building a more inclusive national park system for all americans

8212019 Building a More Inclusive National Park System for All Americans

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbuilding-a-more-inclusive-national-park-system-for-all-americans 110

1 Center for American Progress | Building a More Inclusive National Park System for All Americans

Building a More Inclusive National

Park System for All AmericansBy Nidhi Thakar Claire Moser and Laura E Durso June 24 2015

Nex year he Naional Park Service will celebrae is cenennial anniversary991252

marking 100 years o dedicaion o creaing a sysem o unparalleled naional parks and

monumens ha atracs visiors rom around he world As Americarsquos Naional Park

Sysem eners is second cenury is viabiliy and relevance will depend no only on he

Naional Park Servicersquos abiliy o wihsand challenges991252such as a changing climaeincreased developmenal pressures and decreased ederal unding991252bu also on how

well Americans connec o heir naional parks Te Naional Park Service Organic

Ac signed by Presiden Woodrow Wilson in 1916 ensures ha US naional parks

are managed careully so ha uure generaions coninue o experience places such as

he Grand Canyon and Yellowsone in largely he same condiion as hey are oday 1

However work remains o build a sysem o naional parks and monumens ha ells he

sories o all Americans by reflecing he ull scope o he naionrsquos hisory and meeing

he demands o a diverse populaion

In an issue brie released las year he Cener or American Progress ound ha alhoughhe Unied Saes is home o more han 450 naional parks and monumens less han

one-quarer have a primary ocus on women communiies o color or oher radi-

ionally underrepresened groups2 No a single uni o he Naional Park Sysem has

a primary ocus on he lesbian gay bisexual and ransgender or LGB communiy

and unil he recen designaion o he Honouliuli Naional Monumen only wo had a

primary ocus on Asian Americans3

Te sory old by he parks and monumens already included in he Naional Park

Sysem does no presen a complee picure o he naionrsquos rich and diverse hisory Wih

US demographics rapidly changing991252such ha no single race or ehniciy will consi-

ue a majoriy o he US populaion by as early as 2044991252Congress and he presiden

should work o conserve places ha beter reflec Americarsquos diverse populaion and help

engage new generaions o visi and explore heir shared heriage and resources4




CAPrsquos mos recen review o Naional Park Sysem designaions reveals hree

main conclusions

1 Presidens have been more effecive han Congress a designaing inclusive naional

monumens and parks ha ell he sories o underrepresened communiies Tiry-

hree percen o all designaions by presidens are inclusive compared wih only 22

percen o all designaions by Congress

2 Recen congressional leadership has been unable o pass legislaion o increase inclu-

siviy in he Naional Park Sysem ocusing insead on prevening Presiden Barack

Obama rom designaing new naional monumens

3 Over he pas 25 years US naional parks and monumens have become more

inclusive bu sill do no adequaely reflec he counryrsquos diversiy However here are

direced acions ha Congress can ake o fill hese gaps and build a Naional Park

Sysem or all Americans

Tis issue brie examines he atenion given by presidens and Congress o building a

more inclusive Naional Park Sysem5

Presidents have a stronger record than Congress in designating

inclusive national parks and monuments

Over he pas 25 years boh presidens and Congress have become more adep a

promoing diversiy hrough naional parks and monumens Execuive acion in par-

icular991252under he Aniquiies Ac o 1906991252has proven o be a more effecive ool orachieving his goal han Congress enacing legislaion

Te Aniquiies Ac is criical o proecing he naionrsquos mos cherished places as

naional monumens I was he firs law passed o provide overall proecions or culural

and naural resources seting he one or he counryrsquos naional hisoric preservaion

and conservaion policy6 Sixeen differen presidens o boh poliical paries have used

he Aniquiies Ac more han 100 imes o designae naional parks and monumens7

CAPrsquos review o all naional park unis and monumens esablished since 1872991252includ-

ing monumens managed by he US Fores Service he Bureau o Land Managemen

and he US Fish and Wildlie Service991252highlighs ha presidens end o pu more

weigh on esablishing naional parks and monumens ha promoe inclusiviy han

Congress does CAP looked a all naional park unis ha have been designaed o dae

and ound ha 49 o 149 designaions by presidens991252or 33 percen991252were inclusive

his is compared o only 22 percen99125270 ou o 321991252o all congressional designaions8

