Watchdog group claims USNPS turning a blind eye to Native plant collecting in NPs
It's long been said that you should take only photographs and leave only footprints when you visit a national park. Well, a dispute over whether Native Americans can legally collect plants in the parks has prompted a group to call for a federal investigation into whether the National Park Service is looking the other way.
"In clear defiance of regulations, the Park Service has adopted a 'don't ask, don't tell' posture on Indian removal of plants," argues Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
To support his position, Mr. Ruch points to a legal opinion by the Interior Office of the Solicitor from 1978 underlining that the Park Service is legally required to protect park resources absent an explicit congressional waiver.
"Any decision made by the Park Service to completely reverse course on protecting plants has direct implications for park wildlife, minerals and cultural artifacts," he said. "As with plants, a number of tribes still claim hunting or other gathering rights on a score of iconic national parks."