National Park Week, 2007

Proclamation 8131 of April 20, 2007

National Park Week, 2007

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Americans take great pride in our country's natural
beauty, and our Nation is blessed to have a park system
of more than 80 million acres that belongs to us all.
During National Park Week, we underscore our dedication
to conserving these national treasures, and we pay
tribute to the dedicated employees and volunteers of
the National Park Service who care for them.

Established in 1916, the National Park Service now
oversees a National Park System that has grown to
include almost 400 sites, with parks in nearly every
State. These parks protect beautiful landscapes, tell
important stories about our country's past, and
encourage our citizens to conserve our natural
environment and celebrate our national history. They
are places to learn, exercise, and spend time with
family and friends. Through her work with the Junior
Rangers and the National Park Foundation, First Lady
Laura Bush and others are working to expand access to
the riches of our parks.

In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the
National Park Service in 2016, my Administration has
launched the National Parks Centennial Initiative. The
initiative calls upon government, the private sector,
and our citizenry to share in an effort to help prepare
our parks for another century of conservation,
preservation, and enjoyment. We will work to enhance
park habitats, expand visitor services, increase
educational opportunities, implement new technologies,
and hire additional seasonal park rangers. By
maintaining and improving our park system, we can
ensure that our national parks will thrive for the next
100 years and beyond.

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 29,
2007, as National Park Week. This year's theme is
``Your National Parks: Explore, Learn, and Protect.'' I
invite all my fellow citizens to join me in celebrating
America's national parks by visiting these wonderful
spaces, discovering all they have to offer, and
becoming active participants in park conservation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.