Agency in Brief: National Park Service

NPS — National Park Service

What does the NPS do?

The National Park Service is an agency of the federal government within the United States Department of the Interior. It is responsible for protecting and administering national parks within the United States, and faces the double responsibility of preserving and protecting National Parks while also making them accessible to public use. There are approximately 417 different sites under the jurisdiction of the NPS, which total some 84 million acres of land. The NPS frequently partners with private companies and interest groups in order to pursue its responsibilities of improving and protecting America’s national parks.

Why does it matter for TU?

National Parks boast some of the best fishing in the United States, and the efforts of the National Park Service to protect and preserve these lands is a vital part of keeping them pristine and beautiful. Many significant rivers either rise on or pass through National Parks, and the NPS is therefore responsible for keeping them clean and safe.

Key programs and partnerships

• Keeper of the Stream: This partnership between the National Park Service and the Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited has worked together to conserve and protect the Valley Creek Watershed. This partnership undertakes long term observation, education, monitoring, and conservation projects in the watershed, protecting it for future generation of anglers.
• Newbold Dam Removal: Trout Unlimited cooperated with the National Park Service to remove the failing Newbold Dam on the Gros Ventre River at Kelly, Wyoming. The dam, which was no longer functioning properly and badly impeded fish movement, was removed with funds raised by Trout Unlimited, allowing for improved waterway conditions and more free fish movement on the Gros Ventre. It ultimately opened more than 100 miles of stream habitat for spawning and sustaining trout.
• Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Conservation: Trout Unlimited National, Wyoming Council, Montana Council, and Idaho Council, National Parks Conservation Association, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Yellowstone Park Foundation, and Yellowstone National Park all signed a memorandum of understanding in which they agreed to cooperate on protecting native species and the local ecosystem within Yellowstone National Park. The groups agreed to work together on fundraising efforts, observation of environments, and ensuring that policymakers are informed about the importance of their efforts in the area.