Why promote U.S. parks only to cut key services?

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2004

Today's debate: Park tourism

Our view: Better planning can protect parks' beauty and educational value.

Last month, the federal government launched a campaign to woo visitors from home and abroad to the USA's 387 national parks. Officials saw the park promotion as a way to spark tourism, which has dropped by more than 13 million visits since 2001.

Yet that same month, a National Park Service (NPS) official ordered parks in 12 Northeastern states to come up with service cuts to stay within a tight budget. While belt tightening is to be expected in an era of skyrocketing federal deficits, the suggestions could threaten some parks' most popular lures. Among the proposals: cutting lifeguards, eliminating guided ranger tours and closing on Sundays, a prime day for...