For 109 years, America’s national parks have flourished under a mission first outlined by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916:
“…To conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them [the parks] unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
Such is the credo of the National Park Service, an agency established by Wilson’s Organic Act of August 25, 1916. The new service aimed to consolidate management of America’s burgeoning national park system.
While national parks had existed since 1872 — starting with the creation of Yellowstone National Park — they had no formal singular management before 1916.
Instead, Congress assigned individual superintendents and army troops to oversee parks. At the time, that primarily involved fending off poachers and loggers. Many superintendents at the time proved ineffective, however, while the army wasn’t particularly suited to manage civilians.
The park system had also grown rapidly: 14 more national parks arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. That group included Natural Bridges National Monument, established in 1908!
Finally, after a lengthy lobbying campaign, Wilson established an agency solely dedicated to managing the parks: the National Park Service.
The National Park Service was up and running when the rest of southeastern Utah’s parks and monuments emerged: Hovenweep National Monument in 1923, Arches National Monument (now park) in 1929, and Canyonlands National Park in 1964.
‘Unimpaired for…future generations’
Wilson’s mandate required the National Park Service to conserve each park’s scenery, nature, and wildlife as best as possible. Critically, the park service must protect these resources both for the present public and “the enjoyment of future generations.”
That temporal aspect is an important one, since what’s needed to conserve the parks also changes over time. That’s why we’re highlighting another anniversary this month: one for another, more recent act that demonstrates America’s enduring ability to rally together and protect its national parks.
The Great American Outdoors Act is another piece of pivotal park legislation that celebrated its birthday on August 4 — though it’s only five years old!
Signed into law in August 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act established robust but mostly temporary funding to address maintenance backlogs in national parks and public lands. It proved to be the largest single investment in the national park system in over 60 years, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.
Among other measures, the act created a new fund to address the serious maintenance backlogs in the National Park Service. Many parks are facing overdue repair projects — from repaving roads to updating historic fences — because of normal wear-and-tear and inconsistent funding.
The act provided up to $6.5 billion over five years to address the park’s billions of dollars of needed repairs. Its funding has aided southeastern Utah parks, too. Canyonlands National Park is planning to conduct major rehabilitation on communications and utility infrastructure, while Natural Bridges National Monument will upgrade sewer systems, wells, and water lines.
More needs ahead
While the Great American Outdoors Act has helped the National Park Service address maintenance shortfalls, many critical pieces of the act expire at the end of 2025.
And at the same time, the park system’s needs may only increase due to other federal funding factors. Congress’s most recent budget reconciliation — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July — rescinded National Park Service funding for hiring and staffing; land conservation; and ecosystem and habitat restoration.
The National Parks Conservation Association estimates those recissions total a loss of $267 million already-committed funds.
That means the National Park Service may need to do more with less, especially if the Great American Outdoors Act isn’t renewed.
However, there are plenty of ways to show up for the National Park Service and the parks, monuments, and historic sites they steward. Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks supports southeastern Utah’s parks and monuments by funding critical Search and Rescue equipment, protecting water sources, supporting volunteer programs, and funding housing for park staff.
By donating to Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks, you can help honor the 109-year-old legacy of the National Park Service, ensuring our nation’s national parks are indeed preserved “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
