National Park Service Director’s Order Promoting Civic Engagement and Public Involvement

Dear Coalition Friends:

There has been lots of coverage of the ongoing NFL Extravaganza on the Mall in today’s Washington media, print and broadcast. We will send out an update on some of it later today. Judy was interviewed earlier this morning for a piece that will run on todays edition of “Marketplace” (check your local National Public Radio station for the time they air this show).

Meanwhile, we were remiss in not sending out this notice when we got it on Monday, September 1st:

National Park Service Director Fran Mainella has produced a new Director’s Order promoting Civic Engagement and Public Involvement and is seeking public comment (see below). We are enthusiastic about her attempts to reform the Park Service in this regard and will submit comments by the due date of September 15. We highly encourage other groups and individuals to also respond to her request for comment. Here’s the official notice:

To Our National Park Service Friends and Partners,

As you know I greatly value the voices and involvement of partners and
stakeholders as we go forth together managing the National Parks. To that
end, I have created a new Director’s Order to institute a consistent policy
and approach for civic engagement and public involvement opportunities. I
believe that together, we can ensure that the NPS continues and enriches
its legacy of welcoming, collaborating with, and involving the public.

This Director’s Order will convey to NPS employees the importance and
priority of two-way communication, consistent with my approach to issues
and challenges, and that of Secretary Norton and her 4 Cs principle of
“consultation, cooperation, and communication in the service of
conservation.” The policy encompasses both a bright opportunity to engage
the American public anew, welcome them to our National Parks, and comply in
a superlative manner with all legally mandated public involvement in our
decision-making.

This policy emphasis represents to me a much needed and, I hope, welcome
focus on the positive ways in which we can carry out our management
responsibilities for the benefit of the American people. In that spirit, I
invite each of you to comment on the proposed Director’s Order on Civic
Engagement and Public Involvement. The public comment period ends on
September 15, 2003. For easy viewing and downloading, the policy is posted
at http://www.nps.gov/policy/DOrders/75A.htm.

Comments may be faxed to my Office of Policy and Regulations at 202-219-8835,
emailed to waso_opr@nps.gov, or mailed to: National Park Service, Office of Policy
and Regulations, 1849 C Street, NW Room 7252, Washington, DC, 20240.

-Fran Mainella

 

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