Tese esimaes sugges ha presidens pu more weigh on diversiy when proecing

reasured places

Thirty-three

percent of all

designations

by presidents

are inclusive

compared

with only 22

percent of all

designations by

Congress




For example Presiden Obama singularly has declared 16 naional monumens nineo which have a primary ocus on engaging and elling he sories o underrepresened

communiies including he Pullman Naional Monumen and he Ceacutesar E Chaacutevez

Naional Monumen9 Tis accomplishmen is illusraive o he Obama adminisraionrsquos

commimen o building a nework o parks and monumens reflecive o he naionrsquos

rich and varied heriage

Congressional roadblocks to increasing inclusivity

Congress is in a unique posiion o promoe an inclusive sysem o naional parks andmonumens wih which all Americans can ideniy Congress has he auhoriy o

enac legislaion ha designaes inclusive parks and monumens and i conrols he

purse srings ha provide resources or hese areas radiionally Congress has read-

ily proeced naional parks monumens and hisoric sies991252designaing 321 naional

park unis since 187210 However some members o Congress have acively and effec-

ively opposed he proecion o hese special places in recen years placing litle o no

emphasis on designaing naional park unis ha have a primary ocus on radiionally

underrepresened communiies Congressional opponens o conservaion and hisoric

preservaion also have atemped o creae roadblocks ha i enaced would limi he

abiliy o curren and uure presidens o use he Aniquiies Ac o designae new

naional monumens

One o he mos effecive ways ha Congress can recognize diversiy in he Naional

Park Sysem is o enac legislaion ha eiher expands or creaes new naional parks

and monumens Neverheless in he pas five years Congress has only esablished six

naional park unis991252barely one per year Prior o 2010 Congress was designaing unis

a double he curren pace11

FIGURE 1

Presidents have a stronger record creating inclusive national parks

and monuments than Congress

Source Authors calculations are based on a review of all national park units and national monuments as of the date of this report

218328

Total

149

Total

321

Inclusive 49 Inclusive 70

Presidents Congress




A review o bills in he 113h Congress which covered 2013 o 2014 indicaes ha

a leas 100 bills o designae or expand unis o he Naional Park Sysem were inro-

duced in he US House o Represenaives and Senae bu he majoriy o hese bills

never made i o he floor or a voe12 In ac only seven proposals esablishing new

naional park unis were passed by Congress as amendmens o he Naional Deense

Auhorizaion Ac o Fiscal Year 2015 our o which were inended o reflec under-

represened communiies13 Te same patern is maerializing in he 114h Congresso dae no a single bill o designae inclusive naional parks or monumens has passed

Congress le alone legislaion o expand he Naional Park Sysem as a whole

In paricular he 114h Congress has no ye aken acion o address he ac ha

Americarsquos bes parks program he Land and Waer Conservaion Fund or LWCF is

se o expire in Sepember 2015 Te program creaed in 1965 uses royalies paid

by offshore oil and gas companies o und he creaion and proecion o parks14 Te

LWCF is auhorized annually a $900 million bu has been ully unded by Congress

only once since is creaion15 Wihou swif congressional acion o reauhorize his

program beore Sepember one o he naionrsquos mos effecive conservaion programs will disappear

Effors by curren congressional leaders o preven Presiden Obama rom creaing

new naional monumens are exacerbaing he problem In paricular Republican

leaders in he 113h and 114h Congresses have endeavored o block he presiden

rom designaing any new naional monumens wihou congressional approval In he

113h Congress here were a leas 12 bills inroduced ha would have undermined

he Aniquiies Ac including a bill sponsored by Rep Rob Bishop (R-U) o limi he

number o monumen designaions ha presidens can make per erm16 Similarly he

114h Congress already has inroduced a leas 13 proposals o block he creaion o newnaional monumens17

