Who owns Yellowstone National Park?

Answer 1

Yellowstone National Park is owned by the people of the United States and managed by the National Park Service. The Park Service's budget, part of the Federal budget, partially subsidizes fees for use of the park.

In 1972, our government signed the United Nations' World Heritage Treaty, a treaty that creates "World Heritage Sites" and Biosphere Reserves." Selected for their cultural, historical or natural significance, national governments are obligated to protect these landmarks under U.N. mandate.1 Since 1972, 68 percent of all U.S. national parks, monuments and preserves have been designated as World Heritage Sites.2

However, contrary to what some may say, this does not mean that the United Nations owns Yellowstone National Park. In fact, the government went through an application process to have Yellowstone designated as a UNESCO site in order to further guarantee protection of the beautiful scenery and diverse and charismatic fauna that are, in the whole world, unique to that region of the United States.

Footnotes:

1 "World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves Fact Sheet," United States House or Representatives Committee on Resources.

2 "American Land Should Be Controlled By Americans," press release, The National Center for Public Policy Research, Washington, D.C., February 24, 1999, available on the internet at http://www.nationalcenter.org/PRLandSov299.html.

3 Kathleen Benedetto, National Wilderness Institute, testimony before the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Washington, D.C., May 26, 1999.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid.