Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the conflict between use and preservation in national parks policy as seen through the mission statement of the National Parks Service. The histories of the national parks were qualitatively coded in order to further explore this controversy, or what we have termed “mission rivalry”.
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Notes
By 1830, Niagara Falls, which was heralded as one of the nation’s greatest wonders was overrun by tourist operators charging outrageous fees for the best views. When Alexis de Tocqueville visited the area in 1831 he encouraged a friend to visit quickly before “your Niagara will have been spoiled for you. Already the forest round about is being cleared. I don’t give the Americans ten years to establish a saw or flour mill at the base of the cataract” Zaslowsky and Watkins (1994). These American Lands. Washington, DC, Island Press. p. 15.
Section 1.4.3 of NPS Management Policies.
The term “mission statement” is often used interchangeably with the terms vision statement, creed statement, statement of purpose, statement of philosophy, statement of beliefs, and statement of business principles. For the purposes of clarity we will use the conventional term mission statement. This is also the preferred term of the National Park Service.
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Orr, S.K., Humphreys, R.L. Mission Rivalry: Use and Preservation Conflicts in National Parks Policy. Public Organiz Rev 12, 85–98 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-011-0161-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-011-0161-8