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![Park ranger at the top of Cadillac Mountain watches sunrise over Frenchman Bay.](https://npf-prod.imgix.net/uploads/091706cb59204cd6a9b7b0fa00f7a5cb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600)
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As one of the most recognizable and beloved park resources, park rangers help foster curiosity and meaningful connections to these treasured places. In fact, more than 80 percent of people surveyed by NPF agree that park rangers are key in creating a positive visitor experience at our national parks. Today, rangers continue a longstanding tradition of making parks welcoming, relevant, safe, and accessible.
Originally, park rangers were tasked with protecting our national parks, but today the roles they play are as diverse as our parks. From budget and finance to biologists, community assistance to maintenance, park archaeologists to law enforcement patrols, park rangers perform a variety of functions, ensuring the protection and preservation of the National Park System.
Investing in Employee Housing
That’s why the National Park Foundation and our perennial partners like L.L.Bean, are committed to enhancing resources for our park rangers and staff, including investments in employee housing.
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In the same NPF survey, over 77 percent of Americans said they support efforts to build employee housing in or near national parks. Additionally, they believe that development of adequate employee housing would have a positive impact on park rangers’ wellbeing as well as the National Park Service’s efforts to retain and recruit park rangers and staff and their ability to operate parks. Investments in employee housing across the county will help ensure NPS can fulfill its mission to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.