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National Parks are hugely important

When Americans want to impress foreign guests, we sometimes take them to national parks. It often works; people from abroad frequently are awed by the natural beauty and historic significance of our many parks – and impressed that we as a people have preserved them.

But often, we seem more interested in adding new units to the park system than in maintaining what we have. National Park Service officials are burdened with an $11 billion backlog of maintenance projects.

At the same time they are trying to address that, NPS officials are planning to observe the 100th anniversary of their agency’s creation in 2016. One of their goals is to attract more people to the parks.

Park patrons tend to be older white Americans, say NPS officials. Attracting a more diverse crowd could provide more money to keep the parks in good condition.

But realistic budgeting – ensuring needs at existing parks are handled before new ones are established – would help, too.

Whatever the method, more resources need to be put into maintaining the parks. It is strange during an era when “going green” seems to be such a priority and billions of dollars are wasted on ill-conceived alternative energy projects that so little emphasis seems to be placed on taking care of the original “green” project – America’s national parks.

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