Donations roll in for national parks’ centennial projects
The 100th anniversary of the National Park Service is a mere nine years away, and donations are rolling in to spruce up parks for the occasion. In a spending bill yet to be approved by Congress, Bush made funds available to match private giving; some $300 million has already been pledged by corporations, nonprofits, and visitors’ groups. Last week, the National Park Service unveiled a list of 201 priority projects for the centennial bash, covering 116 parks in 40 states. Says NPS Deputy Superintendent Frank Mares, “The last big heady time for the park service like this was in the 1950s, when they built up the infrastructure to serve the growing population and the car culture.” And look where that got us!
