The Park Service centennial, and the upside of crowds
“The early Greek philosophers looked at the world about them and decided that there were four elements: fire, air, water, and earth. But as they grew a little wiser, they perceived that there must be something else. These tangible elements did not comprise a principle; they merely revealed that somewhere else, if they could not find it, there was a soul of things — a Fifth Essence, pure, eternal, and inclusive.” —Freeman Tilden
Tilden’s Fifth Essence is the spirit of what visitors find in our national parks, and especially Glacier. Glacier Park is a place where wild hasn’t lost its meaning, and vistas and mountains evoke emotions deeper than what we can name. Reflecting on the first century of the park service on today’s centennial, it’s interesting to recall that George Grinnell initially had regrets about helping establish Glacier as a national park because it was “drawing crowds” in the early 1900s.
Ultimately, Grinnell grew to accept that it was actually these “crowds” who would save the park long-term, and at the time, the throngs of awestruck tourists were a “necessary evil to ward off destruction by vandals.” Grinnell was likely referring to developers, miners and loggers, but when he wrote of his fear of these crowds in 1917, there were only 13,000 annual visitors to the park.
Last year, there were well over 2 million visitors to Glacier, and this summer we have broken new visitation records each month. Grinnell could have never predicted the number of visitors who would come to Glacier, but he was right to recognize that the people coming here — awestruck by Glacier’s soaring peaks and glacially carved valleys — would be the ones who could protect it for the future.
Since the National Park Service was founded in 1916, there have been challenges inherent in both managing a park for the enjoyment of the people and conserving its wild nature. As co-owners of these shared treasures across our country, it’s important to recognize the issues and support those in charge of protecting the park.
Private philanthropy has always been critical to preserving our parks, from Grinnell and Muir, to Stephen Mather — the first director of the National Park Service — who made his riches with Borax, and gave up entrepreneurship to save the ailing national parks. Today, there are millions of park supporters of no less importance than these great men.
The continuing need for philanthropy will not diminish. As park friend and original co-founder of the Glacier Conservancy, George Bristol, says, “The needs of the parks have historically exceeded the will of our Congress or elected officials to appropriate.” That is as true today as it was a century ago.
Our national parks require the commitment of each citizen to ensure their future. These are not just government properties; they are our inheritance. We are the awestruck crowds today — the visitors who protect these parks. Please help us celebrate the centennial of what has been called “America’s Best Idea,” the National Park Service, by making a donation to the Glacier Conservancy’s centennial match campaign.
Together our efforts will help to preserve and protect Glacier National Park for the next 100 years, from whatever challenges will arise.
Nikki Eisinger represents the Glacier National Park Conservancy.