Utah’s Bid to Co-Manage National Parks: Why the Nation Should Pay Close Attention

Rumors are swirling about an upcoming high-level meeting between the U.S. Department of the Interior and Utah’s elected officials. On the agenda, according to multiple sources, is a proposal for Utah to co-manage its five national parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion.

Advocates say this could give Utah “a stronger voice” in park operations. Critics worry the plan could open the door to state-level political interference, revenue-driven management, or even a slow erosion of the very principles that created the national park system in the first place.

Before this meeting happens, it’s worth remembering why America created national parks at all, why Congress placed them under federal, not state control, and what the law says about maintaining them as treasures held in trust for the entire American public.

A Brief History of a Radical American Idea

When Congress created Yellowstone National Park in 1872, it did something unprecedented in world history: it set aside land not for kings, nobles, or private entrepreneurs, but for “the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” All the people. Rich or poor. Local or distant. American or visiting traveler.

This radical democratic idea was driven by lived experience.

The American founders knew what it meant when land belonged to a monarch.

Under British rule, vast estates, forests, rivers, hunting grounds were controlled by the Crown or aristocrats. Common people were often excluded, fined, or imprisoned simply for crossing into lands they once used for food and freedom. The memory of privileged access to natural beauty, reserved only for those of status, stuck with early American thinkers.

The idea that a government could reserve extraordinary landscapes for the public good rather than elite pleasure was revolutionary.

The founders of the National Park System also knew what could happen without national protection.

In the mid-1800s, Niagara Falls was one of America’s most spectacular natural landmarks and yet nearly all of it was privatized. The shoreline was carved up by private landholders who built high walls, charged admission, erected cheap carnival attractions, ran high-wire acts over the gorge, and turned the area into a gaudy circus. Visitors complained that the commercial chaos ruined the natural majesty of the falls.

This exploitation deeply shaped national park visionaries thinking. When lawmakers considered the creation of the national park system, they explicitly referenced both European aristocratic models and the lesson of Niagara: if a natural wonder is left to private or local interests, the experience can be degraded, restricted, or lost entirely.

Why National Parks Are National

From Yellowstone onward, Congress created national parks to preserve America’s most extraordinary landscapes under national stewardship, not state or private control. Over time, courts have affirmed this arrangement.

Case Law Supporting Federal Management

Federal courts have consistently upheld the United States’ authority to create, manage, and regulate national parks and federal lands.

The Organic Act of 1916

The act that created the National Park Service directs the federal government:

“to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same…unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

The courts later described this mandate as a non-delegable federal responsibility.

Key Court Decisions Affirming National Control

• Camfield v. United States (1897)
  Upheld broad federal authority to prevent private or state interference with federal lands, even when regulating activities on adjacent non-federal property.

• Light v. United States (1911)
  Confirmed that the federal government may regulate and restrict uses of federal lands regardless of state preferences.

• United States v. Grimaud (1911)
  Held that Congress may delegate regulatory authority to federal agencies like the Department of Agriculture (later analogous to NPS) to manage federal lands. Importantly, the Court confirmed that federal agencies can issue binding regulations backed by criminal penalties—solidifying the legitimacy of federal land-management regulations generally.

• Kleppe v. New Mexico (1976)
  The Supreme Court declared that Congress’ power over federal public lands is “without limitations,” giving federal agencies supremacy when conflicts arise with state policies or laws.

• National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) v. Stanton (D.D.C. 1998)
  A federal court held that the National Park Service must comply with the Organic Act’s conservation mandate and may not weaken protections to accommodate outside pressure. The ruling reinforced that park resources must be preserved unimpaired, and that NPS cannot delegate or dilute its statutory responsibilities.

Together, these decisions make clear:

Congress holds exclusive constitutional authority over national parks, and the National Park Service has a legal obligation to protect them according to national—not state—standards.

The Stakes of Utah’s Proposal

Utah has long had a complicated relationship with federal public lands. Some state leaders have pushed for greater state control, expanded development, or reduced federal regulation. Co-management, depending on form, could introduce:

• Revenue pressure overriding preservation

• State politics shaping visitor access

• Increased commercial development

• Conflicts over wildlife, water, and resource protection

• A precedent other states might emulate

Once the door opens, it may be difficult to close.

