BY ELLA SABIN
THE STATE OF
national parks
Amidst a summer with physical distancing mandates, and indoor spaces having limited capacities, national parks and natural preserved spaces had themselves full schedules. Many typical summer attractions closed their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so people sought out alternative ways to spend their time. One of the most commonly recommended activities this summer was to get outdoors, leading to people flocking to national parks and preserves. At the start of the pandemic, there was plenty of news coverage about nature’s revival during the time away from visitors, how the pandemic could heal the earth.
This is true in some ways, with wildlife thriving in areas where it previously had to guard itself from tourism, but there is more to the equation than that. Some wildlife areas like national parks and well-known preserved spaces are actually seeing a rise in visitors this summer. Many individuals, groups and families all had the same idea this summer: pack the car and hit the road in search of adventure and beauty. The rise in visitors has both benefits and consequences. It allows the parks and reserves to make up for dormant months in the tourism sector, where funds were not coming in at the usual rate. But the same
