The United States National Park System
In 1872 President Ulysses S. Grant made Yellowstone National Park the first national park. 44 years later President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill creating our National Park System. Today this system comprises 391 areas covering more than 84 million acres in every state except Delaware.
The National Park Service was made to take care of these national parks as well as scenic and historic trails.
It was built to preserve, protect and share the legacies of this land. It is the guardian of our diverse cultural and recreational resources, environmental advocate, world leader in the parks and preservation community and pioneer in the drive to protect Americas open spaces.
Additions to the National Parks System are now generally made through acts of congress, and national parks can be created only through such acts.
What They Do
The ever expanding areas of this system include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, remnants of ancient civilizations, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, boyhood homes of U.S. presidents and the White House.
There job is to help communities preserve their local heritage, record and save historic places. They create community parks and local recreation facilities, conserve rivers and streams, and develop trails and greenways to help Americans know Mother Nature a little better.
World Renowned
The American system of national parks was the first of its kind in the world. The service men and women consult with other nations of the world, proactively sharing what they have learned gaining knowledge from the experience of others. Spreading the importance and understanding of the Philosophy of Conservation is an effort of epic proportions in this day and age.
Today more than 100 nations contain approximately 1,200 national parks or preserves.
Leaders in Conservation
The headquarters office provides national level leadership and advocacy, policy and regulatory formulation and direction, program guidance, budget information, legislative support, accountability for programs and activities managed by the field and key program office.
There are seven regions in the National Park System but the park units are the basic management entity of the National Parks Service.
Making Sense of the System
The Numerous designations within the National Park System sometimes confuse visitors. Many of the names are descriptive such as lakeshores, seashores and battlefields; but others cannot be neatly categorized because of the diversity of resources within them.
National Parks are generally large natural places having a wide variety of attributes. Hunting, mining and consumptive activities are not authorized.
National Preserves are areas having characteristics associated with national parks but public hunting, trapping, oil/gas exploration and extraction is permitted. Many of the Preserves would qualify for national park designation without sport hunting and the other consumptive activities.
National Monuments are declared by the president and are public proclamation landmarks, structures and other objects of historic or scientific interest situated on lands owned or controlled by the government.
National Historic Sites usually contain a single historical feature that was directly associated with its subject such as the Trail of Tears.
National Historical Parks are generally historic parks that extend beyond single properties or buildings.
National Memorials are commemorative of a historic person or episode and does not need to occupy a site historically connected with its subject like the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.
National Battlefields include parks, sites and national military parks that have a historical significance.
National Cemeteries are found in National Parks System. There are presently 14 national cemeteries all of which are located in a National park unit and are not accounted for separately.
National Recreation Areas are centered on large reservoirs and emphasize water based recreation. There are 12 Recreation areas in the system and they are located in major population centers. These areas combine scarce open spaces with the preservation of significant historic resources and important natural areas in locations that can provide outdoor recreation for large numbers of people.
National Seashores have been established on the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coast. The Ten national seashores can be developed or primitive. Hunting is allowed at many of these sites.
National Lakeshores closely parallel the seashores in character and use. They are all on the Great Lakes.
National Rivers have several variations including national river and recreation area, national scenic river, wild river and more…
National Parkways refer to a roadway and the parkland paralleling the roadway. All were intended for scenic motoring along a protected corridor and often connect cultural sites.
National Trails are the titles given to linear parklands. Over 3,600 miles of them stretch across the United States. The Pacific Crest Trail is an example of this. The trails can be called National scenic trails or national historic trails.
The effort that these men and women give us, conserving and caring for this precious land is work that will impress future generations. Perhaps it will help our society understand the world we live in just a little better and care for it a little more.