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Big Bend National ParkPaddling down Santa Elena Canyon
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Big Bend National Park
Environmental Factors
 
Sunset through The Window
Dr. William B. Winborn
Sunset through The Window
 
There is a certain something that pulls us to places like Big Bend National Park.  Whether it is viewing your first night sky, experiencing a float down the river, enjoying a scenic overlook, or simply being here, memories of Big Bend and its environment are oftentimes the strongest.

Unfortunately a number of issues are negatively affecting many of these special experiences.  In the coming years, we hope that interest from the visiting public and concern for the longterm stability of park resources will shape how this park is managed.

BRAVO study
Air Quality in Big Bend
Learn more about recent studies into air quality issues in the Big Bend.
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Visitor and Resource Protection rangers, 2005  

Did You Know?
In Big Bend's first year of operation as a national park (1944), the operating budget of the park totalled $15,000. Over sixty years later, as park infrastructure and staffing has grown, so too has the budget; the operating budget for fiscal year 2005 totaled $5,492,000.
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Last Updated: March 04, 2007 at 08:44 EST