assateague island national seashore mission statement

In addition, the parks have instituted many management reforms including the elimination of two supervisory positions, the Site Manager and the Chief of Maintenance at Eisenhower National Historic Site, with the duties assumed by Gettysburg supervisors the conversion of three positions from National Park Service employees to the private sector (a custodial worker, a painter, and an architect) and the consolidation of the Personnel Servicing Office function with Gettysburg National Military Park 4 now covering five parks (Gettysburg, Eisenhower, Ft. Goals that were exceeded included removal of exotic species, condition of historic structures and museum collections, educational programs, diversity, and donations. Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site met or exceeded 50 of their 53 Government Performance and Results Act performance goals in FY 04 (94%). Operations funding for the site also steadily increased from $1,036,000 in FY 01 to $1,045,000 in FY 04 to $1,071,000 in FY 05. Visitation to the site was 72,000 in 2004. The 690-acre site consists of the home and farm of General and President Dwight D.

At Eisenhower, the National Park Service mission is to protect and preserve the resources associated with Eisenhower National Historic Site and to promote understanding and appreciation of the life and work of Dwight David Eisenhower. The Superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park also manages Eisenhower National Historic Site and the two parks share staff and resources. In addition, the park has received funds through the Natural Resource Challenge, which increased from $24,000 in FY 01 to $113,000 in FY 05. Over the past four years, the park has received operating increases. Gettysburg is the most visited Civil War site in the National Park System, and has attracted an average of 1.79 million visitors per year over the past eight years. The top three priorities for the Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site are to implement the partnership agreement with the Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation to construct new visitor facilities and rehabilitate portions of the Gettysburg battlefield to continue partnership efforts with the Friends of the National Parks at Gettysburg and others to rehabilitate Gettysburg battlefield landscapes by bringing back missing features that affected the fighting in the major battle action areas throughout the park and to implement the Borough of Gettysburg Interpretive Plan with partners to restore and enhance historic assets in the town of Gettysburg and to bring more of the park's visitors into the town. The park, established on February 11, 1895, includes the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, and 6,000 acres of historic farmhouses, barns, fences, orchards, earthworks, roads, woodlots, and other key features of the battlefield. The National Park Service mission at Gettysburg National Military Park is to preserve and protect the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and provide an understanding of the events that occurred here within the context of American history. Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site The President’s FY 2006 budget continues the large increases from last year and includes an additional $50.5 million above the 2005 enacted level, allowing for, among other things, increases for pay, benefits, and other fix costs. Gettysburg National Military Park’s increase is 6 percent, Eisenhower National Historic Site’s increase is 2.5 percent, and Independence National Historical Park’s increase is over 4 percent. The average increase to park budgets this year is approximately 6 percent. We are pleased that Congress appropriated this level of funding. The FY 05 Appropriation provided a net increase of $63.9 million for operation of the National Park System. First, on behalf of the National Park Service, I would like to acknowledge and thank Congress for its continuing support of these three areas as well as the entire National Park System.

I wish to thank the committee for the opportunity to appear today to discuss the status of Gettysburg National Military Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site, and Independence National Historical Park. MCINTOSH, ASSOCIATE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIPS, NORTHEAST REGION, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DRUG POLICY AND HUMAN RESOURCES OF THE HOUSE GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE, CONCERNING THE FUNDING STATUS OF GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK.

Assateague island national seashore mission statement