National Park Service

National Park Service
National Park Service arrowhead insignia
Guidon of the National Park Service
Agency overview
FormedAugust 25, 1916 (1916-08-25)
JurisdictionUnited States government
Headquarters
EmployeesAbout 20,000 (2022)[1] (279,000 volunteers in 2019)[1]
Annual budget$3.265 billion (FY2022)[2]
Agency executive
Parent departmentDepartment of the Interior
Websitewww.nps.gov/index.htm Edit this at Wikidata
Map
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The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government, within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The service manages all national parks; most national monuments; and other natural, historical, and recreational properties, with various title designations.[3][4] The United States Congress created the agency on August 25, 1916, through the National Park Service Organic Act.[5] Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C., within the main headquarters of the Department of the Interior.

The NPS employs about 20,000 people in 429 units covering over 85 million acres (0.34 million km2) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.[6][4][7] In 2019, the service had more than 279,000 volunteers.[7] The agency is charged with preserving the ecological and historical integrity of the places entrusted to its management and with making them available for public use and enjoyment.

  1. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". nps.gov. National Park Service. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  2. ^ Laura B. Comay (May 19, 2022). National Park Service: FY2022 Appropriations (Report). Congressional Research Service. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "America's Public Lands Explained". www.doi.gov. June 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "National Park System". National Park Service. March 18, 2022. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  5. ^ "The National Park Service Organic Act (1916)". National Park Service. Archived from the original on May 22, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  6. ^ "What We Do". National Park Service. June 9, 2021. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". National Park Service. February 25, 2022. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.