After a morning boat ride to Alcatraz, where he discussed President Donald Trump’s plan to potentially turn the historic site back into a federal prison, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shifted his focus to the Presidio, a transformed former Army base in San Francisco.
During his visit, Burgum expressed admiration for the Presidio, calling it a model for the National Park Service.
“This is a model where they’re using private sector tools and market tools with no subsidy and they’ve achieved profitability,” he said outside the Presidio’s visitor center.
The Presidio Trust, which manages the area, has become financially self-sufficient by generating revenue through leasing historic buildings, a point Burgum highlighted as an example of successful federal resource management.
The stark contrast between Burgum’s positive remarks about the Presidio and President Donald Trump’s previous comments regarding the park’s operations was notable.
In February, Trump issued an executive order aimed at reducing what he termed unnecessary elements of federal bureaucracy, which included the Presidio Trust.
“This order commences a reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary,” the order stated, indicating a desire to tackle perceived government waste.
Despite this, Burgum appeared to appreciate the efforts and successes of the Presidio Trust during his tour, led by CEO Jean Fraser.
When asked whether he would communicate his favorable experience back to President Donald Trump, Burgum refrained from providing a straightforward answer.
He did, however, mention that the Presidio’s approach to operation and funding is something that should be considered within the Department of the Interior.
The Presidio Trust was established in 1996 with the goal of transitioning the property from a military base to a park while achieving financial independence by 2013.
This public-private partnership has garnered bipartisan support by alleviating the financial demands on the Department of the Interior.
Burgum noted that the National Park Service (NPS) has many areas of deferred maintenance that require attention and that private sector involvement could be beneficial in addressing these issues.
As he walked through the 1,500-acre Presidio, Burgum praised the design elements such as red, movable chairs where visitors relaxed with coffee, the landscape architecture that incorporated trees and native plants along walking paths, and the newly expanded Tunnel Tops picnic area.
“National parks have been called America’s best idea, and we need to invest in that,” he proclaimed at the conclusion of his tour.
However, this positive outlook comes against the backdrop of a time when the current administration has overseen significant reductions in the National Park Service’s workforce, with 24% of its permanent staff having been lost since President Donald Trump’s administration began.
As discussions around the future of both Alcatraz and the Presidio continue, Burgum’s remarks might provide insight into potential shifts in how national parks could be managed and funded moving forward.
image source from：kqed
