Department of Interior to Privatize Park Ranger Guides

[Guest PEER]

Park Service officials have embraced a plan to let its concessionaires wire the parks and become the cyber-guides for visitors – with cute talking corporate logos replacing interpretative rangers wearing Smoky Bear hats.

 

The National Park Service (NPS) appears deeply committed to an industry-sponsored initiative which would change the way many visitors experience national parks, according to documents posted today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Plans to significantly expand cellular and internet "connectivity" inside parks have advanced without public notice.

 

The National Park Hospitality Association (NPHA), which represents concessionaires who operate lodges, stores and other commercial outlets inside national parks, is leading the effort to dramatically hike visitor access to cell and internet signals inside parks – signals from the concessionaires, that is. NPHA laments that "in many of America's national parks, prized smartphones are little more than cameras because cell and data service, even at visitor centers and lodges and other developed sites, is poor – or worse."

 

The organization has the ear of Park Service leadership, which is working with NPHA to –

 

Provide internet access "at all major, developed visitor areas in the national park system" and "basic cell phone service at all major visitor areas in national park units, as well as along most roads and at major sites such as trailheads;"

"Deliver timely, park-focused information within national parks through smart phones, tablets and computers…to deliver interpretation and other important information to park visitors;" and

In order be "financially sustainable," NPHA wants "the opportunity to develop and operate these systems" in which they charge fees for services beyond free "landing pages." NPHA envisions a capacity "which could reduce the need for handing out printed materials and even facilitate fee collection through electronic devices."

 

"This is a disturbing stealth scheme to wire our national park system," stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting the utter absence of any analysis of impacts or public input. "Experiencing the natural wonders of our national parks should not require a smartphone."

 

NPS Deputy Director Peggy O'Dell has invited NPHA to nominate the first five parks to be wired, with the final "winners" selected sometime in January. NPS Director Jon Jarvis is reviewing an NPHA-drafted system-wide policy promoting connectivity and a joint "strategy session" is slated for February.

 

"This would be a giant step toward 'Disney-fying' park interpretation, replacing rangers with corporate icons as your guides," Ruch added. "Solitude values of parks will go by the board, as lodges, tents, trailheads and other park locations become just another place to fiddle with electronic devices.