Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago

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There is an impossible problem at the heart of America's National Parks. It's known as the Dual Mandate, and it stems from a single sentence in the National Park Service Organic Act that tasks the Agency with preserving National Park resources unimpaired while facilitating public access to those same resources. Over the years, we have seen countless examples of how these two mandates (hence, the Dual Mandate) have come into conflict. This video is an exploration of the Dual Mandate, its origins, and its implications for a changing world. Enjoy!

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Sources and Resources:
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-1725/pdf/COMPS-1725.pdf

nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/anps/anps_7a.htm

npshistory.com/publications/winks.htm

nationalparkstraveler.org/2012/02/revisiting-organic-act-can-it-meet-next-century’s-conservation-challenges9441

nps.gov/subjects/policy/upload/MP_2006.pdf

georgewright.org/341jones.pdf

outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/news-analysis/national-parks-reservations-2024

Images and Music:
Storyblocks
NPS
USA Today