Bill Clinton

“ Their spectacular scenic beauty and wide variety of wildlife link man and nature intrinsically and universally. The cultural and historic parks connect us with the spirit of our past and form a national family tree, celebrating our triumphs and remembering our tragedies. ”

“ Today, almost 78 years later, the National Park Service oversees 367 national parks, including historic sites, monuments, parks, lakeshores, seashores, rivers, and scenic trails. The growth of the park system is a result of the American public's desire to protect the best and most significant treasures of our Nation.
National parks across the country, from Denali National Park in Alaska to Acadia National Park in Maine, allow us to learn more about our environment; they teach us to respect our lands and to care about endangered plant and animal species. ”

“ The idea of creating national parks first attracted attention in the second half of the nineteenth century, when America's receding wilderness left our natural resources vulnerable to misuse and exploitation. ”