merica’s national
parks – the wildlife of
This high
level of satisfaction comes on the heels of record levels of funding for the
National Park Service. The National
Park Service budget this year has more funds per employee, per acre and per
visitor than at any time in its history at $1.8 billion. The National Park Service operating budget is
at an all-time high. Since FY 2000, the number of full-time
employees has increased 4%. Funds spent on deferred maintenance are up 60%
since FY 2000. Thousands of facility and
infrastructure improvements have resulted in better trails, accessible
campgrounds, rehabilitated visitor centers and better road conditions.
This
investment is essential. National parks
experienced longstanding neglect in keeping up with maintenance of buildings,
facilities, and roads. Our parks and the
millions of Americans who visit them deserve better. President Bush promised
increased funding for parks. That
promise is being kept. In FY 2004 alone,
$1 billion was provided, up $341 million since FY 2000, a 50% increase.
NATIONAL PARKS IN
alifornia’s 24
national parks represent a diverse array of stories and natural history – from
the grandeur of
Since FY 2001, the Bush Administration has invested
more than $229 million in more than 470 projects to preserve and protect
Among these projects are the
following:
PARK #
OF PROJECTS $ INVESTED
Yosemite
National Park 65 70,560,199
Sequoia-Kings
Canyon National Park 59 22,191,785
Joshua Tree
National Park 38 13,629,032
Lassen
Volcanic National Park 30 21,068,532
Redwood
National Park 19 5,335,403
Whiskeytown
National Recreation Area 19 3,028,334
The types of projects
underway at these parks include:
Improved trail accessibility for the disabled
Restored trails
Stabilized historic structures
Removal of dangerous asbestos
Improved drinking water
Installation of fire sprinkler systems to make historic structures
safer
Improved museum storage to preserve historic artifacts
Replaced exterior lighting with solar lighting
Specifics examples of projects
follow:
·
Used $247,000 in
Repair & Rehabilitation funds to replace 295 lineal feet of a sewer force
main where it crossed the
At
Channel Islands National Park, over $2 million in Line-Item Construction
funding is being used to construct 45 miles of pig-proof fence on
Golden
Gate National Recreation Area is upgrading and rehabilitating the 92-year old Cliff
House, a site that is visited by 1.5 million visitors each year because of its
striking panorama of the Pacific. A total of 25,133 square feet of building and
15,789 square feet of public viewing areas will be upgraded from poor to good
condition as well as being
Golden Gate National
Recreation Area is performing a
structural upgrade on Pier II to meet seismic safety needs. The existing pier
structure has deteriorated due to years of saltwater exposure and past seismic
activity. Delaying repairs results in additional deterioration increasing
repair costs. This project is a $12 million
strengthening and rehabilitation of Pier II. It consists of removing the
deteriorated concrete from under the pier, repairing the under deck, replacing
the utilities under the pier, repairing the seawall, strengthening the caissons
(the columns that support the pier), and replacing the fender pile system. The
work underway involves an innovative approach to seismic strengthening of pier
structures that has minimum invasiveness to historic elements of the pier and
superstructure and with ongoing public use of the pier shed.
Lassen Volcanic National
Park relied on $181,000 in Repair
& Rehabilitation funds to reconstruct deteriorated boardwalks at the park’s
famous thermal pools. The money was used to rebuild 1,946 feet of boardwalk and
2,256 feet of safety railing for trail walks in the three thermal areas to
protect park resources and enhance the visitor experience.
Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area received $724,000 in Repair & Rehabilitation
funds and rehabilitated the unsafe
These are some
of the efforts to make a visit to a National Park in
Private
Public Partnerships Improve
ocal friends groups of National Parks are
vital partners in improving national parks, as are citizens and other
organizations that share a commitment to the mission of the National Park
Service. For example, in recent years:
Another private sector
effort to improve
The Foundation also manages
both the investment and disbursement of funds for the following organizations:
www.nps.gov/cabr
On
The park offers a superb view of
www.nps.goy/chis
Comprised of five in a chain of eight southern
California islands near Los Angeles, Channel Islands National Park is home to a
wide variety of nationally and internationally significant natural and cultural
resources. Over 2,000 species of plants and animals can be found within the
park. However only four mammals are endemic to the islands. One hundred and
forty-five of these species are unique to the islands and found nowhere else in
the world. Marine life ranges from microscopic plankton to the endangered blue
whale, the largest animal to live on earth. Archeological and cultural
resources span a period of more than 10,000 years. The park consists of249,354
acres, half of which are under the ocean, and include the islands of San
Miguel,
www.nps.gov/deva
www .nps.gov/depo
Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation,
The monument is also a portal to the High Sierra
backcountry, with some 75% included in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. At 800
acres,
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill, the only Nobel Prize
winning playwright from the
Fort Point National Historic Site
www.nps.gov/fopo
Fort Point was constructed by the U.S. Anny Corps of
Engineers between 1853 and 1861 to prevent entrance of a hostile fleet into
www.nps.gov/goga
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is
one of the largest urban national parks in the world. The total park area is
75,398 acres of land and water. Approximately 28 miles of coastline lie within
its boundaries. It is nearly two and one-half times the size of
One of the nation's most highly visited National Park
Service units, Golden Gate NRA comprises numerous sites, including
John Muir
National Historic Site
www.nps.gov/jomu
The Site preserves the 14 room mansion where the
naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. While living in
Martinez, Muir accomplished many things: he battled to prevent Yosemite
National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley from being dammed; served as the first
president and one of the founders of the Sierra Club; played a prominent role
in the creation of several national parks; and wrote hundreds of newspaper and
magazine articles and several books expounding on the virtues of conservation
and the natural world. Muir's work laid the foundations for the creation of the
National Park Service in 1916.
