Does the appearance of this vehicle discourage some visitors to the National Park System?/MPD01605 via Wikimedia Commons
A group seeking to increase diversity of visitors in national parks is suggesting, among other things, that the National Park Service change the look of its uniforms and vehicles because they project a law enforcement image, "which presents a significant impediment to engaging all Americans."
That was one in a list of recommendations the group offered up in calling on President Obama "to issue an Executive Order to ensure the second century of conservation in America reflects the full diversity of our nation’s citizens; respects the historical, cultural and spiritual stories and unique contributions of all Americans; and actively engages all people."
“The face of America is rapidly changing; yet our public lands do not reflect this demographic and ethnic diversity. We have a moral responsibility to fix this disconnect now, for our children, for our grandchildren and for all those that came before us. We must head into the next 100 years with a strong commitment to a more inclusive approach to public lands that puts a priority on engaging all Americans and protecting cultural and natural landscapes that tell our country’s complex history,” said Dr. Carolyn Finney, author of Black Faces White Spaces and coalition participant.
More than two dozen organizations called for the Executive Order. Among them were The Dignitas Agency, VotoLatino, Valle del Sol, the Trail Posse, Rural Coalition, Faith Based Alliance, Soul River Inc.-Runs Wild, Environmental Learning for Kids, and The Colorado Lation Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization, Continental Trail Divide Coalition, the National Urban League, and the Children and Nature Network.
Among other recommendations were requests that the federal government:
* Leverage the National Park Foundation, National Forest Foundation, and other private partners to advertise the range of experiences already available in America's national parks and public lands -- everything from rugged backcountry activities to vacations with concierge services. Seek innovative ways to connect with culturally diverse communities and demonstrate how these places relate to their personal experiences and varied travel interests.
* Establish new outreach, interpretation and education positions inside land management agencies at all federal hiring grade levels, with diverse backgrounds, to start developing and implementing park interpretation and education innovations.
* Identify public or private partners who can train land management agency representatives to be aware of their interactions with those veterans who suffer from war-related trauma, as well as youth and newcomers to parks, to ensure public actions and events do not intentionally and negatively affect them.
* Identify strategies to partner with faith groups and local organizations to facilitate events and outreach efforts that leverage parks and other public lands as a forum for critical conversations and atonement -- allowing for community restoration and reconnection in a meaningful way.
"Conservation of America's public lands and waters, including our national parks, forests, monuments, wildlife refuges, National Conservation Lands, and recreational areas should be driven over the next 100 years by three guiding principles: 1) every child will have the opportunity to discover his or her own history and heritage; 2) federal land agencies will demonstrate engagement that is respectful and inclusive of different cultures via outreach, stewardship and interpretation; and, 3) a responsibility to actively engage all people," the group said in setting down its recommended policies and priorities.
"Our vision for a more inclusive approach to public lands conservation over the next 100 years includes a commitment to engaging all the segments of our country's population so they become active users and vital advocates in protecting our public lands and waters for the future," the group said.
“President Obama has shown great leadership on parks and public lands, but there is always more progress to be made. We challenge this President and the next one to embrace a vision for the next century of conservation that focuses on the importance of national parks and public lands for all Americans,” said Maite Arce, President/CEO of the Hispanic Access Foundation.
Comments
This is ridiculous really, We can't afford to fund the needed repairs the parks need but these folks think we can afford or need this?
There is something worng with the people pushing this tripe.
I find it interesting that some (many?) find the NPS uniform intimidating. Park rangers, particularly those with law enforcemrnt responsibilities, do project a certain degree of authority - but there is no reason to interpret that as "negative" authority. It is - or should be - seen as protective of both the parks and the visitors. A park patrol vehicle with a uniformed ranger driving through a campground is as important as a police patrol vehicle crusing through a quiet neighborhood. Just their visual presence serves as a deterant to those who might otherwise harm park visitors or damage park resources. I hope park rangers continue to wear the uniform with pride and a sense of commitment to the ideals of the NPS Organic Act.
