National Park
National parks are areas that have been legally set apart by national governments because they have cultural or natural resources which are deemed significant for the particular country. National parks are typically large areas that are mostly undisturbed by human occupation or exploitation. They are characterized by spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, unique geologic features, or interesting cultural or historic sites.
National parks are managed to eliminate or minimize human disturbances, while allowing human visitation for recreational, educational, cultural, or inspirational purposes. Activities consistent with typical national park management include hiking, camping, picnicking, wildlife observation, and photography. Fishing is usually allowed, but hunting is often prohibited. In the United States, national parks are distinguished from national forests and other federal lands because timber harvesting, cattle grazing, and mining are, with a few exceptions, not permitted in national parks, whereas they are permitted on most other federal lands.
The United States was the first country to establish national parks. The Yosemite Grant of 1864 was the first act that formally set aside land by the federal government for "public use, resort and recreation." Twenty square miles (52 sq km) of land in the Yosemite valley and four square miles (10 sq km) of giant sequoia were put under the care of the State of California to be held "inalienable for all time." In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the establishment of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone differed from Yosemite in that it was to be managed and controlled by the federal government, not the state, and therefore has received the honor of being considered the first national park. Years later, Yosemite was turned over to the federal government for federal management also. Since 1916, national parks in the United States have been administered by the National Park Service an agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The concept of national parks has caught on all over the world and continues to spread. Between the years 1972 and 1982 the number of national parks in the world increased by 47% and the area encompassed in the parks increased 82%. Today over 1000 national parks can be found worldwide in more than 120 countries.
Many national parks in both developed and developing countries are facing threats, however. The most commonly reported threats are illegal removal of wildlife, destruction of vegetation, and increased erosion. Often there is a lack of personnel to deal with these threats. Management problems also arise because demand for use of park resources is increasing. Many of these uses are conflicting, and virtually all would have significant impacts on the resources that characterize the parks.
Although parks consist of natural resources, they are conceived, established, maintained, and often threatened by humans. It is necessary for a society to derive benefits from the parks to maintain public support for them. In light of the need for public support, merely putting a fence around the park and keeping people out is likely to fail in the long term. Paradoxically then, some development and use is necessary for conservation of the resources. Deciding on the appropriate amounts and kind of uses compatible with the resources is the key to successful park management.
During the summer of 1962 the first World Conference on National Parks was held in Seattle, Washington. This historic conference and subsequent ones have given people of many nations a forum to discuss threats facing their parks and strategies for meeting the demand for conflicting uses. Only through such international dialogue and continued diligence will these treasures we call national parks be saved for future generations.
Resources
Books
Machlis, G. E., and D. L. Tichnell. The State of the World's Parks. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1985.
Runte, A. National Parks and American Experience. 2nd ed. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1987.
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