Our friends at the National Parks Conservation Association calculated that the average income-earning American household pays less than $3 in federal income taxes each year for the National Park Service. Considering there are over 400 units of park lands (national parks, preserves, and monuments) in the United States, that dollar amount averages out to less than a penny per park.
Clearly our parks are worth more. That’s why so many wonderful supporters contribute time and additional money to our public lands – by donating to the parks’ nonprofit partners (like us!), by volunteering, and by being vocal advocates for wild places. We thank you for contributing your ~2-cents worth this tax season to our National Parks – and thank you for everything else you do to ensure wild places persist into the future!
Read more about the economics of our national parks on the National Parks Conservation Association website: https://www.npca.org/articles/832-background-the-economics-of-national-parks