There are several short stories in this month's issue of AARP magazine about national parks.
One of them particularly caught my eye. In Nature's Pied Piper, a woman of Native American descent tells of a program she is running that takes young people from inner cities to our parks.
That brought to mind a recollection of 1971 in Greenbelt Park just north of Washington, D.C. That was still a time of serious racial turmoil in America. One of my seasonal rangers, a Black teacher from Virginia told of a night when pick-up trucks filled with white men, angry with his father for some reason, repeatedly drove past their home brandishing rifles and shotguns and shouting threats. I recalled a time some of the U.S. Park Police officers arrested a Black man because the car he was driving was registered to someone else -- his brother-in-law. I was asked to accompany an officer as the man was transported to jail. At the Prince George's County jail, a jailer appeared with a slap stick. Seeing the man was handcuffed (only troublesome prisoners were usually handcuffed in those days) he slapped the leather covered chunk of metal against his leg. "Gave y'a hard time, huh?" he asked. "Well, we get him downstairs, we'll teach his Black ass a thing or two."
That's when I stepped forward, gave him a paper with my name on it and told him that if anything happened to him to get in touch with me and we'd both go to the FBI. I was hero to about half the officers on the BW Parkway and a scum bag to the rest.
That summer the NPS started a program called Summer in the Parks. Busloads of inner city kids were brought to the park for week of day camp. We rangers weren't involved -- the program had its own staff. But we did have oppourtunities to see some of what went on. Almost always, the first day was spent trying to convince the kids, who ranged from maybe eight to thirteen, to get over being afraid of most things they encountered. They even had a class in tree climbing and rolling down a grassy hill. These kids had never ever been on a grassy hill and they knew for sure that there had to be BUGS in that grass.
There were some people who decried the idea as coddling kids who really didn't belong in parks. They were not the proper color, after all. Remember, it had been only two years since Martin Luther King, Jr. had been assassinated and the anti-Vietnam War protests were in full bloom. (We had a batallion of Maryland National Guard troops camped in the campground -- complete with 105 mm howitzers at the campground entrance.)
As I read the comments above I realized that probably not one of the commenters is from anything other than a WASP background. Then the article in the AARP Magazine hit me. Perhaps what's really needed is not changing the color of NPS uniforms or vehicles. Maybe what's really needed is OPPORTUNITY. More programs that will introduce young people from inner cities or impoverished rural areas -- and their families with them -- to our parks.
And maybe, while we're at it, we should provide opportunities for some of us WASPs to spend some time experiencing life in our inner cities or crumbling small towns.
Maybe one of the greatest benefits of diversity is the opportunity for us to become acquainted with people who are a bit different than we are.
Our parks could be fine setting for such a thing.
"As I read the comments above I realized that probably not one of the commenters is from anything other than a WASP background," Lee Dalton.
With all due respect, Lee, you are guilty of assuming that those who may have a different perspective on this issue are somehow unfamiliar with life as a less-than-middle to upper class WASP. People can and do have opinions based on more than their socio-economic background. I was born to a low income laboring class couple in the heavily industrialized northern panhandle of WV. I was lucky enough to complete high school and go on to college. My family lived in low rent mixed ethnic neighborhoods close to the factories and mills where they worked. I never entered a national park until I happened to escort a group of Native Alaskan children into Denali Nat. Park. There are many park rangers with similar backgrounds - who wear the NPS uniform with pride and who are genuinely committed to public service and protection of park resources and values for the complete spectrum of the public - both present and future.
Agreed!
Exactly!!!!
It's time we put an end to all this garbage. Like others have said, if you're afraid of a law enforcement presence then I don't want you near me either. These are fringe groups taking advantage of weak willed leaders afraid to stand up to anything for fear of being called racist. These people seem to think the way to celebrate diversity is by eliminating it.
Sorry, Ray. I was reacting to a couple of the posts that seemed to be less than charitable. It frosts my tailfeathers to so frequently hear people around me who have never had to worry about much of anything demeaning others whose lives have been much less fortunate.