I recently
surfed into a policy enacted by the National Park Service at Zion National Park,
and I think it’s a darn good one! Having been a National Park Ranger at Zion; visiting
the park, especially in summer is NUTS. The Park is beautiful but when you are
trying to share it with 10s of thousands of other visitors on any given day the
concept of wilderness is sorely diminished.
The Prohibition
of tripods or any other multi-legged stabilization device including easels on
trails by Guided Photography/Painting Workshops is a fine idea, in addition the
use of models/props in Photography/Painting Workshops is not authorized.
I know that the
Park is a public space but having a fee based private company clog the trails impacts
one’s sense of trying to be one with nature.
To the best of
my knowledge the Organic Act of 1916 that created The National Park
Service doesn't give anyone the right to monopolize the Park for their personal
commercial gain to the detriment of others.
I realize that these
comments have taken me off many Christmas card lists but so be it. I would
rather opt to see a fourth-grader come around the corner and see nature instead
of tripods and easels.
I use fourth-grade
students because every year, beginning September 1, all kids in the
fourth grade have access to their own Every Kid in a Park pass. This pass provides free access
to national parks across the country. The pass covers entrance to
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service sites that charge Entrance
Fees, and Standard Amenity Fees at Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management,
Bureau of Reclamation and US Army Corps of Engineers sites. It admits the pass
owner and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle at a
per vehicle fee area, or the pass owner and up to 3 adults at sites that charge
per person.
So with apologies
to the TV show “The Price is Right”…all 10-year old’s “...come
on down…”!
A final
thought;
It’s interesting
to puzzle over the idea that fee based private companies, for their personal gain
wanted access to the Park with their discounted government pass. If your there
to make money, then pay the prescribed rate for commercial entry.
“…Annual or
Lifetime passes will NOT be valid for commercial entry into the park beginning
October 1, 2019….”
