National Parks
Our National Parks are facing "the gravest contemporary threat to the park's resources that we face - greater than invasive species, or air pollution, or any other," (David Uberuaga, superintendent of Mt. Rainier). "The upcoming battle will shape the future of our National Parks", (Kerry Tremain).

The threat and the battle are presented in depth in Kerry Tremain's important article "Pink Slips in the Parks: the Bush Administration Privatizes our Public Treasures", (Sierra September/ October 2003, p 27-33; 52); also available online at Sierra Club The Bush administration plans to give away a quarter of 20,000 National Park Service employees' jobs to bidding by private contractors. This would remove 3,500 positions by 2005.

Tremain's article bears careful reading. He thoroughly details at least a dozen serious reasons why the Bush plan is flawed. Worst of all is the diminishment and damage the plan would do to the heart of the mission for which the National Park Service was created. Targeted are not only fee collectors, or gardeners, but even Park Service scientists, archaeologists, historians, curators and others, all of whose work and professional ethic are integral the National Parks' mission.

Congress created the National Park Service in 1916, with the mission to conserve "...the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and (providing for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." This ethic is the heart of Park Service employees' traditions, goals, dedication and personal commitment to public service. This spirit is not something to be bartered away for private profit.

Repulicans on the House Appropriations Committee oppose the Administration's plan to weaken the National Park Service's ability to fulfill its mission; they propose legislation to deny funds the Department of the Interior needs to implement Bush's outsourcing plan.

To Take Action: Speak to the Office of your Representative or Senator, call the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224- 3121. Or click here to select Action Alert to e-mail your Senators and Representative in Congress.

To Learn More: National Parks and Conservation Association