At a celebration in North Dakota on the 110th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, future President Theodore Roosevelt told those gathered: “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.” President Roosevelt would do his part in stewarding our tremendous national heritage by protecting more public land than any other president in American history. From New River Gorge, our newest national park, to Yellowstone, our oldest, these natural marvels have inspired generations of Americans and welcome tens of millions of international visitors every year. We owe it to future generations of Americans to maintain these parks and ensure our children and grandchildren can enjoy their natural heritage.

Frustratingly, despite broad interest in our parks, the National Park Service has amassed a deferred maintenance backlog of nearly $23 billion. Roads, trails, campgrounds, water systems, and buildings have fallen into disrepair. Elderly and disabled Americans visiting our national parks are now especially impacted.

Read more in The American Conservative here.

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