Marla O’Byrne, President and CEO, Friends of Acadia:

“We welcome President Obama and his family to Acadia National Park, as they have again chosen to join the millions of American families who vacation together in our treasured national parks. During their visit this weekend, the First Family will once again experience first-hand why so many Americans value our national parks and America’s Great Outdoors.

“We wish the First Family an enjoyable Acadia experience, and hope the President will leave understanding through inspiration what our national parks mean and how important his leadership is in preparing them for their second century.”

Tom Kiernan, President, National Parks Conservation Association:

“Our national parks connect Americans, young and old, to America’s great outdoors and preserve our national heritage. In fact, a recent poll found that more than 75 percent of American voters think national parks should play a highly prominent role in President Obama’s new America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. From the roaming bison at Yellowstone to the battlefields of Gettysburg, our national parks are outdoor classrooms where our kids can learn about and appreciate wildlife, rivers, canyons, and mountains, places to see our history come alive, and destinations connecting families to our shared heritage.

“Americans also know that our parks, including Acadia, face significant problems, and they want them addressed. Through the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative and his upcoming budget proposal, the president’s leadership will be essential to addressing those challenges and ensuring the parks never return to the crises of the past. Seventy percent of voters believe these majestic, awe-inspiring places should be honored, cherished and cared for, not left to crumble into disrepair. And 76 percent believe it is important to restore our National Park System by its centennial in 2016.

“A well designed America’s Great Outdoors Initiative and a strong budget provide important opportunities and means to work with local communities to revitalize, protect and expand our National Park System, enhance recreational opportunities, and connect the broad diversity of America’s youth and families to our unique, tremendous national heritage.”

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