Dear National Park Advocate,

Have you ever wondered who oversees the management of our 423 national parks?

The National Park Service Director's job is to support, guide and listen to the historians, scientists, rangers and managers at every one of those parks. And when advocates like you and I speak up about the issues that matter to our parks, it is the director's job to listen. Having the right person in this key position can make all the difference for parks, which have been without an official director for more than four years.

While President Biden needs to quickly nominate someone for this job, it is the Senate's job to make sure that person will work hard every day to protect and preserve the National Park System.

Please send a letter to your senators now, and ask them to support a nominee that will put our national parks, their communities, and their resources first.

The National Park Service Director also oversees the management of over 20,000 National Park Service employees. They depend on the director to protect and keep our most incredible natural, cultural, and historic resources for future generations to experience and enjoy. This is no small task, considering the Park Service is second only to the Department of Defense in the amount of infrastructure it manages.

For such an important role, we need to make sure that the U.S. Senate is ready to confirm a director who will:

- Bring positive change to the agency and help our national parks grow stronger in their second century.
- Protect our parks' natural, cultural and historic resources and ensure that they remain unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.
- Ensure our parks have the cleanest water, clearest air and thriving wildlife.
- Preserve and interpret our cultural heritage and the stories that tell a more complete story of the country's history.
- Ensure safety of park visitors and staff.
- Create opportunities for innovative and bold solutions to keep parks healthy in the face of a changing climate.

National Park Advocate, it has been over four years since the National Park Service has had a Senate-confirmed director. For years, underfunding and staff cuts have required park staff to do far more with much less, all while visitation skyrockets at many parks across the country. The lack of leadership within the agency has only compounded these struggles, making it more difficult for staff to perform their duties to ensure the protection of our national parks.

Please send your senators a note to remind them that without a permanent, empowered director, it is our parks, public lands, and all who visit them that pay the price. Ask your senators to confirm a nominee who will uphold the National Park Service's mission to preserve and protect our parks for future generations!

Thank you for speaking up for our national parks -- and for the staff that keep them the best places in our country. It is time to offer the parks the leadership they deserve.


Tucker Johnson
Legislative Analyst, Government Affairs