1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing as a constituent to express concern about policy direction affecting the National Park System. The National Park System is one of the most important public institutions in the United States and a defining example of conservation leadership. Under the National Park Service Organic Act, parks are to be preserved “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations,” reflecting a conservation-first mandate grounded in ecological integrity and long-term stewardship. I am concerned that policy approaches which shift federal land management toward a presumption of expanded access—where restrictions must be continually justified rather than protection being the default—risk weakening that mandate over time. Even incremental administrative changes can create a structural shift away from conservation-first management. National parks should operate from a precautionary, conservation-first baseline. Extractive uses, including hunting, should not be treated as default or assumed uses of park lands. Instead, any such activity should require clear, science-based justification demonstrating necessity for ecosystem health and alignment with the park’s specific ecological context. These lands are held in trust for future generations. They are not interchangeable with other federal land categories that serve different statutory purposes, and their management should reflect that distinction. I urge you to uphold the National Park Service’s conservation-first mandate, ensure ecosystem integrity and habitat protection remain primary priorities, require affirmative scientific justification for any expansion of extractive uses in national parks, and resist structural policy shifts that weaken baseline protections without clear ecological need.