Reader comments
Fewer funds, more visitors hurt national parks?

Maybe we just have too many state and national parks. Many of those areas could be supervised, as they used to be, by local agencies, BLM, Forest Service people etc. I can remember when for instance, Snow Canyon State Park got along just fine as Snow Canyon and we all enjoyed it then more than now, with all the added buildings, signs, enforcement, fences, and other restrictions. Save the money and reduce taxes plus, eliminate fees needed to pay all the extra, unnecessary help.

Are you kidding? We live as part of an ever more populous world. I am 42 and can remember when Utah was a small place that a family could go to "thier" favorite campsite without reservations at a moments notice. Those days are gone, Utah now has 2.5 mil residents and are a hotspot for visitors world-wide. I live in Africa and just went to a gamepark that was devastated by people. I hate rules and organization just as much as the next guy, but I can recogize we have one shot at preserving our beauty that is Utah and once gone/destroyed/consumed it will be nigh on impossible to get it back. Fund the parks so all of the people who want to see the parks can. it takes political willpower, but is a must.

As one who has worked for NPS I saw what really hurt the parks. Government attitudes. Park workers, from the top down who would not stoop to pick up trash, move rocks from trails or do the small things that needed to be done daily as they saw them. Instead they go back to the office and write a memo, "schedule" other employees to do this work or hold another asinine meeting that only peripherally related to running or taking care of the parklands.
All the problems did not suddenly crop up, they are the result of years of not doing what is needed, when it is needed. This stuff builds when not addressed when it happens.

Economic survival should always come first. Families will see much less of these places in the future if this economy continues to tank. Where do you think all the bucks that are needed for sightseeing comes from on the trees in these parks?

Good point El Capitan.

Only one thing that may be a problem, more visitors and more unsupervised youngsters leads to vandalism and misuse.

We need a happy medium.

Maybe we should charge more for foreigners. We just visited the Taj Mahal and they charge about ten times more for foreigners at all their attractions than for Indian citizens. It was still worth it.

Last I checked BLM and Forest Service were not local, but national organizations. The reason Dino park is suffering is it's remoteness and the billions of dollars in profit that the gas companies are gouging from the American people.

The price of fuel and the faltering economy will slow the number of visitors to the parks. No need to raise their budgets. I find it laughable their budgets aren't keeping up with inflation. I know how they feel.

Typical shortsightedness. We do not have too many state and national parks (areas). I would contend we do not enough!

The parks are for us today and for our great grandchildren in the future. The typical NPS personnel are highly professional, underpaid, and the agency has been running on fumes for years and years now. BLM and USDA-Forest Service have been cut, cut, cut by the administration.

We get what we pay for. Either we save our beauty and our significant places now and forever more, or we don't. Is America worth saving? Should our grandchildren's grandchildren have places worth seeing, walking through, etc. ? Or not?

As to extra, unnecessary help? Where, where where? I place students into these parks and I can testify that the cuts have made it almost impossible for the outdoor agencies to hire the students. When they do hire the students, they are usually to replace full time personnel who have either retired or been laid off.

Please, speak from facts. Support having an America preserved, conserved, and appreciated. Do not think only of yourself and taxes. Good grief.
Focus on the future.

El Capitan - It is unclear what you are trying to communicate with several of your points:

"too many state and national parks" - parks are designated to protect cultural, historical and natural features. Should some now lose their protected status?

"could be supervised...by local agencies, BLM, Forest Service" - The National Park Service is a federal land management agency, just like BLM and USFS (also US Fish and Wildlife Service), who all have local management.

Unsure how "buildings, signs, enforcement [and] fences" are "restrictions." The infrastructure is in place for the protection of and service to visitors and resources.

"Extra, unnecessary help" - What constitutes extra and unnecessary?

I did not know there was such a thing as national parks week. I celebrate them year round, as we all do.

A reflection of a society is how it treats the future. We are not looking very good in that mirror. The Lakota say we should plan 7 generations away.

Not us. We don't even plan for next year. Sad, but true.

Hurry November. Democrats have long had a long record of supporting the NPS, while the GOP cuts and cuts and cuts. It is fact.

Thanks for digging into the facts. These parks are part of our patriotic heritage, and they attract visitors from everywhere. We've met tourists from Asia and Europe who were staying in San Juan County during their visit to Grand Staircase-Escalante, Capitol Reef and Grand Canyon. They deserve sound, protective management and facilities that introduce visitors to the stories behind the scenery - fossils, plants and animals, geology, and human history.

It's understandable at Dinosaur N.M. The building was condemned. Satisfaction would be lower if they left it open and it collapsed on people.

Were are our Utah Senators and Congressmen? Why aren't they working to get Timpanogos and Dinosaur new visitor centers? Their involvement could speed up the process. Tourism is so important to Utah. We are spending a lot of state money to publicize Utah as a top tourist destination. Why are they letting things decline.

As use of the National Parks continues to expand, I do not believe we have the option to go backwards to less care and consideration for these irreplaceable treasures. I am not delighted to pay $7 a trip to tour Timpanogas Cave, but, it is a better recreational value for me than spending the money on a movie. I believe the Park system needs a regular budget increase yearly until Visitor Centers, camping facilities, tours and interpretive nature walks are outstanding, and bathrooms are always clean. We could just move a billion or so dollars out of the military budget and spend it to maintain and IMPROVE the National Parks. I think that the Parks are one of the best things the government does, not flashy, not earth-shaking, but a good value for any one who visits with their family or as a tour group.

It is foolish to expect that they will continue to provide services to an expanding number of visitors for less money every year.

let's face it. There just isn't enough money for stuff like parks and the Military policy of the current government.

It is interesting that no mention is made here about the Escalante/Grand Staircase National Monument. Isn't that one of the state parks and monuments that are part of the National Park system?

Not logical.

Attendance is up, but revenue is down?

Seems like they're not getting a fair cut and all that cashola goes back to D.C., or those heading to national parks need to start forking a bit more over.

As much as I like the people in iraq and appreciate all we are trying to do for them it is time for them to stand up on their own feet and take charge and control of their destiny. We need to bring out troops home and start rebuilding the United states. The money we are spending over there is crazy. We should bring the troops home, start a 5 year program to get us off of fossil fuel and rebuild our own republic!

"Save the money and reduce taxes ..."

Sorry, but NO government at any level is in the business of reducing taxes. In fact confiscating your money is almost the only thing governments dohitw reckless efficiency.