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El Malpais National Monument
Centennial Initiative 2016
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In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016, America invites the world to discover the meaning of national parks to their lives and inspires people to both experience and become devoted to these special places.
On August 25, 2006 – the 90th anniversary of the National Park Service – Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne launched the National Park Centennial Initiative to prepare national parks for another century of conservation, preservation and enjoyment. Since then the National Park Service asked citizens, park partners, experts and other stakeholders what they envisioned for a second century of national parks.
A nationwide series of more than 40 listening sessions produced more than 6,000 comments that helped to shape five centennial goals. The goals and vision were presented to President Bush and to the American people on May 31st in a report called .
Every national park staff took their lead from this report and created local centennial strategies to describe their vision and desired accomplishments by 2016. This is just the first year, and there are many great things to come as the National Park Service prepares to celebrate 100 years!
To keep up with the Centennial Initiative and to experience the interactive version of The Future of America’s National Parks and special features please visit the centennial website at www.nps.gov/2016.
El Malpais Centennial Strategy [248k PDF file]
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![Big Bend bluebonnets in bloom Big Bend bluebonnets in bloom](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090509103326im_/http://www.nps.gov/imr/customcf/apps/CMS_HandF/Pictures/BIBE_dyk_bluebonnets.jpg) |
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Did You Know?
Mid-February through mid-April is the best time to see wildflowers in the desert, and some wildflowers bloom throughout the summer in the mountains, but you can find something blooming almost any time of the year. Every year is different, depending on rainfall levels.
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Last Updated: October 01, 2008 at 05:38 EST |