New Parks for the Nation: White House Conference on Conservation

National Park Service

Leisure time is increasing with a plausible trend towards a 35- 30- or even a 25-hour work week. Spendable income is increasing. And improved roads and parkways are bringing outdoor recreation opportunities closer to the American people. As a result, existing parks and recreation areas throughout the Nation are proving to be inadequate in number and distribution to meet the demand. Anticipating park and recreation needs of tomorrow, the National Park Service has studied hundreds of natural, scientific and historic areas throughout the United States. The following informational writeups on each of 29 nationally-significant areas represent proposals that have been thoroughly considered by the Service and which for various reasons show excellent promise of receiving public support. Other areas of potential national significance presently under stu~ may be added to the long-range program objectives as they prove to be suitable and feasible additions to the National Park System. But there are certain areas among the 29 listed that simply cannot afford to wait. Nature and historical accident have combined thus far to protect these irreplaceable remnants of our American heritage, but they can little longer escape the same fate as our other rapidly-disappearing natural areas, free-flowing streams and seashores--a fate they do not deserve. Moreover, unnecessary delay in acquiring these park and recreation areas so vital to an adequate publlc recreation system results in tremendously increased costs. The principal question seems to be whether the individual citizen, the connnunity, the State, the Nation can find suitable means to set aside these relatively small but irreplaceable natural, sr.ientific and historical areas for the people of our Country to enjoy for all time. The opportunities afforded here for instilling love of country and providing understanding of all those elements which have combined to make America--not only great, but also the hope of the world--must not be lost.