In early August, the Great American Outdoors Act was finally signed into law, a bill that would fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and restore our national parks as one major way of protecting wildlife. With national park visitor numbers increasing pre-COVID-19 pandemic, the infrastructure of some sites could not keep up without needing significant repairs.
Alongside this victory, there has also been a looming issue regarding lack of diversity among people of color employed through the National Park Service and visiting national parks and public lands. Our country’s demographics are shifting, and it’s been projected that by 2050 or possibly sooner, the United States will be a minority-majority culture. Our next EPN virtual event will ask “
What does the Great American Outdoors Act look like long-term from a bipartisan lens?
Who will be part of the backlog repair efforts and what does this mean for the future of our national parks?
How can we better address the tough conversation around the lack of diversity when it comes to preserving our national parks and public lands?
What are some ways we can make our national parks more inclusive and accessible?
Join us as we explore how we can best continue to support and advocate for the preservation of our national parks, as well as discussing opportunities to create a more inclusive and accessible National Park System for future generations.
