It was 1864. The Civil War pitted brother against brother and tore our country apart. Yet, even in that time of struggle, President Abraham Lincoln thought of the future when he sowed the seeds of our national park system by setting aside the Yosemite Valley and Big Tree Grove in California, which later became Yosemite National Park.
Less than a decade later, our nation struggled with reconstruction. But on March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant created the first national park in the world: Yellowstone.
In 1916, while Americans fought in Europe during World War I, the National Park Service itself was created.
At each of these moments, during times of extreme hardship and division, American presidents, members of Congress and citizens thought of better days ahead. Their vision created our national parks: places of unity, history and hope illustrated by iconic landscape.
In 2016, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service-100 years of protection, preservation and enjoyment of the jewels in Americas crown. To help us prepare for that celebration, President Bush proposed the National Park Centennial Initiative, an unprecedented commitment to our parks to reinvigorate and enhance them in time for this anniversary.
The Presidents plan includes two parts: a commitment to park operations and a centennial challenge to the public to further engage in the centennial effort with donations of time and money.
The park operations effort is evident in 2008-the largest single-year operating budget in National Park Service history-and the Presidents even larger 2009 budget proposal which totals $161 million more than in 2008.
The Presidents National Park Centennial Challenge is a $100 million-a-year federal commitment to be matched by an equal or greater amount of philanthropic contributions to fund centennial projects and programs at parks across the country. The vision of the centennial initiative is to start now, not wait until 2016, so we can hold a great anniversary celebration of invigorated parks with improved facilities, new programs and better services that will provide expanded opportunities for visitors to enjoy the history, culture, nature and beauty of these special places.
For example, the first round of proposed centennial projects includes a “stewardship by discovery” program that will bring together citizen scientists, volunteers and students to catalogue the rich biodiversity of national parks in their own communities and to identify new species of wildlife.
Another project will rehabilitate the iconic Tunnel View Overlook at Yosemite National Park. The initiative will rehabilitate the historic rock wall and restore the remarkable view, all with an effort to enhance access to the amazing vista while insuring the safety of visitors.
Still another program, the “downloadable park” will use state-of-the-art technology to open the wonders of nature to new generations. The initial project will be at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where visitors will be able to download interpretive programs to their cell phones, mp3 players, and computers as they travel through the park.
Getting young people out into nature will be a major thrust of the Centennial Challenge. Acadia National Park plans to launch “Engaging Youth: No Child Left Inside,” a program that will partner with local organizations to invite children to get outside to experience the beauty and fun of nature. Other parks will develop similar programs to reach out to youth over the coming years.
Ever since the President announced this initiative, Americans have eagerly stepped forward to contribute. In fact, the National Park Service has received pledges of more than $215 million from private, philanthropic and state and local donors. The National Park Service stands ready with a first round of projects for 2008 and more on the way each year as we get closer to 2016.
Our National Parks are a window into the soul of our country, revealing our history, hopes and dreams, and serving as a reminder of all that we have accomplished and the promising future still before us. Through the National Parks centennial initiative and the commitment and enthusiasm of all Americans, well ensure our parks remain a vivid illustration of “America the Beautiful.”
