Management

Magnolias in front of the Vanderbilt Mansion

NPS/ C.S. Anderson III

The National Park Service was established to protect and help people experience America's special places and their stories.

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make sure that park staff can focus on this important mission.

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The management of the National Park Service (NPS) and NPS programs is guided by and consistent with the Constitution, public laws, treaties, proclamations, Executive Orders, regulations, and directives of the Secretary of the Interior and the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. All NPS policy must be consistent with these higher authorities when establishing its own inter-agency policy.

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NPS/ C.S. Anderson III

 

Laws & Policies

Use the panels below to acquaint yourself with the laws and policies associated with the State of New York, the greater agency of the National Park Service, and the local NPS units in Hyde Park, NY.

Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1

The regulations in Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1 provide for the proper use, management, government, and protection of persons, property, and natural and cultural resources within areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

These regulations will be utilized to fulfill the statutory purposes of units of the National Park System:

• to conserve scenery natural and historic objects, and wildlife.

• to provide for the enjoyment of those resources in a manner that will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

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Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1  is the primary regulatory document which defines how National Parks conduct business, handle and preserve resources, and engage with the public. The digital version of the document can be read in full at the following website: Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1 - Online

A copy of Title 36, CFR, can also be purchased from the U.S. Government Printing Office at:

Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954

Superintendent's Compendium

Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1 concerns regulations of the National Park Service in total at an agency-wide level. The Superintendent's Compendium is a companion document to Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1 which focuses on  individual park units or families of units. A Superintendent's Compendium can elaborate on 36 CFR rules and how they relate to local policy and experiences. In Hyde Park, NY, the Compendium concerns three National Historic Sites:

• Home of Franklin D Roosevelt NHS
• Eleanor Roosevelt NHS
• Vanderbilt Mansion NHS

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You may read the online version of the Superintendent's Compendium of the National Historic Sites of Hyde Park, NY, at the following link, and you will benefit from comparing the Compendium to Parts 1 through 7 of Title 36 CFR, Chapter 1:
Superintendent's Compendium - Hyde Park, NY

Foundation Documents

Completed in 2017, the Foundation Document provides the park with basic guidance for planning and management decisions. Along with the core components, the assessment provides a focus for park planning activities and establishes a baseline from which planning documents are developed. Core components of the foundation document include:

• a brief description of the park.

• the park’s purpose and significance.

• fundamental resources and values.

• interpretive themes.

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The foundation document also includes:

• special mandates.

• administrative commitments.

• an assessment of planning and data needs that identifies planning issues.

• planning products to be developed.

• the associated studies and data required for park planning.

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Online copy of the Vanderbilt Mansion NHS Foundation Document: 
VAMA - Foundation Document

Online copy of the abridged Vanderbilt Mansion NHS Foundation Document Overview: 
VAMA - Foundation Document Overview

NPS Planning

The National Park Service prepares a variety of planning and environmental documents to help guide management of parks. This site provides for public involvement in the NPS planning process.

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NPS Planning website for the project archive of the Historic Sites of Hyde Park, NY:
NPS Planning - Roosevelt-Vanderbilt NHS

NPS Planning website for the project archive of the Vanderbilt Mansion NHS:
NPS Planning - Vanderbilt Mansion NHS

Firearms in National Parks

The law governing possession of firearms inside a national park changed on February 22, 2010.

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Visitors may possess firearms within a national park unit provided they comply with federal, state, and local laws. The role of the responsible gun owner is to know and obey the federal, state, and local laws appropriate to the park they are visiting. 

Please remember that federal law prohibits firearms in certain park facilities and buildings. These places are marked with signs at public entrances.

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For more information about New York State firearms laws please visit the navigable website of the New York State Legislature (NYSL): New York State Legislature - State Law Search

On the NYSL website, you may search for keywords or browse relevant statute categories. A few statutes related to firearms include, but are not limited to:

• Penal Law - Part 3 - Title P - Article 265: Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons

• Penal Law - Part 4 - Title W - Article 400: Licensing and Other Provisions relating to Firearms

• Environmental Conservation Law - Article 11 - Title 9 - Section 11-0931: Prohibitions on the Use and Possesion of Firearms

 

NPS/ C.S. Anderson III

 

Public Assembly Maps of Designated Free Speech Areas

Click on one of the three map thumbnails below to view a larger image of the Public Assembly Maps of the three National Historic Sites in Hyde Park, NY. The Designated Free Speech (or First Amendment) Areas for public assembly are marked on the three National Historic Site maps with red geometric shapes. For more info on public assemblies, check the element "36 CFR §2.51 – Public Assemblies" within the linked webpage in the "Superintendent's Compendium" category above.

 

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  Eleanor Roosevelt - Public Assembly Map

  The two red squares on the map are the Designated Free Speech (or First Amendment) Areas.

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  Home of FDR - Public Assembly Map

  The two red rectangles on the map are the Designated Free Speech (or First Amendment) Areas.

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  Vanderbilt Mansion - Public Assembly Map

  The red polygon on the map is the Designated Free Speech (or First Amendment) Area.