WHAT WE DO

   Glacier National Park was established on May 11, 1910. In 1932, the park was re-designated the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in collaboration with Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. A wide array of wildlife and plant species thrives among Glacier's rugged and diverse terrain. The park preserves 12,000 years of human history, interpreted through 337 historic structures and five National Historic Landmarks.

   Although Congress has consistently supported increased funding for Glacier National Park and in particular, restoration of the crumbling Going-to-the-Sun Road, the park's operating budget suffers an annual shortfall in excess of $4 million.

   High on the list of personnel needs at Glacier is restoration of ranger positions and additional personnel to better protect park resources. Partly because of fiscal constraints, Glacier's current ranger staffing level is insufficient to adequately handle poaching, illegal removal of natural resources, and damage to cultural resources. Some rangers have been recruited from the park for national security needs and replacements have not been hired because of fiscal restraints. More personnel are also needed to meet basic standards for monitoring, cataloging, maintenance, and preservation of the park's museum, library, photography, and archive collections. Just one person is currently assigned to these tasks. Only 8 percent of the park's 1.6 million annual visitors have the opportunity to participate in a formal, interactive outdoor educational experience because of a lack of sufficient interpretive staff.

   This year, the park expects to fund 168 FTEs from the base operating budget, compared to 174 FTEs in 2003.

   The administration's fiscal year 2005 budget request for Glacier National Park includes $300,000 for greater protection of the border and operation and maintenance of a new sewage treatment plant.