Record Visits to National Parks Generates $34.9 Billion, 318,000 Jobs for US Economy in 2016

Hiking up the Mist Trail alongside Vernal Falls in Yosemite Park during National Parks Week 2017. In 2016, America’s 417 National Park Service sites drew 331 million visitors and contributed $34.9 billion to the US economy © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, during National Park Week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced that 2016’s record visitation of 331 million visitors at America’s 417 National Park Service sites contributed $34.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016 – a $2.9 billion increase from 2015. Zinke made his announcement while visiting the historic Presidio of San Francisco at Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Zinke marked National Park Week by also visiting Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and Channel Islands national parks.

According to the annual peer-reviewed economics report, 2016 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, the strong economic output is attributed to record visitation and visitor spending in “gateway” communities near national park entrances. The report also found visitor spending supported 318,000 jobs in 2016, with the vast majority of them defined as local jobs, including those in the hospitality, retail, transportation, and recreation industries.

“National Parks are America’s treasure which provide magnificent outdoor recreation opportunities and serve as economic engines for local communities. In my own hometown of Whitefish, Montana, I saw how the popularity of Glacier National Park led to growth of the local outdoor rec and eco-tourism industry. And while traveling to Sequoia and Kings Canyon last week it was exciting to see tourism towns dotting the road to the park,” Zinke said. “This report is a testament to the tangible economic benefits our parks bring to communities across the nation. Visitation numbers continue to rise because people want to experience these majestic public lands.”

Zinke continued, “With continued record visitation it’s time to start thinking about accessibility and infrastructure. Last week, it was great to see the team at Yosemite opening up areas with new wheelchair accessible trails. In the coming years, we will look at ways to make innovative investments in our parks to enhance visitor experiences and improve our aging infrastructure. To ensure visitors continue to have great experiences, we will remain focused on increasing access and addressing the maintenance backlog to ensure we are on the right track for generations to come.”

More than 270,000 of the jobs supported by visitor spending in 2016 exist in the communities that lie within 60 miles of a park. These range from big parks like Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, which attracted 11.3 million people and supported more than 14,600 jobs, to smaller parks like Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in New Hampshire that attracted more than 42,000 visitors and supported 34 jobs.

A view of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge from the ruins of battlements of historic Presidio of San Francisco at Golden Gate National Recration Area.. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke visited there to announce that 2016’s record visitation of 331 million visitors at America’s 417 National Park Service sites and a $2.9 billion gain in the contribution to the US economy from 2015. © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

“National parks like Yellowstone, Zion, and Gettysburg connect us with nature and help tell America’s story,” said Michael T. Reynolds, acting director of the National Park Service. “They are also a vital part of our nation’s economy, drawing hundreds of millions of visitors every year who fill the hotels and restaurants, hire the outfitters and rely on other local businesses that help drive a vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation industry.”

Visitor spending in 2016 supported 318,000 jobs, provided $12.0 billion in labor income, $19.9 billion in value added, and $34.9 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector provided the highest direct contributions with $5.7 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 56,000 jobs. The restaurants and bars sector provided the next greatest direct contributions with $3.7 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 71,000 jobs.

According to the 2016 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (31.2 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.2 percent), gas and oil (11.7 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent), souvenirs and other expenses (9.7 percent), local transportation (7.4 percent), and camping fees (2.5%).

The report was prepared by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. It includes information by park and by state on visitor spending, the number of jobs supported by visitor spending and other statistics.

Report authors also produced an interactive tool to present data in full color circle and bar graphs. Users can explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm.

National Park visitation grew by 7.7 percent from 2015 to 2016, the centennial year of the National Park Service celebrated with the Find Your Park campaign and promoted visits with such programs as admitting families with fourth graders for free.

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National Park Week, April 19-27 Offers Special Events Nationwide

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. All 401 national parks across the country are celebrating National Park Week, April 19-27, 2014 © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

From April 19 – 27, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation will host National Park Week, featuring special events in parks nationwide. This year’s theme, “National Park Week: Go Wild!” invites visitors to celebrate all that America’s 401 national parks have to offer. With free admission to all parks on April 19 and 20, and exciting activities and programs scheduled throughout the week, National Park Week is the perfect time to discover the diverse wildlife, iconic landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history found in America’s national parks.

There are countless ways to enjoy National Park Week. Here are nine suggestions for what is happening April 19 – 27 in national parks.  A complete list of National Park Week events taking place across the country is available at www.nationalparkweek.org.

