Stephen Mather’s Ghost
Alfred RunteRevisiting the consensus for national parks.
The Magazine of Free Market Environmentalism
In 2016, the National Park Service will celebrate its 100-year anniversary. The agency is responsible for managing some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world.
But as the National Park Service prepares for its second century, the agency faces considerable challenges. National parks have a massive $11.5 billion maintenance backlog, causing leaky wastewater systems and deteriorating roads, trails, and bridges. Congress is unlikely to solve the problem. And with more than 400 park units—including several new monuments and historic parks—the agency is spread thin.
Creative solutions and responsible policies are needed. This issue of PERC Reports explores several ways to reduce the National Park Service's reliance on Congress, improve park maintenance and operations, and prepare our parks for the challenges of the twenty-first century.
Is outsourcing parks a key to solving the National Park Service's financial problems?
Capturing the economic value of wildlife—for the benefit of wildlife.
The park's wolf woes spur bigger questions of managing wilderness.
Can public-private partnerships tackle the park maintenance backlog?
Park visitors can play an important role in funding our parks.
Nonprofit group works to restore and conserve grasslands biodiversity.
Why the federal government is reluctant to outsource park operations.
Free market ideas can continue to make "America's best idea" even better.
Turtle poachers become turtle protectors in Nicaragua.
As the National Park Service turns 100, creative solutions and responsible policies are needed. This issue of PERC Reports is devoted to exploring some of those ideas.
We should do more than celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. We should ask serious questions about how to improve our national parks.