Editing National Park Service (section)

==Initiatives==
[[File:Preservewildlifeb.jpg|thumb|"The national parks preserve all life", poster for National Park Service, 1940]]

* 24-hr all Taxa BioBlitz: A joint venture of the [[National Geographic Society]] and the NPS. Beginning in 2004, at [[Rock Creek Parkway]], the National Geographic Society and the NPS began a 10-year program of hosting a major biological survey of ten selected national park units. The intent is to develop public interest in the nations natural resources, develop scientific interest in America's youth and to create citizen scientist.
** 2007: [[Rock Creek Park]], Washington D.C. 661 species<ref name="NGS">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/projects/bioblitz.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225062349/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/projects/bioblitz.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 25, 2007 |title=BioBlitz, Species Inventory Information, Facts |magazine=National Geographic |access-date=October 3, 2010}}</ref>
** 2008: [[Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area]], Los Angeles, California. 1,700 species and more pending.<ref name=NGS/>
** 2009: [[Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore]], near Chicago in northern Indiana. 1,716 species and still counting.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/05/indiana-dunes-national-lakeshore-bioblitz-latest-tally-above-1-700-species |title=National Parks Traveler, May 17th, 2009; Kurt Repanshek |publisher=Nationalparkstraveler.com |access-date=October 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714160918/http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/05/indiana-dunes-national-lakeshore-bioblitz-latest-tally-above-1-700-species |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
** 2010: [[Biscayne National Park]], Miami, Florida. 810 species were identified during this 24-hr event. As classification continues, more species will be added to the list.<ref name="Biscayne BioBlitz page">{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/bisc/naturescience/bioblitzplants.htm |title=Biscayne BioBlitz page |publisher=Nps.gov |access-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-date=May 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518080705/http://www.nps.gov/bisc/naturescience/bioblitzplants.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
** 2011: [[Saguaro National Park]], Tucson, Arizona.<ref name="Biscayne BioBlitz page"/> During the 24 hours, 859 different species were identified, of which more than 400 were previously unknown in the park.<ref name=Arrowhead19-3>Arrowhead; The Newsletter of the Employees & Alumni Association of the National Park Service; Eastern National; Spring/Summer 2012, vol. 19 no. 3</ref>
** 2012: [[Rocky Mountain National Park]], in [[Estes Park]], In August 2012 489 species were identified.<ref>{{cite web |first=David |last=Braun |title=BioBlitz Finds 489 Species in Rocky Mountain National Park |publisher=National Geographic Society |date=August 26, 2012 |url=http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/26/bioblitz-finds-489-species-in-rocky-mountain-national-park/ |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105011955/http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/26/bioblitz-finds-489-species-in-rocky-mountain-national-park/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
** 2013: [[Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve]], in [[New Orleans]]. May 17–18, 2013 in the park's Barataria Preserve.<ref>{{cite web |title=BioBlitz 2013: Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve |publisher=National Geographic Society |url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/projects/bioblitz/bioblitz-la-2013/ |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-date=October 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031120018/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/projects/bioblitz/bioblitz-la-2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
** 2014: [[Golden Gate National Recreation Area]]<ref name=webpage>{{cite web |title=The NPS/National Geographic Society BioBlitzes |publisher=National Park Service |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/biodiversity/the-nps-national-geographic-society-bioblitzes.htm |access-date=June 5, 2021 |archive-date=June 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605142158/https://www.nps.gov/subjects/biodiversity/the-nps-national-geographic-society-bioblitzes.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
** 2015: [[Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park]]<ref name=webpage/>
** 2016: [[Whiskeytown National Recreation Area]], [[Cabrillo National Monument]], [[Channel Islands National Park]], [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name=webpage/>
** 2017: [[Virgin Islands National Park]]<ref name=webpage/>
* Biological Diversity: Biological Diversity is the vast variety of life as identified through species and genetics. This variety is decreasing as people spread across the globe, altering areas to better meet their needs.<ref>Biological Diversity brochure; National Park Service; 1993</ref>
* Climate Change: ''Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global sea levels.'' (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007).<ref>Climate Change in National Parks brochure; Dept of the Interior, National Park Service; 2007</ref>
* South Florida Restoration Initiative: Rescuing an Ecosystem in Peril: In partnership with the State of [[Florida]], and the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]], the NPS is restoring the physical and biological processes of the South Florida ecosystem. Historically, this ecosystem contained some of the most diverse habitats on earth.<ref>[http://data2.itc.nps.gov/budget2/documents/south_florida_restoration_initiative.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222172006/http://data2.itc.nps.gov/budget2/documents/south_florida_restoration_initiative.pdf|date=February 22, 2012}}</ref>
* Vanishing Treasures Initiative: Ruins Preservation in the American Southwest: The Vanishing Treasures Initiative began in FY 1998 to reduce threats to prehistoric and historic sites and structures in 44 parks of the Intermountain Region. In 2002, the program expanded to include three parks in the Pacific West Region. The goal is to reduce backlogged work and to bring sites and structures up to a condition where routine maintenance activities can preserve them.<ref>[http://data2.itc.nps.gov/budget2/documents/vanishing_treasures_initiative.pdf] {{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
* Wetlands: Wetlands includes [[marsh]]es, [[swamp]]s, and [[bog]]s. These areas and the plants and animals adapted to these conditions spread from the arctic to the equator. The shrinking wetlands provide habitat for fish and wildlife, help clean water and reduce the impact of storms and floods on the surrounding communities.<ref>Wetlands in the National Parks; Dept of the Interior, National Park Service; 1998</ref>
* Wildland Fire: Fires have been a natural part of park eco-systems. Many plants and some animals require a cycle of fire or flooding to be successful and productive. With the advent of human intervention and public access to parks, there are safety concerns for the visiting public.<ref>Managing Wildland Fire brochure; Dept of the Interior, National Park Service & [[National Interagency Fire Center]]; 2003</ref>

