Why now?

I mostly promise that after this post, I'll talk only about the beauty of the National Parks system and adventures, but I would be remiss to not mention that one of the big reasons I'm taking on this self-imposed National Parks challenged is that under the current administration, the National Parks are in jeopardy.

In the last 8 weeks, there have been proposals to significantly cut funding to the EPA, a gag order placed on EPA and National Parks employees, the selling of a national monument, a proposal eliminating regulations restricting mining in National Parks, the elimination of regulations that protect endangered species, and a bill to allow drilling in National Parks.

One of the most visible examples of harm is the gag order on the National Parks.  National Parks employees are no longer allowed to publish any research addressing climate change.  The National Parks have traditionally led the pack regarding climate change awareness because they get to see the impact on a daily basis.  For most of us, climate changes means more frequent flooding and warmer winters, for the National Parks, it means eroding mountains, melting glaciers, and declining wildlife populations. As a result, many NPS employees have created an alternate National Parks social media account to keep the public informed of the changes happening in the parks and to the Parks system.  You can find them here.

Another big concern is the proposed border wall along the southern border of the US.  This wall would run right through Big Bend National Park causing irreparable damage to the wildlife living along that corridor by blocking migration patterns, separating mating populations, and reducing habitats.

Taken together, this is a pattern that points to a deemphasis of the National Park system in favor of business practices that threaten to harm the environment.

The National Parks are for everyone and their protection should be of the utmost importance to people from all walks of life.  They highlight the ecological diversity and beauty of America and personally, I want them protected for future generations. To me, this seems like a non-partisan no-brainer.