura Bush 

announced the Preserve America initiative to 

protect and celebrate the heritage of American 

communities, educate citizens about their 

heritage, use historic assets for economic 

development and community revitalization, and 

encourage people to experience and appreciate 

local historic resources through heritage tourism.

Serving America beyond park boundaries, the 

NPS, as the nation’s premier Federal historic 

preservation agency, is a key participant in the 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

17

Maintenance Backlog Project

Preserving Historic Treasures

Tourism is a growing economic development 

engine for many states and communities. 

According to a poll conducted by the Travel 

Industry Association of America, the heritage 

traveler spends on average $631 per trip compared 

to $457 for all U.S. travelers. Heritage tourism 

attracts visitors to a place or area based on the 

unique or special aspects of that locale’s history, 

landscapes (including trail systems), and culture. 

For this reason, many communities look to the 

NPS to help provide tourism opportunities to 

sustain their economies and way of life. 

States, regions, and local communities see 

national park units, trails, heritage areas, 

historic preservation programs, and anniversary 

celebrations such as the Centennial of Flight 

and the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial as ways to 

improve quality of life and economic well-being. 

President Bush’s Preserve America initiative 

recognizes this growing national movement and 

encourages Federal agencies to form eff ective 

heritage tourism partnerships to improve heritage 

tourism activities around the country.

Through a number of programs, the NPS off ers 

signifi cant heritage tourism opportunities. These 

include the Gateway Communities initiative, the 

National Scenic and Historic Trails System, and 

the National Heritage Areas program. 

At Fort McHenry National Monument and 

Historic Shrine (MD), the NPS is repairing nearly 

1,300 linear feet of deteriorated historic seawall 

(above and enlarged inset right). The valiant 

defense of Fort McHenry during the Battle of 

Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814, inspired Francis 

Scott Key to write “The Star Spangled Banner.”
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

18

Take Pride in America

Complementing President Bush’s National Parks 

Legacy Project is his celebration of volunteers 

and partnerships to serve America. Building upon 

President Bush’s USA FreedomCorps initiative 

for volunteers, on April 16, 2003 Secretary Norton 

re-launched Take Pride in America, a program that 

encourages volunteers to work with Federal, state, 

and local governments to enhance

public lands.

Through Take Pride in America, the NPS will 

recognize hundreds of volunteers who have 

met President Bush’s challenge of providing 

4,000 hours of volunteer service. Over 550 NPS 

volunteers have donated over 4,000 hours of 

service, and two dozen have volunteered over 

15,000 hours. Their eff orts range from cleaning 

campgrounds to cataloguing museum collections 

to maintaining historic ships and buildings.

To fulfi ll the vision of Take Pride in America, the 

NPS is participating in the interagency 

volunteer.gov/gov website, listing hundreds of 

opportunities for volunteers within the National 

Park System. Volunteer.gov/gov will serve as an 

important recruitment tool for not only the 

A Volunteers-in-Parks member interacts with children 

at Assateague Island National Seashore (MD).

National Park Service, but her sister agencies as 

well. This system enables a visitor to fi nd varied 

opportunities and apply with ease. Volunteer.gov/gov

is a partner of the USA Freedom Corps.

This outreach to volunteers will build upon a strong 

foundation of volunteerism in national parks. In 

2001-2002, through the NPS Volunteers-In-Parks 

(VIP) program, volunteers contributed nine million 

hours of service valued at $140 million to the NPS 

and the American public. This dedication to our 

national treasures has encouraged stewardship 

among citizens of all ages and strengthened relations 

between parks and local communities.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

19

In Everglades National Park (FL), Starbucks 

employees from Miami are assisting the Shark 

Valley District once a month in a variety of 

maintenance and habitat restoration projects, 

including park clean-ups, painting the exterior 

of several buildings, and removing invasive 

plant species. 

A team of eight volunteers worked in Shark 

Valley throughout the busy winter season 

assisting the interpretive division by conducting 

short talks, maintaining park trails, translating 

site bulletins into German and Spanish, and 

ensuring visitor safety and resource protection 

while biking and walking park trails. Research 

volunteers tallied over 7,000 hours working for 

the South Florida Natural Resources Center. 