Both Congress and the executive branch have an opportunity to recognize the contribu-

tions and impact of the LGBT community through the selection of new sites that celebrate

its population and history These designations also would provide an economic benefit to

areas where they are located In fact every $1 invested in the National Park System gener-

ates $10 in economic activity totaling nearly $30 billion in revenue for 201418

The US Department of the Interior took a good first step toward recognizing the LGBT

community with the recent designation of the Henry Gerber House in Chicago Illinois as

the second LGBT National Historic Landmark19 However there currently no National Park

System units or national monuments dedicated to the history of the LGBT community

LGBT designations




5 steps for Congress to create a more inclusive National Park System

CAPrsquos review o naional park and monumen designaions in he pas 25 years ound

ha991252wih he excepion o he 113h and 114h Congresses991252he execuive and

congressional branches are beginning o pu greaer emphasis on proecing places hareflec Americarsquos diversiy A previous CAP issue brie indicaed ha only 24 percen

o all naional parks and monumens had a primary ocus on women or underrepre-

sened communiies27 However o he 106 naional parks and monumens designaed

by Congress and presidens in he pas 25 years 40 sies99125238 percen991252have a primary

purpose o recognizing underrepresened communiies A review o designaions or he

pas 10 years showed even more progress 17 o 39 naional parks and monumens991252

or 44 percen991252are inclusive Tis rend demonsraes a seady increase in inclusive

designaions indicaing ha as ime has passed presidens and congressional legislaors

have boh placed a greaer ocus on designaing special places ha are reflecive o he

counryrsquos changing demographics

While his analysis shows progress in he number o inclusive designaions since

Yellowsone was esablished as Americarsquos firs naional park in 1872 ederal policy-

makers sill need o address remaining gaps in he Naional Park Sysem Te Obama

adminisraion has acively increased inclusiviy in he Naional Park Sysem hrough

monumen designaions and Heriage Iniiaives launched by he Naional Park Service

But individual states have acted to weave the experiences of LGBT communities into the

national narrative For instance the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

recognized a series of annual LGBT rights protests with a marker in front of Philadelphiarsquos

Independence Hall in 200520 In 2009 the District of Columbia granted landmark status to

the home of Frank Kameny who became a pioneer for LGBT rights after he was fired from

his government job and took his case to the US Supreme Court21 These sites demonstrate

the ways in which the LGBT communityrsquos stories can be told

Congress and the Obama administration should designate new parks and monuments to

commemorate the challenges faced by this community and celebrate their achievements

which represent advancements for the nation as a whole In 2014 the National Park Service

announced that its theme study would focus on identifying places and events that tell the

story of the LGBT community22 This action holds promise and advocates have indepen-

dently identified several key sites in LGBT history that are worthy of considerationmdashinclud-

ing the oldest gay bar in Manhattan which was the site of a ldquosip-inrdquo that sparked media

coverage of the gay rights movement23 a brownstone on New York Cityrsquos West 22nd Street

that served as the organizational hub of the Gay Menrsquos Health Crisis to fight the HIVAIDS

epidemic24 the first gay and lesbian bookstore in America25 and Harvey Milkrsquos campaignheadquarters26 among others




ha seek o increase inclusiviy so ha he conribuions o all Americans are ldquorecog-

nized preserved and inerpreed or uure generaionsrdquo28 Tese iniiaives include proj-

ecs dedicaed o he heriage o Lainos Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders women

and he LGB communiy among ohers29 However Congress needs o do is par o

accelerae his progress Congress can ake he ollowing five seps o boos inclusiviy in

he Naional Park Sysem

1 Pass legislation to establish new inclusive national parks and monuments

One o he mos powerul and undamenal ools Congress has o promoe diversiy in

he Naional Park Sysem is is abiliy o enac legislaion Congress should propose a

package o conservaion bills wih he goal o esablishing a sysem o proeced lands and

hisoric places ha reflecs he conribuions o all Americans and he naionrsquos diversiy

2 Form a caucus or working group to promote inclusivity in the National Park System

Te creaion o a congressional member organizaion such as a congressional caucus

or working group is an effecive organizing ool ha members o Congress can use o

promoe policy ideas and exchange inormaion in order o increase inclusiviy in he

Naional Park Sysem Congressional member organizaions are used requenly or his

purpose In ac in he 113h Congress here were 336 organizaions ormally regisered

wih he House o Represenaives991252covering issues ranging rom baseball o biouels30

