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The National Park System

Source: Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

The National Park System of the United States is administered by the National Park Service, a bureau of the Department of the Interior. Started with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park on March 1, 1872, the system includes not only the most extraordinary and spectacular scenic exhibits in the United States, but also a large number of sites distinguished for their historic or prehistoric importance, scientific interest, or superior recreational assets. The National Park System is made up of 388 areas covering more than 84 million acres in every state except Delaware. It also includes areas in the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. A list of the areas follows, excluding those without “national” status. See also the excellent website of the Park Service: www.nps.gov.

U.S. Zoos and Aquariums

Nature

Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2005

More on National Park System from Infoplease:

The National Park Service - Background information and statistics on U.S. national parks.
Encyclopedia: U.S. National Park System - Encyclopeadia articles concerning U.S. National Park System.
Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2006 - Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2006 Rank Name and location Number of visitors 1. Great Smoky ...
Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2007 - Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2007 Rank Name and location Number of visitors 1. Blue Ridge PKWY ...
Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2007 - Ten Most Visited National Parks, 2007 Rank Name and location Number of visitors 1. Blue Ridge PKWY ...

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Misty's legacy: managing invasive and non-native species in the National Park System is already tough but what happens when some of the biggest culprits are actually visitors favorites? (National Parks)

Aramark Parks and Resorts added SMS Enterprise from PAR Springer Miller Systems to automate reservations management and Internet bookings for its National Park and resort properties.(Tech Bytes)(Brief article) (Lodging Hospitality)

Washington, D.C. -- the National Park Service recently launched an online program, "Hispanic Heritage Parks: An Iberian Project," dedicated to the 16 park sites in the park system of Iberian or Spanish heritage.(Brief Article) (National Parks)

National Park Medical Center at Hot Springs is the first hospital in the state with a Web-based scheduling system that allows networked doctors to schedule appointments and register patients over the Internet.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article) (Arkansas Business)

FUNDING THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM: IMPROVING SERVICES AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH USER FEES (Review - Institute of Public Affairs)

What lies beneath? Drawing tourists since the 1800s, one of the world's longest and most complex cave systems rests under rolling hills of mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forest like a well-kept secret.(You Are Here)(Wind Cave National Park)(Brief Article) (National Parks)

Debating significance. (Congress considers the fate of the national parks system with the draft of the National Parks System Reform Act of 1995) (National Parks)

Civil war battlefield.(Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park become part of the national Park Service system)(Brief Article) (Travel America)

Washington, D.C.--With time running out for Congress to pass a Fiscal Year 2005 Interior Appropriations bill, NPCA is urging lawmakers to provide adequate funding for the National Park System, which continues to suffer from a $600-million operating shortfall, an extensive maintenance backlog, and a drop in the number of seasonal and permanent staff.(National Parks Conservation Association )(Brief Article) (National Parks)

Washington, D.C.--President George W. Bush in December signed into law the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002, authorizing $50 million over several years to protect historic Civil War battlefields outside boundaries of the National Park System.(Brief Article) (National Parks)

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