And it could return us, step by step, to the mistakes of Niagara—or the exclusionary systems the founders rejected.

National Parks Belong to the Nation

America’s national parks are protected by law, shaped by history, and treasured by generations. They were created precisely to prevent short-term interests from compromising long-term national values.

They belong not to Utah, not to Washington, D.C., and not to any administration.

They belong to all of us and to those who come after us.

A Call to Action

If you believe that America’s national parks should remain under strong national protection free from politicized co-management experiments now is the time to speak up.

Contact your senators and representatives. Tell them you oppose any arrangement that weakens national stewardship of national parks. Tell them to honor the legacy of Yellowstone’s founders, the lessons of Niagara, and the constitutional principle that these lands belong to the entire American public.

Utah’s proposal may be only a rumor today. But what happens in that room between Interior and Utah officials could shape the future of America’s greatest treasures.

###

Meet Sean Smith, a master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning
conservationist and former National Park and Forest Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount St. Helens, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and in the QR code included. 

What a Shutdown Does to Our Parks: Overflowing Bins, Fragile Landscapes, and Strained Gateways

When Congress lets funding lapse, America’s National Parks don’t simply “pause.” They fray out loud and in public. As of October 23, 2025, we’re more than three weeks into a federal shutdown, and many parks remain nominally open with minimal staff. The combination of open gates and closed services creates predictable problems on the ground, ecological harm that can take years to repair, and real economic pain for gateway towns that depend on managed, not chaotic, park traffic.

What visitors are actually seeing

• Restrooms and trash: With rangers furloughed and custodial contracts paused, restrooms close or go uncleaned, and trash piles up. That’s not hypothetical; these were signature failures in past shutdowns, and they’re recurring now. Expect closed visitor centers, suspended fee collection, sporadic trash pickup, and unmaintained roads and campgrounds.

• Safety & rule compliance: Skeleton crews can’t keep up with crowds. This month, Yosemite’s limited staff has been swamped by surging visitation, with reports of illegal base jumping, unauthorized camping, and swimming in closed areas, exactly what happens when enforcement and education are thin.

Ecological and cultural resource impacts

We’ve seen this movie before. During the record 2018–2019 shutdown, vandals carved rocks, drove off-road through fragile habitat, chopped Joshua trees for illegal camp pads, and left human waste. Former leaders warned that some damage could take centuries to heal. Those same pressure points are in play again today.

• Fragile soils & vegetation: Desert crusts and alpine meadows can be crushed by a single illegal vehicle track; repeated hits become lasting scars.

• Wildlife disturbance: Overflow crowds and dispersed, poorly supervised camping increase human–wildlife conflict, with knock-on effects during migration and breeding seasons.

• Cultural sites at risk: With fewer eyes on the landscape, looting and vandalism spike—damage to petroglyphs, mission-era structures, and historic features is notoriously hard to undo.

The National Park Service’s current contingency plan underscores the problem: only limited, essential functions continue during a lapse; most visitor services and resource management are suspended.

The economic hit to gateway communities

Parks are not just scenery; they’re economic engines. In 2024 alone, park visitors spent about $29 billion in gateway communities, supporting roughly 340,000 jobs and generating $56.3 billion in national economic output. When a shutdown disrupts managed access, closing visitor centers, canceling programs, scaring off visitors for a weekend or a week, the ripple is immediate for hotels, outfitters, restaurants, gas stations, guides, and seasonal workers.

This October, the National Parks Conservation Association estimates parks are losing about $1 million a day in fee revenue, funds that otherwise pay for trail repairs, restrooms, and safety projects. That’s money parks won’t have when the doors fully reopen.

Local news from Texas to California highlights the bind: towns that just posted record spending from park tourism now face cancellations, confusion, or unmanaged surges that strain services and dull the long-term visitor experience those economies rely on.

