Gateway community
Gateway communities are cities or towns that lie just outside major tourist attractions such as national parks, wilderness areas, or nature resort areas. Examples of gateway communities in the US include Jackson, Wyoming; Tusayan, Arizona; and Gardiner, Montana.
These places provide services for guests of the adjacent attractions, such as gas, food, and lodging, and as a result rely upon these attractions to sustain their economy. Since they are neighbors, management actions taken by either the attraction or the community itself have direct impacts on one another. Shared social, economic and ecological impacts are some of the primary considerations. For example, increased seasonal tourist activity can put significant strain on the infrastructure of gateway communities.
Economically, while tourism can be a boon, it can also price locals out of the community. Land prices close to Yellowstone National Park increased by 330% in the 15 years between 1981 and 1996.[1] Near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, many locals live in the more distant communities found in neighboring Idaho (Driggs and Victor) rather than in Jackson, WY.
Ecological implications including those of watershed management, fire management in urban and wildland contexts,[2] and noise and air pollution are concerns common to gateway communities and their neighboring attractions.[3] Because of this shared responsibility, managing agencies often form partnerships with local municipal authorities.
List of gateway communities for U.S. national parks
[edit] |
References
[edit]- ^ McMahon, Ed. "About Gateway Communities". National Geographic. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ Steer, Karen (September 1998). "Gateway Opportunities: A Guide to Federal Programs for Rural Gateway Communities" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "National Association of Gateway Communities: Welcome". www.gatewaysusa.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
- ^ "About Bar Harbor Maine and Acadia National Park - Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, ME". www.visitbarharbor.com. Archived from the original on 2025-04-07. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
- ^ a b "Everglades and Biscayne National Parks Welcome City of Homestead Recognition as Gateway City - Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-03-23. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
- ^ "Lodging - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ^ a b "Jackson". Gateway Communities. Archived from the original on 2025-02-11. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ^ "Gatlinburg - About Us". www.gatlinburg.com. Archived from the original on 2025-04-06. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
- ^ "Eating & Sleeping - Kenai Fjords National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
- ^ "The History of Gardiner project - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-02-28. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ^ "Sustainability in the Community - Zion National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-03-06. Retrieved 2025-04-22.