When I was seven years old, I spent three weeks out West visiting the National Parks with my mom and step dad. The trip consisted of Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, and Grand Teton National Parks, visiting one Park per week. We hiked up steep, rocky trails, swam in cool rivers, and picnicked next to waterfalls. We got to camp out in a teepee, talk around the campfire each night, and experience the relief of unlacing our boots after a day of nothing but pure adventure. We were fully immersed in the majesty, difficulty, and refreshing ways of nature for nearly a month, and it was an absolute dream. Little did I know, that trip would shape my life in a monumental way. That trip sparked a love for our National Parks, and furthermore a passion to protect and preserve them.

Today, our National Parks and national recreation areas are at risk of being taken out of the hands of the American people. While the land is currently protected under law, it is the government that is the driving force behind an ill-intentioned proposal. The proposal, pitched by Utah Senator Mike Lee, is a bill called The New Homestead Act that intends to virtually eliminate the public lands of the West Coast. The land will be sold off to special interest groups and become entirely privatized. If this happens, Americans will no longer own the land, be able to access any of it, and the terrain will be demolished.

The goal of The New Homestead Act is to entirely transfer the federal lands into the control of the states. It may seem that this is a smart move by giving states more control than a large government, but it is a roundabout way to achieving their goal. When the lands are controlled federally, the public has a louder voice and more say as to what is done with them, making it incredibly difficult to sell off the lands. When the lands are managed at a state level, it is easier to get away with selling them off. Lee also made the claim that the lands are “preserved for the enjoyment of very few: for the upper-crust elite”. This claim is not factual. Let’s break it down. According to NPS data, over 331 million people visit the National Parks each year, and out of those 331 million, sixty percent are United States citizens, which comes to 198.6 million. According to a 2018 report from the Pew Research Center, nineteen percent of Americans are in the upper class, the “elite” Lee is referring to. So, if nineteen percent (which is likely higher than necessary, considering the additional forty percent of visitors are removed) of the 198.6 American visitors are upper class, which is a total of 37.7 million, that leaves another 160.9 million middle to lower class visitors each year, which accounts for a whopping eighty-one percent of all American visitors. Eighty-one percent is not “very few”.

Senator Lee also hopes to change the Western lands into a zone that resembles Illinois or Missouri in terms of infrastructure. Replacing pristine wilderness with extreme industrialization will destroy the lands permanently. Previous generations who fought to legally protect the wilderness will have fought for nothing. Millions of acres of precious land will be released to the wolves that are special interest groups. Considering the mountainous terrain of the West, the land will have to be leveled or carved into in order to build factories, mines, and other buildings. Not to mention, the number of jobs lost from selling the land will be detrimental to citizens. According to NPS data, the outdoor recreation industry in the state of Utah alone provides $3.9 billion in wages to employees and provides over 110,000 jobs. Selling the lands means cutting jobs and wages, closing local businesses, and losing a good portion of the tourist industry. No National Parks or lands means fewer tourists, which eventually results in a potential economic downfall.

Eventually, the West will be filled with “No Trespassing” signs and become a long-lost treasure if this proposal goes through. As advocates for protecting public lands, we must do everything in our power to see that this proposal does not go through. Here are some ways you can take a stand:

• Call the governors and senators of at-risk states (and your own) and voice your opposition
• Write a letter to governors and senators of at-risk states (and your own) protesting the proposal
• Attend meetings and rallies that support the protection of public lands
• Raise awareness in your community about these issues
• Join an organization and speak out about the atrocities this proposal will cause

The tactics government officials use to push their agendas are unbelievable. Political leaders like Senator Mike Lee are manipulating uninformed individuals just to gain votes to be able to push their own agendas. This proposal was not created out of concern for the National Parks and other public lands, but rather to increase personal financial gain. It is imperative that these muddy politicians be called out on their actions and sneaky ways if anything is to change. If we desire to see these lands flourish and thrive in the years and generations to come, we cannot be afraid to take a stand and use our voice today. This must be done for our future selves, our children, our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, and for all who need the land, which is everyone.

