Areas of Park Planning

A spectrum of planning tools and resources are available to parks, supported by specialized program staff across all directorates of the National Park Service. Learn more about some of these critical areas of planning support below.
  • Large historic stone fort in a moat surrounded by and exterior wall and ocean
    Climate Change Planning

    Guidance and decision support tools help improve park planning efforts in response to continually shifting environmental conditions.

  • Mountain goats on a park overlook with a prairie and mountain in the background
    NEPA

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) helps parks plan and make decisions around preserving natural resources.

  • Visitors reading a park sign in a desert
    Park Visitation

    Visitor use management is important to their experience of parks and the protection of park resources.

  • Park ranger with solar panels
    Sustainable Investment Planning

    A sustainable investment planning frameworks provides a common set of definitions, methods, tools, and resources to assist parks.

  • Crowd at a shuttle bus stop
    Transportation

    Transportation systems are essential to visitors experiencing parks and require careful planning and collaboration with partners.

  • Campers sitting in a prairie with a very tall mountain in the distance
    Wilderness

    The National Park Service manages over 26 million acres of wilderness preserving these natural areas for current and future generations.

Last updated: June 28, 2024

Tools