VIP projects support many of President Bush’s 

National Parks Legacy goals, including addressing 

the maintenance backlog and implementing the 

Natural Resource Challenge. At Padre Island 

National Seashore (TX), 52 volunteers assisted NPS 

employees with the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle project, 

which resulted in a record 29 nests identified with 

2,779 eggs incubated and 1,887 hatchlings released. 

Volunteers also helped identify one loggerhead and 

two green turtle nests where 250 eggs resulted in 196 

hatchlings. In addition to the turtle project, 1,845 

volunteers gave 4,195 hours to beach cleaning in the 

park. Participants included clubs, individuals, scouts, 

and students earning community service hours. 

Altogether, Padre Island volunteers removed an 

estimated 15 to 20 tons of trash. 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

20

Master Volunteer Ranger Corps

NPS will establish the Master Volunteer Ranger Corps Program to expand and recognize the 

corps of volunteers committed to contributing at least 500 hours of service each year or off ering 

expertise in special areas such as geology, archeology, and history. Consistent with President 

Bush’s call to serve by volunteering, the Presidential Volunteer Ranger Corps will be established 

in conjunction with Take Pride in America to recognize any volunteer who contributes 4,000 

hours to the National Park Service.

Volunteers contribute time and eff ort to remove litter from a beach at Padre Island National Seashore (TX).
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

21

Partnerships for Service and Problem-Solving

The National Park Service carries out much of its 

mission through public and private partnerships 

and through the contributions of volunteers of 

all ages and backgrounds. These partnerships 

enhance diversity, expand park access to 

technologies, and build community connections. 

Exemplifying this commitment to partnerships, 

the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic 

Site (GA) hosted “Without Sanctuary,” an exhibit 

on lynching in America between the 1880s and 

the 1960s through a community partnership. 

The park’s co-sponsorship, along with Emory 

University and private owners of the images 

of the photo exhibition, garnered national 

publicity. In November 2002, park staff won the 

nation’s highest award for interpretation and 

education, the Freeman Tilden Award, for the 

best interpretive program of the year. More than 

150,000 visitors viewed the photos and artifacts 

during the six-month exhibition.

Partnerships expand NPS educational outreach. 

They also help leverage park resources. Golden 

Gate National Recreation Area’s (CA) partnership 

with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy 

is pivotal to ensuring excellent visitor education 

and recreation opportunities. Since its inception 

in 1981, the Conservancy has contributed over 

$65 million to support this national park. The 

Conservancy produces education materials, 

helps manage park visitor centers and book 

stores, and co-manages native plant nurseries 

and resource stewardship programs. Building 

upon this partnership, the Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area is an innovative lab for creative 

fundraising. In FY 2002, the park nearly doubled 

available funds through partnership and volunteer 

programs.

The Conservancy successfully completed the 

fi nal year of a $34.5 million capital campaign 

and restoration project at Crissy Field in 2002. 

The grand opening celebration drew 75,000 

people of all ages and backgrounds. Children 

and other volunteers helped plant 100,000 native 

plants at the site. The project has won several awards, 

including the Partnership Award for Environmental 

Conservation awarded by the National Park 

Foundation. 

Partnerships also engage America’s youth, helping 

them learn the value of protecting America’s 

cultural, historic, and natural resources. Over the 

past two years, in partnership with the Student 

Conservation Association (SCA) and the National 

Association of Service and Conservation Corps, 

the NPS created a Public Lands Corps Program. 

More than $9 million in funds, made available 

through the Recreation Fee Demonstration 

Program, supplemented an additional $6.3 million 

from partners and other sources to employ more 

than 7,500 young people, including a number of 

disabled youth, at 275 national park sites. 

The NPS is continuing its national agreement with 

the SCA. Since signing this agreement, the number 

of parks using the various SCA youth programs 

has increased by 48 percent. SCA has brought 

550,000 volunteer hours to the NPS. 

