Voices of Experience, Advocating the Protection of America's National Parks

Photo: Jewel Cave National Monument, which was proclaimed 100 years ago this year. Photo credit: National Park Service

In May, 2003, three former high-ranking National Park Service employees spoke at a press conference in Washington DC against actions being taken by political leaders that were having detrimental effects on the National Park Service and the National Park System. At the same time, a letter was sent to President Bush and Interior Secretary Norton, signed by 20 NPS retirees, voicing similar concerns. Since that time, more than 600 additional former NPS employees, many of whom were senior managers of the agency, have joined the Coalition to monitor and respond to the decisions and actions of the political leadership of the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service. In a number of ways, the Coalition is also working to support the mission of the National Park System and the employees who carry it out. We have developed this website as a way to voice our concerns about legislative and policy decisions and their related activities that we feel diminish the values and purposes for which the National Park System was established and to help educate the American public about its values and benefits.