In 2015, 300 million Americans visited national parks and 9.4 million visited national parks in Massachusetts

 
Boston (August 25, 2016) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today celebrated the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service at a kick-off celebration at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in Boston, Massachusetts with National Parks of Boston and partner organizations who are hosting dozens of free activities along the waterfront. A century after the National Park Service was created, it is now responsible for more than 400 park locations covering more than 84 million acres across the country. Nationally, parks generate $27 billion dollars in economic activity and support 250,000 jobs. National parks contributed nearly $650 million to the Massachusetts economy and supported 7,000 jobs. For every $1 invested in the National Park Service, it returns $10 to the national economy.
 
“Our national parks tell the story of America,” said Senator Markey. “From sea to shining sea – from the Boston Harbor Islands to California’s Channel Islands – the National Park Service preserves America’s natural and historical treasures for all visitors to enjoy. In Massachusetts, the Lowell Mills and the Blackstone River Valley tell the story of the Commonwealth’s role as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. While the Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall remind visitors where the birth of our democracy took place. If we lose our national parks, we lose our history.
 
“On this the 100th anniversary of our national parks, we should reaffirm our commitment to these places of wonder and beauty and the economic, environmental and cultural benefits they provide. Our children, our grandchildren and their grandchildren deserve the opportunity to learn, swim, climb, hike, and make their own memories in these marvelous national parks that are an indelible part of the American identity.”

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