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Environmental Management

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01-07-2010

Revisiting the Meaning and Purpose of the “National Park Service Organic Act”

Author: John Lemons

Published in: Environmental Management | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

National parks have long endured controversy concerning their fundamental purpose. Is their purpose to conserve natural resources and scenery? Provide for the use and enjoyment of people? Or balance conservation with use and enjoyment? Most people involved in the controversy have taken a view that supports one of the three purposes above. In this article, I contend that the fundamental mandate for parks is conservation of natural resources and scenery but that the mandate is “weak” both as a matter of law as well as because of other factors that weaken it.

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Title: Revisiting the Meaning and Purpose of the “National Park Service Organic Act”
Author: John Lemons
Publication date: 01-07-2010
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Environmental Management / Issue 1/2010
Print ISSN: 0364-152X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1009
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9488-0

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