National Park Service Organic Act
aka Organic Act of 1916
Purpose
To establish the National Park Service (NPS) that will protect wildlife and also provide enjoyment that is not harmful to nature.
Key Info
Passed in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson
Established the National Park Service
Opposed by Gifford Pinchot because he thought a National Park Service would interfere with timber trade
National Park Service
Provides food, shelter, lodging, and transportation to visitors of national parks
Has its own US Park Police to help the NPS with training and preservation
Prohibits activities such as hunting and logging to preserve the parks
Impact
Led to the National Trail Systems Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, both partly administered by the NPS
Led to the doubling of the National Park System after passage of Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
Established new national parks such as Yellowstone, Mount Ranier, and Yosemite