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Take Action Ask Congress to invest in our national parks--America's best idea--by boosting funding levels above those proposed in the President's budget. Take Action Now! Ads View NPCA's ad in Congressional Daily (PDF) View NPCA's ad in Roll Call (PDF) Economic Data Economic Impacts of National Park Visitor Spending Download spreadsheets from the Michigan State University website NPCA Reports Economic Asset at Risk America's National Park System generates more than four dollars in value to the public for every tax dollar invested by the Federal Government. View the report America's Heritage For Sale NPCA has published the first comprehensive look in decades at the development threats to land within national park boundaries. View the report Working Assets Read our report on the more than $2.5 billion worth of ready-to-go projects in national parks nationwide. View the report Regional Reports Highlighting the Economic Benefits of National Parks The Economic Influence of National Parks in Southeast Utah May 2009 Making Connections: Building a healthy future for Shenandoah National Park and its gateway communities Gateway to Glacier Gateways to Yellowstone

An Investment in Our National Parks Benefits the Economy and Protects Our Future

National Parks Conservation President Tom Kiernan talks about the need to fund our national parks as an investment in our future.

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This past year, as the recession took its toll on Americans’ pocketbooks, visitation to national parks increased by 5 percent, giving a much-needed boost to our local economies. Our national parks and monuments support $13.3 billion of local private-sector economic activity and 267,000 private-sector jobs. Yet our national parks suffer from a $580-million annual operating shortfall and a backlog of maintenance projects that exceeds $9 billion.

As a nation, we must commit to investing in our National Park System, which generates at least four dollars for state and local economies in return for every one tax dollar invested in the national parks’ annual budget.

Investing in our parks will improve safety and public access, restore our national heritage, and benefit our struggling economy. National parks are America’s legacy to our children and grandchildren; protecting them means that we are protecting this legacy for the future.