Since 1916, the American people have entrusted the National Park Service with the care of their national parks. With the help of volunteers and park partners, we safeguard these more than 400 places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. Find a few of those stories here and then Find a Park to find more of all Americans' stories.
Climate Change: Today's rapid climate change challenges national parks in ways we've never seen before. Glaciers are retreating at an unprecedented rate, increasingly destructive storms threaten cultural resources and park facilities, habitat is disrupted—the list goes on. Discover how climate change is affecting our nation's treasures, what the National Park Service is doing about it, and how you can help.
Catoctin Mountain Park: This 5,810-acre Blue Ridge hardwood forest park has refreshing streams and scenic vistas, offering a rare haven in a rapidly developing area of the country. However, the park hasn't always looked this way. In the 18th and 19th centuries the land was extensively logged to support local agriculture practices and to produce charcoal for the nearby iron works furnace. In 1933 the land was set aside as the Catoctin Recreation Demonstration Area with its purpose being to rehabilitate "sub-marginal" farmland.
National Monuments: Each National Monument established under the Antiquities Act of 1906 tells a story of the nation's past and future. From vast scenic vistas to the material remains of past peoples, the National Monuments preserve places and collections that make America unique.
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park: Species that have survived for millennia face unabated threats from a host of invaders introduced by humans over the past 200 years. Feral pigs, goats, and mouflon sheep;invasive plants;feral cats and rats, mongoose, ants, wasps, and mosquitoes, these invaders are all taking a tremendous toll on native plants and animals.
Last updated: March 22, 2016