Argumentative Essay On National Parks

The National Park is a distinctly American idea. Since the establishment of the first

National Park at Yellowstone, the parks have taken on a plethora of adaptations. Some

advantageous and others detrimental to the parks. Through political leanings, changing

administrations and changing perceptions of the wild and its trappings, parks evolved from

a collection of curiosities designated for the upper class to a multifaceted tourist retreat.

The main goal of the national parks system is to “conserve unimpaired,” to nurture and

protect nature. This dual mandate is paradoxical at best, as it supposes that parks are meant to be

preserved and conserved while facilitating public access and visitor enjoyment. However, it is

debatable whether this aim
Parks need science to

understand the native wildlife and vegetation that characterize them.

Much like the fabled campfire origin story of Yellowstone, the history of the parks was

previously a history of heroes and villains with, almost exclusively, the white European being the

hero. Sellars and Keiter’s monographs, written in 1997 and 2013 respectively have shed a more

inclusive more multi focused analysis of events. Sellars interpretations is a very matter of fact

version of parks history. He focuses more on the beginnings of the parks and how they came to

be their contemporary counterparts. Sellars’ monograph is the pioneering work of National

Parks history. It represents a shift and a recognition of the importance of environmental history.

Keiter’s piece, written sixteen years later, addresses how policy makers and politicians have

shaped the history of the parks. He further uses more contemporary examples to further his

argument.

Despite all of the efforts and laws and political epics over the years, the only success that

seems to have come out of the national parks idea is tourism. It drives the parks today and