How National Park Service Operations Relate to Law and Policy

Abstract

We take for granted many of the programs and activities that have become a part of the national park experience, both for visitors and for employees. But what are the legal authorities for carrying out these park management operations? What permission do we have to protect natural or cultural resources; or to insist that visitors behave in certain ways; or to provide interpretation and education programs; or to provide and maintain facilities? In truth, the answer is a complex bundle of authorities, some of which are ambiguous and some are obscure. Fortunately, the guidance needed for carrying out most of the traditional, routine responsibilities that we've become accustomed to has been condensed into a relatively straight-forward set of policies and guidelines. Even so, we are seeing a disturbing trend of decisions being made at the park level that are inconsistent with law or policy.