Purpose of and Need for the Plan

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PLANNING DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE

PURPOSE, SIGNIFICANCE, MISSION, AND INTERPRETIVE THEMES

The purposes, significance, and mission goals of Crater Lake National Park are three of the key elements that shaped the development of the General Management Plan. These elements underlie how the park is managed. Park purpose statements are based on park legislation and legislative history, other special designations, and NPS policies. The statements reaffirm the reasons Crater Lake National Park was established as part of the national park system and provide the foundation for park management and use.

Significance statements identify the resources and values that are central to managing the area and express the importance of the park to our natural and cultural heritage. Understanding the park’s significance helps managers make decisions that preserve the resources and values necessary to accomplish the area’s purposes. Crater Lake’s mission goals articulate the ideal future conditions the National Park Service is striving to attain. All of the alternatives and management prescriptions in this management plan are consistent with and support the park’s purpose and significance statements and the park’s mission.

Interpretive themes are the key stories or concepts that every visitor to the park should have the opportunity to learn. They include the ideas that are critical to a visitor’s understanding of the park’s purpose and significance. These themes provide the foundation for the park’s interpretation and education programs and direction for interpretive media (e.g., exhibits, films, brochures, etc.) at the park. Based on Crater Lake National Park’s enabling legislation, legislative history, agency management policies, public input, and the knowledge and insights of park staff, the planning team identified the following purpose and significance statements, mission, and interpretive themes for Crater Lake National Park.

Park Purpose

The NPS Organic Act of 1916 directs that the fundamental purpose of all parks is "to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Crater Lake National Park was established in 1902, dedicated and set apart forever as a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States. In managing this park, the Park Service was originally charged with “the protection and preservation of the game, fish, timber, and all other natural objects therein.” In 1980, Congress updated the park purpose “to preserve for the benefit, education, and inspiration of the people of the United States certain unique and ancient volcanic features, including Crater Lake, together with significant forest and fish and wildlife resources” (Public Law 96- 553).

Park Significance

• Crater Lake is one of the most renowned lakes on earth, principally because of the beauty imparted by its large size, blue color, mountain setting, and everchanging character.

• Crater Lake lies in a caldera that was left by the climactic eruption and collapse of Mount Mazama more than 7,700 years ago. The circular lake, which formed in the caldera is considered by scientists to be a unique model for how small calderas evolve in geologic time. At a depth of 1,943 feet, Crater Lake is the 7th deepest lake in the world, and holds the world record for clarity among lakes.

• In addition to the lake, most of the forests that surround Crater Lake have never been logged and are largely preserved in their pristine condition. These mature forests harbor a variety of plant and animal life which are characteristic of higher elevations in the Cascade Range. Because extensive alteration of forestland has taken place elsewhere in the Cascade Range, some of these plants and animals are rare. Those forests within the park boundary add unique opportunities for solitary and wilderness experiences.

• Some of the nation's best examples of blending rustic architecture and other built features within a national park setting can be seen at Rim Village, park headquarters in Munson Valley, and along Rim Drive. Much of Rim Village, park headquarters, and Rim Drive are within districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Crater Lake is of enduring importance to contemporary members of American Indian tribes because of its centrality to long- standing cultural traditions and resource harvesting activities, as well as its symbolic significance as a sacred site. The park is part of a larger cultural landscape that extends well beyond park boundaries.

• Crater Lake has been the object of scientific study for more than a century, and is unique for the scientific research related to its pristine waters, associated geothermal activities, and unusual aquatic organisms.

• The unique natural and cultural resources of Crater Lake National Park provide exemplary opportunities for students and educators.

Mission

Crater Lake National Park’s mission is

Interpretive Themes

Cultural: Evidence left behind by a continuum of different land uses for thousands of years helps us imagine past human interaction with these resources and instills appreciation for the continuing challenge of balancing human use with preservation.

Research and Education: For more than 100 years, Crater Lake has been a landscape of exploration and discovery. Today scientists are studying the lake and surrounding resources to better understand natural systems and improve future management of the national park and the quality of life in this country and the world.

Geology. Geologic processes, primarily vulcanism, that created the Crater Lake caldera and the Cascade Mountains provides important lessons about the evolution of our planet.

Plant / Animal Diversity. The Cascades ecosystem at and around Crater Lake National Park supports an extraordinarily rich biological diversity.

Recreation and Visitor Experience. The serenity and beauty of Crater Lake National Park offers its visitors a wide range of recreational activities and opportunities to experience natural beauty, quiet, solitude, reflection, and inspiration.