Global Guardian Project Exploring National Parks | Page 4

WELCOME TO
OUR NATIONAL PARKS
preserv
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r natio
most b
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ALL ABOUT OUR
N AT I O N A L PA R K S
The idea of a national park was both radical and
uniquely American. The protection of wild spaces
for the benefit of the people embodied the nation’s
most cherished democratic principles. As westward
expansion continued across the continent, men and
women realized the urgency of protecting wild spaces
that were in danger of becoming polluted by industry or
exploited for profit.
When the National Park Service was created in 1916,
the idea for national parks had been gaining momentum
since the late 1880’s, as a result of explorers, naturalists,
photographers, and artists’ ability to galvanize the
public around wondrous Western landscapes of
which most people had no first-hand experience. The
conservationists’ work was convincing and although he
had never seen Yosemite, Abraham Lincoln authorized
the transfer of Yosemite to the state of California
on the condition it be preserved for recreation and
public enjoyment.
When Yellowstone Park was founded in 1872 it
started a worldwide national parks movement and
the legacy of the ‘conservationist president’ Theodore
Roosevelt cannot be overstated. In the early 1900’s,
he used the power of the presidency under the 1906
American Antiquities Act to protect thousands of
acres of wilderness.
Today the national park system plays a unique role
in preserving American history, protecting flora and
fauna, and ensuring access to nature for all citizens.
The national parks preserve the past for the benefit
of the future.
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