Twentynine Palms
www.nps.gov/jotr
For a first-time visitor the desert may appear bleak
and drab. Viewed from the road, the desert only hints at its vitality. Closer
examination reveals a fascinating variety of plants and animals. A rich
cultural history and surreal geologic features add to the attraction of this
place.
Two deserts, two large ecosystems whose
characteristics are determined primarily by elevation, come together at Joshua
Tree National Park. Below 3,000 feet, the
Juan Bautista De Anza National Historical Trail
www.nps.gov/juba
The national trail commemorates the route followed by
a Spanish commander, Juan Bautista de Anza, in 1775-76 when he led a contingent
of30 soldiers and their families to found a presidio and mission near the
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Shingleton
www.nps.gov/lavo
Beneath Lassen Volcanic's peaceful forests and
gem-like lakes lies evidence of a turbulent and fiery past. 600,000 years ago,
the collision and warping of continental plates led to violent eruptions and
the formation of lofty
Tulelake
www.nps.gov/labe
Volcanic eruptions on the
Manzanar National Historic Site
www.nps.gov/manz
Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps
at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned
during World War ll. Located at the foot of the imposing Sierra Nevada in
eastern California's Owens Valley, Manzanar has been identified as the best
preserved of these camps.
Mojave National Preserve
Barstow
www.nps.gov/moja
Rose-colored sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones,
Joshua tree forests, and mile-high mountains are all part of the scene at
Mojave National Preserve. Located in the heart of the Mojave Desert, this park
was established in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act. The
Preserve encompasses 1.6 million acres of mountains, jumble rocks, desert
washes, and dry lakes; outdoor enthusiasts appreciate the opportunity for
solitude here not easily found at other southern California parks.
Plant and animal life varies by elevation. Desert
tortoises burrow in creosote bush flats, while the black and yellow Scott's
oriole nests in Joshua trees higher up the slopes. Mule deer and bighorn sheep
roam among pinyon pine and juniper in the Preserve's many mountain ranges.
Muir Woods National Monument
Mill Valley
www.nps.gov/muwo
Until the 1800's, many northern California coastal
valleys were covered with coast redwood trees similar to those now found in
Muir Woods National Monument. The forest along Redwood Creek in today's Muir
Woods was spared from logging because it was hard to get to. Noting that
Redwood Creek contained one of the San Francisco Bay Area's last uncut stands
of old-growth redwood, Congressman William Kent and his wife, Elizabeth Thacher
Kent, bought 295 acres here for $45,000 in 1905. To protect the redwoods the
Kents donated the land to the United States Federal Government and, in 1908,
President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a national monument. Roosevelt
suggested naming the area after Kent, but Kent wanted it named for
conservationist John Muir.
Pinnacles National Monument
Paicines
www.nps.gov/pinn
Rising out of the chaparral-covered Gabilan
Mountains, east of central California's Salinas Valley, are the spectacular
remains of an ancient volcano. Massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons
and talus passages define millions of years of erosion, faulting and tectonic
plate movement. Within the monument's boundaries lie 24,000 acres of diverse
wildlands. The monument is renowned for the beauty and variety of its spring
wildflowers. A rich diversity of wildlife can be observed throughout the year.
The rock fornlations of Pinnacles National Monument
divide the park into East and West Districts which are connected by trails, but
not by a vehicle road. More than 30 miles of trails access geological
fornlations, spectacular vistas and wildland communities. The Pinnacles' rock
fornlations are a popular destination to challenge technical climbers.
Pinnacles is a day-use park, with occasional full moon hikes and dark sky
astronomical observations led by ranger-interpreters.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes
www.nps.gov/pore
Point Reyes National Seashore contains unique
elements of biological and historical interest in a spectacularly scenic
panorama of thunderous ocean breakers, open grasslands, bushy hillsides and
forested ridges. Native land mammals number about 37 species and marine mammals
augment this total by another dozen species. The biological diversity stems
from a favorable location in the middle of California and the natural
occurrence of many distinct habitats. Nearly 20% of the State's flowering plant
species are represented on the peninsula and over 45% of the bird species in
North America have been sighted.