Community stopgaps and the double-edged sword

States and local partners often step in when the federal government shuts down. Utah announced its “Mighty 5” will remain open with limited services; Arizona and others have previously put up state funds to keep marquee parks staffed at a basic level. Volunteers organize trash pickups and restock toilet paper. Philanthropic groups help with signage and information.

These stopgaps matter, but they cut both ways:

• Upside: They reduce immediate harm to resources, keep essential services running, and help small businesses survive.

• Downside: They risk normalizing a dangerous narrative: “If locals, states, or donors can handle this, why not turn the parks over to the states or even private ventures?” Opponents of federal public-land management point to patched-together shutdown operations as proof that private operators or states could do better. That argument ignores the core Park Service mission, the long-term, science-based stewardship of national treasures and the economies of scale and consistency that a national system requires.

What you can do today 

1. Call your Senators, Representative, and the Department of the Interior. 

    a. Urge them to completely close the National Parks during the shutdown. This is tough to ask, but closing the parks is necessary. Leaving them open without adequate staffing is a slow-motion loss of the very resources we love. Stress that protecting natural and cultural treasures must be paramount, or we risk losing the very values and resources the parks are supposed to protect.

Bottom line

Leaving parks “open” without staffing is not a win for access; it’s a slow-motion loss of the very resources and communities we love. The fix isn’t heroic volunteerism or state lottery stopgaps, it’s Congress doing its job so rangers can do theirs. Until then, the most patriotic thing we can do as concerned citizens is to urge Congress and the Department of the Interior to shut the parks until the budget debate is settled and the federal government re-opens.

###

Meet Sean Smith, a master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning
conservationist and former National Park and Forest Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount St. Helens, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and in the QR code included. 

When Government Websites Turn Partisan: Why the Trump Administration’s Shutdown Messaging Violates the Law and What You Can Do About It

In the days surrounding the 2025 government shutdown, Americans visiting several official federal websites, including those of the Department of Agriculture, Justice, Treasury, State, and Housing and Urban Development, were greeted with to a stunning statement similar to:

Let’s be clear: this is not normal. It’s not legal. And it’s not how a nonpartisan government is supposed to function.

This kind of language, attacking one political party while praising a sitting president by name, represents a direct assault on the Hatch Act. This cornerstone law keeps the civil service free from partisan political manipulation.

What the Hatch Act Is and Why It Exists

Enacted in 1939, the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 7321–7326) protects the integrity of the federal workforce. It ensures that taxpayer-funded offices and employees are never turned into campaign arms for any political party or candidate.

The law prohibits:

• Using official authority or influence to affect an election (5 U.S.C. § 7323(a)(1));

• Engaging in political activity while on duty, in a federal building, or using government property (5 U.S.C. § 7324(a));

• Soliciting or receiving campaign donations; and

• Running for partisan political office.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent agency,  enforces these provisions, investigating complaints and, when warranted, pursuing penalties through the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

In plain English: federal websites, logos, and offices belong to the American people, not to any political party.

Why These Shutdown Posts Cross the Line

When multiple federal departments display identical language blaming “Radical Left Democrats” and crediting “President Trump,” it’s not an accident. It’s coordination.

And it’s textbook partisan messaging, the very thing the Hatch Act forbids.

Here’s why it matters:

1. They used official federal resources for partisan advocacy.
   Government websites are paid for by taxpayers, not political campaigns.

2. They misused the authority of public institutions.
   A federal agency cannot use its official platform to praise or promote a political leader — especially in the middle of a funding dispute driven by that same leader.

3. They undermined the trust in our civil servants' impartiality.
   Every federal website is supposed to speak with one voice: the voice of service to the American public, not of any political movement or personality.

As ethics experts have warned, this behavior isn’t just improper, it’s likely unlawful under the Hatch Act and OSC’s own guidance on official communications and social media.

Why This Should Matter to Every Citizen

The moment government resources are weaponized for partisan propaganda, democracy itself takes a hit.

Our public institutions depend on credibility, neutrality, and trust.
If agencies can attack political opponents on official channels today, what stops them from silencing dissenting citizens tomorrow?

