For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 25, 2006
Memorandum for the Secretary of the Interior
SUBJECT: The Future of America's National Parks
In honoring its 90th anniversary, I have called on the National Park
Service, and every American, to continue the cooperation necessary for
our vibrant national parks to endure for the next 100 years and beyond.
Over the past 5 years, the National Park Service has built a strong
foundation for the future, with 6,000 park improvements completed or
underway. We should further enhance our national parks during the
decade leading up to the 2016 centennial celebration.
Therefore, I direct you to establish specific performance goals for our
national parks that, when achieved, will help prepare them for another
century of conservation, preservation, and enjoyment. These goals
should integrate the assessments of the past 5 years used in monitoring
natural resources and improving the condition of park facilities. You
are to identify signature projects and programs that are consistent with
these goals and that continue the National Park Service legacy of
leveraging philanthropic, partnership, and government investments for
the benefit of national parks and their visitors.
You are directed to consult with the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget and the Chairman of the Council on Environmental
Quality as appropriate in implementing this memorandum. I encourage you
to invite and receive suggestions from those who desire to preserve the
scenic, cultural, historical, geological, and recreational values of our
national parks.
You are to report the results of the implementation of this memorandum
to me by May 31, 2007.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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