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Established March 1, 1872, as the first national park in the world, Yellowstone protects nearly 10,000 hot springs and geysers, including Old Faithful. As the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem-one of the largest intact temperate zone ecosystems on the planet-Yellowstone provides important habitat for wildlife, including North America's last free-roaming herd of bison. The park contains more than 1,000 historic structures, including five designated National Historic Landmarks, and preserves 12,000 years of human history.
Visitation has increased by 50 percent since 1980, yet the park's appropriated base funding has increased at a nominal (non-inflation adjusted) rate of 4.8 percent, which is only 1.4 percent after adjusting for inflation. While the budget appears to have increased $17.5 million since 1980, the inflation-adjusted increase is actually $3.4 million-which is not enough to meet park needs.
While regional members of Congress have supported appropriate funding increases, Yellowstone, according to the park's new comprehensive financial analysis, has an annual funding shortfall of $23 million.. This is more than a third shy of the money required to protect the park and meet the needs of nearly three million visitors.
At current funding levels, Yellowstone is able to provide only 6 percent of its 2.8 million visitors annually with an educational experience. As a result, scores of visitors leave with questions unanswered and educational opportunities lost. This past September, the park cut all educational programs, which affected an average of 13,500 people a day. Insufficient staffing also leaves Yellowstone's backcountry vulnerable to poaching and other illegal activities, impedes emergency response time, and provides limited educational opportunities for hikers. Additionally, 21 American Indian tribes have a history in Yellowstone, yet only 1 percent of the park has been surveyed for relevant sites. Through natural erosion, land use, and vandalism, sites are being damaged before they can be studied.
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