Our National Parks are being Vandalized and Neglected

Image: by D L Ennis, the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Bluff Mountain tunnel in Virginia.



Our National Parks have been vandalized and neglected in recent years to the point absurdity!

On the Blue Ridge Parkway, where I have traveled since the 1950’s, vandals have stolen signs and exhibits from the overlooks and trails and no attempt has been made by the park service to replace them.

Only in the past ten years has the Parkway begun being abused like it is. There have always been people who abused our public lands by painting graffiti on boulders along the Parkway and carving on trees along trails, which is bad enough. However, this year I have noticed that it is becoming much worse.

Image: by D L Ennis, another problem is litter, in this image there are two water bottles thrown under the overlook sign on the parkway; there was a trash can, provided by the NPS, no more than 15 feet away. I’ve never, in 45 years, seen so much litter on the parkway as I see nowadays!

Between budget cuts and the loss of respect for our national treasures by our citizens, it is becoming obvious that if things don’t change soon places like the Blue Ridge Parkway will go to ruin.

Perhaps President Bush’s new nominee for National Park Service director, Mary A. Bomar, will be able to coax more money out of our federal government to help save our parks.

President Bush has chosen a British-born career Park Service official to replace National Park Service director Fran Mainella, who announced this summer that she would step down. Bush's nominee, Mary A. Bomar of Philadelphia, has served as the Park Service's Northeast regional director since 2005. She previously helped manage several major revitalization projects that led to surges in park attendance.

Mainella announced her resignation in July, citing family concerns. Bomar's nomination needs Senate confirmation.

Park advocates, some of whom blasted Mainella for bending to commercial interests, praised Bush for choosing a nominee from within the agency.

'She (Bomar) has been a very good regional director in terms of supporting park needs and park resources, and I think that gives us reason to believe she would be quite an improvement,' said Bill Wade, executive council chairman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees.

Please, be kind to our national parks, and other public lands, as these places really are national treasures and we can’t afford to loose them!


Quotes from: “Bush Nominates New Park Service Chief” By Jennifer Talhelm
The Associated Press