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As the world's first national park, Yellowstone did not come with a rule book or a manual on how national parks should be run. Things didn't always go well, but we continue to learn and improve the ways we preserve this amazing place.
In the early days of the park, bears could be fed along roadsides and at garbage dumps. Today, bears in the park find natural food and are wild.
Opened in 1914, the Geyser Baths Bathhouse was a swimming pool at Old Faithful. Today, we understand how easily hydrothermal systems can be damaged and destroyed.
Until the early 1900s, all predators were routinely killed in Yellowstone. Today, predators are valued as an important part of Yellowstone's ecosystem.
To preserve Yellowstone, we must all be good stewards. Stewardship means making a difference in our world and trying to make it a better place. Yellowstone's park rangers were once kids, just like you, and have dedicated their lives to protecting special places like Yellowstone.
Beyond Your Backyard
There are more than 400 national park sites in the United States of America. They include parks, battlefields, monuments, seashores, historic sites, and recreation areas.
The National Park Service Arrowhead
The arrowhead is the symbol of the National Park Service and what it protects. It is a reminder of the nature and culture national parks protect.
Take a look at the arrowhead, then take a look at what each part of the arrowhead represents.
Cultural resources and heritage such as Native Americans, explorers, inventors, artists, American history, and technological advancements.
People Who Care for Yellowstone
Yellowstone is 2.2 million acres. Many people take care of the park. There are rangers who work in education, law enforcement, fire, research, and maintenance. There are park employees who handle budgets, hiring employees, ship packages, plow snow, and repair vehicles. Which of these type of people do you have in your community?
Park rangers must have many skills. Their goal is to protect the park for future generations and to protect visitors. Check out the following rangers and their skills. What job do you think they do?
Ranger on Patrol
Some rangers uphold the law and help visitors with emergencies. Some of their skills and duties include:
Some rangers focus on building and maintaining the park's buildings, restrooms, recycling bins, roads, and trails. Some of their skills and duties include:
Expertise in carpentry, plumbing, painting, or electrical work.
Knowledge in landscape architecture, transit systems, or mechanics.
Building or repairing fences, trails, buildings, signs, or vehicles.
Some rangers focus on communicating with visitors to help visitors understand the resources being preserved within the park. Some of their skills and duties include:
Knowledge of park resources.
Answering visitor questions.
Leading walks and giving resource talks.
Designing and maintaining exhibits.
Publishing newspapers, trail guides, and park maps.
Providing opportunities for visitors to make personal connections with the park.
Sharing resource knowledge through apps, websites, and social media.
Some rangers focus on understanding the resources preserved within the park, and helping those resources when necessary. Some of their skills and duties include:
Knowledge of different sciences such as biology, hydrology, geology, archeology, and climatology.
Knowledge of the scientific method and research techniques.
Handling park resources without damaging them.
Collecting data and publishing reports.
Removing invasive species.
Monitoring critical species or other vital park resources.
Working with scientists.
Making sure other employees are not accidentally damaging resources.
