In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016, America invites the world to discover the meaning of national parks to their lives and inspires people to both experience and become devoted to these special places.
Starting in August 2006, on the 90th anniversary of the National Park Service, we launched the National Park Centennial Initiative to prepare national parks for another century of conservation, preservation, and enjoyment. Since then NPS has asked citizens, park partners, experts, and other stakeholders what they envisioned for a second century of national parks.
A nationwide series of more than 40 listening sessions—one held at Boston's Faneuil Hall—produced more than 6,000 comments that helped to shape five centennial goals. The goals and vision were presented to President Bush and to the American people in a report:
» The Future of America’s National Parks [PDF]
Every national park staff took their lead from this report and created local centennial strategies to describe their vision and desired accomplishments by 2016. This is just the first year, and there are many great things to come as the National Park Service prepares to celebrate 100 years.
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To keep up with the Centennial Initiative and to experience the interactive version of The Future of America’s National Parks and other special features please visit www.nps.gov/2016.
Centennial Projects
Two Boston Harbor Islands proposals—totaling $1.7 million—were announced as eligible for National Park Service Centennial matching funds on August 23, 2007, at a press event in Yosemite National Park.
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Funded was, "2008 Centennial Project: Micro-Wilderness Invertebrate Inventory."
