In an open letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, a former chief scientist for the National Park Service asked that he highlight for President Donald Trump that America's national parks "are the embodiment of patriotism and a remarkable example of American exceptionalism."

"As a former governor of a state with superb national parks, you already know that the National Park System maintains a unique reflection of America’s natural and cultural heritage," Dr. Michael Soukup wrote in a Facebook post. "That heritage is directly accessible for the inspiration of each new generation—but only if each administration and each generation keeps an unbroken covenant of protection.

"I’m sure you also know that national parks are strong economic engines that generate jobs, public enjoyment — and incomes for their neighboring communities. In addition, the national park idea has inspired development of the thousands of protected areas now found in nearly every nation—which might wll represent the most conservation impact relative to dollar spent on foreign aid to date."

Dr. Michael Soukup

Soukup started his career as a marine ecologist and steadily moved up in the Park Service, serving as a researcher and regional office scientist before becoming the agency's chief scientist under former National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. In his letter to Burgum, Soukup did not directly point to the current turmoil in federal government or the Park Service specifically, but the tenor of his letter alluded to it.

"Protecting the full scope of our nation’s natural heritage, which has shaped our nation’s unique identity, should be a top national priority of each administration and both political parties," Soukup told Burgum. "There are key ecological areas not yet included in the current array of national parks, and this administration could be decisive in seizing opportunities for their protection and recreational use."

The scientist stressed that "[N]ational park protection is based on human restraint and commitment, across generations, from all economic and philosophical temptations and persuasions. Protection of our national heritage must be non-partisan and above the pendulum swings of politics. It must be a serious endeavor, continuously building in expertise and capability. Otherwise, natural heritage lost cannot be regained. The future holds great things for a nation that can sustain its heritage in a way that does not diminish over time."

"... My sense now is that the National Park Service desperately needs a strong, knowledgeable director whose first priority is the protection of natural resources. This would send a much-needed signal to the NPS rank-and-file who, along with the resources they protect, represent the best of America," wrote Soukup. "This can be a time for bold leadership that re-dedicates to crafting a truly representative and healthy reflection of this nation’s natural heritage. I wish to convey my best hopes for the legacy this administration will leave behind, and I hope that history will celebrate your time in the ‘catbirds seat’ for conservation of our nation’s resources and identity."

While working closely with Park Service Director Robert Stanton early in his career, Soukup was directly responsible for the creation, securing, and implementation of the Natural Resource Challenge, a $100 million funding initiative.  This was a major effort that brought the protection of natural resources of the parks to the forefront, professionalized the natural resource workforce, and fundamentally changed how the public and employees address the natural wonders of the national parks, both internally and externally. 

Soukup also conceived of the idea of establishing a network of Research Learning Centers in the parks to make scientific exploration a part of the park experience.  He embraced the use of social science research as a tool to help the NPS understand complex social perceptions of natural resource protection among the public users of parks.  He reinvigorated the Natural Resource Training for Managers, which trained numerous natural resource managers, many who went on to serve in senior NPS leadership positions.

Soukup was co-author of American Covenant: National Parks, Their Promise In Our Nation's Future, which he wrote with Gary Machlis, a social scientist whose lifetime of research and teaching focused on national parks. In the book the two Park Service veterans offered their insights, critiques, and recommendations about what America’s national parks are, should be, and might become.