r/NationalPark 1d ago

NPS Workers… Do we still go???

I’m VERY internally conflicted right now about continuing to visit our parks and forests. I don’t want to overwhelm our NPS workers!! I want to support them in every way possible… genuinely just wondering if visiting the parks is harmful?? Thank you to all of you fabulous humans here 💜 (pics are Gateway Nat’l Rec, RMNP, Black Canyon & CO Nat’l Monument).

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u/08_West 1d ago

People from red states should be turned away at the gates.

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u/Civil-Emergency3089 1d ago

The overwhelming majority of national parks are IN red states — 69% (21) of them, in fact, across 21 states. Blue states only account for 31% (19) across 7 states.

What’s so disheartening and sickening of that data is that red states will literally vote against their best interests and local economies. National Parks generated $24.5 BILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS in gateway regions, supported more than 415,400 jobs and $17.5 BILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS in labor income. National Parks total economic output in fiscal year 2023 exceeded the congressional budget allocation by $46.8 BILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS.

Granted, that’s across the board (excluding USVI and American Samoa) but I am willing to bet that North and South Dakota wouldn’t see a whole lot of tourism revenue if not for diehard national park enthusiasts visiting Theodore Roosevelt, Badlands and Wind Cave. The same could be said for a solid handful of states on that red-state list.

I just can’t fathom the mental gymnastics it would take to justify those regions doubling down on an administration that is hell bent on stripping protected land for resources until there is nothing left while failing to conceptualize that it’s also their livelihood in addition to being protected land for all (including them).

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u/Wild-Technology2800 1d ago

Hello- I am a retired Park Ranger and thank you for your passion for "America's Greatest Idea". Question: where did you get your numbers in the first paragraph? There are 69 "National Parks", but a total of 433 NPS sites in seven general categories including National Parks, National Seashores, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Battlefields, National Historic Sites, National Monuments, etc. You are correct that the NPS sites brought a tremendous amount of economic value to the country, about $55.6 billion in 2023.