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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Thursday that his first priority is to address the National Park Service's staggering maintenance backlog/Interior Department

In his first outreach to employees of the Interior Department and all its agencies, including the National Park Service, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wrote Thursday that his top priority is to address the maintenance backlog within the National Park System and ensure that any bill to address the nation's ailing infrastructure includes "shoring up our nation's treasures."

"The parks are part of our nation's crown jewels, famous the world over. The president is committed to a jobs and infrastructure bill, and I am going to need your help in making sure that bill includes shoring up our nation’s treasures," the secretary, who was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday and sworn in later in the day by Vice President Mike Pence, wrote in an email.

In his message, Secretary Zinke reiterated his admiration for President Theodore Roosevelt and his commitment to conservation.

"I'm an unapologetic admirer and disciple of Teddy Roosevelt. I believe in the traditional mixed use 'conservation ethics' doctrine laid out by (Gifford) Pinchot, but realize that there are special places where man is more an observer than a participant, as outlined by Muir," wrote the secretary. "I cherish our public lands. I have absolutely and unequivocally opposed any attempts to transfer, sell, or privatize our public lands, and serving as their top steward is not a job I take lightly. I approach this job in the same way that Boy Scouts taught me so long ago: leave the campsite in better condition than I found it."

Muir and Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, came at conservation much differently. Muir favored preservation of wild areas, while Pinchot thought resources on public lands should be utilized.

Pinchot and Muir became major antagonists on the issue of Hetch Hetchy Valley. The deepening schism between Muir and Pinchot eventually grew into a great split between the preservation wing and the utilitarian wing of the conservation movement. -- Sierra Club history

Beyond the National Park Service's maintenance backlog, which has been estimated at $11.9 billion but which Secretary Zinke pegged at $12.5 billion, the secretary also placed a high priority on improving employee morale and to respect the sovereignty of Indian Nations and territories.

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Ryan Zinke headed to his first day as Interior secretary on a horse/U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

Regarding morale, Secretary Zinke said he intended to "ensure those of you on the front lines have the right tools, right resources, and flexibility to make the decisions to allow you to do your job. We serve the people, not the other way around. Washington has too much power. I think we need to return it to the front lines."

As for Native Americans, he wrote that, "I'm proud to be an adopted member of the Assiniboine-Sioux from Northeast Montana. My commitment to the territories and Nations is not lip service. I worked hand in hand with many of Montana's tribal governments to advance important legislation in the House. My first bill in Congress was to federally recognize the Little Shell of Chippewa Cree and most recently my Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act was signed into law earlier this year."

Secretary Zinke now must work on filling out his staff, including finding a director for the National Park Service.