grand canyon national park
For decades, America’s national parks have been hailed as “America’s greatest idea.” However, this celebration often overlooks that its creation came at an unjust cost. When Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 as the first of its kind, it replaced the Crow, Shoshone, and other indigenous peoples who had managed the land and lived healthy lives for thousands of years. It was done. This pattern was repeated across the country, removing indigenous peoples and relocating them to reservations. Today, the reservations are some of the poorest areas in the entire Western Hemisphere.
A unique opportunity is emerging as President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress focus on shrinking government to reduce federal spending. Transferring national parks to tribal governments addresses historical injustices in a way that aligns with conservative principles of market-driven solutions and limited government.
Currently, the National Park Service faces a $22 billion maintenance backlog. While taxpayers foot the bill, parks remain dependent on unpredictable federal funding. Conservatives have long supported the idea of ​​cutting government programs and privatizing inefficient systems. This plan provides a practical alternative to transferring management of national parks to tribes and allowing tribes to operate the parks as self-sustaining enterprises.
Indigenous people have already demonstrated the ability to manage complex revenue-generating enterprises. For example, tribal casinos generate billions of dollars annually, provide jobs, fund education, support health care, and increase state revenue. However, not all tribes are geographically located where casinos can provide such benefits. A similar approach can be applied to national parks, where revenue sources may include not only entrance fees, meals, and camping, but also sustainable agriculture, tourism, hunting permits, eco-recreation, and cultural events. Visitors will still have equal access to these precious landscapes, but will have a richer and more meaningful experience shaped by the deep knowledge of their multi-tribal Indigenous custodians.
The economic potential of this change is transformative. A 2023 National Park Service report found that national parks contribute $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. As the federal government’s investment of taxpayer funds declines over time, Native innovation and diversification can significantly increase revenue, benefiting both tribal nations and surrounding communities. The park’s economic output would be reinvested in tribal health care, education, infrastructure, job creation, and job training, and federal spending in these areas could also be reduced. It’s not just a question of justice. It’s the path to long-term success. Tribes will have the opportunity to create stable jobs and self-sustaining economies that align with their values ​​and foster cultural revitalization.
The plan would also be consistent with the federal government’s fiduciary responsibilities by gradually reducing reliance on federal programs. Federal fiduciary responsibilities, established through treaties and affirmed by the U.S. Constitution, ensure that after centuries of oppression, the federal government protects the treaty rights of tribes and supports their sovereignty and self-sufficiency. requesting. Transferring control of national parks to tribes would be a concrete step toward fulfilling that promise.
Critics may question whether tribes have the ability to effectively manage these lands. But in 2021, Chuck Sams made history as the first Indigenous leader of the 105-year-old National Park Service, and Deb Haaland became the first Indigenous cabinet member to lead the Interior Department. Their leadership ushered in a new era in which Indigenous expertise is valued, reflected in the more than 80 co-management agreements currently in place between the National Park Service and tribal nations.
While co-management represents progress, it also highlights the untapped potential to fully transition these lands to tribal sovereignty. Indigenous-led management has already proven its ability to balance conservation and cultural protection, but moving beyond co-management toward full tribal management will enable national parks to achieve environmental, cultural, and economic revitalization. indigenous peoples would be given autonomy to turn the country into a thriving center of the world.
Making this vision a reality requires careful planning, and there are multiple paths to achieving it. For example, Congress could authorize the transfer of selected pilot parks to tribes with ancestral ties to the land, with a multi-year transition period. Federal agencies will provide technical training and funding for infrastructure upgrades during this period to ensure a seamless handover. Over time, the federal government’s financial involvement will decrease as parks become self-sustaining. This will free up resources for other national priorities while empowering tribes to co-lead their futures.
This proposal aims not only to restore national parks, but to restore dignity and opportunity. It’s about addressing historical wrongs in a way that benefits everyone: taxpayers, tourists, indigenous peoples, and the environment. In a time of political division, this effort offers rare common ground. Conservatives can defend this as a fiscally responsible way to reduce government spending and promote local control. Progressives can celebrate this as a landmark act of land restitution and environmental justice. Indigenous leaders can see this as a path to sovereignty and economic independence.
This idea has been discussed before, but the Trump era, with Republicans in control of Congress and the presidency, represents a unique time to work with tribal nations to achieve it. This is a legacy-defining opportunity to preserve America’s natural treasures and demonstrate that justice and fiscal responsibility can go hand in hand. Let’s give our national parks back to the people who first called them home. In doing so, we can build a stronger America.
