National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

I. Key Federal Law Key Federal Law 

– Laws governing managem

Laws governing managem

1. NPS Organic Act 1. NPS Organic Act

a. To conserve the scenery, a. To conserve the scenery, natural and historic 

natural and historic 

b. Provide for enjoyment b. Provide for enjoyment 

c. Leave parks unimpaired c. Leave parks unimpaired for future generation

 for future generation

2. Redwoods Amendment 1976 2. Redwoods Amendment 1976

a. Reemphasized the NPS Organic Act a. Reemphasized the NPS Organic Act

b. Recognized the high public value of parks b. Recognized the high public value of parks

c. Management cannot be exer c. Management cannot be exercised in derogati

cised in derogati

values and purpose of the units values and purpose of the units

d. Senate report made it clear that d. Senate report made it clear that 

“The Secret

The Secret

absolute duty to fulfill th absolute duty to fulfill the mandate of the 

e mandate of the 

take whatever and seek whatev take whatever and seek whatever relief as w

er relief as w

the units of the National Park system. the units of the National Park system.

”
National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

B. Specific laws governing GRCA/G

Specific laws governing GRCA/G

1. Legislation establishing GRCA/GLCA (19

Legislation establishing GRCA/GLCA (19

2. GRCA Protection Act GRCA Protection Act 

-

“Protect, mitigate a

Protect, mitigate 

and improve the values for which GRCA a

and improve the values for which GRCA a

established including natural and cultural re

established including natural and cultural re

visitor use visitor use

C. General Environmental laws General Environmental laws

1. ESA (requires all federal agencies to conser

ESA (requires all federal agencies to conser

2. Clean Water Act (standards for discharged 

Clean Water Act (standards for discharged 

3. Clean Air Act Clean Air Act4. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1957 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1957
National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

II. 2006 NPS Management Policies 2006 NPS Management Policies

- Agency inter

Agency inte

applicable laws applicable laws

A General Management Concepts General Management Concepts 

- Natural Res

Natural Res

1. 

General

- The National Park Service will 

The National Park Service will 

maintain, restore, and protect the inherent 

maintain, restore, and protect the inherent 

natural resources, processes, systems and v

natural resources, processes, systems and v

(Sec. 4.0) (Sec. 4.0)

2. Impairment Impairment

- The Service manages the na

The Service manages the na

parks to maintain them in an unimpaired c

parks to maintain them in an unimpaired c

3. System approach System approach

- Natural resources will 

Natural resources will 

preserve fundamental physical and biologic

preserve fundamental physical and biologic

individual species, features and plant and an

individual species, features and plant and an

(Sec. 4.1) (Sec. 4.1)
National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

4. Natural focus Natural focus

- The Service will try an

The Service will try an

components and processes of naturally 

components and processes of naturally 

ecosystems, including the natural abund

ecosystems, including the natural abund

and genetic and ecological integrity of t

and genetic and ecological integrity of t

animal species native to the ecosystem 

animal species native to the ecosystem 

5. Desired future conditions Desired future conditions

- The Park 

The Park 

determine the desired future cond determine the desired future conditions 

itions 

and identify a strategy to achieve them 

and identify a strategy to achieve them 

6. Actively manage resources Actively manage resources

- Biologic

Biologic

processes altered in the past by human 

processes altered in the past by human 

to be actively managed to restore them 

to be actively managed to restore them 

condition or the closest approximation 

condition or the closest approximation 
National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

B. Restoration of Natural System

Restoration of Natural System

1. Functions and processes Functions and processes

- The Se

The Se

reestablish natural functions and pro

reestablish natural functions and pro

parks unless otherwise directed by c

parks unless otherwise directed by c

2. Rehabilitation of disturbed areas Rehabilitation of disturbed areas

Service will seek to return disturbed 

Service will seek to return disturbed 

changed hydrologic patterns changed hydrologic patterns and sed

and sed

to the natural conditions and proces

to the natural conditions and proces

the ecological zone in which the dam

the ecological zone in which the dam

are situated are situated
National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

Biological Resource Management 

Biological Resource Management 

1. Preserve and restore natural abundan

Preserve and restore natural abundan

dynamics, distribution, habitat and be

dynamics, distribution, habitat and be

plant and animal populations and the 

plant and animal populations and the 

ecosystems in which they occur (Sec. 

ecosystems in which they occur (Sec. 

2. Restore native plant and animal popu

Restore native plant and animal pop

when they have been extirpated by p

when they have been extirpated by p

caused actions (Sec. 4.4.1) caused actions (Sec. 4.4.1)

3. Prevent the introduction of exotic sp

Prevent the introduction of exotic sp

possible possible
National Park Servic

National Park Servic

Management Policie

Management Policie

Biological Resource Manageme

Biological Resource Manageme

4. Whenever possible natural processes 

Whenever possible natural processes 

upon to maintain native plant and an

upon to maintain native plant and an

(Sec. 4.4.2) (Sec. 4.4.2)

5. Restore and maintain habitat for list

Restore and maintain habitat for list

control detrimental nonnative speci

control detrimental nonnative speci

reestablish extirpated populations (S

reestablish extirpated populations (S

6. Exotic species will not be allowed to 

Exotic species will not be allowed to 

native species (Sec. 4.4.4) native species (Sec. 4.4.4)