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National Parks. Brianna R. & Shawn M. National Parks. A reserve of land that a state owns 84 million acres of protected National Park land Over 58 National Parks in the United State Over 400 sites including historic buildings, monuments, battlefields, and seashores
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National Parks Brianna R. & Shawn M.
National Parks • A reserve of land that a state owns • 84 million acres of protected National Park land • Over 58 National Parks in the United State • Over 400 sites including historic buildings, monuments, battlefields, and seashores • More than 275 million visitors each year • Criteria includes beauty, geological features, ecosystems, and recreation • Spread throughout 27 states
Conservation • Teddy Roosevelt was a big supporter: • 32nd President of United States (“Conservationist President”) • Established 51 Federal Bird Reservations, 4 National Game Preserves, 140 National Forests, 5 National Parks, 18, National Monuments • Birth place is now considered a national historic site in New York City
Junior Ranger Program • Gives youngest visitors opportunity to uniquely explore the parks with their families • Allows kids to become engaged and interested • Badges and/or certificates can be earned when the program is completed
Yellowstone National Park • Established in 1872 in Wyoming, extending into Montana and Idaho • First national park in the United States • Famous for its geysers • “Old Faithful”=most popular • Inhabited by grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk, and many others • Hiking, camping, boating, fishing, and sightseeing are recreational activities offered by the park
Grand Canyon • Located in Arizona • Colorado River carved the steep-sided canyon many years ago • 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, depth of over a mile! • Inhabited by 34 mammal species • 18 rodents, 8 bats • Nearly 5 million visitors a year • Camping, hiking, rafting among recreational activities • Canyon traveled by mule, foot, and kayak
Great Smoky Mountains • Created in 1934 • Serves as the border between Tennessee and North Carolina • Most visited of the National Parks with over 9 million tourists a year • Hiking, camping, and fishing among the most popular recreational activities • Gets its name from a constant fog that hangs over the mountains (“Smokies”) • 187,000 acres of old growth forest • Receives heavy rainfall/snowfall each year (flooding)