The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Essay Example

“Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.” (Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation 5). The greatest concern surrounding our national parks is not the lack of population for the parks but the overpopulation that surrounds every national park. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is regarded as one of the most beautiful parks on the planet yet in recent times the environmental concerns following wildlife and statistical approval on the parks have taken drastic declines. Access to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park should be restricted for environmental preservation, wildlife conservation, and enhancing the park experience although the park's financial well-being should be considered in all aspects. 

With growing park popularity, the environmental concerns surrounding national parks have grown exponentially. To better help with these situations, it is important to understand the history of environmental preservation, President Theodore Roosevelt had noticed such declines in preservation during his presidency and put forth acts such as the “1906 American Antiquities act” that protected “150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national games preserve,5 national parks, and 18 national monuments...” (GSMNP: Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation 2). This law was the first federal action to protect America's national parks from curb overuse and pollution, yet it wasn't until 1926 “a bill was signed by President Calvin Coolidge that provided for the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park. This allowed the Department of the Interior to assume responsibility for administration and protection of a park in the Smokies as soon as 150,000 acres of land had been purchased.” (GSMNP: Stories 3). This bill helped The Great Smoky Mountains National Park join the federal protection for all parks in which Roosevelt had stated on parks environmental preservation, “We have become great because of the lavish use of our resources. But the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils have still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, deluding the fields and obstructing navigation.” (GSMNP: Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation 2). The overuse of resources and pollution, combined with curb overuse, puts down the statement that parks thrive on population for their financial well-being. With the concern of environmental preservation, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park should address concerns of curb overuse by limiting times in the park. The areas inside the park were affected over years with gained popularity of 77.5% increase of campers and tents from 2020 as well as 29.3% increase in regular tourists over the year. (GRSM YTD Report 1). These increases have heavily affected the park's environmental well-being and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park should cut down on available overnight and recreational stays, which would allow for a renewal of environmental preservation. These changes would affect the park's financial stability yet with an increase in overnight stay prices and visitor satisfaction an increase in financial stability would follow suit. 

Over the past 50 years, animal wildlife in national parks has been steadily decreasing. In reports from Ken Rosenberg, lead author and Cornell Lab of Ornithology conservation scientist states that “...North America is home to nearly three billion fewer birds today compared to 1970-that’s more than 1 in 4 birds that have disappeared from the landscape in a mere half a century.” (Audubon 2). Even with the bird reservation structures, many birds in America are still at risk of extinction. Some of the main threats to our bird populations are the effects of cars in the reserves, mass pesticide use, and plastic pollution from visitors. As stated in the previous paragraph, Theodore Roosevelt had put together the Federal Bird Reserve to protect America's bird wildlife that had been poached for fashion and exotic bird hunting. Those reserves, which would later be turned into the United States Fish and Wildlife Services, became the needed refuge for all national wildlife. With such decreases in wildlife populations, The Great Smoky Mountain National Park should limit public access to the park. The demographics on how many birds and animals are affected by vehicles and the pollution that follows, requiring reservations to enter the park and allowing for days of park quarantine would allow wildlife rehabilitation that would overall help increase the park's satisfaction and financial well-being.  

With such decreases in the environment and wildlife of the national park the experiences inside have deteriorated over time as well. The article “Air Quality” from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park states the pollution surrounding the areas of the park. Ranging from 40% in the cold season to 80% in the summertime, air quality and the beauty of the areas were reported to have been losing clarity to viewers ranging from aerial views as far as the late 1940s all stemming from the area increase of population contamination. (GSMNP: Air Quality 2). These decreases in park quality have affected the park's environmental stability, wildlife population, and most importantly the park experience. These effects have been a consequence of the pollution surrounding the overcrowding of the park. Alivia Harris, a WVLT Reporter, stated recent population reports on the park through 2020; The Great Smoky Mountains National Park accumulated over 100% more visitors during the Covid-19 outbreak which triples the area’s popularity. (Harris 1). These growths of the park have accumulated pollution and contamination that need to be addressed to allow the park experience to be continued for generations to come. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs to restrict public access to the park to improve the park experience relating to its panorama and topography. Unless changes are made to improve these functions, the park's financial stability will be at risk due to such a loss of scenery and experience.  

Although conservation is important, one of the main points of park preservation is President Calvin Coolidge's statement on the parks that “This ceremony dedicated a sanctuary that is not a local park, a county park, or even a state park, but a national park for all the people of the country and the rest of the world to enjoy.” (GSMNP: Stories 4). Coolidge's, Franklin Roosevelt’s, and Theodore Roosevelt’s beliefs on the parks all revolve around that statement and that is why it is important to maintain environmental preservation and wildlife conservation to enhance the park experience. With the opposing viewpoint, the financial well-being of the park can still be regulated with a park that would restrict public access as well as overall help environmental preservation and wildlife conservation to enhance the park experience. 

Now after a century of conservation efforts, the battle for our national park's well-being is better than ever. Yet still, The Great Smoky Mountains has many concerns on environmental preservation, wildlife conservation, and enhancing the park experience in which access should be restricted to the parks to improve those concerns that would additionally improve the park's financial stability. Finally, it is up to every citizen to protect the environment, wildlife, and experience of our national parks, so they may be able to be relished for the years to come.