ACTION ALERT
Support the Access Fund’s Work on Capitol Hill
Write a Letter to the Editor Supporting Better Funding for our National Parks.
Our nation's parks are in disrepair. Cultural resources are being neglected, signs are old or missing, visitor centers are lacking, security needs aren't being met, and trails are eroding. Basic needs for the recreation community, such as parking, trailheads, and toilets, are also lacking.
Last year Congress and the Administration proposed the Centennial Initiative, a national campaign to fix our national parks in time for their 100-year anniversary in 2016. The initiative would engage communities in programs to restore cultural resources, gets kids into the parks, and repair trails and waterways. Although some funding was allocated, the bills have stalled in committee. Over the last several months the Access Fund and our Outdoor Alliance partners have been in Washington, DC asking Congress to get going. The clock is ticking while our parks continue to decline.
The Access Fund needs your help. While we are working in DC, we want to fill blogs and local papers with letters to the editor asking Congress to support national parks.
Please support climbers and other human-powered recreationists by firing off a short letter to the editor to your local paper or blog. We have made it easy for you with a sample message. Mention the national parks in your state and tell personal stories of what they mean to you and your family. If you can list a specific problem at a park from lack of funding, be sure to do so.
Go to http://capwiz.com/outdooralliance/dbq/media to find your local paper and quickly submit our sample letter to the editor. See www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt to find your local representatives to reference in your letter.
- Sample Letter to the Editor:
(Letters have the best chance of being printed if they are less than 150 words. Be sure to include your full name, address, and phone number.)
Dear Editor,
America's national parks are in great disrepair and we need [your Senators/Representative] to help save them. [List national parks in your state: www.nps.gov] Many of these valued recreation areas have been neglected due to a lack of federal funding. Also, visitation is down at many parks, and kids are increasingly disconnected from these national treasures.
The Centennial Initiative can combat these trends and revitalize the National Park System for its 100th anniversary in 2016.
[Add personal stories or other pertinent local information.]
Sincerely,
[Your name, address, phone number, and organization]