Hope and Change!

unfortunately, I don't see any information that indicates Mr. Sams has the knowledge or experience needed to head a Federal agency of 20,000 employees, responsible for the management of 84 million acres of land, and managing a budget of $3 billion. The National Park Sevice has millions of visitors every year, and there are hard decisions to make in the immediate future. It is not the time to choose a Director who has never experienced the kind of work the agency does. 

He appears to have both knowledge and experience.  https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/white-house-announces-nomination-charl...

I'm curious what you consider the necessary "knowledge and experience" for this role. I'm sure you'll find his experience and dedication is far superior to the bumbling billionaire bailouts and destruction of national park land that has come with the pisspoor management under the Trump admin and FOUR acting directors. 

In fact, his 25 years of experience in federal and state institutions is far superior to most previous Directors. He has been nominated by Gov. Kate Brown to numerous state positions and is currently in a politically nominated role within Oregon's Northwest Power and Conservation Council which creates power distribution plans for ALL of Oregon and parts of Washington, he has been an Executive Director for the Umatilla Reservation (you might understand his title better as 'chief'), and received environmental awards from President G. W. Bush. 

But most importantly, and what no other Director has had the "knowledge and experience" of, is Indigenous practices, sustainable management, the cultural and historical significance of National Park locations, and the desire to improve conservation at a vastly unprecedented pace compared to the last two decades at least. I would encourage you to consider this an incredible success for Tribal people who have had their protected lands stolen, and a promise of Sams commitment to improving the conservation and accessibility of the NPS for everyone.

In my opinion, the biggest problem the NPS faces currently is deferred maintenance, HR problems, and budget shortfalls. There are at least a handful qualified NPS employees who, I think, would have been better candidates on paper. I'm not saying that Mr. Sams is not qualified, it is just difficult to see from the DOI memo, since a lot of his job history DOI mentioned is some type of executive sititng on boards. Let's be honest, a governor nominating you to sit on a council, doesn't make you qualified. Not 100% sure how giving opinions on power distribution plans would help anyone address billions of dollars of deferred maintenance. Remember, the organic says to conserve and provide for the enjoyment of future generations (parapharsing here), and it is hard to enjoy parks when the roads are crumbling, the bathrooms are out of order, and campgrounds and trails are not maintained. I personally hope he works out, but would have loved to see a career NPS employee be nominated.

I wish Mr. Sams the best and will give him the benefit of doubt.  A review of the organizations listed in the bio provided by DOI reveal that they are neither large nor complex.  The tribe has 300 enrolled members that live on the reservation along with another 1000 non tribal residents.  This is small town city administration work.  Likewise, one of the environmental organizations listed has a staff of 4, including the executive director.  That being said, what the NPS needs most is a leader that can provide vision, guidance and direction to move the service forward.  NPS has highly skilled staff at all levels that can take care of the day-to-day operations of the service, interface with congressional staffers, etc.  The Acting Directors have done a fine job given the limitations of an acting designation.  I am hopeful, that if approved, Mr. Sams can provide the much needed vision, guidance and direction, and be a Director that the NPS can rally around.  I for one will be praying for him.

Mr Sams is a political appontee, not the the retired, or carreer NPS "lifer" that many inside and outside the organization always hope will lead the bureau. It seems that those we hold in the highest esteem, as past directors, were also non-career appointees.  I'm confident that Mr Sams will rely on the wealth of knowledge of current and retired NPS employees he has available to him for council and guidance to move the NPS forward.  So for the sake of the bureau and the 20,000+ employees charged with managing our National Parks, I welcome his nomination and swift conformation so we can get on with the show.

There is in parks especially a tension between preservation (highlighted in what I have been reading) and recreation (not emphasized). There is also a tension between public use and protection of resources important to indigenous people, in some situations leading to the exclusion of the public and even transfer of the public land to individual tribes. Is Chuck Sams' awareness of the importance of preservation and respect for the interests of indigenous peoples balanced by an awareness of the needs of the public for recreation outdoors?  He worked for the Trust For Public Lands, which suggests there must be some indication of his feelings towards public use and the balancing of that with preservation and indigenous rights - but I have read anything shedding light on that. Parks were created for recreation, on the belief that the country would benefit from individuals being able to spend time in and experience the natural world. Parks have a spiritual significance to the general public as well as to indigenous peoples. So, good luck and best wishes for him and the parks. Just wish we had a clearer view.