Natural Beauties

If you have time this summer, discover firsthand the beauty of our country's national parks. You'll gain a better understanding of our heritage, while enjoying the benefits of the great outdoors.

• The first national park was Yellowstone National Park, designated by an Act of Congress on March 1, 1872.
• The 1900s through 1930s produced a number of additional national parks. Many were first enacted as national historic sites or monuments and later approved as national parks.
• The newest is Great Sand Dunes National Park, designated on November 22, 2000.
• Today there are 56 national parks in 26 states and two territories, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. Alaska and California account for 16 of the parks, with eight in each state.
• The National Park Service manages these parks. This organization also manages other national sites such as historical sites, historical parks, monuments, trails, seashores, battlefields, and cemeteries.
• Funding for national parks comes from many sources. The National Park Foundation, chartered by Congress, does much to raise funding through many local foundations and individual and corporate sponsors.

Make a Virtual Visit
Check out the online video "From Sea to Shining Sea" found on the web site of the National Park Service (see "Resources" below). You'll be moved by the beauty and diversity of our national parks and feel, as so many do, that they're a national treasure.

Visit Nearby Parks, Too!
State and local parks offer great opportunities for recreational activities and health benefits. Remember, active people are less likely to experience coronary heart disease and develop high blood pressure. And activity could reduce their chances of some cancers. Just think — better health could start in a park!

Resources:
National Park Service (www.nps.gov)
U.S. National Parks Net (www.us-national-parks.net)
National Recreation and Park Association (www.nrpa.org)
National Park Foundation (www.nationalparks.org)