The State of Our National Parks: A Resources Index
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In this first-ever, science-based evaluation of the condition of natural and cultural resources across the National Park System, the national parks earned low scores, indicating serious, but surmountable challenges. |
The State of Our National Parks: A Resources Index is the first-ever, science-based evaluation of the overall condition of natural and cultural resource conditions in the National Park System. It compiles and analyzes assessments completed by NPCA’s Center for State of the Parks in a sampling of national parks through a new tool called the National Parks Resource Index, a statistical representation of how natural and cultural resources in our national parks are faring.
In this first iteration of the National Parks Resource Index, our national parks did not score well.
On a scale of 0 to 100, the index rates the National Park System’s natural resources, such as wildlife and air and water quality, at 70 points, and cultural resources, including historic buildings and museum collections, at only 61 points. These scores indicate that the challenges to our national parks are serious, but surmountable.
The 100th birthday of our National Park System is less than eight years away—now is the time for action. It is imperative that the next Administration, Congress, and the American public address the challenges to our national parks and preserve them for our children and grandchildren.
