Yosemite Valley, one of the most visited landscapes in the U.S. national park system, framed by El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall.
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September 1, 2026
National parks drew more than 320 million visitors last year, but they're facing new political pressures, from revised exhibits to construction projects. Students explore who decides how public lands are managed and funded.
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Americans continue to flock to the national parks, with more than 320 million visitors in the last year alone. But that broad appeal is facing new political pressures, from orders to revise exhibits to President Trump's construction projects. Amna Nawaz discussed the state of national parks with Tiernan Sittenfeld, the president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association.
View the transcript of the story.
Short on time? Watch the video and complete the following See, Think, Wonder questions: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
In this segment, Tiernan Sittenfeld says that "... what's very concerning is that the Trump administration is showing so little regard for public input, for the role of Congress, for the rule of law."
Media literacy: Why do you think the producers of this segment chose to bring on a critic of the Trump administration's decisions without also including a supporter of the moves? Who else might you want to hear from to understand the changes being made?
Can you remember the last time you visited a national park? Do you have any near your own community? As a class, locate the closest national park to you using this National Park Service map. Then discuss:
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