Visitors enjoy a summer fl oat trip on the Niobrara 

National Scenic River (NE). This 76-mile reach of 

the Niobrara River preserves a superb example of a 

Great Plains river and provides numerous recreation 

opportunities.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

22

Maintenance Backlog Project 

 Improving Visitor Access

Since 2000, the NPS Youth Conservation 

Corps has provided more than 1,320 young 

people with opportunities to work in national 

parks. The participants, ages 15 through 18 

and representing all social, economic, ethnic, 

and racial classifications, work in a healthful 

outdoor atmosphere, completing conservationbased work projects in such areas as wildlife 

surveys and habitat improvements, visitor 

services, trail construction and maintenance, 

range and timber management, and water and 

soil conservation. In 2002, the National Park Lewis and Clark Bicentennial (2003-2006) 

The National Park Service plays a key role in the 

bicentennial commemoration of the Lewis and 

Clark Expedition (2003-2006). As administrator of 

the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, NPS 

coordinates trail route marking, interpretation, 

partnerships, and interagency actions along the 

entire trail from Wood River, Illinois, to Seaside, 

Oregon. 

To provide a traveling learning environment 

the length of the trail, NPS has designed and is 

outfi tting the “Corps of Discovery II,” a mobile 

set of tents and trucks, providing an everchanging set of displays and public performances 

linked, through distance-learning technologies, 

to schools and websites worldwide. Corps II 

is traveling for four years and is staff ed by an 

interagency team. Many small communities along 

the route will make the Corps of Discovery II 

exhibit the centerpiece of local celebrations, 

and larger cities will use the exhibit as an anchor 

for other Lewis and Clark events. Participating 

communities look forward to the tourism revenue 

and community development that will result from 

this signifi cant historic and cultural event. Point Reyes National Seashore (CA) is replacing 

old concrete steps and handrails to ensure safe 

visitor access to the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse 

Complex. The badly deteriorated 304-step stairway 

runs adjacent to the steep cliff s and is the only access 

to the main lighthouse.

Service employed 757 youth for 8 to 10 weeks of 

corps activities at 102 locations. The number of 

parks participating has increased by 48 percent 

since a budget allocation has been set aside for 

each region. Individuals, organizations, and 

community groups contributed $208,202 to the 

program in 2002. The appraised value of work 

projects completed was $3.7 million for a $1.43 

return on each dollar spent for the program. 

NPS recruits participants through local high 

schools and community youth organizations. 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

23

III. ENHANCING RESOURCE PROTECTION: SCIENCE AND COOPERATION

 Just as effi cient and timely upkeep of National Park Service facilities and roads is instrumental to 

ensuring quality experiences for park visitors, the protection and sound management of natural 

resources are also critical to leaving a legacy of landscape treasures for future generations. Key to this 

legacy is good information about the condition of the park system’s natural resources combined with 

scientifi c understanding of how best to manage these resources. Also key to this legacy is cooperation to 

amplify resource protection by working with states, local governments, tribes, other organizations, 

and individuals.

Natural Resource Challenge

Scientifi c information underpins protection 

of natural resources. The Natural Resource 

Challenge provides information, expertise, 

and tools to help protect our natural resource 

heritage.

Initiated in FY 2000, Natural Resource 

Challenge funding was signifi cantly boosted 

by President Bush. The FY 2002 and FY 2003 

Challenge increases of $20 million and $18 

million respectively were nearly 30 percent 

higher than those in FY 2000 and FY 2001. 

The FY 2004 budget request includes a total 

of $76 million for the Natural Resource 

Challenge, including $9 million in increased 

funding. Over just three years, President 

Bush’s commitment to the Natural Resource 

Challenge has brought the program over $104 

million in additional funds. These dollars are 

making a diff erence. 

The Challenge is helping threatened and 

endangered species.

• Satellite data and geologic mapping are 

helping protect habitat for the threatened

California bearpaw poppy in Lake Mead 

National Recreation Area (AZ, NV)

• Channel Islands National Park (CA) 

is restoring the island fox population

through a captive breeding program

• Zion National Park (UT) is working to 

protect the willow fl ycatcher

The Challenge is helping all creatures great

and small.