This isn’t about which party you support; it’s about preserving a government that works for all Americans, not just the ones in power.

What You Can Do Right Now

1. File a Hatch Act Complaint

Every citizen has the right to report potential violations to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the federal watchdog empowered to investigate and enforce the Hatch Act.

• Online: How to File a Hatch Act Compliant

• Mail:
  U.S. Office of Special Counsel
  1730 M Street NW, Suite 218
  Washington, D.C. 20036-4505

Provide screenshots, URLs, and the exact language you observed. The OSC can investigate and, if warranted, bring enforcement actions before the MSPB.

2. Contact the Agencies’ Inspectors General

You can also alert the Inspectors General at USDA, DOJ, Treasury, State, and HUD. While IGs don’t enforce the Hatch Act, they can investigate internal misuse of agency resources and preserve evidence.

3. Tell Your Representatives

Demand congressional oversight. The House Oversight Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have jurisdiction to investigate violations and call witnesses under oath. Contact information for both Senators and Representatives is here. 

4. Spread the Word

Share the facts. Write letters, forward this blog, post responsibly on social media, and talk to friends and neighbors. When citizens shine light on misconduct, accountability follows.

Final Thoughts

The Hatch Act isn’t a technicality; it’s a firewall protecting the line between public service and political power.

When an administration turns federal websites into campaign billboards, it’s not just bending the rules, it’s breaking faith with every American who expects their government to serve, not spin.

Now it’s up to us, the citizens, to defend the law that keeps government honest.
File complaints. Demand answers. Speak up.

Because the moment we stop expecting neutrality from our institutions, we lose it.

###

Meet Sean Smith, a master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning
conservationist and former National Park and Forest Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount St. Helens, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and in the QR code included. 

Heading Toward the Brink: Why the Government May Shut Down

As the fiscal year deadline approaches, the United States faces the prospect of a federal government shutdown. If Congress fails to pass a continuing resolution (or full appropriations bills) by midnight on September 30 / October 1, many federal agencies will be forced to scale back operations, furlough non-essential staff, or cease certain activities entirely.

At the heart of the standoff is profound disagreement over both the timeline and the content of what should be included in any stopgap funding legislation.

If no deal emerges, we may see large parts of the federal government grind to a halt, and as we’ll see, public land management agencies would be among those most harmed.

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Fallout for Public Lands: National Parks, BLM, Forests, and More

A shutdown is not just an abstract political drama; it has real, immediate consequences, especially for our public lands and environmental stewardship. Below are some of the key impacts:

National Park Service (NPS) and Interior Department Lands

• Closures and scale-backs
  Under usual contingency plans, most national parks are closed during a lapse in appropriations. Visitor centers, restrooms, campgrounds, and trails are often shuttered. Gates are locked, staff are furloughed, and the public is discouraged from visiting. aspenpublicradio.org+3U.S. Department of the Interior+3National Parks Conservation Association+3 Because parks depend on federal funding, they cannot maintain normal operations during a shutdown. National Parks Conservation Association+1

• Damage to resource protection and safety
  When parks operate with minimal or no staff, ecological damage accelerates. In past shutdowns, overflows of trash, illegal off-road driving, vandalism, and damage to fragile resources have occurred. aspenpublicradio.org+2National Parks Conservation Association+2 With no staff to monitor or enforce rules, wildlife and habitat suffer. Trails and roads degrade without upkeep. Emergency response (rescue, medical, fire) becomes riskier. aspenpublicradio.org+2National Parks Conservation Association+2

• Deferred maintenance, staff cuts, and long-term erosion
  Even beyond the shutdown window, parks already face chronic underfunding, staff cuts, and deferred maintenance backlogs. Center for American Progress+2National Parks Conservation Association+2 The Trump administration (and allied agencies) have already engaged in aggressive staffing reductions and budget cuts across Interior agencies, compounding the vulnerability of parks to shutdown stress. Center for American Progress+2aspenpublicradio.org+2

Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service, and Other Agencies

• Open land, but degraded services
  BLM lands are more likely to remain physically open during a shutdown, but many visitor facilities (restrooms, visitor centers, staff assistance) will be closed or severely limited. conservationlands.org Trails, roads, maintenance, and resource work may be temporarily suspended. conservationlands.org+1

• Increased pressure and cumulative damage
  With national parks closed or restricted, public pressure may shift to forests, BLM land, or small state/local natural areas, which themselves are less prepared to absorb surges in visitation. aspenpublicradio.org+1 Understaffed forest and land agencies struggle to control wildfire risk, invasive species, or range management without full capacity.

