General Management Plan

 

As one of America's "crown jewels," Channel Islands National Park will continue to serve as a model for park management. It is important that park resources, both terrestrial and marine, continue to be preserved and protected for future generations.

The first General Management Plan (GMP) for the park was completed in 1985. Since that time much has occurred, such as completion of the park's major land acquisition effort, expansion of park operations and visitor facilities, and an increase in the number of resource issues the park is facing.

In April 2015, a new GMP was completed: Channel Islands National Park Final General Management Plan/Wilderness Study/Environmental Impact Statement. The plan is the culmination of several years of effort involving the thoughtful input and participation of hundreds of individuals, many public agencies, and organizations.

The GMP provides for strong natural and cultural resource protection of this very special park, while at the same time providing for a diversity of appropriate recreational opportunities on the islands.The GMP also provides specific management direction for a number of important issues that arose during the planning process, including the future of historic structures and areas, the park's operational facilities on the islands and on the mainland.The document also includes a wilderness study, which proposes wilderness and potential wilderness for different parts of the park.

The National Park Service values your interest in continuing to enjoy a meaningful connection with the Park, and we look forward to implementing this plan in the public interest with your support. As the life of this GMP is expected to be many years, we can expect budgets to ebb and flow during that period.The National Park Service will do our best to be true to the intent of the GMP, but it may be many years before some of the projects in the plan are funded and implemented.In some cases, there will be additional opportunities for civic engagement to refine the details while remaining consistent with the GMP direction.

Previous public document associated with planning process are still available for viewing at: Channel Islands National Park GMP Document List