Forming a caucus or working group dedicaed o inclusiviy in he Naional Park Sysem

would help coordinae embersrsquo effors on his issue Te caucus could help ideniyinclusive areas ha deserve designaion deermine pending legislaion ha should be

advanced and assess addiional ways ha Congress can improve is role in designaing

inclusive Naional Park Sysem unis Te 114h Congress currenly has a Naional Parks

Caucus which also could provide a orum o engage on his issue31

3 Hold hearings to highlight the need for inclusivity and identify areas for designation

Te Senae Energy and Naural Resources Commiteersquos Subcommitee on Naional

Parks and he House Naural Resources Commiteersquos Subcommitee on Federal Lands

boh have jurisdicion over he Naional Park Service and are ldquoresponsible or all maters

relaed o he Naional Park Sysem US Foress public lands and naional monu-

mensrdquo32 Tese commitees can hold hearings o explore he lack o inclusiviy in he

Naional Park Sysem and find soluions o fix he problem Hearings could examine

why designaions have no kep pace wih evolving American culure and ideniy




possible areas or inclusive naional park and monumen designaions Field hearings

held in he proposed locaions or new inclusive designaions would allow members o

Congress o experience direcly and undersand he imporance o hese designaions

Tese ypes o hearings would raise he visibiliy and public awareness o he issue

4 Direct the secretary of the interior to conduct special resource studies

Special resource sudies are a useul ool ha Congress could employ o urher ideniy

areas ha reflec he diverse hisory o he Unied Saes Te secreary o he inerior con-

ducs hese sudies which assess he naional significance suiabiliy and easibiliy and

oher managemen opions o an area ha conains eiher naural or culural resources33

One example o his ool in acion is he auhorizaion o hree noeworhy special

resource sudies or underrepresened communiies passed as par o he Naional

Deense Auhorizaion Ac Tese sudies will examine he Buffalo Soldiers he Wes

Huner Sree Bapis Church a meeing place during he civil righs movemen andNew Philadelphia Illinois he firs American own ounded by an Arican American34

Special resource sudies provide an opporuniy or Congress o suppor he adminis-

raionrsquos commimen o ideniying lands in need o proecion ha are also places o

imporance o hisorically underrepresened communiies

5 Commission a Congressional Research Service report

A member o Congress or a commitee o jurisdicion can reques ha he

Congressional Research Service or CRS analyze inclusiviy in he Naional Park Sysemand issue a repor ha provides recommendaions o increase inclusiviy A CRS repor

would provide a baseline accouning o curren inclusive designaions o beter rack

progress in his area

Conclusion

Wih hese key seps rom Congress ederal policymakers can urher shape he

Naional Park Sysem o reflec he changing demographics o he Unied Saes Te

Naional Park Servicersquos cenennial anniversary nex year provides an opporuniy o

rehink he inclusiviy o our counryrsquos naional parks and monumens Now is he ime

o build a more inclusive Naional Park Sysem by designaing and expanding new parks

and monumens ha preserve he naionrsquos rich and diverse hisory and conemplae he

ideniy o America decades rom now Te counry rsquos increasing diversiy and rapidly

changing demographics are a reminder o never orge he naionrsquos rich hisory and o

recognize how ar American sociey has come As he Naional Park Service has rec-




ognized ldquoAmericans now and in he uure deserve o see hemselves991252however hey

describe hemselves991252in he sory o America As we learn abou he conribuions

o ellow Americans we learn o appreciae and value our diversiy and each oherrdquo35

Policymakers should srive o build a Naional Park Sysem ha ulfills hese goals

Nidhi Takar is he Depuy Direcor of he Public Lands Projec a he Cener for American

Progress Claire Moser is a Research and Advocacy Associae a he Cener Laura E Durso is Direcor of he LGB Research and Communicaions Projec a he Cener