===Green Park Plan===
In September 2010, the NPS released its Climate Change Response Strategy, followed in April 2012 by the Green Parks Plan.<ref name="green">{{cite web|author1=National Park Service|date=July 2019|title=Green Parks Plan|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sustainability/green-parks.htm|access-date=July 18, 2019|website=|archive-date=July 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702033533/https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sustainability/green-parks.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Climate Friendly Parks Program====
The Climate Friendly Parks Program is a subset of the Green Parks Plan.<ref name=green/> It was created in collaboration between the NPS and the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|US Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref name=CFPP>{{cite web|title=Climate Friendly Parks Program|url=http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/|author1=National Park Service|publisher=US Dpt of the Interior|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904045618/http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/|url-status=live}}</ref> The program is meant to measure and reduce greenhouse gases to help slow the effects of climate change.

Parks in the CFP program create and implement plans to reduce greenhouse gases through reducing energy and water use. Facilities are designed and retrofitted using sustainable materials. Alternative transportation systems are developed to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.<ref name="CFPposter">Climate Friendly Parks, Environmental Leadership Program; National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, WV, 2009</ref> Parks in the program offer public education programs about how the parks are already affected.

The CFP program provides climate-friendly solutions to the visiting public, like using clean energy, reducing waste, and making smart transportation choices.<ref>{{cite web |author=Seth Shteir |url=http://www.hcn.org/blogs/grange/climate-friendly-national-parks |title=The Grange; Climate Friendly National Parks |publisher=High Country News |date=April 9, 2010 |access-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-date=April 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412130813/http://www.hcn.org/blogs/grange/climate-friendly-national-parks |url-status=live }}</ref> The CFP program can provide technical assistance, tools and resources for the parks and their neighboring communities to protect the natural and cultural resources.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/explore/index.html |title=Explore Climate Friendly Parks |author1=National Park Service |publisher=Nps.gov |access-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606064519/http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/explore/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The large, isolated parks typically generate their own electricity and heat and must do so without spoiling the values that the visitors have come to experience. Pollution is emitted by the vehicles used to transport visitors around the often-vast expanses of the parks. Many parks have converted vehicles to [[hybrid electric vehicles|electric hybrids]], and substitute [[diesel-electric|diesel/electric hybrid buses]] for private automobiles. In 2001 it was estimated that replacement with [[electric vehicle]]s would eliminate 25 TPY emissions entirely.<ref>Don Shepherd [http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/conference/ei10/intemissions/shepherd.pdf Estimating and Reducing Emissions from Within National Parks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210050136/http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/conference/ei10/intemissions/shepherd.pdf |date=December 10, 2011 }} National Park Service, April 2001</ref>

