But nature lovers prevailed and today it is the C&O Canal National Historical Park. At the time, it charged the new federal bureau with managing 35 national parks and monuments, including such stalwarts as Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. One of the ways they have tried to keep the park service relevant is through the #FindYourPark social media campaign, which they launched about a year-and-a-half ago.
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The National Park Service came into being in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act.
Keeping the parks in pristine condition is a struggle – there is a $12 billion maintenance back-log. “The good news is our national parks have support from Democrats and Republicans, there is bipartisan support, and I think this needs to be a high priority”.
McAloon notes that the park recently hosted the descendants of another famed Denali figure, 1940’s era Park wildlife biologist Adolf Murie, whose pioneering wolf and sheep studies, helped change the way the park service viewed predators.
Yellowstone, Wyoming, became the first official national park in 1872, and more followed throughout Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency.
Ranger Mariah Leeseberg leads a talk on salmon for park visitors. “[We] have had several conversations over with National Park Service staff since last fall and those conversations will continue”, Keliher said.
It was a full night of speeches and singing as about 6,000 people gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of the National Park Service.
How fortunate in this part of the state and country to be just an hour away from a National Park, a National Historic Trail, National Battlegrounds and Blue Ridge Parkway National Heritage Trail.
[Sometimes] kids look at [the parks] on a screen”, rather than visiting them, Langianese said, adding that when young people have the opportunity to see the national parks in real life, “the impact is phenomenal.
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“Richmond’s history is our nation’s history, and we are excited and honored to celebrate this centennial anniversary with the community”, said David Ruth, superintendent of the NPS’s Richmond site.
