National parks protect the greatest of our natural heritage: beautiful landscapes, wide array of wildlife, and awe-inspiring forests. National parks, along with other protected areas, form the basis of our social welfare, attract millions of visitors yearly, and help to protect our country’s rather unique wildlife by acting as a sanctuary of sorts for threatened species. Though their main purpose is the protection of biodiversity, they also bring other invaluable economic, social, cultural, and health benefits to our country.
On March 28th, 2017 representatives Dave Reichert, Derek Kilmer, Will Hurd, and Colleen Hanabusa introduced a bipartisan bill to jump start maintenance projects in our national parks, which is long overdue. The National Park Service Legacy Act would essentially provide investments that would go towards the reduction of the
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Tourists spent $62 billion on recreation around national park areas in 2010 alone. This money went to local businesses in the small towns surrounding these areas as tourists enjoyed accommodation, dining, entertainment, and retail experiences that are unique to these individual areas. This money also helped support 612,000 jobs which in turn supported the local, regional, and national economies in the US (Anderson, "Top 10 Reasons National Parks Must Be Protected", 2016).
In conclusion, The National Park Service is a very valuable part of our culture. It is one of the few things that we as humans have created that truly serves to protect both environmental and human interests. Therefore, it is imperative that the national parks receive the funds they need to repair damages and for further preservation. The “National Park Service Legacy Act” would be the best way to achieve said goal. By protecting the parks, the government is also simultaneously protecting American heritage, culture, and ultimately helping to improve many American