Four Stories to Celebrate Four Successful Years of the Great American Outdoors Act

On August 4, 2024, the Department of the Interior celebrates four years of the Great American Outdoors Act’s (GAOA) success and impact across the country with a fee-free day on public lands. Over the past four years, this landmark Law has funded critical infrastructure investments on public lands, from restoring the historic Saratoga Battlefield Tour Road in New York to improving pedestrian and vehicle access to the diverse ecosystems of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. 

Through GAOA, the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund was established to fund overdue maintenance needs in our nation’s public lands and Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools. To date, the Legacy Restoration Fund has contributed to 326 projects across all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and multiple territories to make transformational and long-lasting improvements to recreation facilities, Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools, historic structures, roads, water treatment facilities, and other vital infrastructure projects. GAOA Legacy Restoration Fund projects enhance the safety, accessibility, and experience for all visitors to public lands, while also bolstering climate resilience and investing in local communities by creating good-paying jobs. 

In honor of four successful years of this legacy investment, we are highlighting four GAOA Legacy Restoration Fund projects and the benefits they bring to the public and wildlife.

Expanding Access to the Gooseberry Badlands, Wyoming

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Legacy Restoration Fund projects restore and expand access to our public lands for visitors of all abilities; in fact, nearly 50% of funded projects are expected to improve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility. A Legacy Restoration Fund project at the Bureau of Land Management’s Gooseberry Badlands Scenic Overlook Trail in Wyoming recently completed accessibility improvements. The Scenic Overlook Trail provides visitors with panoramic views of the Badlands’ colorful desert, cliffs, hoodoos, and pedestals. However, the nature trail and boardwalk that provide access to these scenic views previously suffered from erosion and presented public safety concerns. To improve public access, workers repaired the nature trail, which now boasts more stable surfaces. The team also rerouted sections of the trail to address drainage and erosion concerns. Boardwalk repairs included mitigating trip hazards and stabilizing the eroded foundation. Visitors can now also enjoy other Legacy Restoration Fund improvements including the sheltered picnic areas, permanent binoculars at the scenic overlook and the ADA accessible parking lot. 

Thanks to the Legacy Restoration Fund, the Scenic Overlook Trail is now safer, more accessible, and will be easier to maintain in the future. 

Safeguarding History at the Dorchester Heights Monument, Massachusetts

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The Legacy Restoration Fund program is helping the Department’s bureaus preserve over 400 historic assets across the country, including the iconic Dorchester Heights Monument in Boston, Massachusetts. The Dorchester Heights Monument is a 115-foot-tall marble commemorative tower constructed in 1902 to celebrate the 1776 fortification of Dorchester Heights that forced British troops to evacuate Boston. Through the Legacy Restoration Fund, the tower and surrounding Thomas Park grounds are being restored and upgraded to make it a safe and accessible place for all visitors. The rehabilitation work includes structural upgrades, masonry restoration and improvement of the monument’s foundation, roof, interior stairs, and electrical systems. Better lighting, signage, and new ramps will improve the overall visitor experience. These improvements support the National Park Service’s efforts to properly preserve the monument so all visitors can enjoy this historic place and learn about its significance. 

Managing Water for Wildlife at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, Iowa

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Legacy Restoration Fund projects are expected to improve over 400 water infrastructure and other utility assets on public lands, including at National Wildlife Refuges. Water control systems at National Wildlife Refuges often play an important role in protecting natural habitats for waterfowl and other birds. At Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Maintenance Action Team rehabilitated the Fox Pond pumping station to help preserve critical habitat for waterfowl along the Mississippi Flyway, a critical annual migration path for more than 325 bird species. The Maintenance Action Team removed and replaced the aged vertical submersible pump that had been damaged by repeated floods. The replaced pump allows the Refuge to better manage over 1,100 acres of moist soil to keep the area habitable for waterfowl.

Maintenance Action Teams perform critical maintenance and repair work on public lands managed by the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through investments from the Legacy Restoration Fund. Maintenance Action Teams primarily consist of federal employees trained in various trades, including carpentry, masonry, and historic preservation, who mobilize regionally to work on smaller scope maintenance activities. They provide staff with valuable training, as well as opportunities to strengthen relationships with partner organizations, resulting in more diverse candidate pools for employment and internship opportunities. Maintenance Action Teams work at sites such as Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge which allows the Department to expand the reach of the Legacy Restoration Fund program to a broader range of refuges and parks.

Enhancing the Educational Experience at Many Farms High School, Arizona

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Legacy Restoration Fund projects are expected to enhance the educational experience of over 2,200 students and faculty at Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools each year. Planned Legacy Restoration Fund projects at these schools will repair, replace, or demolish facilities and improve educational access and safety for students, teachers, and staff. Many Farms High School is a Bureau of Indian Education-operated school located in the heart of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, serving students from grades 9 through 12. A Legacy Restoration Fund project will consolidate Many Farms High School’s current education programs housed in multiple buildings on the campus into a single facility. The project will also upgrade security systems, install new perimeter fencing, expand parking, and improve accessibility. These enhancements will create a safer and more inclusive environment conducive to student learning. 

A Legacy in Progress

The Legacy Restoration Fund program is a commitment to restoring and protecting assets on our public lands, and the infrastructure improvements made possible by these funds have often been transformational and large scale. Four years since the enactment of this historic law, we are experiencing the benefits of this funding as repairs to facilities, roads, recreation sites, utilities, historic sites, housing, and more become complete.

As projects progress over the coming years, more visitors, volunteers, and employees will reap the wide range of benefits and improvements the funding has enabled. The Legacy Restoration Fund is a legacy in progress – while we have made incredible headway in the years since enactment, the work to restore and maintain assets across the Department continues. With increasing visitation to public lands and tens of thousands of aging assets, these investments are more important than ever to help ensure visitors and staff can continue to rely upon the infrastructure that allows them to safely access and enjoy public lands.