• Dall sheep surveys at Noatak National 

Preserve (AK) are providing the basis for a 

sheep management plan

• Coronado National Monument (AZ) is 

using inventory data and new funding to 

protect sensitive barking frogs

• Monitoring of eastern spadefoot toads in

Cape Cod National Seashore (MA) is

helping managers develop measures to 

prevent road kills that claim large numbers 

of these toads

The eastern spadefoot toad spends most of its life 

buried in the sands, emerging on warm nights 

with torrential rainfall. 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

24

 Exotic Plant Management Teams Vital Signs Monitoring

Through President Bush’s commitment to the 

Natural Resource Challenge, the National Park 

Service plans to complete the national system 

of park indicators by including new networks 

for 169 parks. The Vital Signs Monitoring 

project organizes 270 park units into 32 

monitoring networks to conduct long-term 

monitoring for key indicators of change, or 

“vital signs.” These indicators allow parks to 

understand, track, and better protect the health 

of their resources and provide a complete 

picture of the condition of the national parks. 

Long-term monitoring provides an early 

warning and detection of conditions in time 

to develop eff ective mitigation measures. 

Park Vital Signs Monitoring will serve as 

the cornerstone of resource management 

by providing scientifi c information to park 

managers.

A park employee gathers data from a weather 

station, part of the environmental monitoring 

program at Olympic National Park (WA).

Chinese wisteria creates a tangle, overwhelming 

native vegetation at George Washington Memorial 

Parkway (VA). In 2001, an EPMT attacked the 

problematic plant species.

Exotic Plant Management Teams (EPMTs) are 

a hallmark of the Natural Resource Challenge. 

These mobile strike forces, which serve multiple 

parks, identify and control exotic plants. Nine 

EPMTs with the capability to assist 95 parks are 

currently operational. The NPS will establish six 

new teams with new funding provided in FY 2003. 

Today, exotic plants infest some 2.6 million 

acres in the National Park System. Exotic plants 

reproduce rapidly, replacing the natural vegetation 

and driving out native wildlife. Combating the 

spread of exotic plants is critical to protecting the 

health and natural heritage of our parks, and the 

EPMTs are making progress. For example: 

• In FY 2002, the teams treated over 68,000 

acres and inventoried over 29,000 acres to 

determine the types of species present

• As a result of team eff orts, Loggerhead Key 

in Dry Tortugas National Park (FL) is now free 

of exotic species

• The EPMTs received $1.86 million, more than 

half of their budget, through partnership

contributions in FY 2002
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

25

Maintenance Backlog Project

Preserving Historic Treasures

Natural Resource Challenge Results

At Great Basin National Park (NV), Natural Resource Challenge activities have been instrumental 

in implementing the Conservation Plan for the Bonneville cutthroat trout and avoiding the 

necessity of listing this species as threatened or endangered. 

The Natural Resource Challenge also made possible intertidal fi sh inventory surveys at Olympic 

National Park (WA), during which the park documented 54 of a possible 84 intertidal fi sh species.

Cooperating to Build Knowledge

The National Park Service is playing a leadership 

role in establishing 12 Cooperative Ecosystem 

Studies Units. These multiagency partnerships, 

established competitively with host and partner 

universities interested in land management 

science, leverage resources, share information, 

and use technology to benefi t the resources 

managed. Thirteen Federal agencies have 

developed a “cooperative culture” with 113 

state and private universities and organizations 

to provide research, technical assistance, and 

education at a regional scale, taking advantage of 

economies of scale and knowledge.

At Rocky Mountain National Park (CO), 

Congaree Swamp National Monument (SC), and 

other locations, the National Park Service in 

At Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National 

Historical Park (MD/DC/WV), NPS is 

working to stabilize and strengthen the 

Monocacy Aqueduct to protect it from fl oods 

on the Potomac and Monocacy Rivers. The 

Monocacy Aqueduct is the largest and most 

impressive of the eleven aqueducts erected 

along the canal and is often described by many 

historians as one of the fi nest canal features in 

the United States.

2001 and 2002 established 13 Learning Centers 

as places of integration and partnership where 

research and science education merge. Learning 

Centers connect the public, scientists, and park 

resources to showcase resource stewardship and 

foster excitement in scientifi c discovery. These 

research support facilities make adaptive reuse 

of existing facilities and infrastructure to serve as 

unique settings for hands-on, multi-disciplinary 

research, where scientists and educators, 

biologists and historians, artists and students can 

gather to conduct research. Researchers receive 

support, parks benefi t from new information—

often at no cost to the National Park Service—

and the public gets a chance to interact with the 

world of science. 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

26

Purchase Knob Learning Center at Great Smoky Mountains

Donated to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC,TN), the Purchase Knob property, 530 

acres with modest residential facilities, recently became a Learning Center for high-elevation 

ecosystems. Air and water quality and forest research permits in the park have increased 16 percent 

since 2001, with a 62 percent increase in the number of researchers housed within the park’s border. 

