Cover Page

Contents

Those charged with the protection of the natural and historic features of the national parks are tempted to speculate on the difference, if any, between the Vandals who sacked Rome in the 5th century and those vandals who pursue, pointlessly, their sack of priceless objects which the Federal Government is endeavoring to preserve for their enjoyment. This destructive tendency extends also to signs, museum exhibits, and buildings and objects provided for visitor comfort or information. To that must be added the damage done by "souvenir" collectors—souvenirs that frequently are discarded shortly after leaving the park as too heavy to carry all the way home. This is particularly true of fossil wood collecting in the Petrified Forest National Monument. Controlling all three types of ruinous activity with limited protective staffs is a giant-size problem.

The geyser basins and hot pools of Yellowstone, for some reason known only to the perpetrators, seem irresistably to draw vandals or "litterbugs."

The tree ferns of Hawaii National Park are another popular target. In view of lumbering in the fern forests outside the park, their preservation within is the more important. Yet they are often damaged, sometimes killed, by people who break off the fronds or cut the young stems.

In the historic field, defacement of prehistoric ruins, carving of names or initials over prehistoric inscriptions or on historic objects, writing names with lipstick (especially at Statue of Liberty National Monument)—all are common.

More widespread than actual destruction of specific park features is the impairment of the scene by the litter that is strewn around debris of all sorts.

The cost of this vandalism to the Nation—which means to the taxpayer—is great. Each year about $500,000 is spent in cleaning up after litterbugs and in trying to wipe out evidences of depredations that so often deface objects that are part of the American cultural heritage. If this vandalism continues unchecked, outstanding features of our national parks that visitors spend time and money to see will be ruined; and Americans will be robbed of an important part of their national treasure.

There would seem to be two main ways of controlling the litter problem. The immediate answer is an adequate staff of rangers and others to police the areas and to explain the situation to visitors and enlist their cooperation. For the long haul, however, the final answer is education—and more education.

Growing carelessness of the public in disposing of litter by throwing it out of car windows along highways and in parks, and of leaving rubbish on the ground after picnics, has caused widespread concern. For several years a number of magazines, sparked by an article, "The Great American Litterbug," that appeared in Natural History, the official organ of the American Museum of Natural History, have campaigned on a "Don't be a Litterbug" platform. Women's organizations, garden clubs, conservation organizations, scouts, and others have joined the crusade. "Keep America Beautiful, Inc.," which describes itself as "a national public service organization for the elimination of litter," is an organization of some of the most influential corporations in the country, whose presidents and vice presidents serve on its Executive Board. With the unexcelled media available to these companies for securing public attention, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. should be a mighty force for the suppression—or conversion—of the litterbug.

Last Modified: Sat, Oct 5 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/story1/storyk.htm