How Does Technology Benefit National Parks?

As people grow older, many often find themselves dwelling upon the frivolous times of their childhood. Whether it be building a fort with a group of friends or simply playing in the sand, many people envision themselves enjoying the great outdoors when they recall the days of their youth. But, now that technology has grown to play such a vital role in society, people today are beginning to become increasingly disconnected from the great outdoors. Instead, many people are now often found sitting around a television or huddling over their cell phones; people do not know what it is like to be utterly surrounded by the great outdoors. Though technology can sometimes be a helpful resource, it often leads to a feeling of disconnection from the natural

In recent years this separation from the natural world has become a major concern for the National Park Service since a large portion of their conservation efforts depend upon funding from visitors. Therefore, in attempt to aid this problem, the National Park Service has recently launched a series of campaigns to bring people to national parks across America such as the “Every Kid in a Park” initiative. This project is further explained in the article “Americans think national parks are worth US $92 billion, but we don’t fund them accordingly” as “ [ a program] which aims to bring every fourth grader in the United States to a national park” (Bilmes and Loomis). The program gives students the opportunity to disconnect from technology and experience nature. But, though this may be true, the children are often too concerned with their cell phones or other electronic devices to truly appreciate the natural world around them. As explained by Casey in the article “Can the Selfie Generation Unplug and Get Into Parks?,” “The selfie sticks were everywhere” (qtd. in Egan and Egan). Today’s generation has become so invested in technology that it is simply impossible for one to disconnect from it. A person can not even step outside without feeling the urge to take a selfie and capture the moment. Instead, these people need to put down the phones, breathe in the fresh

That is why the National Park Service also launched campaigns that incorporate more technology into the advertisment of the national parks. The article by Egan and Egan further elaborates on this idea by stating, “[The National Park Service maintains] a constantly updated website, extensive social media outreach, and temporary kiosks in a few cities, such as New York, where users can take a brief virtual tour of every national park” (Egan and Egan). Though this idea may be great for letting users view the historical sites and monuments present at the national parks, it is simply not the same as actually being present in the tranquility of that moment. Bilmes and Loomis explain, “[Experiencing] the historical sites and conservation efforts is a way to make sure that the next generation of Americans feel connected to the parks” (Bilmes and Loomis). Likewise, in order to fall in love with the natural world, one needs to truly experience the peace and comfort that nature can provide, for it is a feeling like no