Frequently Asked Questions About The National Park Service
Who is the Director of The National Park Service?
Frances P. Mainella
Learn More about Past
Directors of the National Park Service
What government agency oversees the National Park Service?
The National Park Service is a bureau of the Department
of the Interior. Directly overseeing its operation is the Department's
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
How Old is the System?
The National Park Service was created by an Act signed by President
Woodrow Wilson on August 25, l9l6. Yellowstone National Park was established
by an Act signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on March l, l872, as
the Nation's first national park.
View the National Park System
Timeline.
How many areas are there in the National Park system?
The National Park System comprises 384 areas covering more than 83.3
million acres in every state (except Delaware), the District of Columbia,
American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These areas
include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical
parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic
rivers and trails, and the White House. Learn
More about National Park Designations.
How many employees are in the National Park Service?
Employees (permanent) - 15,729
Temporary and Seasonals - 5,548
Volunteers in Parks - 90,000
How many people visit the National Parks?
Total recreation visitors to the National Parks in 1999: 287,130,879
What is the National Park Service Budget?
FY 1999 Appropriation - $1.7 billion
FY 2000 Request - $2.0 billion
How do I make reservations for camping/lodging in the National
Parks?
For campground reservations go
here. Not all parks participate in this service, many campgrounds are first come, first served. For more information on specific camping and lodging services offered at the park(s) of your interest, please check their homepage by using our "Visit Your Parks" feature.
What are concessions?
There are more than 500 NPS concessionaires which vary in size from
small, family-owned businesses to national/international corporations.
Concessionaires provide park visitors with lodging, transportation, food
services, shops, and other services.
What is the largest/smallest National Park?
Largest - Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve,
AK - l3.2 million
Smallest - Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial,
PA - 0.02
- Current information on acreage is also available!
What is the origin of the National Park Service Arrowhead?
The arrowhead
was authorized as the official National Park Service emblem by the Secretary
of the Interior on July 20, 1951. The Sequoia tree and bison represent
vegetation and wildlife, the mountains and water represent scenic and
recreational values, and the arrowhead represents historical and archeological
values. It was registered Feb. 9, 1965, by the U.S. Patent Office as
the official emblem of the NPS. Further information on the Arrowhead,
including definitions, uses, powers to revoke uses, and penalties for
wrongful use can be found in Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations 11.1-4.
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