Environmental Resources CD Unit

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Environmental Resources CDUnit

• Natural Resources

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Problem Area

• Outdoor Recreation

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Lesson

• Understanding the National Park System

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What are Some Examples of National Parks and
Historic Sites in the United States?
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Learning Objectives

• Understand the history and purpose of the
  National Park System.
• Understand how National Park System units are
  designated.

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Terms

• Affiliated Areas
• National Historical Park
• National Historic Site
• National Memorial

• National Monument
• National Park
• National Preserve
• Organic Act
• Parkway

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How was the National Park System Established and
What is its Purpose?

• In 1872, Congress established Yellowstone
  National Park in the territories of Montana and
  Wyoming as a public park for the benefit and
  enjoyment of the people and placed it under
  exclusive control of the Secretary of the
  Interior.

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How was the National Park System Established and
What is its Purpose?

• Yellowstone National Park was the first public
  park and its founding began a worldwide park
  movement.
• Currently more than 100 nations contain some
  1,200 national parks.

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National Park System Development

• On August 25th, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson
  signed the Organic Act, which formed the National
  Park Service.
• The National Park Service was created as a new
  federal bureau in the Department of the Interior
  and it was responsible for protecting the 40
  national parks and monuments in existence at that
  time and those yet to be established.

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National Park System Development

• The Organic Act states that the Service shall
  promote and regulate the use of Federal areas
  known as national parks, monuments, and
  reservations...to conserve the scenery and the
  natural and historic objects and the wild life
  therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the
  same in such a manner and by such means as will
  leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future
  generations.

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National Park System Development

• Today the National Park Service of the United
  States is comprised of over 380 national parks,
  and other designated monuments and areas, which
  cover more than 83 million acres in 49 States,
  the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam,
  Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands.
  National Parks have over 250 million visitors,
  annually.

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National Park System Development

• National Parks in the United States are created
  by acts of Congress.
• National Parks are areas of national
  significance distinguished by superlative natural
  scenery, set aside for preservation as nearly as
  possible in unimpaired condition and dedicated to
  the use and inspiration of the people.

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How are National Park System Units Designated?

• The National Park Service consists of more than
  380 areas.
• The areas can be classified into three
  categories natural areas, historical areas, and
  recreational areas

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Park National parks are large natural
  places that a have a wide variety of attributes.
  Consumptive activities, such as hunting or
  fishing are typically not allowed.
• National Monument The President can proclaim
  landmarks, structures, and other objects of
  historic or scientific interest on land owned or
  controlled by the government to be national
  monuments.

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Fireworks Over National Monuments in Washington
D.C.
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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Preserve National preserves are areas
  that have characteristics associated with
  national parks, but Congress has permitted
  activities such as hunting, trapping, and oil
  exploration.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Historic Site A national historical
  site is a site that contains a single historical
  feature.
• National Historical Park National historic parks
  are historical areas that extend beyond single
  properties or buildings.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Memorial A national memorial is
  commemorative of a historical person or episode.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Battlefield Sites in this category
  include national battlefield parks, national
  battlefield sites, and national military parks.
• National Cemetery There are 14 national
  cemeteries and all of them are associated with
  another unit of the National Park Service.

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Arlington National Cemetery
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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Recreational Area There are currently
  17 national recreational areas within the
  National Park Service.
• Twelve of which are centered on large reservoirs
  and emphasize water recreation.
• Five of the national recreational areas are
  located in major population areas and combine
  open spaces with the preservation of significant
  historic resources and natural areas to provide
  outdoor recreation for large numbers of people.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Seashore Ten national seashores have
  been established on the Atlantic, Gulf and
  Pacific Coasts.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Lakeshore National lakeshores are
  similar to seashores and are all on the Great
  Lakes
• National River This category contains several
  variations such as national river and
  recreational area, national scenic river, wild
  river, and etc.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Parkway National parkways are intended
  for scenic motoring along a protected corridor
  and they often connect cultural sites.
• A parkway refers to the roadway and the parkland
  paralleling the roadway.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• National Trail National scenic trails and
  national historic trails are the titles give to
  these linear parklands authorized under the
  National Trails System Act of 1968.

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Categories of National Park Service Sites

• Affiliated Areas includes a variety of locations
  in the U.S. and Canada that preserve significant
  properties outside the National Park Service, not
  owned by the federal government.
• Other Designations have unique titles or
  combinations of titles such as the White House
  and Prince William Forest Park.

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Review / Summary

• How was the National Park System established and
  what is its purpose?
• How are National Park System units designated?