• Delay of permits, research, and restoration work
  Projects such as habitat restoration, scientific research, permitting for grazing or infrastructure, and other non-essential agency functions will be slowed or halted.

In short, a shutdown exacerbates the neglect already baked into many environmental and land management systems, and when the shutdown ends, the backlog of damage and deferred care will linger.

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Why the Stakes Are High and Why Americans Should Stand Firm

A government shutdown is deeply disruptive. Families lose services, federal workers are furloughed or fired Wikipedia, and agencies falter. But the choice is not simply between “go along to avoid closure” and “stand your ground”: it is about what priorities get protected.

Key arguments for resisting pressure to give away the farm

1. Protecting vital national priorities
   Americans must stand up for those things that too often get cut: environmental protection, climate mitigation, public health, education, social welfare, veterans’ services, and infrastructure. These can’t be treated as second-class items or expendable bargaining chips.

2. Avoid conceding on health care and social safety nets
   The GOP proposal excludes renewed ACA tax credits, reversals of Medicaid cuts, and reversions of recent draconian reductions. Those omissions would worsen health care affordability and access at a time when millions of Americans rely on backstop programs. Accepting that exclusion cedes ground for future budgets.

3. Leverage in negotiations
   The threat of a shutdown is one of the few tools Americans have to prevent a wholly one-sided outcome. If Americans capitulate now, future deadlines will be seen as an opportunity to push for even more extreme cuts. Standing firm sends a message that specific lines can’t be crossed.

4. Precedent matters
   Allowing concessions under threat sets a dangerous precedent. The next time Republicans want to force through a rollback of climate safeguards or veteran benefits, they’ll invoke the shutdown lever again unless challenged.

A realistic temper: Where compromise may still be needed

To be clear: standing firm does not mean being rigidly ideological. There may be room for short-term bridges (e.g. 7–10 day extension) to avoid irreparable harm, particularly in areas like disaster response, VA services, or critical health functions. However, any extension must preserve priority protections and not serve as a blank check to compromise core values.

However, Americans should refuse the giveaway in which service to people is traded off for narrow fiscal dogma.

---

Conclusion: A Moment of Truth

We are at a moment when very real public interests are at stake. The Trump administration is attempting to centralize power, shrinking social programs, constraining democracy, and weaponizing shutdown threats to get its way. Meanwhile, environmental collapse, climate destabilization, public health emergencies, and educational inequality demand bold, sustained investment.

If Americans allow a government shutdown threat to dictate policy priorities, they will have lost more than merely a funding impasse: they will have conceded their power.

So yes, Americans must stand firm. We should not yield just to keep the machinery running, especially if it means betraying our people and values. A shutdown should be the last option, and should be used only when the alternative is surrender. But in this moment, the alternative is worse.

Let this crisis be a call: Americans, don’t shrink. Hold strong. Ensure that the next resolution funds not only government institutions, but also people, the planet, and justice.

###

Meet Sean Smith, a master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning
conservationist and former National Park and Forest Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount St. Helens, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and in the QR code included. 

Preserve our History, Environment and Culture, One Sign at a Time

History lives where we least expect it, on the weathered panels that stand guard beside trails,
perched atop scenic overlooks, and nestled near historic structures in our national parks. But today, these unassuming signboards face a serious threat: the Trump administration’s campaign to reshape and sanitize America’s story.

This isn’t just bureaucratic tinkering. The administration has pressured the National Park Service to review and rewrite interpretive text on exhibits and signage that it deems “anti-American.” In some cases, officials have gone further, asking park visitors to report signs and displays they believe cast the United States in an unfavorable light. Think about that, our national parks, places meant to educate and inspire, are being turned into battlegrounds for ideological purity tests.

