The Pros And Cons Of National Parks

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Introduction Prior to the term "National parks" being legally designated to many of America's natural wonders, places such as Yosemite and Yellowstone witnessed the first tourists over 150 years ago (PBS***). Since that time, the number of visitors to these wonderful parks and the demand for seeing these places has exponentially increased. With this growing number of tourists, we have also seen a growing number of side effects both good and bad. From an economic standpoint, thousands of jobs have been created as a result of the National Park's creation, but local economies surrounding the parks have felt dramatic fluctuations in revenue as well. That being said, although the increased amount of human traffic has been very profitable, it has taken a toll on natural resources, and the health of the National Parks. Because the National Parks draw in a large amount of revenue both in the local and Federal level, there have been …show more content…

During the nineteenth century, one of the first conservation movements was developed here in America, which is in part how the idea of National Parks first came to be (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS***). In 1872, Yellowstone was the first natural area to be designated a National Park by President Ulysses S. Grant. According to Deveraux Butcher, "National Parks are spacious land . . . areas essentially in their primeval condition and so outstandingly superior in beauty to average examples of their several types as to demand preservation intact and in their entirety for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all the people for all time" (1969, p.365). With this idea in mind, Americans began to find their way to Yellowstone, and other National Parks as they developed; especially after the creation of the automobile and other improved forms of transportation including train, airplane, and bus (LIBRARY OF

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