Fran P. Mainella a Number

Fran P. Mainella

A number of significant people were practically unknown to the general public in their lifetimes: Franz Kafka, Rosalind Franklin, Vincent van Gogh. Select a living person whose work or message is overlooked, and explain why you feel this person will achieve importance in the future.

I believe Fran P. Mainella is a person whose work is overlooked, and who will achieve importance in the future for a number of reasons. Mainella is the director of the National Park Service, and the first woman to serve in that role. I believe the National Parks system is often overlooked in America, although it is one of the most important systems in government, because it provides access to some of America's most important natural and cultural wonders. In addition, it may be the way most Americans have direct contact with the Federal Government, because millions of Americans visit our national parks, monuments, and historical sites every year, and this may be the only real, substantial contact they have with a government agency. The Park Service is much more than Yosemite and Yellowstone, it is a vast network of history, culture, and preservation that makes sure Americans will always have wild lands and heritage to visit, understand, and learn from. Traditionally, most people think of the National Park Service as the agency that runs America's national parks, but there is much more to the agency. NPS also maintains and oversees hundreds of national historic places, such as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and the Adams Family Birthplace in Massachusetts. Thus, NPS maintains buildings, documents, and photographs along with our country's natural wonders, and this is an important and lasting part of our history and culture.

The NPS is one government agency that often suffers from budget cuts and lack of attention, and so, Mainella is extremely important because she is working to create more volunteerism in the parks to help alleviate manpower shortages, and she is working to eliminate the great maintenance backlog that plagues the entire park system. Maintenance is often put on hold until it is desperately needed, rather than a simple preventative measure. I believe Mainella is unknown, and most Americans, who do not understand the scope and depth of the Park Service and what it tries to accomplish, misunderstand her work.

Mainella has a background in Parks and Recreation, and has been recognized by some peer groups for her work. However, I believe that in the future, as she manages the Park Service more effectively, that she will become more well-known and well thought of. The Park System needs renovation, just as many of the parks need renovation. Through new volunteers, additional publicity, and tireless work, the people of the National Parks attempt to reach more visitors every year, and as they do, these visitors take home a unique and often majestic experience. To allow more volunteers to interact with visitors and bring their own unique outlook and knowledge to the park experience is an excellent idea, and so is continually addressing the ongoing maintenance issues that are inherent in every NPS facility. Much of the general public does not understand that besides the Park Service attractions themselves, there are literally millions of behind the scenes activities and necessities, from Park Service housing for employees in rural areas, to the ongoing upkeep of these facilities, from emptying porta-potties to maintaining trails and campsites. The Park Service is a diverse entity, and so are the people who work for the Park Service. Mainella has made history by being the first woman director, but I believe she will continue to make history as her plans to improve and solidify the parks continue. I believe that when her tenure as NPS Director is over, she will be remembered as forward thinking, taking the initiative, and a problem solver, and that the parks will owe their continued growth and health to her direction.