What does this mean in practice? It means signs that tell the truth about some of the hardest chapters in our history are at risk:

• Civil War battlefields where signs honestly describe slavery as the central cause of the conflict.

• Native American sites that acknowledge forced removals, massacres, and broken treaties.

• World War II locations like Manzanar, Minidoka, and Tule Lake that tell the painful story of Japanese American incarceration.

• Civil Rights landmarks that document the violence and resistance faced by those who fought for equality.

• Environmental sites such as Glacier or Everglades, where interpretive text describes how climate change is reshaping ecosystems.

• Industrial and mining landscapes where signs explain the damage caused by pollution, clear-cutting, or overuse of natural resources.

Under this campaign, visitors could soon encounter only a whitewashed version of history, one stripped of struggle, diversity, and hard truths. If allowed to stand, this approach reduces our parks to propaganda rather than places of education and reflection. Trump has ordered information deemed inappropriate to be removed by September 17, 2025.

Now more than ever, we must safeguard these echoes of the past before they disappear.

Why It’s Important to Tell the Entire Story

Our national parks are more than scenic backdrops; they are living classrooms that reveal the full scope of America’s natural, cultural, and historic legacy. From the towering sequoias of California to the battlefields of the Civil War, these places tell stories that are both inspiring and difficult. Some celebrate achievement, resilience, and discovery; others confront us with injustice, exploitation, and loss.

If we allow only the comfortable or convenient stories to be told, we lose the richness of our collective past. Interpreting the whole spectrum, beauty and struggle, triumph and tragedy, helps us understand who we are as a nation. It reminds us of what we’ve overcome, and it equips us to confront challenges still before us.

Interpretive signs are one of the most direct ways visitors encounter these lessons. They provide context, amplify diverse voices, and ensure that future generations inherit a history that is truthful, not selective. Preserving these signs is about more than words on a panel, it’s about protecting the integrity of America’s story in all its complexity.

Introducing: The “Save Our Signs” Project

The Save Our Signs initiative is a grassroots effort dedicated to documenting and archiving all history-related interpretive signs across our national parks. Its vision is simple yet powerful: ensure future generations can read, learn from, and reflect on the truths these signs convey, regardless of shifting political winds.

What You Can Do — Today

1. Visit a national park: Any one will do. From Yosemite to Acadia, every sign tells a story.

2. Snap a photo: Aim for clarity, capture the entire sign, including any contextual elements like nearby artifacts, structures, or landscapes.

3. Submit it online: Upload the image (and any notes—location, date, sign text) via the project’s submission portal: Save Our Signs photo submission.

Why this matters:

• Public record: Even if signage is altered or removed, your contribution ensures the original remains accessible.

• Crowdsourced clarity: A database built by volunteers across the country captures diverse signs from major parks to small sites.

• Collective resistance: Taking this small step is a statement. Together, we show that history can’t be erased.

A Call to Action

Calling all history-lovers, hikers, families, park fans, and American patriots, your next trip to a national park can do more than renew your spirit; it can preserve the truth. When you’re there, pause. Look. Photograph.

Tag your photos with something like "SaveOurSigns" if you're sharing on social media, and don’t forget to submit through the project portal so your documentation becomes part of something lasting and impactful.

Here’s how to help move this forward:

• Share this post with your friends, local groups, and on social media. Encourage them to visit their local parks ASAP. Encourage folks to capture every sign imaginable, especially those sharing complex or underrepresented histories.

• Forward this post to friends, family, and colleagues who work for the National Park Service and other federal land management agencies. They come in contact with our parks' interpretive displays daily. They are in the best position to capture the vast majority of signs. Encourage these park employees to photograph their park's signs before September 17, 2025.

Together, we can build a lasting archive that resists erasure and honors every story that belongs to our national narrative. Visit a park. Take a photo. Save our signs and the history they tell.

###

Meet Sean Smith, a master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning
conservationist and former National Park and Forest Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount St. Helens, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and in the QR code included.