The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks applauds and supports the National Park Service System Plan, and its findings. This report addresses many of the concerns expressed in This Land is Our Land; Restoring Our National Parks, a document the Coalition prepared for the Biden Administration as they transitioned into office.
Our organization, as the “Voices of Experience,” will continue to advocate for the protection of underrepresented natural and cultural resource areas and values, and work to ensure our National Park System is truly representative of our nation’s natural and cultural diversity. We will continue to work in partnership with the NPS and local campaigns to identify new natural, cultural, or historical sites that should be protected, added to the National Park System, or conserved with the help of other agencies, entities, communities, or partnerships. We must work to make sure our national parks and public lands are truly representative of America and remain relevant to all peoples and cultures of our nation.
The National Park Service System Plan was completed at the end of 2016 and released in 2017. The director of the NPS has now formally transmitted the plan to Congress.
An accompanying letter sent by Senator Manchin provides a summary of the plan and introduces it as a reference point for Congress when considering the establishment of new park units or other protected areas.