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Reader Participation Day: What If You Could Wave a Magic Wand?

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As any wizard will tell you, a wand is an essential tool for channeling magical powers.  Alas; the  light-up wands that Harry Potter fans buy for about 40 bucks make fine collectibles, but they're duds. Suppose, however, that you were able to get your hands on the real thing. And suppose the user's manual specified that you could use it only once for the express purpose of helping America's national parks. What would you cause to happen for the benefit of the National Park System with that one wave of your magic wand?  

Comments

I agree with the magically restoring Hetch Hetchy comment. 
I would also make every American visiting the parks fit enough to hike farther than from the parking lot to the overlook.  (On a recent visit to Bryce Canyon, it seemed as though the only people hiking below the rim were Germans and French). 


Well if this is an all powerful wand then I would simply wish to restore all natural areas in all parks to their pre-European settlement state.  No more invasive species issues and extinct species would be seen again. 


Anon--

There is already a ranger appreciation day. July 31 is the International Ranger Day when people around the world pause to remember those rangers, expecially in Africa, but here in the States as well, who have given their lives in service to the preservation and protection of the world's patrimony and to honor those still working. It's a bigger deal in lots of countries than it is here in the States, but I hope we can change that.

Rick


Actually, I'm not sure if there is a correlation between pay and performance particularly at the upper levels.  The power and elitism that comes (for many) as such a great temptation to those that aren't grounded enough to recognize when they are running amuck is pretty evident in the IMR's recent past.  But then, I guess it IS a cultural change going on that one NPS official inferred to in explaining some of their actions.  I think it's going on elsewhere,also.


Make whitewater kayaking legal in all National Parks, mostly Yellowstone NP.


Suddenly make all tourons understand and respect both wildlife viewing regulations and litter laws.  The 2 things that drive me the craziest are trash in pristine places and people approaching or feeding wild animals.


I'd love that too!


When the seemingly inevitable draconian cuts to the NPS budget arrive, my magic wand wave would reverse the historic pattern and have them start at the top of the bureaucratic food chain, where the corruption and incompetence are most concentrated. If I got a second wave, I'd move the Park Service out of the Sodom & Gomorrah that is the Interior Department.


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