[Inside Front Cover]

Management of National Park Service Programs

This volume of Management Policies focuses exclusively on management of the national park system. Beyond managing the national park system, the National Park Service administers a broad range of programs that serve the conservation and recreation needs of the nation and the world. Examples include the following:

· National Register of Historic Places

· National Historic Landmarks Program

· National Natural Landmarks Program

· Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants Program

· Historic American Buildings Survey

· Historic American Engineering Record

· Historic American Landscapes Survey

· American Battlefield Protection Program

· National Maritime Heritage Grants Program

· Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program

· Tribal Heritage Preservation Grants Program

· Preserve America Grants Program

· National Heritage Areas Program

Although these programs operate mainly outside the national parks, they form a vital part of the National Park Service mission. Information about the policies and procedures that govern these programs may be obtained from the appropriate NPS program managers (who are generally located in Washington, D.C.), or by visiting the NPS web site at www.nps.gov.

U. S. Department of the Interior

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its special responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated Island Communities.

National Park Service

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

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Management Policies

2006

The national park system was created to conserve unimpaired many of the world’s most magnificent landscapes, places that enshrine our nation’s enduring principles, and places that remind us of the tremendous sacrifices Americans have made on behalf of those principles. They are the most remarkable collection of places in America for recreation and learning. Visitors can immerse themselves in places where events actually happened and enjoy some of the most significant natural and historic places in America. These are places that offer renewal for the body, the spirit and the mind. As required by the 1916 Organic Act, these special places must be managed in a special way—a way that allows them to be enjoyed not just by those who are here today, but also by generations that follow. Enjoyment by present and future generations can be assured only if these special places are passed on to them in an unimpaired condition. And that is the challenge that faces all the employees of the National Park Service. It is a challenge eagerly embraced, but employees must have the tools required to perform the job successfully. The Management Policies contained in these pages represent one of the most important tools available. Through their judicious and consistent application, these policies will set a firm foundation for stewardship that will continue to earn the trust and confidence of the American people.

Underlying Principles

The National Park Service adhered to a number of principles in preparing this 2006 edition of Management Policies. The key principles were that the policies must:

· comply with current laws, regulations and executive orders;

· prevent impairment of park resources and values;

· ensure that conservation will be predominant when there is a conflict between the protection of resources and their use;

· maintain NPS responsibility for making decisions and for exercising key authorities;

· emphasize consultation and cooperation with local/state/tribal/federal entities;

· support pursuit of the best contemporary business practices and sustainability;

· encourage consistency across the system —“one national park system”;

· reflect NPS goals and a commitment to cooperative conservation and civic engagement;

· employ a tone that leaves no room for misunderstanding the National Park Service’s commitment to the public’s appropriate use and enjoyment, including education and interpretation, of park resources, while preventing unacceptable impacts;

· pass on to future generations natural, cultural, and physical resources that meet desired conditions better than they do today, along with improved opportunities for enjoyment.

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Contents

Introduction

Law, Policy, and Other Guidance

Hierarchy of Authorities

Policy Development

Compliance, Accountability, and Enforceability

The Directives System

Other Sources of Guidance

NPS Program Policies

1 The Foundation

1.1 The National Park Idea