St. Thomas Law Review
First Page
111
Document Type
Article
Abstract
America's wondrous national parks, "enclaves of preservation adrift in a sea of development,"' are in danger of being "loved to death" in the 1980'S. As increasing numbers of city-weary Americans have flocked to the national parks, the National Park Service has struggled to balance the dual Congressional mandate of public access and park preservation set out in the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916. In recent years, however, overvisitation at national parks has drastically upset the delicate balance, imperiling unique ecosystems. Over 280 million visits were recorded at the 355 units of the national park system in 1984, and this number is expected to increase 3 percent annually. This article will examine the inherent conflict between park preservation and public use, and advocate that the survival of the national parks depends on the adoption of public policies which favor preservation. Beginning with an overview of the history and administrative authority of the National Park Service, this paper will attempt to illustrate the importance of preserving national parks as invaluable reservoirs of biological diversity in an ecosystem-impoverished world. Next, internal threats facing the national park system will be examined, showing how public overuse endangers the survival of unique ecosystems. Lastly, I shall critically review current preservation tools and strategies, and develop solutions designed to ensure the enjoyment of our ecosystem heritage in the national parks for generations to come.
Recommended Citation
Anne Batchelor,
Public Access to National Parks: The Case for Restraint,
1
St. Thomas L. Rev.
111
(1988).
Available at:
https://scholarship.stu.edu/stlr/vol1/iss1/7