SIERRA MAGAZINE • August 17, 2021
There must be a way to both welcome the millions of people seeking breathing spaces and continue to preserve their extraordinary natural and cultural values—to ensure the parks are accessible while also protecting their ecological integrity. Actually, there is a way, and it is pretty straightforward: Lawmakers in Washington need to create more national parks. An expansion of our national park system would relieve pressure on existing parks by offering alternative national park experiences in other outstanding places. In addition, more protected forests, grasslands, and waters would fight climate change by sequestering large amounts of carbon dioxide. They would also safeguard the full range of native plant and wildlife diversity. National parks are particularly well suited to address these concerns. ~ Michael Kellett, RESTORE: The North Woods