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Zion National Park Forever Project Raises Funds To Maintain Park As Visitation Climbs

Zionpark.org

According to National Park Service figures, Zion National Park saw 4.3 million visitors last year, up more than a million since 2014. As the number of yearly visitors continues to climb, the funding has stayed mostly the same, and would see an 8 percent cut under President Trump’s budget plan.

Lyman Hafen, the executive director of the Zion National Park Forever Project, said that his organization welcomes the visitors with open arms, but more visitors mean more funds are needed to support and maintain the park.

“More and more people are coming, which is wonderful,” Hafen said, “but the federal appropriations to really maintain and operate our parks are pretty much flat, during the time that visitation has almost doubled.”

Hafen said the Zion National Park Forever Project has existed for more than 80 years under the name of The Zion Natural History Association, but has relaunched a new name, logo and campaign as part of their mission to meet the rising demand for funding.

According to Hafen, preserving the park for future generations is a major goal of the organization. He recounts an experience he had while visiting Austria. In a streetcar, he met a man who struck up a conversation with him. When he noticed Hafen was American, he pulled a glossy picture from his wallet, a page torn from a magazine. It was a picture of Zion National Park.

“He said, ‘Have you ever been there?’ and I said, ‘Well yes. In fact, I live there.’ Tears started to well up in his eyes and he looked at me with the most sincere look and he said, 'Someday I’m going there,’” Hafen said.

Hafen said this is what makes taking care of the park so important: the land in Utahns’ backyard is on bucket lists all over the world.

“I think that we’re beginning to realize more and more what it is that we have,” Hafen said, “and how it is that we need to play a role in the future of these places.”