Participation in Learning Center programs has doubled from 1,700 to over 3,800 in one year, and 

researchers housed at the facility have provided in-kind educational and research time to the park 

valued at an estimated $239,000.

Education Coordinator Susan Sachs addresses a class of 6th grade students at 

the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob.

National Park Service Learning Centers

Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC,TN) 2001

Atlantic Learning Center Cape Cod National Seashore (MA) 2001

Center for Teaching New America Santa Monica Mountains NRA (CA) 2002

Continental Divide Research and Learning Center Rocky Mountain NP (CO) 2001

Crown of the Continent Learning Center Glacier NP (MT) 2002

Great Lakes Research and Education Center Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN) 2002

Jamaica Bay Institute Gateway NRA (NY) 2002

North Coast and Cascades Learning Center Rainier, Olympic, and Cascades NP (WA) 2002

Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center Kenai Fjords NP (AK) 2001

Old-Growth Bottomland Hardwood Forest Research Congaree Swamp NM (SC) 2002

 and Learning Center

Pacifi c Coast Learning Center Point Reyes National Seashore (CA) 2001

Schoodic Education and Research Center Acadia NP (ME) 2002

Urban Ecology Learning Alliance National Capital Parks (DC) 2002
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

27

Cooperating for Conservation

The great 20th century conservationist Aldo 

Leopold envisioned a nation of citizen stewards. 

In keeping with this vision, Secretary Norton has 

highlighted cooperative conservation as a key 

component of her vision for a Federal-private 

partnership with private land stewards. In FY 

2003, an additional $5 million was appropriated 

for the challenge cost share program of Secretary 

Norton’s Cooperative Conservation Initiative, 

a program devoted solely to natural resource 

restoration projects. President Bush’s budget 

for FY 2004 requests that the challenge cost 

share program of the Cooperative Conservation 

Initiative be increased to $12 million for FY 

2004. Overall, funding for cooperative efforts 

with states, tribes, local governments, private 

landowners, and others has expanded by nearly 

400 percent to $520 million since 2000.

This new initiative lays the foundation for leaving 

a legacy of healthy lands, fulfilling President 

Bush’s vision of a new environmentalism of 

citizen stewards engaged in partnership with 

the Interior Department. Through this initiative 

challenge cost share and other existing, successful 

partnership programs match Federal funds 

for projects that restore habitats important to 

wildlife and accomplish other on-the-ground 

conservation improvements. In 2003, the 

National Park Service will sponsor 77 projects that 

will protect and restore habitat for threatened and 

endangered species, control invasive species, and 

engage local communities in land stewardship.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

28

Maintenance Backlog Project 

 Improving Visitor Access

Canon Scholars Partnership

In November 2002, the Canon National 

Parks Science Scholars Program for the 

Americas announced selection of eight Ph.D. 

students who will receive scholarships of 

nearly $80,000 each. The award will allow the 

students to conduct innovative research on 

scientifi c problems critical to national parks. 

The scholarship program is a collaboration 

of Canon U.S.A., Inc., the National Park 

Service, and the American Association for the 

Advancement of Science. 

Work is in progress to stabilize the Many 

Glacier Hotel, a National Historic Landmark, 

in Glacier National Park (MT).

Partnerships also help resolve complex problems 

and protect resources. Secretary Norton 

highlights the importance of working together 

to solve problems through what she calls the 

4 C’s—conservation through cooperation, 

communication, and consultation.

