James “Jimmy” Carter, a president whose legacy is often marred by high inflation and crisis in the Middle East, was one of the most important presidents in the history of the National Park System.
President Carter played an important role in protecting 157 million acres of public land—the most of any president besides Theodore Roosevelt. Carter’s additions to the National Park System stretched to all corners of the nation, from Aniakchak National Monument in Alaska to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park in Hawai’i to Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River on the US-Mexico Border.
Jimmy Carter was motivated by the strong moral compass and conservation ethic he developed during his Baptist upbringing in rural Georgia. Shortly after becoming president, Carter made his environmental agenda clear to Congress, stating:
“Intelligent stewardship of the environment on behalf of all Americans is a prime responsibility of government. Congress has in the past carried out its share of this duty well… and now will receive [firm] and unsparring support from the Executive Branch.”
Carter proceeded to list specific agenda items, laying the groundwork for the two landmark conservation laws of his presidency.
The National Parks and Recreation Act
On November 10, 1978, Jimmy Carter signed the National Parks and Recreation Act, which impacted all parts of the National Parks System.
The act created fifteen new national park units. Carter described the purpose of these parks—which are primarily historic parks—as “[honoring] those who helped to shape and develop this Nation.” These parks include San Antonio Missions National Historic Park and Friendship Hill National Historic Site. Later in his presidency, Carter built on this mission through the establishment of parks like Martin Luther King National Historic Site in Georgia and Women’s Rights National Historic Park in New York.
The law also established new units in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including the New River Gorge National River, which became a national park in 2021. The National Trails System was expanded to include historic trails like the Oregon and Iditarod National Historic Trails. Within eight national parks, new designations increased the Wilderness system by almost two million acres.
Additionally, the National Parks and Recreation Act aimed to “[address] the pressing need to improve recreation opportunities in our urban areas.” It created the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area near Los Angeles, California, and authorized $725 million for the renovation of recreation facilities in urban areas.
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
Though generally popular, the National Parks and Recreation Act did receive some criticism. Some nicknamed it the “park barrel” bill, full of less-than-worthy national park units that congressman could tout before their constituents. Any controversy surrounding the 1978 law paled in comparison to what would arise after President Carter expanded Alaska’s national parks.
Late in 1978, after a prolonged political struggle, the National Park Service and conservationists requested the designation of national monuments protecting vulnerable lands in Alaska.
On December 1, 1978, Carter obliged with “the most substantial use of the Antiquities Act to expand the National Park System.” On that day, he created eleven national monuments across millions of acres in Alaska, including Gates of the Arctic, Kenai Fjords, and Wrangell-St. Elias.
Residents of Alaska responded with anger and protest. On December 11, a group of protestors in Fairbanks burned a straw-stuffed effigy of Carter.
Shortly after, the “Great Denali-Mckinley Trespass” was organized. More than a thousand protestors entered parks with the express goal of violating monument regulations. In an attempt to lower the temperature, the National Park Service chose not to the engage the protestors.
Despite the initial negative reaction, Congress affirmed the action of the president in 1980. On December 2 of that year, President Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). He described it as “the most important and comprehensive conservation legislation ever passed.”
ANILCA added 47 millions acres to the National Park System. Almost all of the national monuments in Alaska were converted into national parks, including Glacier Bay and Katmai. Many of these parks were expanded with national preserves, where hunting and fishing are allowed. In addition, the legislation created nine national wildlife refuges, two national conservation areas, and twenty-five wild and scenic rivers.
President Carter’s Park Legacy
President Jimmy Carter will be remembered for many things, but perhaps the most overlooked is his legacy in our parks. During his single term, Carter oversaw the creation of 39 national park units.
Through his monument declarations and the passage of ANILCA, Carter quadrupled the number of national park units in Alaska and doubled the acreage of the entire national park system. In total, the size of his additions to the Park System is greater than the state of California.
Jimmy Carter’s presidency may be remembered for its challenges, but his steadfast commitment to protecting America’s natural and historic treasures cements his legacy as a true steward of the land. From the sunlit trails of the New River Gorge to the icy peaks of Wrangell-St. Elias, Carter’s vision endures in the places where nature, history, and humanity converge. His unwavering dedication reminds us that leadership is about more than navigating crises—it’s about leaving the world better than we found it. Today, generations of Americans can find inspiration and solace in the parks and landscapes he preserved, a testament to his belief that these lands belong to all of us and to the future.
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