There are millions of individuals that share my same passion for the Parks and put in effort to keep them in public hands. However, not everyone has the same respect and appreciation for the lands that so many others do. The result of privatizing our public lands would be detrimental to the terrain itself, to individuals working on the land, and to the United States as a whole. This issue is by far the most pressing one the Parks and their supporters have ever faced, and action against this legislation must be taken immediately to stop the Public Land Heist from progressing any further.

Did you know that the United States generates 260 million tons of trash each year? To put it into perspective, that is roughly four pounds of trash per person, per day. Modern American culture has shifted from a “scarcity” mindset to a “disposable” mindset in a matter of years. In the years of the Great Depression, our ancestors would find a way to reuse and repurpose nearly every item they owned. Paper sacks became notebooks, clothes were worn until the threads came undone (and then turned into washcloths), and every type of container was saved. Today, most Americans have access to the things they need to get by, as well as an on-the-go, disposable version of it. Coffee cups, water bottles, utensils, food containers, and even clothing is disposable. (Ever been to a football game in the rain? That plastic poncho is pretty handy). While it may be convenient to live in a time where there is disposable everything, it is causing serious damage to the world around us.

So, what does this have to do with the National Parks? Happy you asked! Each year, over 300 million people visit the Parks, and along with them, their trash. The plastic water bottles, plastic sandwich bags, paper lunch sacks, and socks that tore a hole during a hike all end up (hopefully) in trash bins. The National Park Service found that visitors are generating about 100 million pounds of trash per year in all of the Parks combined. Only a quarter of that garbage ends up in a recycling plant, while the rest is sent to landfills across the nation. Keep in mind, this is just the waste that is accounted for and not left in the wilderness.

Why does this matter?  As discussed in a previous post, “Maximum Occupancy: Unknown”, the number of visitors to the National Parks has skyrocketed over recent years. With more people comes more trash, and ultimately, more damage done to the land. Unexperienced Park-goers may not know the steps to take to properly dispose of their garbage, and the mess made from an afternoon picnic may end up in a nearby river. Without informing visitors, and the public in general, the trash issue will continue to remain.

What are some ways people can leave less of a footprint while visiting the Parks? Here are a handful of ideas to exercise on your next visit:

• Bring reusable water bottles and food containers
• Ditch the paper map and download it to your phone (If you need a paper map, return it to a visitor center after your hike)
• Try to not over-pack food, as food waste cannot be recycled and attracts animals
• If you are camping, bring washable plates and utensils
• Avoid burning trash in campfires- cans and plastic release chemicals into the air that are harmful to yourself, others, and the wildlife
• Invest in durable clothing that can be worn repeatedly (socks, ponchos, sturdy boots)

Thankfully, the NPS has already taken action against the growing amount of waste by placing more trash bins in the Parks as well as educating visitors about “leaving no trace”. Additionally, the National Park Foundation has partnered with Subaru of America to implement a zero-waste program. The NPF introduced new waste management practices in three Parks to start: Yosemite, Grand Teton, and Denali. Composting, installing new recycling receptacles, working alongside Park concessionaires, and educating the public are the first steps of the plan. A survey conducted by the NPF and Subaru found that at least a million pounds of trash had either been recycled or composted as a result of the program.

As always, it is the responsibility of the American people, and all visitors, to ensure that these precious lands remain intact for the generations to come. It would be a tragedy to see America’s gems go to ruin. If the “bystander effect” happens, our Parks will suffer immensely. Great plains will turn into landfills, rivers and streams will be polluted by waste, rocky hiking trails will be littered with garbage, and wildlife will be put in harms way. With a bit of extra effort from every visitor, our National Parks can be preserved and admired for years to come. As the saying goes, “Drop by drop forms a river”. Every small action taken towards improving our Parks has considerable impact in the long run. The United States as a whole has an excessive waste problem, so implementing zero-waste practices in day-to-day life is a great way to make a difference in your own town. From local parks to the National Parks, lets all do our part in taking care of an incredible gift- the lands of America.

