January & February 2006
National Park Service draft management policies document ready for review
The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to update the policies that guide the management of the national park system. The policies are being updated to improve their clarity and to keep pace with changes in laws, regulations, socio-economic factors and technology. The revised policies will also improve understandings among NPS managers, and between NPS managers and the public, regarding how decisions are made in protecting park resources and providing opportunities for public enjoyment of the parks.
“These policies give our managers the tools they need to manage parks for now and for future generations,” said Director Fran P. Mainella. She encouraged people to read and analyze the draft document in its entirety and not as separate segments so they may understand that “these draft policies in no way increase the likelihood of more snowmobiles, cell towers, personal watercraft, commercial activities or reduced air quality” in the national parks.
In testimony before a Senate subcommittee recently, the NPS emphasized “the policies clearly underscore that when there is a conflict between use and conservation, the protection of the resources will be predominant.”
The proposed policy, as well as a comparison between the current (2001) policy and the proposed policy, are available on-line at the following address:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?projectId=13746&documentID=12825
There is also a link to the management policies from our home page, www.nps.gov.
The web site allows you to download individual chapters or the entire document. Note that all documents are MS Word files, except the last two (the Entire Draft and the Official Comparison version), which are listed in .pdf format.
Instructions on how to comment on the policy documents are available at the web site. Public comment runs through February 18, 2006.
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?projectId=13746&documentID=12825
There is also a link to the management policies from our home page, www.nps.gov.
The web site allows you to download individual chapters or the entire document. Note that all documents are MS Word files, except the last two (the Entire Draft and the Official Comparison version), which are listed in .pdf format.
Instructions on how to comment on the policy documents are available at the web site. Public comment runs through February 18, 2006.
January & February 2006
