[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Proclamation 7665 of April 18, 2003
 
National Park Week, 2003

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

America is a land of majestic beauty, and we are blessed with
immeasurable natural wealth. Americans are united in the belief that we
must preserve this treasured heritage and conserve these natural
resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people.
As a Nation, we can be proud of our diverse parklands, ranging from the
rugged wilderness of snow-capped mountains, thick forests, sweeping
desert sands, and remote canyons to national symbols such as the Statue
of Liberty and the Lincoln Memorial. Our National Park Service has a
long and important history. In 1864, the Federal Government ensured a
grand natural landscape for generations to come when it designated
Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias to be ``held
for public use, resort, and recreation . . . inalienable for all time.''
Eight years later in 1872, the Congress created the first national park
in the Yellowstone region of the Territories of Montana and Wyoming.
Finally, in 1916, the National Park Service was established to
efficiently administer our growing number of parks, which today in

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cludes 388 national parks on more than 84 million acres of public lands.
These lands continue to be cherished by all our citizens.
The full and safe enjoyment of our national parks depends on dedicated
National Park Service employees and thousands of people who volunteer
their time to conserve these sites. This year's theme for National Park
Week, ``Celebrating Volunteers,'' recognizes their valuable
contributions to conserving and maintaining our natural, cultural, and
historical heritage.
Across the country, my Administration is promoting volunteer service,
encouraging public-private partnerships, and advocating community-based
interest in our national parks. We are committed to ensuring that our
land is conserved, our air is clean, our water is pure, and our parks
are open and accessible to all Americans. Recently, my Administration
re-launched Take Pride in America, a national partnership that engages
volunteers from every corner of America to enhance our parks and other
public lands. As part of the USA Freedom Corps initiative, Take Pride in
America will encourage more Americans to take part in volunteer service
opportunities available on public lands.
My Administration has also supported improvements in park management and
is working to reduce the park maintenance backlog. My fiscal year 2004
budget includes over $1 billion to reduce the maintenance backlog, an
increase of $180 million over last year's request, along with $76
million, a $9 million increase over last year's request, for the
National Park Service Natural Resource Challenge to monitor ``vital
signs'' of conditions in our parks. This initiative will help conserve
native species and habitats, maintain our natural resources, eradicate
invasive species, and provide the public with information about
resources in our parks. In addition, my Administration has developed the
website www.recreation.gov, which is a user-friendly way to obtain
information about recreational opportunities in the national parks and
other public recreation sites.
As we observe National Park Week, I encourage all citizens to explore
our national parks and to commit to the conservation and stewardship of
these timeless treasures. By working together, we can ensure that these
special places thrive for generations to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 21 through April 27,
2003, as National Park Week. I call upon the people of the United States
to join me in recognizing the importance of our national parks and to
learn more about these areas of beauty, their historical significance,
and the many ways citizens can volunteer to help preserve these precious
resources.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
seventh.
GEORGE W. BUSH

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