In 2010, the NPS estimated that reducing bottled water could eliminate 6,000 tons of carbon emissions and 8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. The NPS Concessions office voiced concerns about concessions impacts.<ref name=Norton>{{cite web|first =Shawn|last= Norton|url = http://act.credoaction.com/go/9668?t=10&akid=15494.2141429.laLjhy |title = Plastic Water Bottles in National Parks and the Green Parks Plan|publisher = National Park Service|date = January 5, 2010|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180417031022/https://www.peer.org/assets/docs/nps/12_2_11_env_consequences.pdf|archive-date = 17 April 2018}}</ref>

By 2014, 23 parks had banned disposable water bottles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nearly two dozen national park sites ban plastic water bottle sales|url=http://wilderness.org/blog/nearly-two-dozen-national-park-sites-ban-plastic-water-bottle-sales|publisher=The Wilderness Society|access-date=September 2, 2015|date=April 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904050747/http://wilderness.org/blog/nearly-two-dozen-national-park-sites-ban-plastic-water-bottle-sales|archive-date=September 4, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2015, the [[International Bottled Water Association]] stated the NPS was "leaving sugary drinks as a primary alternative", even though the Park Service provides water stations to refill bottles, "encouraging visitors to hydrate for free". The Water Association made the national parks one of its top lobbying targets. In July 2015 Rep. [[Keith Rothfus]] added a "last-minute" amendment into Congress's appropriations bill, blocking the NPS from funding or enforcing the program.<ref>Lisa Rein, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/07/13/how-big-water-is-trying-to-stop-the-national-park-service-from-cleaning-up-plastic-bottles/ How Big Water is trying to stop the National Park Service from cleaning up plastic bottles fouling the parks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004210554/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/07/13/how-big-water-is-trying-to-stop-the-national-park-service-from-cleaning-up-plastic-bottles/|date=October 4, 2015}}, Washington Post, July 13, 2015.</ref> The NPS discontinued its ban on disposable water bottles in August 2017.<ref>{{cite news |title=National Park Service Ends Effort to Eliminate Sale of Disposable Water Bottles |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/08-16-2017-water-bottles.htm |date=August 16, 2017 |access-date=September 24, 2018 |website=National Park Service |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924191629/https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/08-16-2017-water-bottles.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Cashless===
In an effort to save on cash processing and hand handling fees, 22 national parks have gone [[cashless]] as of 2023. In September 2023, US Senator [[Cynthia Lummis]] (R-WY) proposed the "[[Protecting Access to Recreation with Cash Act]]" (PARC) which would require national parks to accept cash as a form of payment for entrance fee.<ref name="Lummis">{{cite web |title=Lummis Introduces Bill to Require National Parks to Accept Cash » Senator Cynthia Lummis |url=https://www.lummis.senate.gov/press-releases/lummis-introduces-bill-to-require-national-parks-to-accept-cash/ |website=Senator Cynthia Lummis |access-date=23 March 2024 |date=September 21, 2023}}</ref> In April 2024, several NPS visitors sued seeking to restore cash as a payment form noting how [[cash]] is [[legal tender]] suitable "for all public charges" and that the "additional [[processing fee]]s that will be borne by NPS and by visitors who ultimately fund the federal government through taxes, in addition to personal [[Surcharge (payment systems)|surcharge]]s and [[bank fee]]s visitors may incur under NPS cashless policy."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hauser |first1=Christine |title=U.S. Park Service Says to Leave Your Cash at Home, but Some Object |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/us/cashless-national-parks-lawsuit.html |access-date=23 March 2024 |publisher=The New York Times |date=March 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lin |first1=Summer |title=The National Park Service will only take plastic at its parks. Three visitors are suing to use cash |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-20/the-national-park-service-will-only-take-plastic-at-its-parks-three-visitors-are-suing-to-use-cash |access-date=23 March 2024 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=20 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Golder |first1=Dave |title=Irate visitors sue National Park Service over cashless entrance fees |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/irate-visitors-sue-national-park-110246811.html |access-date=23 March 2024 |work=Yahoo Life |date=18 March 2024}}</ref>