Inventory
Atlas
Supplement 1c. National Park Service Program Description
Program Mission.
The 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 Park Service cooperates with partners
to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation
and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Authorizing Legislation. Three laws constitute the
primary authorities for administration of the National Park
System. Under the 1916 National Park Service Organic Act,
the agency is charged with stewardship of the parks to “…conserve
the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife
therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such
a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for
the enjoyment of future generations.”
The General Authorities Act of 1970 defined the National Park
System as including all areas administered by the National
Park Service “…for park, monument, historic, parkway,
recreational, or other purposes,” and declared that all
units of the System will be managed in accordance with their
respective individual statutory directives, in addition to
the Congressional direction found in the Organic Act and other
relevant legislation, providing the general legislation does
not conflict with specific provisions.
The 1978 Redwood National Park Act further amended National
Park Service authorities by mandating that all park units
be managed and protected “in light of the high public
value and integrity of the National Park System” and
that no activities should be undertaken “in derogation
of the values and purposes for which these various areas have
been established,” except where specifically authorized
by law. The National Park Service cares for special places
saved by the American people so that all may experience our
heritage.
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Management. Each unit of the National Park System was
created by an act of Congress or Presidential Proclamation
under the Antiquities Act of 1906. Regulations governing general
uses, closures, and resource protection for the National Park
System are found in the Code of Federal Regulations Title
36, parts 1 and 2. Special regulations for each park are found
in 36 CFR, part 7.
Types of Areas Protected. The National Park System
is comprised of more than 375 individual units administered
by the National Park Service for their intrinsic natural,
cultural, and recreational values. There are numerous designations
within the National Park System. Many names are descriptive
(lakeshores, seashores, battlefields) but others cannot be
neatly categorized (parks, preserves, recreation areas) because
of the diversity of resources within them. In 1970, Congress
elaborated on the 1916 National Park Service Organic Act,
saying all units of the system have equal legal standing in
a national system.
The National Park System encompasses approximately 83.6 million
acres, representing many different ecosystems. The largest
area is Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
At 13,200,000 acres it is 16.3 percent of the entire system.
The smallest unit in the system is Thaddeus Kosciuszko National
Memorial, Pennsylvania, at 0.02 of an acre.
Inventory Status of Program Sites. The National Parks
Service currently has 39 sites included in the national MPA
inventory. An additional 20 coastal parks may be considered
because they protect integral parts of marine ecosystems and
are ecologically dependent on marine waters, but do not contain
submerged lands. This preliminary inventory of sites in the
National Park System describes only the 40 parks with substantial
submerged lands within their boundaries, others may be added
upon subsequent reviews.
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