Parks, the Wars to End all Wars, & the Great Depression
We all live downstream of a rapids
Parks are America’s Best Idea, the crowning achievement of North America’s History; they join scenic rivers, national monuments, battlefields and wilderness refuges with protections that fulfil our need for Beauty (the top of Maslow’s Pyramid). They are also carbon sinks, protected areas for plant and animal species facing extinctions, and for Canada and the U.S., global air conditioning (as winds blow east). Their areas cover but a small fraction of land owned and operated by State, Provincial and Federal Governments. Most publicly owned land is used for commercial exploitation. But the West has changed in one generation; Parks created by altruism, reflection and reactions to wars, and enhanced to perfection during the Great Depression, are now at the bottom, not top, of the Pyramid of Human Needs illustrating that they can be a foundation for the Future. Leaving private farms (wheat, livestock, tree, etc.) out of the conversation, more Parks, not more agriculture or timber production, is possible … if we change publicly owned Land Use. As an example of Colorado’s natural resources, the establishment of national parks like Rocky Mountain National Park, and conservation efforts make the State’s efforts unique:
https://www.gamewarden.org/rocky-mountain https://medium.com/@dilloneldridgephotography/preserving-colorados-wilderness-a-historical-overview-of-national-and-state-parks-54cc3fb637f7 https://cpw.state.co.us/conservation/Pages/CON-Outdoor-Recreation.aspx https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2024/06/24/balancing-fraught-history-and-modern-collaboration-americas-best-idea
https://www.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/resource-sharing/state-pubs-blog/colorados-national-parks-and-monuments/
https://plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Publicly-Owned-Lands.xlsx
https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-national-parks/
https://www.usaonrace.com/travels-tapestry/2504/one-of-america%E2%80%99s-crowning-achievements-%E2%80%93-national-parks.html
https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Pages/StateTrustLands.aspx
https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks
https://www.historycolorado.org/colorado-national-parks-and-monuments
https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Pages/ParkMap.aspx
What percent of the U.S. West is owned by the People? Publicly owned land that could be re-tasked with a focus on caring for the Earth.
Parks, the War to End all Wars, & the Great Depression
State of Colorado History
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