Te auhors would like o hank Mat Lee-Ashley Senior Fellow and Direcor of he

Public Lands Projec Hannah Hussey Research Associae for he LGB Research and

Communicaions Projec Jamal Hagler Special Assisan o Progress 2050 Spencer Perry

and Julian Glover inerns wih he LGB eam and inerns Annie Wang Emily Ludwigsen

and Preeh Srinivasaraghavan




Endnotes

1 Tanya Somanader ldquoHappy 98th Birthday to the NationalPark Servicerdquo The White Ho use Blog August 5 2014 avail-able at httpswwwwhitehousegovblog20140825happy-98th-birthday-national-park-service

2 Jessica Goad Matt Lee-Ashley and Farah Z Ahmad ldquoBetterReflecting Our Countryrsquos Growing Diversity Progress HasBeen Made But Work Remains for National Parks and Monu-

mentsrdquo (Washington Center for American Progress 2014)available at httpswwwamericanprogressorgissuesgreenreport2014021984191better-reflecting-our-countrys-growing-diversity

3 Prior to the designation of the Honouliuli National Monu-ment the Minidoka National Historic Site and the ManzanarNational Historic Site were the only two units of theNational Park System established to recognize the contribu-tions of Asian Americans For more information see TheWhite House ldquoPresidential Proclamation ndash Establishment ofthe Honouliuli National Monumentrdquo Press release Febru-ary 24 2015 available at httpswwwwhitehousegovthe-press-office20150224presidential-proclamation-establishment-honouliuli-national-monument

4 Ruy Teixeira William H Frey and Robert Griffin ldquoStatesof Change The Demographic Evolution of the AmericanElectorate 1974ndash2060rdquo (Washington Center for AmericanProgress 2015) available at httpscdnamericanprogress

orgwp-contentuploads201502SOC-report1pdf

5 We deemed an area ldquoinclusiverdquo or focused on traditionallyunderrepresented communities if the balance of publiclyavailable information made clear that one of the unitrsquosprimary purposes is to protect and recognize a communityrsquoshistory culture or contributions

6 National Park Service ldquoAntiquities Act of 1906rdquo available athttpwwwnpsgovarcheologytoolslawsantacthtm (lastaccessed June 2015)

7 Ibid

8 Authorsrsquo calculations are based on a review of the 470 desig-nations that make up the US system of national parks andmonuments as of the date of this report

9 Katia Hetter ldquoBrowns Canyon industrial town among newnational monumentsrdquo CNN February 27 2015 available at

httpwwwcnncom20150218travelfeat-obama-new-national-monuments


11 Ibid Between 1872 and 2010 Congress designated 315monuments and units of the National Park System

12 The authors analyzed bills introduced in the 113th Con-gress For mo re information see Congressgov ldquoHomerdquoavailable at httpcongressgov (last accessed June 2015)

13 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 PublicLaw 291 113th Cong 2d sess (December 19 2014)

14 The Trust for Public Land ldquoLand and Water ConservationFund (LWCF)rdquo available at httpswwwtplorgaboutland-and-water-conservation-fund-lwcf (last accessed June2015)

15 Ibid

16 Elise Russell Liguori ldquoThe Attack on the Antiquities Actrdquo ParkAdvocate April 23 2014 available at httpparkadvocateorgthe-attack-on-the-antiquities-act-why-this-hundred-year-old-law-matters-for-congress-and-the-park-system-2 Andrew Gulliford ldquoThe Antiquities Act and the conserva-tion legacy of the GOPrdquo The Daily Sentinel April 27 2014available at httpwwwgjsentinelcomopinionarticlesthe-antiquities-act-and-the-conservation-legacy-of

17 These proposals include the following Secure the BorderFirst Act of 2015 S 208 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) NationalMonument Designation Transparency and Accountability Actof 2015 S 228 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) Nevada Land Sover-eignty Act of 2015 S 232 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) ImprovedNational Monument Designation Act Process of 2015 S 437114 Cong 1 sess (2015) Marine Access and State Transpar-ency Act H R 330 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) Secure Our

