Skip to main content

Our Parks, Our Pride, Our Value

The rugged coast of Acadia

(Photos by Mark) When people think of a large national park, many envision those in the western U.S. But there is one of the “jewels in the crown” along the wave-pounding Atlantic coastline of Maine – Acadia National Park. 

This icon boasts a rugged coast, forests of color, interior wetlands, mountaintop views, and historic carriageways. So much natural and cultural value that this park draws 3.5 million visits a year.

Like other national park areas, Acadia is not just land – it is legacy. National park areas unite us and remind us of what’s worth saving.

In the early 1900s, billionaire philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and his family purchased - then donated – 11,000 acres along with 51 miles of carriage roads he financed and constructed, to be incorporated for this new park for America. Rockefeller wasn’t looking at Acadia Island for land values, profit margins or self-financial gains; for this cause, he was just a believer in the value of conservation.

Today in 2025, “Breaking News” on the cable networks seems to circulate week after week between political challenges around the world. Back in early July, one other significant item surfaced – the 2026 Budget Proposal from the President – which includes National Park System Operations.

That account runs “operations” for the current 433 national park areas, all with 20,495 (in 2023) full-time and seasonal rangers/staff in several fields (Visitor & Resource Protection, Natural & Cultural Resource Management, Interpretation & Visitor Service, Administration, and the largest group of rangers in Facility Maintenance).

For many days Congress was heavy in debate concerning the FY 2026 Budget Proposal. Deep cuts for Federal agencies included calls for a reduction of more than $1 billion to the National Park Service, which includes a $900 million cut to the operations budget of America’s national park areas. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has calculated that could result in more than a 75% reduction to the National Park System. 

With 433 national park areas across the country, that would essentially wipe out budgets and staffing for at least 350 of those areas. Based on the Interior Department’s own Budget Justification report, a total of no fewer than 310 of the lowest-funded NPS units would have to be shuttered to get to $900 million. Shockingly, this would include iconic parks like Acadia. Put differently, out of 339 park units that have comprehensive data available, only 29 would survive these cuts. 

As you have probably heard, the 2026 Budget Bill (now passed by Congress), is also expected to enact significant tax breaks for wealthy Americans. 

The Congressional Budget Office reports that these tax breaks would add some $3 trillion (now updated to $4.1 trillion) to the National Deficit over the next 9 years. So…tax cuts for the wealthiest, while cutting $900 million from the National Park System operations budget. Hum?... Maybe the wealthiest will follow in John D, Rockefeller’s footsteps and donate some of their future windfall tax returns to support the pride and value of America’s national park areas. Hum?...probably not. 

Forests of Color

Interior Wetlands

Historic Carriageways

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Visitors check the view at Grand Teton National Park Someone once said that “the National Parks are the greatest idea America ever had. Absolutely American. Absolutely democratic. They reflect us at our best.”  Welcome to “This Land Is Your Land,” a blog where you go behind the scenes of our finest natural, cultural, and recreational resources, but, more importantly, discover today’s critical challenges facing the 433 areas of our National Park System. Over 331 million people visit our parks each year.  But while it’s “your land” now the big question is – will it still be there for your kids?    
Post a Comment
Read more

To Know the Institutional Knowledge - Part I

Mark at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, SD (Photos by Mark) The images I posted here are some of the places I lived and worked, and flourished (Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, and Big Bend National Park).  Did you know that the NPS has traditionally had the highest public approval rating (in the 70% - 80% favorable column) of any federal agency for decades? Even today, in this time of social challenges, America’s national park areas remain number one. But do most people really “understand” the National Park System/and Service – the history, the purpose, the values?  Authors have written many chapters about the beginnings of the NPS. One chapter shows that it wasn’t created overnight. Instead, the script for the Bill to create a “Park Service” (in 1916) was a result of several years of discussion, debate, and lobbying by 16 individuals meeting off-and-on in the DC apartmen...
Post a Comment
Read more