The most pressing problem facing the NPS is finding enough financial resources to properly maintain the parks and provide adequate services to visitors.

In the 1990s President Clinton proposed adding $250 million to NPS coffers as part of his economic stimulus package, but his proposal was refused by Congress because of concerns over the federal deficit. As a result, the NPS fell over $30 million shy of the $986 million it needed to maintain the previous year's level of service. In the fall of 1995, the federal government found itself without operating cash, as Congress wrestled with the annual budget. Several shutdowns of non-essential government jobs followed, with national parks across the country locking their gates.

Locked park gates could become even more common should Congress pass the National Park System Reform Act. The bill would create a review board that would consider removing some of the current parks sites, such as historical monuments and houses, from the National Park Service's roster. It would then be up to the state and local governments, or the private sector to find a way to maintain the sites. With so many state and local governments also strapped for operating cash, many opponents of the bill feel the sites would simply end up being shut down. They have dubbed the proposed legislation as the "park closure" bill. While it's unlikely the bill will ever make it into law as written, it does indicate a shift toward more conservative viewpoints by Congress with regard to park allocation and funding.

To compound the problem, national parks have never been busier. With a majority of people still feeling nervous about job security despite what some economists are calling a healthy economy, more and more people are looking to this country's parks as a relatively inexpensive getaway. It is estimated that parklands had over 278 million visitors in 2007. As the national parks become increasingly popular places to visit, the need for improved management becomes crucial. Every summer the Park Service hires thousands of seasonal workers and enlists the help of many volunteers to assist in managing and maintaining park lands and educating visitors about their connection with and responsibility to the natural world.

In 1999, as part of the White House's National Performance Review for reducing the size of the federal government while improving efficiency, there was a plan calling for massive streamlining of the NPS's regional offices.

"Our overall desire is to work smarter and more efficiently in carrying out our job of protecting parks," explained former National Park Service Director Roger Kennedy. "We believe this can be accomplished best by eliminating administrative layering, reducing the size of central offices, and placing the personnel and resources in the field where we serve the visitor and protect the places given into our charge."

These changes, while sweeping in terms of administrative bureaucracy, had minimal impact on actual seasonal hiring practices or permanent positions within the parks themselves. Many in the Park Service felt those changes ultimately led to more funding and resources for actual park sites. Good news for both the millions who visit America's parklands and those looking for seasonal employment. There's never enough funding though.

The current presidential administration is expected to lend strong support to America's national parks. It's reasonable to expect that the current administration will attempt to continue to increase funds for the National Park Service.

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