Chuck Sams, the new director of the National Park Service and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, shakes hands in this undated photo with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. Sams is the service’s first permanent director in five years.

WASHINGTON — In the photo accompanying the news that Chuck Sams has been sworn in as the 19th director of the National Park Service, he and his new boss, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, shake hands as the Lincoln Memorial looms in the background.

Sams now is directly responsible for managing the Lincoln Memorial, and in a statement Thursday, Dec. 16, in a press release, Sams previewed his stewardship of America’s parks, historical sites and monuments.

“I am honored to serve as director of the National Park Service and thank President Biden and Secretary Haaland for entrusting in me the care of one of America’s greatest gifts: our National Park System,” he said in the statement. “I am also incredibly proud to work with the dedicated employees of the National Park Service. I have no doubt that together, we’ll be able to expand access to the outdoors, protect America’s public lands, and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure system through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

When the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed him in December, Sams, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, became the first American Indian to serve as park director. He now serves under Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico and also the first Native person to hold her role.

“Everyone should have access to the outdoors no matter where they live, how much money they have, or what their background is,” she said in the press release. “Chuck Sams understands the importance of connecting people to nature, and I am thrilled to work with him as the Interior Department works to make our national park system accessible to all Americans. Under his leadership, the National Park Service will continue to protect our public lands for generations to come and make critical investments in the vast infrastructure that sustains our public lands and national parks.”

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, took to Twitter to express his support for Sams and what his appointment means:

“Today is a great day for everybody who treasures America’s national parks & for all of us as Oregonians with Chuck Sams now the @NatlParkService director,” Wyden tweeted. “My friend Chuck will be a great steward of our beloved national parks.”

During his confirmation hearing, Sams was repeatedly questioned about how he would address the park system’s maintenance backlog and staffing shortages. Sams will be expected to address some of those issues with federal funds created through recent legislation. American Indian tribes across the country are also hoping Sams’ history in tribal government will lead to co-management agreements where ceded tribal land intersects with national parks.

Prior to his appointment, Sams represented Oregon on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. But Sams is probably best known locally for his many years in CTUIR government, rising all the way to interim executive director before resigning in March.