Borders First Act of 2015 H R 399 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) An act to prohibit the further extension or establishment ofnational monuments in Nevada except by express authoriza-tion of Congress H R 488 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) NationalMonument Designation Transparency and Accountability Actof 2015 H R 900 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) An act to amendsection 320301 of title 54 United States Code to modify the au-thority of the President of the United States to declare nationalmonuments and for other purposes H R 2258 114 Cong 1sess (2015) An amendment to the Keystone XL Pipeline Ap-

proval Act S Amdt 132 to S 1 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) Anamendment to the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act S Amdt176 to S 1 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) An amendment to anoriginal concurrent resolution setting forth the congressionalbudget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal

years 2017 through 2025 S Amdt 388 to S Con Res 11 114Cong 1 sess (2015) An amendment to the National Defense

Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 H Amdt 345 to H R1735 114 Cong 1 sess (2015) The authors a nalyzed bills

introduced in the 114th Congress For a record of these billssee Congressgov ldquoHomerdquo available at httpcongressgov (last accessed June 2015) Authors analyzed bills introducedin the 114th Congress For more information see Congressgov ldquoHomerdquo

18 National Parks Conservation Association ldquoThe Economics ofNational Parksrdquo available at httpwwwnpcaorgprotect-ing-our-parkspark-fundingeconomics-national-parkshtml (last accessed June 2015)

19 US Department of the Interior ldquoChicagorsquos Henry GerberHouse Designated as a National Historic Landmarkrdquo Pressrelease June 19 2015 available at httpwwwdoigovnewspressreleaseschicagos-henry-gerber-house-desig-nated-a-national-historic-landmarkcfm

20 Paula Martinac ldquoRecognizing LGBT Historic Sites in Our Cul-tural Heritagerdquo National Trust for Historic Preservation June21 2011 available at httpwwwpreservationnationorg

forumlibrarypublic-articlesrecognizing-lgbt-siteshtml

21 Ibid

22 National Park Service ldquoSecretary Jewell Announces New Na-tional Park Service Theme Study to Interpret CommemorateSites Related to Lesbian Gay Bi sexual Transgender HistoryrdquoPress release May 30 2014 available at httpwwwnpsgovnewsreleasehtmid=1594

23 National Park Service ldquoFrequently Asked Questionsrdquo avail-able at httpwwwnpsgovhistoryheritageinitiativesLGBThistoryfaqhtml (last accessed June 2015)

24 Nick Ramsey ldquoNational Park Service looks to add historicLGBT sitesrdquo MSNBC May 28 2014 available at httpwwwmsnbccomthe-last-wordpark-service-wants-honor-lgbt-history

25 Rona Marech ldquoUntold StoriesrdquoNational Parks Summer2014 available at httpwwwnpcaorgnewsmagazineall-

issues2014summeruntold-storieshtml

26 SF Gay History ldquoNPS identifies potential LGBT heritage sitesrdquoOctober 23 2014 available at httpwwwsfgayhistorycomtag=castro-camera

27 Goad Lee-Ashley and Ahmad ldquoBetter Reflecting Our Coun-tryrsquos Growing Diversityrdquo

28 National Park Service ldquoYour Story is Americarsquos Story Heri-tage Initiativesrdquo available at httpwwwnpsgovhistoryheritageinitiatives (last accessed June 2015)




29 National Park Service ldquoPublications on Diverse and InclusiveHistoryrdquo available at httpwwwnpsgovhistoryheritage-initiativespublicationshtml (last accessed June 2015)

30 Committee on House Administration ldquo114th CongressCMO Listrdquo available at httpchahousegovsitesrepubli-canschahousegovfilesdocumentsmember_services_docs114CMOList28481529pdf (last accessed June2014)

31 Ibid

32 US House of Representatives House Committee on Natural

Resources ldquoSubcommittee on Federal Landsrdquo available athttpnaturalresourceshousegovsubcommitteessubcommitteeSubcommitteeID=5063 (last accessed June2015) US Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesldquoSubcommittee on National Parks Republican Subcommit-tee Membersrdquo available at httpwwwenergysenategovpublicindexcfmabout-the-committee (last accessed June2015)

33 Carol Hardy Vincent ldquoNational Park System EstablishingNew Unitsrdquo (Washington Congressional Research Service2013) available at httpfasorgsgpcrsmiscRS20158pdf

