Thousands of Americans flocked to our national parks this summer. So as the season comes to a close this weekend, it seems an appropriate time to show gratitude for our National Park Service. And, while celebrating the Labor Day holiday on Monday, let us not forget the 20,000 National Park Service employees who work tirelessly so that Americans and visitors alike can enjoy our historic and natural resource treasures.
The Park Service manages 431 individual units covering more than 85 million acres in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The units are commonly called parks. Seven of those units are in the state of Missouri.
The agency鈥檚 statement reads: 鈥淭he National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.鈥
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During the calendar year 2023, there were 325.5 million recreation visits to our national parks 鈥 an increase of 13 million recreation visits from 2022. The approximately 20,000 Park Service employees are there to make sure the hundreds of million recreation visits are as pleasant and educational as possible.
If asked to name a national park, most Americans are likely to say 鈥淵ellowstone,鈥 鈥淭he Grand Canyon鈥 or 鈥淵osemite.鈥 St. 不良研究所导航网址ans are likely to respond with 鈥淭he Arch鈥 鈥 or by its official name, 鈥淭he Gateway Arch.鈥
Employees of the National Park Service are not only there to welcome guests to the parks like the ones mentioned above. According to the website, they’re also entrusted with maintaining and caring for “the nation’s special places and sharing their stories.”
Back in June, protestors and vandals attacked one of those special places. Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Washington, D.C., ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 speech to a joint meeting of Congress.
The activists carried signs that read 鈥淎rrest Netanyahu鈥 and 鈥淓nd all U.S. aid to Israel.鈥 Groups waving Palestinian flags and chanting 鈥淔ree, free Palestine鈥 marched toward the U.S. Capitol.
Outside Union Station, protesters removed American flags and hoisted Palestinian ones in their place.
The Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain and the Freedom Bell were defaced with graffiti with phrases such as 鈥淗amas Is Coming,鈥 鈥淔ree Gaza,鈥 鈥渃hild killers,鈥 鈥淔鈥 Netanyahu鈥 and 鈥淔ree Palestine.鈥 A sculpture of Andrew Jackson on a horse 鈥 in the center of Lafayette Square 鈥 was covered in red handprints and graffitied with purple text that read 鈥淏oycott Israel products.鈥
U.S. Capitol Police officers deployed pepper spray after they said some protesters became 鈥渧iolent鈥 and 鈥渇ailed to obey鈥 orders to move back from the police line. Nine people were arrested across Washington, including four people on charges of assaulting a police officer outside Union Station.
Once the area was safe, the National Park Service quickly began removing graffiti and repairing statues, the Freedom Bell, and a fountain outside Union Station. The service鈥檚 architectural conservators trained in treating marble got busy restoring the monuments to their former glory.
Unfortunately, this incident was not the first display of vandalism on a landmark in the nation鈥檚 capital. In November 2023, demonstrators spray-painted 鈥淔ree Palestine鈥 on several statutes in Lafayette Square, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. And in December 2023, the Lincoln Memorial was temporarily closed after being vandalized with 鈥淔ree Gaza鈥 graffiti.
Conservationist, historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Wallace Stegner once said: 鈥淣ational parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.鈥
The protests and vandalism which desecrated our national gems might be examples of us at our worst. But the personnel of the National Park Service shows us how to be our best. Perhaps it is the dedication and resilience of their staff that makes the Park Service a favorite of all of the U.S. federal agencies. According to Pew Research, the Park Service tops the list in terms of favorability of all federal agencies, with 76% of Americans having a favorable opinion of the agency.
On top of keeping our parks accessible, the National Park Service also serves in neighborhoods with community-based historic preservation, civic engagement and outdoor recreation programs.
The National Park Service just celebrated its 108th birthday last week, on Aug. 25. Celebrate it by visiting a park, exploring nature, or discovering a piece of our history.
And while you鈥檙e there, thank a park ranger or National Park Service worker for reminding us that it is our people, like them, that make America exceptional.
