Unfortunately, the National Park Service (NPS) has just enacted a policy that allows expanded commercialization of our national parks. Corporations have been pushing for years to commercialize our national parks with their names, logos, and products. The timing of the new policy is particularly inappropriate because this year is the 100th anniversary of our national parks. Their pristine beauty and intergenerational legacy were celebrated in the Ken Burns’ wonderful 2009 PBS special, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” [1]
This new policy has been put in place despite overwhelming public opposition – hundreds of public comments in opposition and over 200,000 signatures on a petition opposing this policy. [2] The new policy will allow corporate sponsorships and partnerships, lift naming rights restrictions, allow advertising in parks (including for alcohol), and allow, if not require, parks to seek donations from corporations.
The new policy allows facilities from auditoriums to benches to have corporate names on them. Buses in national parks can now be plastered with advertising. Bricks or paving stones can have corporate names and logos on them. Educational programs and endowed positions can be branded by corporations. Large banners with corporate logos will now be allowed in the parks.
Even before this policy was in place, Coca-Cola, after donating $13 million to the NPS, blocked a proposed ban on bottled water in Grand Canyon National Park. The ban would have reduced trash in the park by 20%, saving money and employees’ time, while reducing litter and wasteful use of plastic. After public pressure, NPS allowed a park-by-park ban that requires a rigorous cost-benefit analysis and a multi-layered approval process. In another pre-policy example, Budweiser had a joint marketing campaign with NPS that allowed it to use the image of the Statue of Liberty on its labels and to co-sponsor a concert in a national park.
This is happening because our national parks are starved for money. While attendance at the parks has been up for three years in a row and is 20% higher than it was in 2013, Congress and the President have provided flat funding for operating the parks. [3] Despite the increased wear and tear, as well as the need for more parking and greater capacity on trails and roads, due to the increased number of visitors, the parks have received dramatically insufficient funding to maintain, let alone expand, infrastructure. It is estimated that there is an $11 billion backlog in maintenance projects. [4] Park superintendents struggle to meet their goals of preserving their parks for future generations, while providing a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors. They will now be put in the awkward position of needing to be involved in fundraising to support their park while being banned by federal law from directly soliciting donations.
As a poignant example of the problems commercialization can cause, Delaware North Corporation (DNC) is suing the NPS for $51 million for compensation for trademarks on the names of facilities in Yosemite National Park. DNC had been the concessionaire at the park since 1993, but recently lost the contract. Because this suit could take some time to resolve, Yosemite National Park has had to rename facilities in the park. The iconic Ahwahnee Hotel has been renamed, despite having operated under this name since 1927. It was named after the Native Americans who lived in the valley and whose descendants still work in the park. The Badger Pass Ski Area, among other facilities, has also been renamed and the trademark on the name “Yosemite National Park” may also be disputed. [5]
Commercialization is spoiling the pristine beauty of our national parks and detracting from the inspiring experience of visiting them. Conservationist and President Teddy Roosevelt envisioned our national parks as being preserved for future generations “with their majestic beauty all unmarred.” Commercialization of our national parks is antithetical to that vision and to the basic principle for creating national parks – to preserve our natural wonders and beauty for future generations in their natural, awe-inspiring state. We need to do a better job of protecting our national parks and the experience of visiting them.
I encourage you to contact your members of Congress and urge them to adequately fund our national parks and to ban commercialization of them. We must resist the efforts by corporate America and budget cutting politicians to commercialize and privatize these truly unique and irreplaceable public assets.
[1] Burns, K., & Duncan, D., 2009, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” Public Broadcast System, (http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/)
[2] Strader, K., 1/4/17, “Disregarding public concern, the National Park Service finalizes commercialism policy and opens parks to industry influence,” Public Citizen as reported by Common Dreams (http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2017/01/04/disregarding-public-concern-national-park-service-finalizes-commercialism-policy)
[3] Associated Press, 1/17/17, “National Parks set yet another attendance mark,” The Boston Globe
[4] Rein, L., 5/9/16, “Yosemite, sponsored by Starbucks? National Parks to start selling some naming rights,” The Washington Post
[5] Howard, B.C., 1/15/16, “National park advocates appalled by Yosemite name changes,” National Geographic (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160115-yosemite-names-ahwahnee-hotel-wawona-curry-badger-pass/)
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