Why doesn’t sunrise make a sound? A vision so beautiful seems to deserve a musical overture. But maybe, overwhelming your sense of sight is enough for dawn at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Photo by N. Lewis, National Park Service.
There’s something to see in every season at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming. Summer brings over 113 bird species to the refuge, where they breed and raise their young. After wildlife viewing during the day, stick around for stellar nighttime scenes like this pic of a stormy summer sky. A 30-second exposure captured the light of the stars and moon, along with lightning coloring the clouds from a passing storm. Photo by Tom Koerner, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
At Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska, wild rivers meander through glacier-carved valleys, caribou migrate along age-old trails and endless summer light fades into aurora-lit night skies of winter. It remains virtually unchanged except by the forces of nature. With no roads or trails, getting here is a challenge, but the reward is a lifetime of amazing memories. Photo by Carl Johnson, National Park Service.
Virgin Islands National Park’s hills, valleys and beaches are breathtaking. Beyond its tropical beauty, 7,000 acres on the island of St. John help tell the complex history of civilizations – both free and enslaved – who utilized the land and the sea for more than a thousand years. Photo of Trunk Bay by Kaitlin Kovacs, U.S. Geological Survey.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York is one of the most significant bird sanctuaries in the Northeast. Over 300 species have been spotted in the last 25 years on the refuge’s 9,000 acres of woods, fields, marshes and open bay. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this tranquil place is its location – within the limits of New York City, less than 12 miles from Manhattan. Photo by Micael Fano (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
A natural wonderland created by stone and erosion, Arches National Park offers unforgettable experiences. When visiting the park this summer, photographer Derek Cronk looked up and saw a shimmering rainbow framed in the massive window of Delicate Arch. “I felt lucky to be in such an incredible location as it was, but it took my breath away to be presented with such an amazing opportunity.” Lucky and good is a great combination. Photo courtesy of Derek Cronk.
Today, President Obama expanded the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to a total protected area of 582,578 square miles – making it the largest marine protected area on Earth. Part of the most remote island archipelago on Earth, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument supports a reef ecosystem with more than 7,000 marine species and is home to many species of coral, fish, birds and marine mammals. This includes the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles. Top and bottom photos courtesy of James Watt, middle photo by Lindsey Kramer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Our National Park Service!
When Yellowstone National Park became the first national park in the
United States in 1872, there was no one to oversee its
maintenance. From this beginning, a steady movement grew to embrace the
country’s unique natural beauties.
Today, we can witness these natural beauties from space, courtesy of Expedition 48 commander, astronaut Jeff Williams, from aboard the International Space Station.
Death Valley National Park
This is the commander’s view of Death Valley, taken from the station in early August 2016.
Everglades National Park
Williams captured the beauty of Florida Bay in the Everglades National Park, focusing on the Crocodile Sanctuary, a protected
wildlife
area.
Glacier Bay
Sail down the Ice Ages at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. From Tarr Inlet Tidewater glacier to Sitakaday Narrows.
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand indeed, here’s the Grand Canyon National Park seen from the International Space Station. Even from space, it took 13 pictures merged together to capture all 277 miles in this fly over.
Yosemite National Park
From visionary leaders of the movement, who worked to create and manage national parks like Teddy Roosevelt to Charles Young, the first African American park superintendent, Congress heeded the call and passed the National Park Service Organic Act, creating the National Park Service (NPS). One hundred years ago today, on August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill into law.
Happy 100th birthday, National Park Service! For the last century, the National Park Service has protected America’s Best Idea, ensuring current and future generations can experience the country’s natural, cultural and historic treasures. The birth of the National Park Service can be traced to back to June 30, 1864, when the federal government set aside Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias – land that would later become Yosemite National Park in California. Photo by Lesli Cohan (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Today President Obama designated Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument – our nation’s newest national monument and the 413th site in the national park system. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument will permanently protect north-central Maine’s awe-inspiring mountains, forests and waters for current and future generations. The approximately 87,500 acres that make up the new national monument is rich in biodiversity and known for its outstanding opportunities to hike, canoe, hunt, fish, snowmobile, snowshoe and cross-country ski. What a great way to kick off the National Park Service’s next 100 years of conservation! Photo courtesy of Bill Duffy.
Sig Nordal 