The mention of our national park system often evoke images of popular destinations such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or the Great Smoky Mountains. National parks are considered as areas of great natural beauty which offers opportunities for hiking, camping, boating and other outdoor recreation. In fact, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act of August 1916, was not the main purpose of the National Park Service to provide recreational opportunities. The original intent was to “preserve landscapes and natural and historic objects and wildlife therein and to ensure the enjoyment of same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

The diversity of our parks system

Today, 390 units of the National Park, only 58 are designated as “national parks”. The classification system used by the National Park Service has 18 other names, including descriptive lists, such as lake shores, beaches and battlefields, and other securities that can not be fully classified due to diversity of resources within them.

Several important events in the history of our nation are interpreted in the national park system, including the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the Supreme Court decision (Brown vs. Board of Education), which aims to eliminate segregation in public schools, and the flood of Johnstown, one of the worst disasters in American history. Many of our historic sites tell the stories and preserve the legacy of important people who helped shape our nation’s past and present, including notable African Americans, Hispanics and women. Parks to celebrate inventors like Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers, writers such as Eugene O’Neill and Edgar Allan Poe, and also to recognize the contributions of many of our former presidents. Battle of the historic sites, battlefield parks, military parks, and tell the stories of major conflicts in the course of our nation’s history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War. and more recently the World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

And it’s fun …

The National Park System now comprises 388 areas covering more than 83 million acres in 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the Virgin Islands. Although rich in history of the interpretation provided by the National Park Service, the statistics still show that the most visited parks are generally those that include scenic and / or provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. These include national parks and national recreation areas, including popular parks such as the Golden Gate National Recreation, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Yosemite National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon National Park.

If your interest is history, geography, biology, zoology, archeology, or simply enjoy the outdoors, the National Park System is definitely something to capture your interest. Teachers and students can access a number of excellent educational resources available at our park system, including the ability to learn through the parks of classrooms and the curriculum with Historic Places. In addition, voluntary work, seasonal or full-time can provide valuable training and experience, and offer the chance to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas of protected land and the country has to offer.