National Park Service adapting investment strategies to continue delivering on its mission

America's national parks are popular—hosting 312 million recreation visits in 2022.

To succeed for the next 100 years and beyond, the National Park Service (NPS) is focusing on a sustainable and inclusive investment strategy to preserve and deliver parks for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

Fiscal and staffing realities mean that trade-offs are necessary for a sustainable future. The agency works to identify solutions that:

• Meet the need and are affordable to construct and implement
• Are sustainable to operate and maintain
• Reduce resource vulnerability to climate change and natural hazards

From the start, the NPS has worked in collaboration with the travel and tourism sector to manage responsible tourism that supports conservation and facilitates enjoyment of public lands. Sally Mayberry, NPS Communications Manager, interviewed Donny Leadbetter, NPS Tourism Analyst, for insight into changes in how visitors use parks and how those changes influence the way NPS looks at park investments.

Duration:

6 minutes, 49 seconds

Get some key insight into the tourism trends impacting the National Park Service, tips to improve your park visit experience, how you can help us preserve these national treasures and more.