--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: National Parks are the gold standard for…" description: "\"National Parks are the gold standard for conservation.\" — Douglas Tompkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg" --- # National Parks are the gold standard for conservation. ![“National Parks are the gold standard for conservation.” quote by Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg) > “National Parks are the gold standard for conservation.” [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. National parks exemplify the highest standards of environmental protection. **In simple terms:** Parks set conservation benchmarks. Key Takeaway Support and protect parks. Themes conservation environment heritage Mood hopeful urgent Type activist educational When to use this quote - policy advocacy - eco‑tourism - education programs Key Concepts sustainability policy ecology Questions to Reflect On - How can we apply park standards elsewhere? - What compromises are needed? A Different Perspective Not all regions can become parks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservation/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold standard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-standard/) [National](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national/) [National parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-parks/) [Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parks/) [Parks Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parks-gold-1559352/) [Standard Conservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standard-conservation-1559351/) ## Related quotes > [I've been through legislation creating a dozen national parks, and there's always the same pattern. When you first propose a park, and you visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-udall/i-ve-been-through-legislation-creating-a-dozen-national-parks-and/) [Mo Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-udall/) > [National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/national-parks-are-the-best-idea-we-ever-had-absolutely-american/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [The national park idea has been nurtured by each succeeding generation of Americans. Today, across our land, the National Park System represents America at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-b-hartzog-jr/the-national-park-idea-has-been-nurtured-by-each-succeeding/) [George B. Hartzog Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-b-hartzog-jr/) > [The influence of (the national parks) is far beyond what is usually esteemed or usually considered. It has a relation to efficiency -- the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-horace-mcfarland/the-influence-of-the-national-parks-is-far-beyond-what-is-usually/) [J. Horace McFarland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-horace-mcfarland/) > [It is important that the remaining scenic areas of the country be at once made into State or National Parks. Fortunately there still are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enos-mills/it-is-important-that-the-remaining-scenic-areas-of-the-country-be-at/) [Enos Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enos-mills/) > [National Parks are a part of the American experience. They evoke memories of childhood vacations and pride in the beauty of our national landscapes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hurd/national-parks-are-a-part-of-the-american-experience-they-evoke/) [Will Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hurd/) > [National parks are cathedrals of spirituality and emotion, and unfortunately, they are being loved to death by many of the same people who enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-frome/national-parks-are-cathedrals-of-spirituality-and-emotion-and/) [Michael Frome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-frome/) > [So when people go to the park this summer, they are not going to have the same quality of a visit. There is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-dicks/so-when-people-go-to-the-park-this-summer-they-are-not-going-to-have/) [Norm Dicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-dicks/) > [“To all accusations of excessive development the administrators can reply, as they will if pressed hard enough, that they are giving the public what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/to-all-accusations-of-excessive-development-the-administrators-can/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Without the support of local people, you might as well give up because you can make all the noise you like, you can demarcate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/without-the-support-of-local-people-you-might-as-well-give-up-because/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Everybody needs beauty as well as bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/everybody-needs-beauty-as-well-as-bread/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [“How we treat our land, how we build upon it, how we act toward our air and water, in the long run, will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/how-we-treat-our-land-how-we-build-upon-it-how-we-act-toward-our-air/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“Do we allow unlimited visitation, or do we restrict numbers to protect a delicate ecosystem? Do we heavily advertise the park, enticing paying visitors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-reed/do-we-allow-unlimited-visitation-or-do-we-restrict-numbers-to-protect/) [Mary E. Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-reed/) > [That is all the National Parks are about. Use, but do no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/that-is-all-the-national-parks-are-about-use-but-do-no-harm/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“As to the reserved and withdrawn areas, excluding and excepting only the national parks, it is manifest that justice, equality, and dignity for these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edwin-winter/as-to-the-reserved-and-withdrawn-areas-excluding-and-excepting-only/) [Charles Edwin Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edwin-winter/) ## More by Douglas Tompkins > [It doesn't seem to be worth wasting a lot of energy on attempting to rewrite the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/it-doesn-t-seem-to-be-worth-wasting-a-lot-of-energy-on-attempting-to/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [Every single national park had some component of private philanthropy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/every-single-national-park-had-some-component-of-private-philanthropy/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [The byproduct of the main thrust to protect the biodiversity of a given place is that you get especially young people out to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/the-byproduct-of-the-main-thrust-to-protect-the-biodiversity-of-a/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [I tell myself to hurry up, that I have to do everything before death catches me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/i-tell-myself-to-hurry-up-that-i-have-to-do-everything-before-death/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [If you're not willing to take the political heat, then you shouldn't get into the game of land conservation, especially on a large scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/if-you-re-not-willing-to-take-the-political-heat-then-you-shouldn-t/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [I don't think capitalism can survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/i-don-t-think-capitalism-can-survive/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [I don't have a cell phone because I know how horrible it is. Using your cell phone is like putting your head in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/i-don-t-have-a-cell-phone-because-i-know-how-horrible-it-is-using/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [Resource efficiency is the wrong metric. We should use nature as the measure, using nature's wisdom as a template for our economic systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/resource-efficiency-is-the-wrong-metric-we-should-use-nature-as-the/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [Despite my great disappointment in American foreign policy, I am very proud of the American tradition of wild land conservation. It is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/despite-my-great-disappointment-in-american-foreign-policy-i-am-very/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [For those of us (those that have the desire to explore the world unknown) that grew up going out into the wilds of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/for-those-of-us-those-that-have-the-desire-to-explore-the-world/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [Fashion is one of the most intellectually vacuous industries. We had to manufacture desires to get people to buy our products. We were selling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/fashion-is-one-of-the-most-intellectually-vacuous-industries-we-had/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [Once we establish an architectural style in each park, we stick with it religiously and comprehensively so that it comes out as a gestalt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/once-we-establish-an-architectural-style-in-each-park-we-stick-with/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [I just realized at least what I was doing was making a lot of stuff that nobody needed and pushing a consumerist society. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/i-just-realized-at-least-what-i-was-doing-was-making-a-lot-of-stuff/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [As we get sucked more and more into the technosphere, we become less and less capable of understanding it because it becomes a technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/as-we-get-sucked-more-and-more-into-the-technosphere-we-become-less/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [There's no doubt whatsoever that there's no future in capitalism. It's probably no more than 500 years old, and it's demonstrating over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/there-s-no-doubt-whatsoever-that-there-s-no-future-in-capitalism-it-s/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) [Explore all 48 Douglas Tompkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) ## More Conservation quotes > [“In the United States law, federally designated wilderness is famously defined as 'an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-marris/in-the-united-states-law-federally-designated-wilderness-is-famously/) [Emma Marris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-marris/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I am optimistic globally. So many scientists are working frantically on the reparation of our planet. Unfortunately there are countries who are still destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-irwin/i-am-optimistic-globally-so-many-scientists-are-working-frantically/) [Steve Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-irwin/) > [We must commit ourselves to an 'all of the above' energy approach, with a major focus on increasing domestic production and expanding alternatives fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/we-must-commit-ourselves-to-an-all-of-the-above-energy-approach-with/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) > [Listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act could harm bear conservation efforts by eliminating revenues from the carefully-regulated sport hunting of polar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-ridenour/listing-the-polar-bear-under-the-endangered-species-act-could-harm/) [Amy Ridenour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-ridenour/) > [Conservation is humanity caring for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-newhall/conservation-is-humanity-caring-for-the-future/) [Nancy Newhall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-newhall/) > [In our attempt to make conservation easy, we have made it trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/in-our-attempt-to-make-conservation-easy-we-have-made-it-trivial/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [When you defile the pleasant streams, And the wild bird's abiding place, You massacre a million dreams, And cast your spittle in God's face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drinkwater/when-you-defile-the-pleasant-streams-and-the-wild-bird-s-abiding/) [John Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drinkwater/) > [It's clear that it is in the best interest of business to be part of the conservation, along with governments and civil society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/it-s-clear-that-it-is-in-the-best-interest-of-business-to-be-part-of/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [To Jane Jacob’s three traditional urban values of civic space, human scale and diversity, the current environmental imperative adds two more: conservation and regionalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-calthorpe/to-jane-jacob-s-three-traditional-urban-values-of-civic-space-human/) [Peter Calthorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-calthorpe/) > [Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/something-will-have-gone-out-of-us-as-a-people-if-we-ever-let-the/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [There is no domestic issue more important to America in the long run than the conservation and proper use of our natural resources, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/there-is-no-domestic-issue-more-important-to-america-in-the-long-run/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) > [The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-conservation-of-natural-resources-is-the-fundamental-problem/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Browse all 579 Conservation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "National Parks are the gold standard for conservation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Tompkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for-conservation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conservation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for-conservation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/douglas-tompkins-14040_conservation_national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for_2555569.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“National Parks are the gold standard for conservation.” — Douglas Tompkins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Tompkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "National Parks are the gold standard...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for-conservation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/national-parks-are-the-gold-standard-for-conservation/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```