[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 3, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 3CFR7546]

Proc. 7546

Proclamation 7546 of April 23, 2002

National Park Week, 2002

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

          Our national park system helps preserve our history, heritage, 
          and the natural beauty of our Nation for the enjoyment of all 
          our citizens and many international visitors. Thanks to our 
          park system, many of these treasures retain their original 
          beauty and grandeur. The parks are places for recreation, 
          education, and reflection, and we must take care of them in a 
          way that preserves them for posterity.
          In 1872, the Congress established in the Territories of 
          Montana and Wyoming what we all know now as Yellowstone 
          National Park. This beautiful area later became the first to 
          be designated as a national park. Our national park system was 
          established in 1916 to protect and maintain our natural 
          resources and historic sites. Today, there are 385 national 
          parks on 84 million acres, visited annually by 280 million 
          people from around the world.
          My Administration's ``National Parks Legacy Project'' was 
          initiated to ensure proper care for our national park system. 
          Through thoughtful and diligent efforts, the National Parks 
          Legacy Project will enhance the parks' ecosystems, improve 
          outdoor opportunities, address infrastructure needs, and 
          establish accountability through performance goals. The 
          National Parks Legacy Project and other actions such as our 
          support for the Everglades Restoration Plan and our request to 
          fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund are important 
          steps to support existing and future parks, vital habitats, 
          and threatened ecosystems. I have asked the Secretary of the 
          Interior to prepare an annual report on the conditions of our 
          national parks and to offer specific recommendations for 
          improvements.
          We must also pay tribute to the role that the dedicated 20,000 
          men and women of the National Park Service play in preserving 
          our parks. Each day these professionals and more than 120,000 
          volunteers work to make na

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          tional parks accessible, safe, educational, and well 
          maintained. Their job is critical to the future of our parks 
          and national treasures, and America is grateful.
          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 22 through April 28, 2002, as National Park 
          Week. I call upon all the people of the United States to join 
          me in recognizing the importance of national parks and to 
          learn more about these areas of beauty and their historical 
          importance.
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-
          third day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, 
          and of the Independence of the United States of America the 
          two hundred and twenty-sixth.

GEORGE W. BUSH