34 US House of Representatives Committee on NaturalResources ldquoNatural Resources Provisions in NDAArdquo (2014)available at httpwwwgopgovappuploads201412NDAA-Natural-Resources-Briefing-Docs-12-3-14pdf Officeof Rep Hank Johnson ldquoCongressman seeks to preservehistoric civil rights churchrdquo Press release April 14 2014available at httphankjohnsonhousegovpress-releasecongressman-seeks-preserve-historic-civil-rights-churchChristopher C Fennel ldquoHistorical Landscapes of New Phila-

delphia Illinoi srdquo available at httpwwwanthroillinoisedufacultycfennellNP (last accessed June 2015) Elise RussellLiguori ldquoHistoric lsquoParks Packagersquo Passes Congressrdquo ParkAdvocate December 12 2014 available at httpparkadvo-cateorghistoric-parks-package-passes-congress

35 National Park Service ldquoYour Story is Americarsquos Storyrdquo




CAPrsquos mos recen review o Naional Park Sysem designaions reveals hree

main conclusions

1 Presidens have been more effecive han Congress a designaing inclusive naional

monumens and parks ha ell he sories o underrepresened communiies Tiry-

hree percen o all designaions by presidens are inclusive compared wih only 22

percen o all designaions by Congress

2 Recen congressional leadership has been unable o pass legislaion o increase inclu-

siviy in he Naional Park Sysem ocusing insead on prevening Presiden Barack

Obama rom designaing new naional monumens

3 Over he pas 25 years US naional parks and monumens have become more

inclusive bu sill do no adequaely reflec he counryrsquos diversiy However here are

direced acions ha Congress can ake o fill hese gaps and build a Naional Park

Sysem or all Americans

Tis issue brie examines he atenion given by presidens and Congress o building a

more inclusive Naional Park Sysem5

Presidents have a stronger record than Congress in designating

inclusive national parks and monuments

Over he pas 25 years boh presidens and Congress have become more adep a

promoing diversiy hrough naional parks and monumens Execuive acion in par-

icular991252under he Aniquiies Ac o 1906991252has proven o be a more effecive ool orachieving his goal han Congress enacing legislaion

Te Aniquiies Ac is criical o proecing he naionrsquos mos cherished places as

naional monumens I was he firs law passed o provide overall proecions or culural

and naural resources seting he one or he counryrsquos naional hisoric preservaion

and conservaion policy6 Sixeen differen presidens o boh poliical paries have used

he Aniquiies Ac more han 100 imes o designae naional parks and monumens7

CAPrsquos review o all naional park unis and monumens esablished since 1872991252includ-

ing monumens managed by he US Fores Service he Bureau o Land Managemen

and he US Fish and Wildlie Service991252highlighs ha presidens end o pu more

weigh on esablishing naional parks and monumens ha promoe inclusiviy han

Congress does CAP looked a all naional park unis ha have been designaed o dae

and ound ha 49 o 149 designaions by presidens991252or 33 percen991252were inclusive

his is compared o only 22 percen99125270 ou o 321991252o all congressional designaions8

Tese esimaes sugges ha presidens pu more weigh on diversiy when proecing

reasured places

Thirty-three

percent of all

designations

by presidents

are inclusive

compared

with only 22

percent of all

designations by

Congress




















naional monumens






FIGURE 1




218328

Total

149

Total

321


Presidents Congress




































LGBT designations

































































































Conclusion



























Endnotes









7 Ibid









15 Ibid












21 Ibid














31 Ibid


























naional monumens






FIGURE 1




218328

Total

149

Total

321


Presidents Congress




































LGBT designations

































































































Conclusion



























Endnotes









7 Ibid









15 Ibid












21 Ibid














31 Ibid










































LGBT designations

































































































Conclusion



























Endnotes









7 Ibid









15 Ibid












21 Ibid














31 Ibid







































































































Conclusion



























Endnotes









7 Ibid









15 Ibid












21 Ibid














31 Ibid
























Endnotes









7 Ibid









15 Ibid












21 Ibid














31 Ibid












31 Ibid







building a more inclusive national park system for all americans

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