National Parks Conservation Association fears these changes could compromise both the long-term protection of wildlife and visitor safety.
WASHINGTON – New changes are being implemented in 50+ national park sites in the lower-48 states, which National Parks Conservation Association fears could compromise both the long-term protection of wildlife and visitor safety.
The New York Times reported on a April 21 memo to park officials on hunting and trapping access that included the directive: “Closures and restrictions not required by law must be the minimum necessary for public safety or resource protection”.
The memo follows the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Order 3447, issued in January, which directed the National Park Service and other land management agencies including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation to “Identify and remove unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers to hunting and fishing on Department-managed lands and waters.”
Park Compendiums provide a park-specific rulebook that lists local area closures, permit requirements, and other restrictions for individual parks. Previous Compendiums prohibited shooting across or toward a trail at Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado or closed certain visitor-heavy areas to hunting at Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida or prevented hunting by baiting in Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine. These restrictions were developed to ensure that national parks were first and foremost meeting their high standards of wildlife conservation and visitor experience, as established by law in the 1916 Organic Act, which created the National Park Service.
Statement by National Parks Conservation Association Wildlife Program Director Stephanie Adams
“We are deeply concerned by language in the reported memo to national park managers, which impacts over 50 parks in the lower-48 states where hunting and trapping are allowed in some form. The memo, which states, “Closures and restrictions not required by law must be to the minimum necessary for public safety and resource protection” for hunting and trapping is out of line with park values.
“NPCA isn’t opposed to hunting in parks where it is allowed. Congress authorized hunting and trapping in some parks, but it also intentionally protected those areas as part of the National Park System for a reason. The bar for conserving and providing access to national parklands is higher than other public lands. When the Park Service was founded, Congress specifically directed managers to conserve wildlife and provide for visitor enjoyment. In national parks, management decisions must start with public safety and natural resource conservation—not with what appears to be a highly questionable directive to remove what someone deems as barriers to hunting and trapping.
"It is yet to be seen if all the prohibitions or restrictions referenced in the New York Times article will be lifted. What we are finding is concerning. Jean Lafitte National Historic Site in Louisiana has lifted a ban on alligator hunting and a restriction that says weapons may not be fired from, towards, or across at trail at Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado has also disappeared. For major changes, the National Park Service must consult the American public and ensure these actions align with the best science. Appropriate review is critical to ensure visitor safety and the conservation of park wildlife for future generations.”
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