It is no surprise that our National Parks have a steady flow of visitors each year, but are there too many to manage? Overcrowding has become the most recent issue a handful of the Parks are facing, and along with this predicament have come new regulations. What does this look like for the Park Service and what does it mean for us as visitors?

Park Rangers have reported back to NPS officials about the footprint the influx of visitors has left on the Parks. Diapers in the rivers, overfilled port-a-potties, and trails crowded from start to end are becoming the new normal. The long-term effects of treating the Parks this way will defeat the purpose of their creation- to protect and preserve beautiful lands for generations to come. The number of people traveling the grounds is higher than the NPS has ever seen. According to National Park Service data, in 2018 alone, a total of 331 million visited the Parks. In an article written by the New York Times, park rangers reported that monthly meetings began to feel like group therapy sessions due to the stress from managing so many visitors.

In response to their employee complaints and damage already done to the lands, Park officials proposed the implementation of a reservation system for visitors. All visitors will have to reserve a parking space or seat on a transportation shuttle ahead of time in order to enter the Park. So far, the Parks that have implemented this system include Arches, Zion, Grand Canyon, and Haleakala. Certain Parks also require permits for backpacking and canyoneering trips. Thankfully, the cost for reservations and permits is affordable for majority of the population ranging from $3-$8.

As visitors, this means people will not have the luxury of spontaneity as they once did. Last minute trips are still entirely possible, but reservations may not be available. While this may be inconvenient to some people, it will enhance the experience of those that are in the Park. In an interview with the NPS Chief of Public Affairs, David Barna, he reaffirmed the priorities of the Service- “When we have to make a choice between recreation and preservation, we will always choose preservation.” Barna followed up with, “Our decision will be based on our mandate, policies, and good science.”

This policy has received both positive and negative feedback from the public. A group that opposed the new orders, specifically in Zion National Park, created the website, “stopzionreservations.org”, to raise support against the regulations. The opposers claim that limiting the number of people that enter the Parks goes against the principals upon which the NPS was founded. Individuals that are for the implementation of the regulations say that the limits are in the best interest of the Parks and will help prevent further damage caused from the overcrowding, and thus, continue to protect the lands for the enjoyment of future generations.  

It is unclear as of now if all National Parks will be adopting similar policies. For now, majority of the Parks still have unrestricted access, minus the entry fee. The decision is not up to the Department of the Interior, but each individual Park. If the less-popular Parks have a large increase in the number of visitations each year, they will then have to consider implementing a system of their own.

In 1916 president Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the National Park Service as a new section of the Department of the Interior, and thus, preserving pieces of history for generations to come. The Department of the Interior manages and protects over 400 National Parks, portions of land owned by the American people that are protected under law, to this day.

These beautiful Parks are home to thousands of species of wildlife and foliage, and more are discovered each year! The terrain in each Park ranges anywhere from wide, grassy plains to turquoise blue waters to steep mountain vistas. Their beauty is unmatched, and has been the inspiration for many poets, artists, and musicians for centuries.

Sadly, natural resources and wild lands have been diminishing since the beginning of our civilization here in the United States of America. From the very first colony to the Oregon Trail to the Industrial Revolution and beyond, more and more of America’s lands have been used for industrial expansion. This growth is beneficial to society in many ways, but the cost of this convenience is high and is taken from an unreplenishable resource- the lands of the American people.

Recently, a number of government officials have made motions to amend Park boundaries to be able to sell off portions of the lands for financial gain. It is imperative that public land owners (aka you and I) do all we can to protect these territories from being further destroyed and industrialized. Without these Parks, millions of people will be missing out on the myriad of benefits they offer. Educational programs will have to be reduced, animal habitats will be destroyed, and places of untapped beauty that offer respite to many will be gone forever. Nature is our home, and we must do everything we can to protect and preserve it before it is too late.