National Park Service: Difficult Choices Need to Be Made on the Future of
the Parks (Testimony, 03/07/95, GAO/T-RCED-95-124).

The overall level of visitor services offered by the National Park
Service is deteriorating.  Visitor services are being cut back and the
condition of many trails, campgrounds, exhibits, and other facilities is
declining.  The Park Service estimates that since 1988 the backlog of
deferred maintenance has more than doubled to $4 billion.  The following
two factors have had a major impact on the level of visitor services and
resource management activities: (1) additional operating requirements
resulting from more than 20 federal laws affecting the parks and (2) an
increase in the number of visitors.  Since substantial increases in
appropriations seem unlikely in today's tight budget climate, difficult
choices must be made on the future of the national parks.  These choices
involve generating more revenue within the parks, limiting the number of
parks in the system, and reducing the level of visitor services and
expectations.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-95-124
     TITLE:  National Park Service: Difficult Choices Need to Be Made on 
             the Future of the Parks
      DATE:  03/07/95
   SUBJECT:  National parks
             Federal property management
             Public lands
             Cost effectiveness analysis
             Management information systems
             Agency missions
             Budget cuts
             Funds management
             Maintenance costs
IDENTIFIER:  South Padre Island (TX)
             Shenandoah National Park (VA)
             Bandelier National Monument (NM)
             Statue of Liberty National Monument (NY)
             Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NV)
             Ellis Island (NY)
             Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (PA)
             Yosemite National Park (CA)
             Glacier National Park (MT)
             
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