Go wild for bears. This year the National Park Foundation has teamed with Disney on the new Disneynature film, “Bears,” premiering just in time for Earth Day and National Park Week on Friday, April 18. For every ticket sold during “Bears” opening week, April 18-24, Disneynature will make a contribution to the National Park Foundation to protect wildlife and wild places across America’s National Park System.

Go wild for Junior Ranger Day.  On April 26, young visitors can celebrate National Junior Ranger Day by taking part in special family-friendly activities.

Go wild for a walk in a park. More than 100 free, ranger-led walks are offered during National Park Week. Hike to a cloud forest, take a sunset stroll, wander through John F. Kennedy’s neighborhood, and more.

Go wild for Earth Day. Tour John Muir’s house in California and take part in a combined John Muir Birthday/Earth Day Celebration with music, food, and family-friendly events.

Go wild for Hawaiian culture. Experience first-hand the traditions of Hawaiian sailing and Hawaiian crafts! Join a sailing expert guide for a ride on a double-hulled canoe and learn interesting tidbits about Hawaiian sailing techniques, history, and culture. Immerse yourself in Hawaiian crafts such as lauhala weaving, coconut leaf weaving, and lei making.

Go wild for Patriot’s Day. Commemorate the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War with parades, reenactments, and special ceremonies in Massachusetts.

Go wild for waterfalls. Take the Whiskeytown Waterfall Challenge at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in beautiful northern California and hike to Brandy Creek, Boulder Creek, Crystal Creek and Whiskeytown Falls!

Go wild for national park road trips. Enjoy a self-guided tour to historic places, most of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Each trip takes you to a variety of places significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture.

Go wild for wildflowers. Spring has sprung and it is the perfect time to see nature in all of its colorful glory in parks across the country. Parks including the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and Cumberland Gap and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky will have wildflower walks and talks.

Using the resources on the National Park Week website, visitors can plan adventures, share national park photos, videos, and tips, and learn about all the ways to help support national parks.

National Park Week also offers many opportunities for the public to explore local parks, trails, and architectural gems sustained by National Park Service programs such as the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program and the National Register of Historic Places.

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Ellis Island Immigration Museum to Reopen, One year after Superstorm Sandy; Repair Work Continues

Ellis Island Immigration Museum pays homage to the millions of immigrants from all over the world who have made the United States of America © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Ellis Island Immigration Museum, part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, will reopen  to the public on Monday, October 28 for the first time since Hurricane Sandy submerged the island a year ago.

“We are delighted to be able to share Ellis Island’s uniquely American story with the world once more,” said Superintendent David Luchsinger. “I can think of no better way to celebrate Lady Liberty’s 127^th birthday than to welcome visitors back to the place where those ‘huddled masses yearning to breathe free’ first came to our shores.”

Visitors will once again walk the halls of the immigration station where 12 million people began life in America. Open areas on the first and second floors include the Great Hall, where immigrants were inspected, and Journeys: The Peopling of America 1550-1890. This first-floor exhibit, developed with the support of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, tells the story of American immigration prior to Ellis Island’s years of operation. Visitors can pick up a free audio tour, join a ranger program and watch an introductory film. Outside, visitors can stroll to the popular American Immigrant Wall of Honor and take in fabulous views of Manhattan.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum will remain a work in progress at least through the spring. Repairs to the water and sewage systems have already taken place. An entirely new electrical system will be installed along with a new air conditioning system for climate control of the park’s million documents and artifacts. Elevator access to the Great Hall on the second floor is not yet available, but should be restored by early next year. Because of the storm, most of the museum collection is currently stored in a climate-controlled facility in Maryland. A temporary ventilation system will be replaced by permanent equipment later this year.

When Hurricane Sandy hit New York Harbor on October 29, 2012, Ellis Island was completely covered by water. The storm surge destroyed electrical, communications, heating and cooling systems. After the Statue reopened on July 4, the park shifted its efforts from repairs at Liberty Island to planning the more complex task of reopening an historic structure that preserves a delicate museum collection.

Ellis Island was the former federal immigration processing station which processed over 12 million immigrants between 1892 and 1954. A 1965 presidential proclamation added the island to the National Park Service as part of Statue of Liberty National Monument. After years of neglect, major restoration work on the Main Building took place in the 1980s, opening as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in 1990. The National Park Service works with its partner organizations, The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation and Save Ellis Island, to improve and enhance operations at the park.

To visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, purchase tickets at www.statuecruises.com. Statue Cruises is the business that owns and runs the ferries that take visitors to the park. The website contains information about ferry ticket prices. (877-LADY-TIX or (201) 604-2800,  www.statuecruises.com).

For more info on visiting the Statue, see http://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/index.htm.

See also:

Ellis Island Immigration Museum: Where Everyman is Hero

Statue of Liberty invites visitors to her Crown: Only 240 tickets available each day

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Ellis Island Immigration Museum Remains Closed after Superstorm Sandy; Collection Moved to a Stable Environment

Ellis Island Immigration Museum in happier times: a visitor stands in front of the flags of all peoples. The museum has had to close, and the collection moved to safer ground, after Superstorm Sandy © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Ellis Island Immigration Museum remains closed due to severe damage to infrastructure on the island from Hurricane Sandy. “Though the Museum collection was not harmed during or after the storm, we are unable to maintain a climate-controlled environment critical to protecting the many significant historical artifacts in the collection. To protect these items and facilitate work toward repairing damaged infrastructure on Ellis Island, we have decided to temporarily move the Ellis Island Immigration Museum collection to an offsite National Park Service facility,” said Superintendent Dave Luchsinger.

Over the past few weeks staff at Ellis Island, with support of the NPS Museum Emergency Response Team, carefully wrapped and boxed museum items to be transported for temporary storage at the NPS Museum Resources Center in Landover, Maryland. The Museum Resources Center is run by the NPS and already holds the collection for a variety of NPS sites in the Washington, D.C. area, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The Museum Emergency Response Team consists of NPS curatorial specialists from around the country who have moved large museum collections in the past. Since there is no electrical power at Ellis Island, items are being moved by hand down three flights of stairs.

The Ellis Island Museum Collection complements the history of one of America’s iconic treasures. The collection holds over one million items, including both archival documents and historic artifacts. The collection will be available to researchers on a limited basis at its temporary location.

The Mudder Museum collection, located in the Ferry Building at Ellis Island, has already been moved to Harpers Ferry Conservation Center for assessment and treatment by the NPS.

At this time, Ellis Island and State of Liberty remain closed to visitors while NPS staff and contractors stabilize conditions on the two islands. The historic collection will remain offsite until utilities have been restored and items can be stored in a stable, climate-controlled environment, as they were in the past.

See also: Ellis Island Immigration Museum: Where Everyman is Hero

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Friendship of Salem Embarks Upon a Youth Journey on the High Seas: Salem, MA to New York

The NPS tall ship Friendship will depart from Salem, MA for New York, NY on Sunday, August 7 with a crew of volunteers, NPS staff and youth from across Massachusetts. The National Park Service and Essex Heritage are inviting the public to wish the crew and their young volunteers a “Bon Voyage” on Sunday on August 7 at 4:30 p.m. as they depart from Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 193 Derby Street, Salem, MA. © 2011 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Essex National Heritage Commission, invites you to attend the Bon Voyage for the Friendship

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Essex National Heritage Commission, announces its Friendship Sails! A Youth Journey on the High Seas. The NPS tall ship Friendship will depart from Salem, MA for New York, NY on Sunday, August 7 with a crew of volunteers, NPS staff and youth from across Massachusetts. They are spending 2-3 days at sea, sailing to New York City where the young people will join a Youth Summit with their peers from New York City and Baltimore, MD.

 

The National Park Service and Essex Heritage cordially invite the public to wish the crew and their young volunteers a “Bon Voyage” on Sunday on August 7 at 4:30 p.m. as they depart from Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 193 Derby Street, Salem, MA.

The National Park Service and Essex Heritage are committed to engaging the youth of this region – and especially those from urban and diverse communities – in the heritage and natural resources which are often seemingly “inaccessible” to urban youth. Starting with Friendship Sails! events to Newburyport and Lynn, the new Ship’s Mate Junior Ranger Program, and educational programs like Salem Sets Sail, the National Park Service with the assistance of Essex Heritage has reached more than 15,000 students and their families via the tall ship Friendship. “And this is just the beginning,” said Annie C. Harris, Executive Director of the Essex National Heritage Commission.

“It is such a thrill to see the reaction of these young people when they get out on the ocean. Many live only blocks away from the water but they have not had the opportunity to experience it – until now.” And she adds, “once they do, most of them become really engaged and this so important for our region’s future.”

