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Managing the Park There was a time when the phrase "managing the park" was almost oxymoronic. The earliest national parks were remote places set aside to allow nature to take its course; "managing" such an area involved doing very little, if anything. Things have changed though, and now national parks receive millions of visitors each year. In some places this crush of people has altered air and water quality, resulted in public safety problems and caused serious deterioration of facilities and resources. On the other hand, parks exist in part to help people know and understand their heritage as a means to knowing and understanding themselves. Reconciling these two sometimes-conflicting ideas is what managing a park is all about. Law dictates many of the decisions made in everyday park management. The National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, the law that created the agency, is seen by many as being the driving force for park management. It states that the agency's purpose is:
But there are many other laws that regulate national parks as well, including the Endangered Species Act, the Historic Sites Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act, to name a few. Additionally, each national park in the system has at least one law, called its Enabling Legislation, which deals specifically with that park. Such legislation offers general guidance about managing the park, but doesn't usually address specific issues. Park superintendents have been given authority to establish certain rules within a park. Collectively known as the Superintendent's Compendium, these rules cover items such as long and short-term closures, limits on public uses, preservation of resources, fishing, camping and speed limits. The park's General Management Plan sets a course for managing the park over a period of 10-20 years. This document is prepared with input from those who often know the park best — its visitors. Interpreting a multitude of regulations and applying them to each situation that arises, while at the same time keeping in mind the needs and expectations of park visitors can be difficult. Add to this pressures from a variety of special interest groups and limitations on staffing and supplies, and the task is often mindboggling. Take, for example, the 1997 decision to establish a Slow Speed Zone near the park's islands. Boaters who wanted to move quickly along the islands bothered boaters who enjoy anchoring off Sands and Elliott Keys. The noise and wakes created by these boats impinged on the desire of others to enjoy a quiet afternoon or evening in their national park. Boats moving at a high rate of speed in that area were also a safety problem, as well as a potential source of damage to fragile seagrass beds as a result of groundings. The establishment of slow speed zones in the area was viewed by many as an appropriate solution to the problem. Some people, though, felt that there was already too much regulation, and that slowing down would inhibit their enjoyment of their national park. While some anglers thought that the zones would protect fragile seagrass beds so critically important to fish habitat, others disagreed, feeling that the zones would instead impede travel between favorite fishing spots. Public meetings were held and all sides of the issue were presented. Scores of park users sent in written comments. After considering public input, the zones were implemented on a different scale than was originally proposed. Such "management by consensus" is often possible and may be the most satisfying way to resolve problems. Sometimes, though, unpopular decisions must be made in order to protect park resources. A 1978 amendment to an earlier law (the 1970 Act for Administration) states that "...the authorization of activities (in national parks) shall not be exercised in derogation of the values and purposes for which these various areas have been established...." Congress has directed the National Park Service, then, to protect the resources and values of these areas, regardless of how popular or unpopular that position may be. The controversy over the redevelopment of the Homestead Air Force Base is one example of this. Park management is not achieved by merely relying on experience and instincts. Whenever possible it is based on solid Scientific Research, conducted not only by park staff, but by universities and independent researchers as well. Nor is efficient park management achieved solely through the efforts of park staff. Financial constraints are a very real part of managing national parks. Several organizations, including the Florida National Parks and Monuments Association, the Hoover Foundation, the Biscayne Bay Foundation, and the National Park Foundation, assist the park to meet its needs through financial support. Clearly, the term "park management" is no longer an oxymoron. It is a complex task that involves skilled professionals from many fields. In national parks, the need for efficient, innovative park management is especially important, for national parks protect the very best of this nation's rich heritage. And the law of the land dictates that, in turn, these resources, and the American public that own them, deserve the very best that the National Park Service can give them. Jobs Are you interested in joining the team that is charged with preserving and protecting the resources of Biscayne National Park? Current job openings at Biscayne National Park can be found at the South Florida National Parks Employment Web Page. General information about employment opportunities in the National Park Service can be found at the National Park Service Careers Page. Information and application instructions for seasonal employment in the nation's national parks are found at the Temporary Work With the National Park Service Page. Information on employment with the federal government and vacancy announcements for federal jobs are found at the Office of Personnel Management's USA Jobs Web Page. |
For additional information about Biscayne National Park, please contact the park at:
Biscayne National Park
9700 SW 328th Street
Homestead, FL 33033-5634
(305) 230-7275
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Enabling 
Legislation