To the Point
The National Parks: Will America Save Them?
With the sagging economy, Americans are vacationing closer to home and the national parks are taking a beating. But that's been true for a long time. Threats include development near the Everglades , air pollution in the Great Smoky Mountains , and overcrowding in Yosemite Valley . Forget preserving the parks in a "pristine condition."
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readWith the sagging economy, Americans are vacationing closer to home and the national parks are taking a beating. But that's been true for a long time. Threats include development near the Everglades, air pollution in the Great Smoky Mountains, and overcrowding in Yosemite Valley. Forget preserving the parks in a "pristine condition." Watchdogs say it's now a matter of repairing the damage before it gets worse. We hear why the next few months could be critical to the future of one federal institution most Americans really love.
Warren Olney
former KCRW broadcaster
Darrell Satzman
Producer
Katie Cooper
Producer, 'One year Later'
Karen Radziner
Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?
Dale Ditmanson
Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Pete Geddes
Director of Development, Property and Environmental Research Center
Tom Kiernan
President, National Parks Conservation Association