Five college-aged interns who are currently enrolled in the NPS Massachusetts Parks Student Career Intake Program (SCIP) will assist in preparing the Friendship for her departure, and will participate in every aspect of the sail to New York and back. Participants on the August 7-10 sail to NYC are: Kimberley Brunner of the John F. Kennedy National Historic Site, Suki Jo Chiu of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Manny Cruz and Ryan McMahon both with the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and Victoria Vann of the Lowell National Historical Park.

Students on the return voyage of August 14-16 are: Rich Hansen and Saoran Roeuth both with the Lowell National Historical Park, Sarah Martin of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Nickson Monteiro at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and Rubby Wuabu with the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

“We are extremely pleased to bring maritime history alive for the young people of our region through our sail aboard Friendship,” said Rita Hennessy, Acting NPS Superintendent of the Salem Maritime and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites. “This is an extraordinary, once in a life time opportunity for these young participants to sail on a tall ship. They will experience the adventure of sailing while learning about teamwork, service and leadership.”

The youth will be under the guidance of the NPS crew, Friendship volunteers, and the captain. The students will be chronicling their journey via real time blogs and twitter. Follow the journey at: Friendshipnps.wordpress.com.

The Friendship of Salem is a full-size replica of the original ship constructed by the renowned shipbuilder Enos Briggs in Salem in 1797. She is a 171-foot three-masted “East Indiaman” – the type of merchant ship that made Salem a leader in the opening of international trade with the Far East, Europe and Russia in the years immediately following the American Revolution. The Friendship is the largest wooden, Coast Guard certified, sailing vessel to be built in New England in more than a century. The original Friendship made 15 voyages around the world before being captured by the British during the war of 1812. The new Friendship is part of the National Park Service’s Salem Maritime National Historic Site which includes the last remaining intact complex of colonial era wharves, the 1819 Custom House where author Nathaniel Hawthorne worked and several related maritime structures and Federal Era houses. Friendship is a fully operational sailing vessel. She is permanently berthed at Derby Wharf in Salem but, on special occasions, she sails to ports along the New England coast. This trip to New York City will be her furthest sail to date, but plans are being made to sail to Baltimore, MD to commemorate the War of 1812 next year. Friendship’s keel was laid in 1996 and she was certified by the US Coast Guard as a passenger carrying vessel in 2010.

The Friendship will depart Salem, MA on Sunday, August 7 for New York City and is expected to arrive at the Dennis Connor’s North Cove Marina on the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan on August 10. There the youth aboard will be joined by their peers from the NPS Gateway National Recreation Area and from Fort McHenry National Historic Site along with other students from New York City, Lowell, Massachusetts and Baltimore, Maryland. In total, nearly 100 urban youth will engage in the 3 day youth summit. The ship returns on August 16 to Salem.

About the Essex National Heritage Commission

The Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage) is the non-profit management entity for Essex National Heritage Area, one of forty-nine heritage partnership parks of the National Park Service. Working in collaboration with the National Park Service, Essex Heritage promotes public/private partnerships and develops and implements programs that enhance, preserve and encourage regional awareness of the unique historic, cultural and natural resources found within the Area. For more information, visit www.essexheritage.org or call (978) 740-0444.

About Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Salem Maritime National Historic Site was designated in 1937, the first National Historic Site in the National Park Service system. The nine acre site includes the homes of merchants and mariners, the Salem Custom House in which the famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne worked, and a replica of the three-masted cargo vessel Friendship. Today, the rangers and volunteers of Salem Maritime NHS continue to inform and inspire visitors with the maritime history of New England and the United States. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/sama or call (978) 740-1650.

See also:

Salem: America`s Spellbinding Seaport City

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National Park Service Urges Visitors to Fire Island National Seashore to take measures against West Nile Virus-Carrying Mosquitoes

Fire Island National Seashore announced today that a sample of mosquitoes
infected with West Nile virus (WNV) has been found on Fire Island.  The
National Park Service collected the mosquitoes on August 20 from a light
trap at the Watch Hill employee housing area.

Residents, visitors and staff are advised to avoid being outside when
mosquitoes are most active (1 hour before sunset through midnight). Wear
protective clothing (shoes, socks, long pants, long-sleeved shirt and a
hat) and use an effective insect repellent, such as one containing at least
30% DEET. Non-DEET repellents (e.g. herbal-based sprays) are also
effective. (Use much less repellent for children; DEET should only be used
with extreme caution on children under age 3.)  People most at risk of
becoming ill from West Nile virus are those over 50 years of age or whose
immune system is impaired.  Such people are advised to stay away from areas with mosquitoes.

