It’s a century-old idea that remains eternally relevant. Perhaps now, more than ever, national parks are important.
Soaring numbers of visitors are drawn each year to our national parks to breathe in the natural world and to understand the power of wilderness. And while they’ll learn about glaciology and take photographs of themselves atop mountain peaks, the real goal for these travelers is a sense of wonder. National parks, as much as they’re about policy and ecology, are really about a feeling.
Here are four reasons national parks are so important today:
1. Parks are for everyone: National parks serve as the ultimate equalizer – everyone is the same in nature. Confronted by the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, we all feel small and inspired. And in that connection, we are joined by a common memory of being in a spectacular place at a spectacular moment. Parks belong to all of us equally.