History Trumps the Turtle: A Comparative Analysis of the Simultaneous Management of Cultural and Natural Resources in the National Park Service

The National Park Service (NPS) has both historically and ecologically important sites within its system, and many that are important in both ways. Park staff faces the constant challenge of balancing the preservation of its historical and ecological resources, with only a certain amount of time and effort to devote to each. This paper analyzes the history of park management of historical and ecological resources in the NPS, and case studies of Gettysburg National Military Park and Acadia National Park to provide insight into how parks balance these two distinct types of preservation. Further specific examples are then discussed in Great Smokey Mountains National Park and Mesa Verde National Park . It is concluded that overall park policy is highly individualized from park to park, depending on the park's mission, its comparative amount and importance of cultural and ecological resources, and the leanings of the park staff.