Using Secretary Norton’s 4 C’s vision, Director 

Mainella used an alternative dispute resolution 

process at Biscayne National Park (FL) to solve 

a long-standing issue involving the well-known 

Stiltsville structures. The Director asked the 

National Park System Advisory Board to chair 

a process that included former leaseholders, 

environmental groups, and members of the 

diverse south Florida community. Through 

honest dialogue and a mutual goal of preserving 

the structures and the resources of the park, 

the group reached consensus to form a nonprofi t trust to manage the seven structures. The 

longtime occupants as well as community leaders 

serve as the Board of Directors for the newly 

formed trust. The trust will open the structures 

to the community and public to showcase the 

richness of the marine resources of Biscayne 

National Park – resources that add so much to 

the quality of life in the area and attract people 

from around the world.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

29

National Fire Plan and the 

Healthy Forests Initiative

The NPS is an active partner with other agencies 

in implementing the National Fire Plan and 

President Bush’s Healthy Forests Initiative. 

Through these eff orts, fi re management planning 

will help identify strategic areas for treatment 

to reduce wildland fi re risks to both adjacent 

properties and developed areas in the parks. 

Since 2000, NPS has experienced 2,009 wildland 

fi res, burning 241,493 acres. Due to increased 

capabilities provided by the National Fire Plan, 

initial attack success improved from 91.9 percent 

in 2000, to 94.5 percent in 2001, to 96.7 percent in 

2002. Initial attack provides for a rapid assessment 

of the fi re situation and immediate actions to 

control the fi re pending arrival of other resources.

The National Park Service helped develop an 

interagency fi re management plan template in FY 

2002 and initiated work on Fire Management Plan 

revisions to incorporate this new direction. This 

template will provide consistency in planning 

throughout all bureaus, thereby increasing 

effi ciency of fi re suppression, fuels treatment, and 

reporting activities. In 2002 with NPS completion 

of 89 Fire Management Plans, 89 percent of 

all NPS lands now have policy-compliant fi re 

management plans.

In June 2003, several national park units began 

participating in the fi rst-ever interagency, 

landscape-scale prototype test of a more costeff ective fi re program analysis. 

Hazardous Fuels Reduction

The NPS Wildland Fire Management Program is 

implementing the National Fire Plan and President 

Bush’s Healthy Forests Initiative. In 2001 and 2002, 

the NPS treated 261,202 acres for hazardous fuel 

reduction. Total accomplishments included 17,873 

acres in the wildland-urban interface to protect 

communities, while 243,329 acres were associated 

with ecosystem maintenance and restoration. 

In 2003, the NPS is implementing one of 10 pilot 

projects to expedite the environmental regulatory 

processes to allow critical fuels treatment projects 

to be implemented in a more timely manner. 

The NPS project, in Grand Teton National Park 

(WY), covers 89 acres in seven areas, with a 

focus on fuels reduction and the removal of dead 

Firefi ghters dowse fuels on the Long 

Mesa fi re in Mesa Verde National Park 

(CO) during the summer of 2002. The 

lightning-caused fi re burned 2,600-acres 

and destroyed three homes and four 

outbuildings. Containing the fi re cost $1.46 

million. 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

30

and downed fuels. Each project treats fuels around 

individual structures and in developed areas in and 

adjacent to the park. 

The NPS will continue to expand the wildland-urban 

interface treatments through collaboration with local 

governments as directed in President Bush’s Healthy 

Forests Initiative. Parks have planned for 24,000 acres 

of wildland-urban interface treatments for 2003, an 

increase of 60 percent over 2002 accomplishments.

Stabilization and Rehabilitation

 In 2002, the NPS spent $2.5 million for post-wildland 

fi re emergency stabilization and rehabilitation on 

45,000 acres at 16 parks. These projects involved a 

variety of treatments to prevent further degradation 

of natural and cultural resources and to protect 

public safety following fi res. Particularly noteworthy 

were eff orts to preserve cliff dwellings and other 

archeological resources at Mesa Verde National 

Park (CO), and to plant native species to stabilize 

ecosystems following the Broomsedge and Kupukupu 

fi res at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI).

Rural Assistance

With the initiation of the National Fire Plan’s 

Rural Fire Assistance Program, the NPS is working 

collaboratively with local fi re departments to help 

protect park resources and adjacent communities. The 

NPS assisted 325 small fi re departments in 2001 and 

339 in 2002, providing critical fi re training, personal 

protective and other equipment, totaling almost $3 

million in assistance each year.

