National Mall in D.C. in Trouble

I just read a disheartening article about the poor condition of the National Mall in Washington D.C.



http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-13-nationalmall_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip(link

The article detailed a number of issues the Mall is facing but also focused on the bigger picture of the current status of the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS is charged with managing a system that contains nearly 400 units (National Parks, National Battlefields, National Historic Parks, National Rivers, National Monuments, National Seashores, etc.) that comprise 84 million acres of land. Due to significant budget deficits and lack of both personnel and resources, our parks are suffering. Some of the damage is the result of management issues but other damage is the result of overuse, and in some cases, outright abuse. Leave No Trace is an obvious solution to some of the damage. However, there are other issues that can likely only be dealt with by Congress. I urge you to support our National Parks to the extent you can so that this wonderful resource can endure for future generations. I know that someday I want my son to be able to enjoy and explore our wonderful system of parks, battlefields, seashores, monuments and rivers as I have done...