A friend of mine gave me a copy of The Business of Scenery, Why America's National Parks need new management, by Christopher Ketcham, published in the April, 2021, issue of Harper's Magazine. In a few pages, Mr. Ketcham documents how and why the National Park Service has failed in its mandate to protect the natural ecosystems of the Parks.
Bowing to corporate, political and public pressure, the Service has focused on access and entertainment rather than on conservation. As a result, overcrowding, pollution, traffic jams, injuries and low morale among the Park Service staff have threatened the welfare of the Parks and diminished their "wildness" for those who visit them.
As I have mentioned in the past, I have all but given up visiting our National Parks. Discouraged by the crowds and not wanting to become part of the problem, I prefer to explore the relatively "undeveloped" landscapes of our National Wildlife Refuges and State Conservation Areas which attract individuals who understand and respect the fragility of natural ecosystems. I recommend that you read Mr. Ketcham's thoughtful and disturbing article.