The WNV-infected mosquitoes were from a trap set by the Park as part of its
weekly monitoring program.  Testing was done by the New York State
Department of Health, Arthropod-Borne Disease Program, in Albany.  This
program is a collaborative effort between the Park and Suffolk County
Department of Health Services, which announced the positive results on
August 31.  The freshwater Culex species of mosquitoes in the pool that
tested positive for WNV is not thought to generate a major human health
concern, although this species does potentially bite people, and several
human cases of WNV have been documented in Nassau and Suffolk counties this year. No WNV-infected dead birds have been found this year in Fire Island National Seashore.

The National Park Service works closely with the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Suffolk County Vector Control, and local Fire Island and Long Island municipalities to determine the best course of action to protect residents, visitors and employees of the Seashore.  When threats to human health (such as the presence of West Nile virus) occur, actions to protect the public may include control methods such as applying larvicide or spraying.

The public will be notified 24 hours in advance of any spray event.

Information on the date and exact location of any spraying can be found on
the Suffolk County web site at http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health or by calling
631-852-4939.  Suffolk County Vector Control is currently authorized to
spray within the Fire Island communities using ultra low volume backpack or
truck-mounted sprayers.

The park is continuing its surveillance program to monitor the severity and
extent of West Nile virus in the Seashore. As per the Park’s standard
operation procedures, there will be an amplified surveillance in the area
where West Nile virus has been detected.

Mosquitoes can transmit both West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine
Encephalitis (EEE) from an infected bird to humans and other animals.
However, mosquitoes are a natural part of a healthy salt marsh ecology. The
larvae and adults provide food for many kinds of wildlife, including other
insects, fish, birds, and bats. Some measures taken to control mosquitoes,
such as spraying insecticides, can adversely affect non-target organisms,
possibly affecting fish and other species living in the wetlands.

Therefore, any actions taken to protect human health through the control of
mosquitoes must be weighed very heavily. Suffolk County Vector Control
reports that the materials and techniques they use are thoroughly reviewed
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) and Suffolk County in order to
minimize adverse impacts on fish and wildlife species or groundwater.

For general information on West Nile virus, contact your local
health department.  Information can also be obtained from the CDC, New York State or Suffolk County WNV web sites, or one of the park visitor centers.

For more information about Fire Island National Seashore’s mosquito
monitoring program, visit the park’s web site: www.nps.gov/fiis.

National Park Service invites public comments on safety improvements to Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty holds high the symbols of freedom © 2010 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

The National Park Service (NPS) is inviting comments on proposed life safety upgrades at the Statue of Liberty National Monument, as part of the Environmental Assessment and Assessment of Effect (EA/AoE) process. Comments can be submitted electronically or by mail, through Sept. 13.

Improvements are currently proposed because other sections of the monument are currently not compliant with life safety and accessibility codes. Upgrades to infrastructure,
circulation, and emergency egress within the monument would allow compliance with applicable codes to the maximum extent possible without compromising the historic fabric of the monument.

A Park Ranger leads a group up the internal staircase to Statue of Liberty's Crown © 2010 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

This EA/AoE evaluates two alternatives, the preferred alternative and the no action alternative, and also describes alternatives that have been considered but dismissed. The proposed actions involve both the renovation of existing elements and the construction of new features to improve firesafety, accessibility, and circulation within the structure. The proposed actions include the removal of and replacement of existing stairs andelevators as well as upgrades to the fire safety, ventilation, and lighting systems.

The proposed actions would be undertaken in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and would limit impacts to historic structures.  A draft Programmatic Agreement has been prepared and is included in the Appendix of the document, that once signed, will enhance consultation with the State Historic PreservationOffice and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and better outline the
process and schedule for the project’s consultation and any required mitigation.

Those who wish to view and comment on the EA/AoE, may do so between Aug. 13 and Sept. 13 either electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/STLI or by mail to the Park Superintendent at Statue of Liberty National Monument, National Park Service, Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004.

Be aware before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in a comment, that the entire comment – including personal
identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. Whileyou can ask in their comments to withhold personal identifying information from public review, the NPS cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

Located on a 12-acre island in New York Harbor, the Statue, Liberty Enlightening the World, was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886,designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennialon July 4, 1986.

For more information about visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum, see our stories:

Statue of Liberty invites visitors to her Crown: Only 240 tickets available each day

Ellis Island Immigration Museum: Where Everyman is Hero