In support of the National Fire Plan, the National 

Park Service hired 18 fi re education, prevention, 

and information specialists to facilitate outreach 

about interagency community assistance programs 

and wildland fi re preparedness, prevention, and 

fuels programs. The NPS also increased fi refi ghting 

capability to support national suppression eff orts 

by expanding the Los Diablos Crew Program.

Program Safety

Park staff using prescribed fi re at Devils Tower National 

Monument (WY) to increase native grasses and restore the 

natural role of fi re in the ecosystem.

In 2002, the NPS joined with the Bureau of 

Land Management, USDA Forest Service, and 

the Fish and Wildlife Service to develop the 

“Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation 

Operations 2003.” This eff ort exemplifi es the 

interagency eff ort to continually improve the 

safety, eff ectiveness, and effi ciency of interagency 

fi re and fi re aviation operations. In 2001, “Six 

Minutes for Safety,” a daily training program for 

wildland fi refi ghters, was implemented to enhance 

fi refi ghter safety.

Through its part in the National Fire Plan and 

the Healthy Forests Initiative, the National Park 

Service is helping protect communities and reduce 

the risk of catastrophic wildfi re.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

31

IV. SERVING VISITORS AND KEEPING PARKS SAFE

National Park Service Rangers patrolling the back country at the

2002 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City (UT).

 Protecting Our Icons

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the 

United States and the resulting world events 

require increased security for our national parks 

and monuments throughout the National Park 

System. Dedicated National Park Service law 

enforcement professionals protect all 388 units 

of the National Park System and over 270 million 

visitors who visit their national parks. 

As the principal steward of our nation’s icons, the 

NPS has assigned nearly 200 additional protection 

rangers to meet increased security needs. 

 The National Park Service is also helping protect 

national critical infrastructure, including staffi ng 

protection forces at Department of the Interior 

headquarters in Washington, D.C., and at Bureau 

of Reclamation facilities. During February 2002, 

110 NPS rangers provided support to the 2002 

Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (UT). 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

32

Much of the National Park Service’s law 

enforcement eff ort centers on challenges 

unrelated to threats of terrorism. In 2002 ranger 

law enforcement staff responded to more than 

3,000 serious incidents such as homicide and 

robbery and to over 86,000 less serious incidents. 

They also managed more than 4,000 search and 

rescue eff orts and responded to over 10,000 

emergency medical service calls. The ranger is 

a multi-faceted professional to whom the park 

visitor often turns for emergency assistance and 

information. 

Law Enforcement Reforms

In July 2002 Secretary Norton issued directives to 

improve the management of the law enforcement 

program within the National Park Service and across 

the Department of the Interior. These directives 

will ensure that all law enforcement rangers are 

supervised by commissioned law enforcement 

personnel, improve offi cer safety, strengthen 

accountability, and provide for enhanced security of 

our national icons. The Associate Director for Visitor 

and Resource Protection, a new senior level position 

in NPS, is implementing strategies for addressing 

offi cer safety and law enforcement program reforms 

in coordination with park, regional, and senior law 

enforcement and management staff .

Consistent with Secretary Norton’s directives, the U.S. 

Park Police Chief now reports directly to the Director 

of the National Park Service. As a result of this 

organizational change, NPS is able to more eff ectively 

focus Park Police fi nancial resources on the purchase 

of critically needed equipment, the recruitment of 

personnel to fi ll key vacancies, and the redeployment 

of personnel in response to increased homeland 

security activities. 

U.S. Park Police Offi cer on patrol, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

33

Western Pacifi c Regional Sourcebook

The National Park Service and the United 

States Air Force both play important roles 

in defending, protecting, and preserving 

the United States. Accomplishing the 

mission of both agencies in the same space 

can, however, pose challenges. Military 

preparedness includes training and testing 

fl ights, some of which require use of large 

areas of airspace over parks where the public 

may seek solitude. Designed to facilitate 

Public Health 

and delivered information on the disease and 

personal protection to employees and visitors.

NPS Public Health offi cers also coordinated 

the epidemiological investigation of an illness 

outbreak on the Colorado River in the summer 

of 2002. NPS led a team of investigators from 

Federal, state, and local public health agencies and 

identifi ed the cause of illness as Norwalk virus. 

Although research continues, the early eff orts of 

the Public Health Program helped prevent further 

illness and protected public health.

