In a national park, the entire ecosystem, including the landscape, animals and plants, is protected from human activity. Construction, transport, farming and consumption of natural resources are banned or severely limited.
About National Parks: A national park is a natural area that is protected by the government. Yellowstone National Park in the west of the USA became the first national park when it was set up in 1872.
Yellowstone National Park is home to one of the largest herds of American bison and many thermal springs.
Ferdinand Hayden (1829-1887) was an American geologist who was part of the team that surveyed the area that would become Yellowstone National Park. Hayden was concerned that the rapidly expanding railway network would threaten this beautiful natural area. He wrote a report suggesting that it should be protected, which persuaded the then US President Ulysses S. Grant to turn it into a national park.
How does it work?
National parks are run by the government. Tax money and revenue from the park are used to pay for park maintenance and to hire staff to monitor the area. National parks can have controlled areas for special projects, such as reintroducing species. The animals are protected in these areas and can establish themselves there.
Park rangers in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya are responsible for protecting species from area. These rangers are treating an elephant that was attacked by poachers.
Where did it lead?
The first US national parks inspired governments around the world to create their own parks, in countries such as Canada, the UK, Japan and Brazil. As of 2020, around 15 per cent of land and around 7.6 per cent of the world’s oceans are protected areas.
This hawksbill turtle and coral are found in the marine area of the Komodo National Park in Indonesia.