Dear ANPR Members and Friends:

These are difficult times for the National Park Service. During such times, the presence and activities of an Association of National Park Rangers become all the more important. And, indeed, we have stepped up our advocacy to promote and defend the mission of the National Park Service.

We have educated congressional members and staff on the needs of the National Park System and Service.

We opposed the imposition of a top-down competitive sourcing process on the Service.

We have vocally argued that the American public has a right to know if and when it becomes necessary for parks to cut or restrict visitor services.

We have actively served on the steering committee of the massive Americans for National Parks coalition.

We have worked closely with the National Parks Conservation Association on a variety of issues, including its recent report, Endangered Rangers: A Study of the Severe Staffing Shortages Crippling America’s National Parks.

We wrote and released on Earth Day our own report to complement Endangered Rangers, entitled Beyond the Endangered Ranger: the View from Within the National Parks.

We have worked closely with the Campaign to Protect America’s Lands and the Coalition of Concerned NPS Retirees, including the participation of our executive director in their March press conference to reveal and discuss the “Service Level Adjustments” memorandum.

We have begun Mission 16, a visionary program to massively increase operational support of the parks as we approach the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in the year 2016.

Evident throughout all of this was the excellent leadership of ANPR president Ken Mabery, for whom park stewardship is a passion. Ken resigned abruptly from the presidency and board of directors of ANPR on June 9th. We wish Ken well and offer our sincere thanks for a job well done.

Now we move on. Accordingly, we want to assure you that the important work of the Association continues. First, Lee Werst, the former president elect, has assumed the presidency. For those of you who have not yet met Lee, he has served the Park Service for 16 years in interpretation. He has been a member of ANPR for 10 years, during four of which he served on the board of directors as treasurer. Thus he brings a seasoned and well-informed perspective to his new office. And like his predecessor, Lee brings to the position a passionate dedication to the mission of the National Park Service. Secondly, we will continue on our path of strong, independent advocacy for parks, resources and employees in all professional areas and at all levels of the Service.

Over the past three decades, ANPR presidents have served through a wide range of political administrations and worked closely with seven National Park Service directors. There has always been a mutual professional respect and amicable agreement to disagree where our objectives were not aligned. This is a standard of interaction to which we will always aspire.

We remain very concerned about the future of the National Park Service. There is so much to be done to ensure that the parks will pass unimpaired to the next generation. As the only national organization that represents the entire NPS family and that advocates for the System and the Service, our role is unique and our voices are critically important. In order to meet the serious challenges that we face, we must continually draw from the knowledge, skills and passion of our members and provide a “home” to new members. So, we encourage you to continue your support of, and participation in, the work of ANPR.

And, please, share this letter with your friends and colleagues. Help us, as Horace Albright once said, to “keep the Service from becoming just another government bureau.”

Sincerely,

Statement from New ANPR President Lee Werst

I was both shocked and saddened upon being informed of Ken Mabery's decision to resign as president of the Association. Ken has worked tirelessly for the betterment of the National Park Service and all park employees. The Board of Directors will miss his presence and leadership. I am sure that Ken made the decision, which he felt was best for his career as a park manager.