Faced with declining attendance, especially among younger people, a panel of leaders from around the country met Monday in Westlake Village to discuss how national parks can stay relevant in today's world.

The National Parks Second Century Commission, composed of 30 national leaders and experts with backgrounds in science, conservation, business and policy, took a tour of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area following its first meeting as a group at the Four Seasons Hotel.

The commission, chaired by former U.S. Sens. Howard Baker of Tennessee and J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana, was formed this year to assess the current state of national parks and determine what potential they hold for the future.

"More than 100 years ago, America invented the national park idea with the designation of Yellowstone as the first national park," Baker said. "Guided by that founding idea, this commission will examine the role of the national parks today and articulate a bold vision of a future where national parks continue to enrich and ennoble this nation and its citizens."

The commission, which includes John Fahey, president of the National Geographic Society, and former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, was convened by the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association. O'Connor was not present at Monday's meeting.

The group will also hold meetings in Yellowstone National Park, Gettysburg National Military Park, Lowell National Historical Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park by June.

After hearing from a range of experts, park managers and the public over the next year, the commission's recommendations will be finalized in late 2009.

On Monday, commissioners shared ideas, which included using the latest technology to increase park visitation.

According to the National Park Service, the parks had 287 million visitors in 1999. In 2007, the figure had dropped to 275 million.

Several commissioners, including Sally Jewell, chief executive officer of REI, and Carolyn Finney, assistant professor of environmental science, policy and management at UC Berkeley, said the panel needs to discuss not only declining attendance but also the growing disconnect between national parks and young people, who often prefer spending time playing video games and surfing the Web.

Finney said some younger people need to be on the commission.

"There's no voice of younger people today at this meeting. These are the people who are going to be in charge in the future, and we need their representation and their input," Finney said.

Commissioners also expressed concern that national parks are not attracting diverse visitors, especially Latinos, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population.

Superintendent Woody Smeck led commissioners on the tour of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, one of two national parks in Ventura County. On the tour, the commission met a group of Los Angeles young people helping to restore the watershed in Solstice Canyon while learning about ecology.

"I suspect for many of these kids, this is their very first time in a wild, protected natural area and certainly in a national park," Smeck said.

He said park officials are trying to get more children involved in such programs, with the hope that they'll want to return to the park.

The meeting, which is open to the public, continues today at Malibu Creek State Park. For information, visit http://www.VisionForTheParks.org.