Parks, Forests, Wildlife Shortchanged in Budget
Nearly 150 historic structures at Gettysburg National Military Park need maintenance. At Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, 75 percent of the requests for ranger-led programs are denied because of insufficient staffing. Today, for every 100,000 visitors to our national parks, there is only one ranger providing education (called “interpretation”).
“This trend will accelerate if Congress passes an Interior appropriations bill like the versions now moving through the House and Senate,” says Sarah Neimeyer, who heads our budget and appropriations team. “Unfortunately, federal funding to protect and acquire public lands has been significantly cut as spending on other things has risen. It is very shortsighted.”
At Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland, where President Bush often rides his bike, 20 miles of public trails are being closed off at 4 p.m. on summer weekdays instead of at 8 p.m. The camping programs for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been terminated, and some of the facilities used by scientists have been shuttered. Almost 40 percent of our national wildlife refuges have no on-site staff at all, and the National Wildlife Refuge Association warns that 10 percent of staff positions across the country will be left vacant or eliminated by next year unless the appropriations direction is reversed.
The U.S. Forest Service may face a reduction of $499 million next year. Every national forest has been directed to rank its campgrounds in preparation for decisions on closures, hour reductions, and service cutbacks, including garbage collection.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, whose 264 million acres exceed the domain of the other three federal land agencies, is known for having the thinnest ranks of all. A ranger assigned to the National Landscape Conservation System, which includes the BLM’s most pristine areas, is responsible for an average of 180,000 acres.
“Many of those now wielding the power in Washington look askance at the whole idea of public lands,” says Neimeyer. “They want to privatize whatever they can, and the budgets they draw up are pushing in that direction.”
In September 2005, the Bush administration will begin drafting its budget for 2007. Please urge the president to reverse the trend and restore lost funding for forests, parks, and wildlife. If possible, send copies to your legislators on Capitol Hill.
