Your Dollars At Work

Where Does Your Money Go?

National park lands are not free. Protecting our natural and cultural heritage and providing a safe, enjoyable, and educational visit requires substantial funding.

Although your taxes help offset the costs of operating parks like Vicksburg National Military Park, they do not cover all of the costs.

In an attempt to address this shortfall, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act, which helps spread some of the operating costs among the people who use the parks.

 

Vicksburg National Military Park is a participant in the congressionally authorized Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA). The program authorizes Vicksburg NMP to keep 100% of the entrance fees collected. These funds are used for backlogged maintenance needs, repair projects, interpretation and education, signage, and natural and historical resource preservation.

Vicksburg has been able to complete many necessary projects with the entrance fees collected. In 2017, entrance fee dollars were spent reparing the brick sidewalk at the USS Cairo Museum and pruning hazard trees in the cemetery and along the tour road. In 2016, the restrooms at the Visitor Center were completely remodeled and modernized. All of the interpretive waysides along the tour road were designed, installed, and maintainted with entrance fee dollars.

Under FLREA, parks like Vicksburg can request additional funding from higher revenue-producing parks to complete even larger projects, such as a new orientaton film, and exhibits in the Visitor Center.