National Park System Advisory Board

National Park System Advisory Board. Established by an act of Congress in 1935, it is a federal advisory committee that provides independent advice to the Secretary of the Interior on matters related to the National Park Service. The board's purview encompasses the entire National Park System, including national parks, national monuments, and national historic sites. Its recommendations influence policy on historic preservation, natural resource management, and educational programs across the agency's vast holdings.

History

The board was created through legislation championed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its formation was part of a broader movement to professionalize the management of the nation's expanding portfolio of protected areas, which included recent additions like Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park. Early members included prominent figures from the conservation movement, such as Newton B. Drury, who would later become director of the National Park Service. Throughout the 20th century, the board played a consultative role during significant expansions of the system, including the designations under the Antiquities Act and the mission changes introduced by the National Park Service Organic Act.

Membership and appointment

Members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and serve without compensation. The board is composed of up to twelve private citizens, selected for their expertise in fields directly relevant to the park system's mission. These areas include history, archaeology, architecture, biology, and landscape architecture. Appointments often include academics from institutions like the University of California or the Smithsonian Institution, as well as professionals from organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Terms are typically staggered, and the board elects its own chair and vice-chair from among its members to lead its proceedings.

Functions and responsibilities

The board's primary function is to review and advise on the standards and policies governing the National Park Service. This includes evaluating the potential National Register eligibility of new park units and assessing the status of existing designations like national battlefields and national recreation areas. It is statutorily required to review any system-wide plan, such as those for wilderness stewardship or cultural landscape management. The board also makes recommendations concerning the National Historic Landmarks program and advises on the designation of National Natural Landmarks. Its meetings, which are open to the public under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, often involve taking testimony from park superintendents, advocacy groups like the National Parks Conservation Association, and tribal representatives.

Notable reports and recommendations

Over its history, the board has issued influential reports that have shaped national policy. A landmark 1963 study, often called the Leopold Report, commissioned by the board and authored by A. Starker Leopold, revolutionized wildlife management practices in parks like Yellowstone National Park and Yosemite National Park. In later decades, the board produced critical analyses on topics ranging from urban park development to the interpretation of American Civil War sites. Its recommendations have directly contributed to management policies for climate change adaptation and initiatives to broaden public engagement, influencing directives from the Department of the Interior and actions by the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Relationship with the National Park Service

While the board provides external, independent advice, it works in close consultation with the leadership of the National Park Service, including the Director of the National Park Service. The board does not wield direct operational authority but its counsel is formally considered in the decision-making processes of the Secretary of the Interior. This relationship ensures a channel for expert and public input into the service's strategic direction, affecting operations from Grand Canyon National Park to Independence National Historical Park. The dynamic between the advisory board and the agency's leadership is a foundational element of the federal governance structure for the United States' most treasured landscapes and historic places.

Category:National Park Service Category:United States Department of the Interior advisory boards Category:1935 establishments in the United States