For Immediate Release
Office of the
April 18, 2003
National Park Week, 2003
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
America is a land of majestic beauty, and we are blessed with
immeasurable natural wealth. Americans are united in the belief that
we must preserve this treasured heritage and conserve these natural
resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people.
As a Nation, we can be proud of our diverse parklands, ranging from
the rugged wilderness of snow-capped mountains, thick forests, sweeping
desert sands, and remote canyons to national symbols such as the Statue
of Liberty and the Lincoln Memorial. Our National Park Service has a
long and important history. In 1864, the Federal Government ensured a
grand natural landscape for generations to come when it designated
Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias to be "held
for public use, resort, and recreation . . . inalienable for all
time." Eight years later in 1872, the Congress created the first
national park in the Yellowstone region of the Territories of Montana
and Wyoming. Finally, in 1916, the National Park Service was
established to efficiently administer our growing number of parks,
which today includes 388 national parks on more than 84 million acres
of public lands. These lands continue to be cherished by all our
citizens.
The full and safe enjoyment of our national parks depends on
dedicated National Park Service employees and thousands of people who
volunteer their time to conserve these sites. This year's theme for
National Park Week, "Celebrating Volunteers," recognizes their valuable
contributions to conserving and maintaining our natural, cultural, and
historical heritage.
Across the country, my Administration is promoting volunteer
service, encouraging public-private partnerships, and advocating
community-based interest in our national parks. We are committed to
ensuring that our land is conserved, our air is clean, our water is
pure, and our parks are open and accessible to all Americans.
Recently, my Administration re-launched Take Pride in America, a
national partnership that engages volunteers from every corner of
America to enhance our parks and other public lands. As part of the
USA Freedom Corps initiative, Take Pride in America will encourage more
Americans to take part in volunteer service opportunities available on
public lands.
My Administration has also supported improvements in park
management and is working to reduce the park maintenance backlog. My
fiscal year 2004 budget includes over $1 billion to reduce the
maintenance backlog, an increase of $180 million over last year's
request, along with $76 million, a $9 million increase over last year's
request, for the National Park Service Natural Resource Challenge to
monitor "vital signs" of conditions in our parks. This initiative will
help conserve native species and habitats, maintain our natural
resources, eradicate invasive species, and provide the public with
information about resources in our parks. In addition, my
Administration has developed the website www.recreation.gov, which is a
user-friendly way to obtain information about recreational
opportunities in the national parks and other public recreation sites.
As we observe National Park Week, I encourage all citizens to
explore our national parks and to commit to the conservation and
stewardship of these timeless treasures. By working together, we can
ensure that these special places thrive for generations to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 21 through
April 27, 2003, as National Park Week. I call upon the people of the
United States to join me in recognizing the importance of our national
parks and to learn more about these areas of beauty, their historical
significance, and the many ways citizens can volunteer to help preserve
these precious resources.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day
of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-seventh.
GEORGE W. BUSH
# # #
|