National parks are very important parts of US history. They preserve sections of land that are important or sacred to numerous groups or areas throughout the United States. People of the US view them as an important monument or a beautiful place to get away and connect with nature. However, some see national parks as a sort of land grab by the federal government. national park land is owned by the US government, and no sort of industrialization or business ventures are allowed on these areas. Many believe that it would be profitable for the country if national parks were downsized, or some even shut down completely. The land needs to be preserved, though. The government does not put enough into the parks as it is. Linda J. Bilmes and John Loomis …show more content…
If budget for parks are cut and the parks downsize or close, it is possible that some of this history could be forgotten. However, if the parks stay, these sacred areas are guaranteed to be protected and cherished, ensuring that these moments and groups will be shown with pride and never forgotten. People use national parks as a way to get away for a moment and just be calm. The parks are a place in which plants and wildlife can be undisturbed. The freedom to have places like parks in which people can go outdoors and experience nature in a pure form is a right that all Americans should have. The landscapes that national parks provide is something that cannot be found in other areas of the country. If park budgets were to be cut, some of these areas would not be available for people to go to and have these experiences. Parks are a place where plants and animals can live without much interaction with humans. Therefore, this makes them a prime spot for scientific research. Parks are a great spot to observe organisms in their natural habitats and study how they behave. There is a lot that scientists can learn from these observations. Also, the monuments and landscapes are places where researchers can learn about the history and past events of the US. Without these preserved areas, this material would not be available for researchers to
National Parks Service. "NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION." National Register Publications. http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb15/nrb15_2.htm (accessed February 14, 2014).
Katmai National Park and Preserve encompasses 3,674,529.68 acres of land. It would fit in the state of Pennsylvania about eight times. Katmai National Park and Preserve is located on the northern tip of the Alaskan Peninsula and is made up of six active volcanoes and the surrounding forests, lakes, and mountains. Maybe the most well known of the volcanoes are Novarupta and Mount Katmai, famous for their eruption in 1912.
If you’ve ever been to a national park, you will probably remember the experience for the rest of your life. But what is it that makes you remember that experience? Is it the sights, or the landmarks, or the history behind the park? Well I believe that Glacier Bay national park in Alaska is the most beautiful because of all of these reasons. The sights are breath taking; the tidewater glaciers are spectacular; and the history behind the park is intriguing. The Grand Canyon is beautiful, but are their kayaking trips or whales in it? Does Yellowstone have a history dating back to the Ice Age?
...c structures and other objects of historic or scientific interest in federal ownership as national monuments. National parks were established together with National Forest Service throughout U.S. for conservation and recreation purposes. These actions faced opposition from Western settlers and Congress members who had plans of using the land that was set aside but also the Indians who were forced to stop hunting and fishing. However, settlers were happy with 1902 Reclamation Act that put aside funds to irrigate unlivable chunks of land and previously dry.
There should be no man made machinery operating in the park unless absolutely necessary. The creation of the National Park Service is to preserve wilderness in a way that gives people the opportunity to experience nature in all its wonder. It was never intended to create amusement parks where people never leave the safety of the modern age and look at the natural world through glass. Being completely enveloped in nature has many benefits, from physical such as lowering blood pressure, to psychological in boosting moods. According to Tyler Tapps in Parks & Recreation: “Recent research indicates that outdoor activity is associated with positive mental and physical benefits, including increased cardiovascular function, decreased stress levels, and reduced blood pressure” (Tapps). Abbey understood this, as did many Americans. Today however the number of people willing to immerse themselves in the nations parks is decreasing. In Desert Solitaire, abbey puts it this way: “A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourist can in a hundred miles” (Abbey). Today many members of the younger generation have lost that sense of joy and wonder in the outdoor setting. This change would bring back the love of nature in this
Yellowstone park was the first national park in the United States. The park dates back as far as 11,000 years ago, when the Native Americans were the first to stumble upon the
Do you want to hear about the first national park that is the first and only dedicated to a president? Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947. The Mountains are over 55 million years old. The badlands of Theodore Roosevelt national park is dry with occasional monsoon showers. The park is located in Medora, North Dakota, and is home to some amazing animals including wild horses, reptiles and mammals.
The National Park Service is a United States federal government agency that manages all of the United States national parks and many national monuments. In addition to the parks and monuments the National Park Service manages other conservation and historical properties throughout the country. The National Park Service is tasked with preserving the historical and ecological integrity of the properties it is in charge of managing, as well as making sure these properties are available for full public use.
By placing this emphasis on beauty in the wilderness the American people expected to see a beautiful wilderness, although in reality these two are not mutually exclusive. Muir supported a form of natural improvement in which alterations to the natural world are made, but not with any economic value in mind. Interestingly, Muir suggests that our wildness is a commodity to which, we are glad to see how much of even the most destructible kind is still unspoiled”. (Muir) By the time the National Park Service was founded in 1916 the American people wanted to be entertained by, and in, nature
John Muir believed that for the future of America that the natural world should be protected. Muir felt that the environment of much of the United States was not protected properly and the locations that were protected were not managed adequately. Muir felt that Americans had much to gain from the protection of their national resources and park lands. In John Muir’s book Our National Parks, written in 1901 he states: “Awakening from the stupefying effects of the vice of over-industry and the deadly apathy of luxury, they are trying as best they can to mix and enrich their own...
The more than four hundred locations that are currently recognized as national parks have been set aside because they are considered special places of beauty, character, or uniqueness. Whether visitors come from the natural state or the concrete jungle, the magnificent aesthetics of these sites can cause anyone to be astonished. As they ponder on the wonderful landscapes and the closeness to the wilderness, their souls are nourished. Some people acknowledge the planet or the creator, but all appreciate the splendor of biodiversity and gain a new understanding of it. According to Frye and Nuest, “watching other species and interacting with them helps [people] better understand and appreciate [their] place among them and [their] obligations to other living creatures and the same planetary environment that sustain both [their and the lives of other species]” (54). Furthermore, since these sites have been carefully preserved, they have undergone very little physical or geological change in centuries. The NPS claimed through its website that “by preserving biodiversity, [they] also ensure that future citizens, artists, and explorers of science experience [America’s] lands as the founders of the parks did long ago.” National parks allow visitors to relive scenes from the past and appreciate the nation’s history as expressed in these iconic sites. However,
Every year, over nine million hikers and adventure seekers travel to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park making it the most visited national park in the United States. There are abundant reasons for this, but many popular reasons include over 150 hiking trails extending over 850 miles, a large portion of the Appalachian Trail, sightseeing, fishing, horseback riding, and bicycling. The park houses roughly ten thousand species of plants and animals with an estimated 90,000 undocumented species likely possible to be present. It is clear why there was a pressing interest in making all this land into a national park. My research was started by asking the question; how did the transformation of tourism due to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park affect surrounding cities such as Gatlinburg and Sevier County, and in return, its effect on the popularity of the park?
and the importance of their history. It is the first monument to be added to the National Park
“… It is apparent, then, that we cannot decide the question of development versus preservation by a simple referral to holy writ or an attempt to guess the intention of the founding fathers; we must make up our own minds and decide for ourselves what the national parks should be and what purpose they should serve.”-Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire
Nine species are in danger of extinction if the national monuments are no longer protected; some of these species include a Hawaiian Monk Seal and a Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (“What about us? 9 endangered and threatened wildlife species in Trump-targeted monuments”). The government is protecting the national monuments to keep them safe; however, if they shrink the area that is currently protected it will cause the animals to become extinct. A national monument is an area of land that is managed and protected by the national government. The national monuments must stay under federal protection to make sure that the species there are not harmed and the natural resources stay safe.