The real costs of deferred park maintenance. (@ Issue).

Earlier this year, the General Accounting Office estimated that there is $6 billion worth of deferred maintenance in our national parks. As troubling as that estimate is, it's but an indicator of a much larger problem.

One way to assess the magnitude of that larger problem lies in recognizing that the GAO considered only park infrastructure. There are other deferrals, such as resource inventory, monitoring and staffing. In addition, the GAO didn't look at the several other federal agencies that have a steward-ship mandate and, collectively, provide another five to six times as many recreational opportunities. The situation in the nation's state parks is equally grim. It's a well-known fact that maintenance delayed is maintenance magnified. The future costs are staggering to contemplate.

Moreover, the real costs--in terms of violating dm public's trust in park agencies and personnel--can't be qualified. A breach of trust is inevitably accompanied by a tarnished image, a loss in credibility and a dip in morale that isn't going to go away in response to yet one more temporary funding tourniquet to stop the most serious bleeding. Where's the guarantee that the cycle of deferrals won't start all over again if and when today's deferrals are corrected?

To say that the central mission of stewardship can be set aside until better times suggests that stewardship is a luxury that has no role in helping to create those better times. It also suggests that a sanctioned failure in the primary mandate lowers the standard for performance across the board. Such an expression of low priority also accelerates the downward spiral in support--after all, if a park's mission isn't a serious one, why would anyone want to partner or volunteer with us? (Of course, this downward spiral also leads to public positions of "no new parks until we can take care of the ones we have.")

It's difficult to think of another profession where the major "assignment" could be so easily placed on the back burner. Not maintaining the parks is akin to the police not patrolling the streets, public health not monitoring for contagious diseases and educators not teaching. To condone deferred maintenance of our national treasures is to suggest that they aren't really the treasures, the cultural assets, the quality-of-life necessities and the tourism generators of a great nation.

Just as justice delayed is justice denied, stewardship delayed is stewardship denied. It's time to start thinking in terms of justice for nature and justice for future generations. And it's time to rethink our model of park success as something that must be measured by guaranteed tomorrows.

Will LaPage, teaches issues and ethics of park management at the University of Maine, end is the former director of the New Hampshire state park system. He can be reached at Will_laPage@ apollo.umenfa.maine.edu.