By Lia Fiffles ’24
Opinion Editor
Alongside the COVID-19 restrictions that the year 2020 brought came the increase in visits to national parks. With little to do during the first summer of quarantine, individuals and their friends and family resorted to fulfilling their summer plans by joining the rest of the eager individuals taking over these tourist attractions. Since then, national parks have seen a linear increase in visits.
Although this may come off as something to celebrate, because who doesn’t love the exploration of nature, rangers at the parks are starting to express concern toward the effect these large crowds are having on the environment. Their first concern as managers of the parks is to maintain the safety of both the environment and the animals living within it. Given the large crowds, littering has become a severe concern when dealing with individuals walking the trails. More and more trash has been left for animals to encounter as crowds continue to pass through these environments. Alongside this is the increase in general damage being done to the differing areas. Graffiti and damaged utilities located on the trails are two examples that have been reported. The overall effect that overpopulation is having on the national parks is a cause for concern, one, because of the damage being done to both animals and nature, and two, because of the lack of respect for the culture that a lot of these environments work to maintain.
The Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is home to both biological and geological treasures. Visitors have the ability to learn and experience the nature surrounding the area, alongside the history and culture that is practiced there. Following the eruption of Kilauea in 2020, the park saw a significant increase in visitors. For hundreds of years, these island’s volcanoes have been lived and worshiped on. The land is sacred and complete with both cultural and historic sites. The difficult part, when handling the growing crowds, is maintaining the respect for the land when tourists do not understand the significance behind it.
With the general consensus being that the national parks are becoming overcrowded, it is not surprising to see that the overall visitor experience is also being affected. A majority of the people who are making these trips are those who have not been to national parks before. While having the experience is something everyone should be able to have, not everyone can be going at the same time. The question is whether or not measures can be taken to help adapt to the increase in visitors. The circumstances prove to be a bit different compared to dealing with an amusement park, concerts, sporting events, etc. because we are dealing with nature. In terms of whether or not the parks will be able to develop as crowds grow may be up to the visitors themselves. Measures should be taken where crowds cooperate with the rules and regulations being set to help maintain the safety and respect that these national parks need and deserve. This should coincide with a natural instinct to want to protect the parks you are visiting.
There is a reason these environments are admired and continually visited. The preservation of the opportunity to visit them should be one that we, as a community, want to work toward. Being able to understand and respect the nature, animals, history, and culture that make up the national parks is the first step in the process.
