Posted on: Monday, November 17, 2003

EDITORIAL
Don't take national parks for granted

From Haleakala to Yosemite, and from Yellowstone to the Great Smoky Mountains, America's national parks preserve a stunning natural environment. And they're money-makers, according to a study conducted by the National Parks Conservation Association.

Visitors to U.S. national parks spend $10.6 billion a year. Visits to Hawai'i's seven national parks in 2001 produced $295 million in sales and 6,157 jobs.

Though these figures bode well for the great outdoors as an economic boon, this is not the time for us to rest on our laurels. Once a park gains a reputation for litter, filthy restrooms, crime and unfriendly staff, visitors drop off.

It doesn't help that President Bush just signed an appropriations bill that, according to NPCA Pacific Regional Director Courtney Cuff, "doesn't even cover the cost of inflation for care of these national parks."

Nor is it encouraging to hear that in a poll of National Park Service employees by the nonpartisan Campaign to Protect America's Lands, nine out of 10 respondents expressed concern that decisions affecting the parks are based more on politics than on science.

We cannot say whether the survey reflects the concerns of the entire National Park Service system. However, common sense tells us that if we don't protect and maintain park resources, including air and water quality, we risk killing the golden goose.