National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Denali National Park and Preserve Foundation Statement Resource Stewardship Strategy The National Park Service (NPS) directs each park to develop a MISSION STATEMENT Foundation Statement, which for Denali National is a formal description of the park’s core mission and provides Park and Preserve: basic guidance for the decisions to be made about the park—a We protect intact, the foundation for planning and globally significant Denali management. ecosystems, including The Foundation Statement their cultural, aesthetic, for Denali National Park and and wilderness values, Preserve is the park’s most basic document for planning and and ensure opportunities management. It is grounded in for inspiration, education, the park’s legislation and from research, recreation, and knowledge acquired since the park was originally established. It subsistence for this and provides a shared understanding future generations. of what is most important about the park. The legislation used to understand and summarize why Congress and the president created the park—and to build many parts of the Foundation Statement—is included in Appendix A. Denali’s Foundation Statement describes the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, other important resources and values, primary interpretive themes, and special mandates. How to cite this document: National Park Service. 2014. Denali National Park and Preserve Foundation Statement. Denali National Park and Preserve, Denali Park, Alaska. 69 pp. 2 Denali National Park and Preserve Denali National Park and Preserve Foundation Statement Contents Introduction 2 Denali’s Mission Statement 2 Elements of a Foundation Statement 4 National Park Service 6 Establishment of Alaska's National Parks 8 Foundation Statement Overview 10 Maps 12 Purpose Statement 14 Significance Statements 20 Resources and Values 26 Primary Interpretive Themes 36 Special Mandates 38 Participants 40 For More Information 41 Appendices Appendix A - Legislation 42 Appendix B - General Law and Policy Guidance 62 Appendix C - Planning Portfolio 64 Foundation Statement 3 Elements of a Foundation Statement A Foundation Statement for Resources and Values any national park includes the Which park resources and values are following elements: primary to the park’s purpose and significance (fundamental resources Purpose Statement and values), or also are important for Why did Congress and the president park management and visitors (other establish the park as a unit of the important resources and values)? national park system? Fundamental Resources and Values The park purpose is a clear statement of why Congress and the The fundamental resources and president established the park as values are those which are so a unit of the national park system. significant that Congress felt it was The purpose of the park is derived important to designate a national from the enabling legislation and park to protect them and identified legislative history. them through legislation. The NPS works to preserve those resources Significance Statements and values that are fundamental to maintaining the significance of What is most important about the Denali. park’s natural and cultural resources and values? Other Important Resources and Guided by legislation and the Values knowledge acquired through management, research, and Denali has other important civic engagement, statements of resources and values that are not significance define what is most primary to the park’s purpose and important about the park’s natural significance, but are important and cultural resources and values. for both park management and The significance statements visitors. These other important are used to guide planning and resources and values are ones management decisions to ensure that fall within the general law that the resources and values that and policy guidance of the NPS, Congress and president wanted including general direction for preserved are the first priority. all the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) conservation system units. 4 Denali National Park and Preserve Elements of a Foundation Statement Primary Interpretive Themes Special Mandates and What are the key stories and Administrative Commitments concepts that help the public What other legal requirements, understand and appreciate the formal agreements, and purpose and significance of the park? administrative commitments apply to the park? Primary interpretive themes describe the key stories and Special mandates are legal concepts that help the public requirements and administrative understand and appreciate the commitments that apply to the purpose and significance of the park. These special mandates may park. The primary interpretive include direction from Congress themes provide the foundation on or formal agreements with other which the park’s education and public or private entities. The interpretation programs are based. special mandates are identified to ensure their consideration in all planning and decision-making about the national park. Foundation Statement 5 NATIONAL PARK U.S. Department of the Interior SERVICE National Park Service National Park Service PMIS 155066, 155567, & 160644 Complete Implementation of Life Safety Upgrades ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT/ ASSESSMENT OF EFFECT AUGUST 2010 6 Denali National Park and Preserve MISSION STATEMENT The National Park Service core values are a framework in which the for the National Park NPS accomplishes its mission. Service: They express the manner in which, The National Park Service both individually as staff and collectively as an agency, the NPS (NPS) preserves unimpaired pursues its mission. the natural and cultural The NPS core values are: The Arrowhead resources and values of the Shared Stewardship The arrowhead was authorized national park system, for as the official National Park We share a commitment to resource Service emblem by the Secretary the enjoyment, education, stewardship with the global of the Interior on July 20, 1951. preservation community. and inspiration of this The sequoia tree and bison represent vegetation and and future generations. Excellence wildlife, the mountains and We strive continually to learn and water represent scenic and The National Park Service improve, so that we may achieve the recreational values, and the arrowhead represents historical cooperates with partners highest ideals of public service. and archeological values. to extend the benefits Integrity of natural and cultural We deal honestly and fairly with the public and one another. resource conservation and outdoor recreation Tradition We are proud of it; we learn from it; throughout this country we are not bound by it. and the world. Respect We embrace one other’s differences, so that we may enrich the well-being of everyone. Foundation Statement 7 Establishment of Alaska's National Parks The National Park Service Organic Most of the national park units Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve Act of 1916 states that units of the in Alaska, including Denali national park system are established National Park and Preserve, were to “conserve the scenery and the established or expanded under natural and historic objects and the Alaska National Interest Lands the wild life therein and to provide Conservation Act (ANILCA), which for enjoyment of the same in such was signed into law on December 2, manner and by such means as to 1980. ANILCA’s passage culminated leave them unimpaired for the more than 20 years of deliberation enjoyment of future generations.” on federal land claims after Alaska This statement represents the most statehood. basic mission of Denali National Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Park and Preserve. ANILCA mandates the specific purposes for each park established. Prior to Alaska becoming a state in Congress also provided that 1959, nearly all land in the Territory ANILCA would allow some key was federal. The Alaska Statehood activities necessary to perpetuate Act granted the state the right to the rural Alaskan lifestyle, such select 104 million acres of federal as subsistence uses, traditional land. Within a few years, the state uses, access, use of cabins, and land selection process began to hunting and trapping. Providing for include lands traditionally used by ANILCA’s mandates and special Cape Krusenstern National Monument Alaska Natives. This process led to uses makes management of Alaska objections that eventually resulted parks unique within the national in a freeze on further state land park system. selections, pending Congressional settlement of the Native claims. In 1971 Native claims were resolved with the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). This act also provided for the withdrawal of 80 million acres for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve possible designation as national parks, fish and wildlife refuges, national forests, and wild and scenic rivers. Denali National Park and Preserve is among those park areas expanded in 1978 by Presidential Proclamation by President Carter when he withdrew over 100 million acres of federal land, including 56 million acres as national Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve monuments. Sitka National Historical Park 8 Denali National Park and Preserve We care for those special Kobuk Valley National Park places in Alaska saved by the American people as a part of a national system of parks Denali National Park and Preserve so that all may experience our heritage. We serve residents