River runners prepare 

to launch onto the 

Colorado River 

at Grand Canyon 

National Park (AZ).

better communication and local interaction 

between the military and the NPS, the 

Western Pacifi c Regional Sourcebook 

is a tool to avoid confl ict. By explaining 

the two agencies’ missions, policies, and 

organizational diff erences, the sourcebook 

helps park and military professionals 

work together more eff ectively to enhance 

experiences for park visitors and conserve 

resources while facilitating military 

readiness.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist 

events and the subsequent anthrax attacks, 

NPS developed a comprehensive Emergency 

Preparedness and Response plan to protect public 

health in the unique settings of the national parks. 

Assigned to areas impacted early in the West 

Nile Virus epidemic, NPS Public Health offi cers 

developed partnerships with local and state 

governments that protected public health as 

well as park resources. The virus has been found 

in all NPS regions, and the NPS has developed 
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

34

V. NEXT STEPS

In advancing President Bush’s National Parks Legacy Project these past two years, the National Park 

Service has substantially reduced the $4.9 billion maintenance backlog, instituted measures to ensure 

it will never recur, expanded access to recreation, entered into innovative partnerships, invested in 

resource protection, helped implement the Healthy Forests Initiative, and strengthened the security of 

our nation’s icons.

As we move forward to build upon these accomplishments, we will prudently manage taxpayer dollars 

and undertake the following actions:

Maintenance Backlog and Facility Management Excellence 

• Complete over 800 maintenance backlog projects in 2003-04 

• Complete all facility condition assessments, including those in the four largest parks

• Bring over 80 percent of park roads into good or excellent condition

Recreation, Volunteers, and Partnerships

• Work with Congress to reauthorize the Recreation Fee Program legislation through which 100 

percent of the fees collected remain within the NPS 

• Create a Director’s Order on Civic Engagement and Public Participation to engage communities and 

citizens in decisions and activities within their parks

• Substantially increase the number of volunteers through Take Pride In America 

• Help communities nominate over 40 new trails for designation as National Recreation Trails to 

advance the Healthier U.S. Initiative 

• Host a partnership conference in 2003 bringing together for the first time ever the nation’s leaders in 

creating innovative community partnerships

• Work with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to award Preserve America Community 

designations to communities using the most innovative methods to stimulate heritage tourism
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

35

 Resource Protection through Science and Cooperation

• Implement a hazardous fuels reduction pilot project in Grand Teton National Park in 2003

• Complete 24,000 acres of wildland-urban interface treatments in 2003 and more than 27,000 acres in 

2004

• Launch 77 projects through the Cooperative Conservation Initiative in 2004 to protect and restore 

habitat, control invasive species, and engage local communities in land stewardship

• Increase funding for the challenge cost share program of the Cooperative Conservation Initiative to $12 

million for FY 2004

• Establish six new Exotic Plant Management Teams in FY 2003 as part of the Natural Resources Challenge

Serving Visitors and Keeping Parks Safe

• Fully implement the law enforcement reform directives issued by Secretary Norton in July 2002

• Ensure that commissioned law enforcement personnel supervise all law enforcement rangers

• Strengthen security at national icons through better training of personnel and improved equipment

• Coordinate all purchases of communications technology with other bureaus and agencies to ensure 

complete communications integration

 

A family watches the sunset at Indiana 

Dunes National Lakeshore (IN). The park, 

located 50 miles southeast of Chicago, runs 

for nearly 25 miles along the southern edge 

of Lake Michigan.
U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

36

VI. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

In launching his National Parks Legacy Project, President Bush highlighted the importance of taking care 

of the National Park System. President Bush’s budget is providing the resources to achieve this goal.

For generations Americans have turned to their national parks for the recreation and enjoyment that they 

provide. Under the leadership of Secretary Norton and Director Mainella, the National Park Service is 

broadening opportunities for that enjoyment. That eff ort includes enhancing safety and protecting icons. 

It includes investing in facilities. It includes partnering with volunteers, gateway communities, and citizen 

stewards. The National Park Service is building upon an inspiring legacy with a strong future.

U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

1849 C Street, NW

Washington DC 20240

www.doi.gov

www.nps.gov

U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service