Redwood National and State Parks
Crescent City
www .nps.gov/redw
Redwood National and State Parks are home to some of
the world's tallest trees: old- growth coast redwoods. They can live to be 2000
years old and grow to over 300 feet tall. Spruce, hemlock, Douglas-fir, berry
bushes, and sword ferns create a multiple canopied understory that towers over
all visitors. The parks' mosaic of habitats include prairie/oak woodlands,
mighty rivers and streams, and 37 miles of pristine Pacific coastline. Cultural
landscapes reflect American Indian history. The more recent logging history has
led to much restoration of these parks.
Three California state parks and the National Park
Service unit represent a cooperative management effort of the National Park
Service and California Department of Parks and Recreation. They are Prairie
Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith
Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park, comprising 45 percent of all
the old-growth redwood forest remaining in California. Together these parks are
a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, protecting resources
cherished by citizens of many nations.
Rosie the
Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
Richmond
www.nps.gov/rori
The World War n Home Front is a significant chapter
in America's history. Fully engaged in winning World Warn, American women,
minorities, and men worked toward a common goal in a manner that has been
unequaled since. Women affectionately known as "Rosies" helped change
industry and had sweeping and lasting impacts. Richmond, California played a
significant and nationally recognized part in the World War n Home Front. The
four Richmond shipyards, with their combined 27 shipways, produced 747 ships,
more than any other shipyard complex in the country. Richmond was home to 56
different war industries, more than any other city of its size in the United
States. The Park. has the largest concentration of intact wwn historic
structures and sites in the United States.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
San Francisco
www.nps.gov/safr
Located at the west end of San Francisco's
Fishennan's Wharf, this park includes the fleet of national historic landmark
vessels at Hyde Street Pier, a maritime museum, and a maritime library.
Visitors can board turn-of-the-century ships, tour the museum and learn
traditional arts --like boatbuilding and woodworking. The Park offers
educational, music and craft programs for all ages, and provides unique
opportunities for docents, interns and volunteers to learn more about the
nation's maritime heritage.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Thousand Oaks
www.nps.gov/sarno
Santa Monica Mountains rise above Los Angeles, widen
to meet the curve of Santa Monica Bay and reach their highest peaks facing the
ocean, forming a beautiful and multi-faceted landscape. Santa Monica Mountains
National Recreation Area is a cooperative effort that joins federal, state and
local park agencies with private preserves and landowners to protect the
natural and cultural resources of this transverse mountain range and seashore.
Located in a Mediterranean ecosystem, the Santa Monica Mountains contain a wide
variety of plants and wildlife. The mountains also have an interesting and
diverse cultural history which begins with the Chumash and Gabrielino/Tongva
peoples and continues today in "L.A.'s backyard."
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
Three Rivers
www.nps.gov/seki
Ranging from 1500' to 14,491' in elevation, these two
adjoining parks protect immense mountains, deep canyons, huge trees, and
stunningly diverse habitats. The Generals Highway climbs over 5000 feet from
chaparral and oak-studded foothills to the awe- inspiring sequoia groves. From
there, trails lead to the high-alpine wilderness which makes up most of these
parks. Beneath the surface lie many beautiful caverns. Although they were
created by separate acts of Congress, Sequoia and Kings Canyon share miles of
boundary and are managed as one park.
Whiskeytown
www.nps.gov/whis
The Whiskeytown NRA, with its mountainous back
country and large, man-made reservoir, offers many summer activities such as
hiking and boating, as well as historical remains of the California Gold Rush
of 1849. Whiskeytown Lake, provides 36 miles of shoreline and 3200 surface
acres of water, and is excellent for most water-related activities, including
swimming, scuba diving, water skiing, boating and fishing. The lake was created
by diverting water through tunnels and penstocks, from the Trinity River Basin
to the Sacramento River Basin. The most prominent landmark within the
Recreation Area is Shasta Bally (elevation 6,209 feet). The summit may be
reached on foot and by 4-wheel drive vehicle, but is closed in the winter.
Picnicking, hiking, hunting, interpretive programs and horseback riding are
also popular within the Whiskeytown
NRA.
Yosemite National Park
EI Portal www.nps.gov/yose
Yosemite National Park embraces a spectacular tract
of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, which was set aside as a
national park in 1890. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls,
meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest
living things. Highlights of the park include Yosemite Valley, and its high
cliffs and waterfalls; Wawona's history center and historic hotel; the Mariposa
Grove, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point's
(summer-fall) spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country;
Tuolumne Meadows (summer-fall), a large subalpine meadow surrounded by mountain
peaks; and Hetch Hetchy, a reservoir in a valley considered a twin of Yosemite
Valley.