two children sitting on a dock looking out over a lake with mountains in the distance
Archived Project

Restore America's Parks

Pew’s work to restore America’s parks raised awareness about the $11.9 billion repair backlog facing the National Park Service (NPS) and implement long-term solutions to address the challenge.

The initiative collaborated with national partner groups, as well as state and local organizations, to effect change with Congress, the administration, and the NPS. Pew believes policymakers should:

  • Ensure that infrastructure initiatives include provisions to address park maintenance.
  • Provide dedicated annual federal funding for national park repairs.
  • Enact innovative policy reforms to ensure that deferred maintenance does not escalate.
  • Provide more highway funding for NPS maintenance needs.
  • Create more opportunities for public-private collaboration and donations to help restore park infrastructure. 
Fact Sheet

Why We Need to Fix Our Parks, 2020

National Park Service sites have almost $13.1 billion in deferred maintenance

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Fact Sheet

The National Park Service (NPS) is over 100 years old, and the infrastructure and facilities at the more than 400 sites it manages nationwide are aging. Add wear and tear from visitors and inconsistent annual funding, and the park service can’t keep pace with needed repairs. NPS’ maintenance backlog has grown to an estimated $13.1 billion, and more than half of that is for highest-priority assets.

Roads
Data Visualization

National Park Deferred Maintenance Needs, FY19

Updated with fiscal year 2019 data

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Data Visualization

National Park Deferred Maintenance Needs, FY19

With record crowds contributing to wear and tear and federal funding unreliable, the National Park Service is struggling to keep pace with repairs, estimated at $11.6 billion in fiscal year 2017. Use this tool, based on NPS data, to learn more about deferred maintenance at NPS sites across the county, in your state, and at your favorite park.

Lilly Lake at Sunset
Lilly Lake at Sunset
Press Releases & Statements

Pew Praises Enactment of Great American Outdoors Act

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Press Releases & Statements

In a joint statement Aug. 4, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the National Audubon Society, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauded the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act. The law—which passed the Senate and House with bipartisan support on votes of 73-25 and 310-107, respectively, and was signed by the president—will help address priority repair needs on National Park Service sites and other public lands. It also permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Read the press release below or download a PDF version of the statement on the right.

Fire Tower
Fire Tower
Article

Americans Want Congress to Act to Fix National Parks

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Article

Summer brings a big jump in visitors to national parks, along with a reminder of how many repairs are waiting to be addressed at these sites to ensure safe access for current visitors and protection of American history for future generations.

Our Work

Getty Images
Getty Images
Article

National Parks to Get Long-Overdue Repairs

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Article

National Parks to Get Long-Overdue Repairs

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives worked across the aisle to craft the Great American Outdoors Act, which recently passed both bodies with overwhelming support.

Fact Sheet

National Park Case Studies

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Fact Sheet

The National Park Service needs almost $12 billion to eliminate its backlog of deferred maintenance. The Pew Charitable Trusts' campaign to restore America's parks has created a series of case studies highlighting examples of repairs needed at our nation's treasures.