A6423(2530)

December 27, 2000

Memorandum

It gives me great pleasure to announce my approval of the 2001 edition of National Park Service Management Policies. The policies are derived from the laws that have been enacted to establish and guide the administration of the national park system, and reflect the knowledge we have acquired in our 84 years of stewardship. The policies will aid us immeasurably in our efforts to continue to be good stewards, and to be good neighbors as well.

This new edition of Management Policies was made possible through the efforts of hundreds of individuals who contributed their time and effort to write, or thoughtfully comment on, the 3 drafts that were circulated for review. I sincerely appreciate those efforts.

In finalizing this document, we have taken into account all the comments we received-not only from our employees, but also from many individuals and organizations with a deep and abiding interest in the parks and programs of the National Park Service. While we do not all agree on the specific ways to best accomplish the National Park Service mission, there can be no doubt that the public and Park Service employees passionately support that mission. We will soon be publishing in the Federal Register our official response to the public review comments.

One thing we must all agree on is that we can best accomplish our mission when we speak with one voice. That is how these Management Policies help us-they give us the tools to be consistent in our approach to decision making and problem solving. I commend this document to you for constant reference, and suggest that you read it from cover to cover at least once a year. In this new millennium, let us speak with one voice in support of park resources and values, and work together on the critical matters and questions that come before us.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.