AY Honor National Parks and Heritage Sites Answer Key
Skill Level
1
Year
2021
Version
12.10.2024
Approval authority
North American Division
1
1a
A national park is a site or area that a national government has set aside with protection from development, changing, or specific types of use, because the land or area is considered special or valuable due to the scenery, history, or scientific importance.
In the United States, the National Park Service Act of 1916 set up the National Parks System to establish and maintain national parks, monuments, and other places of significant national importance.
In November 1885 the Government of Canada under Sir John A. Macdonald set aside an area of approximately 26 km2 on the north slope of Alberta’s Sulphur Mountain for public use. This area, the Cave and Basin Hot Springs, was the beginning of what is now Banff National Park. This Canadian Encyclopedia article gives a good overview of Parks Canada beginnings.
1b
UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It was founded on November 16, 1945, and part of its mission is to preserve and maintain sites worldwide that are significant to, you guessed it, education, science, and culture. In contrast to the national parks systems set up by a single nation, the UNESCO organization oversees sites that are voted by member countries as having global significance, regardless of the site's location. The process of getting a UNESCO site designated is long and can be quite political but most of the world’s truly epic historical and many spectacular natural sites are now designated.
It is important to note that a specific site can be a national park or historic site as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. For example, the United State's Mesa Verde National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as the United State's Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall, and Papahānaumokuākea National Monument.
2
2a
i
Although the concept of national parks had been around for several hundred years already, the United States and Canada were some of the first countries to take major steps to create a system for the creation, preservation, and management of national parks and historic sites.
ii
There were hundreds, if not thousands of individuals who contributed to the establishment and protection of national parks, but several of note in the United States include individuals like Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Theodore Rosevelt, geologist Ferdinand V. Hayden, photographer William Henry Jackson, painter Thomas Moran, and naturalist John Muir.
In Canada the first Prime Minister John A McDonald was important in establishing the first National Park. James B. Harkin, the first parks commissioner who served from 1911 to 1936 is seen as the father of Canada’s National Parks.
iii
The purpose of protecting areas of natural significance allowed the government to preserve and police it while still allowing it to be used for public enjoyment. There were fears that areas of national importance, especially areas of unique natural formations and scenery would be damaged or destroyed, or that these areas could be purchased by private property owners who might keep the rest of the public from enjoying the unique nature that the country had to offer. By reserving these areas, not only were these people protecting the land for future enjoyment, but they were preventing it from being sold to someone who might not allow others to enjoy the land.
iv
If you live in the United States, you can easily find national parks or historic sites near you by going to the National Park Service's website here. For those in Canada, you can visit the Parks Canada website here. For those living outside the United States or Canada, visit the website of the organization that oversees your country's national parks and historic sites.
2b
i
The process of establishing the first UNESCO World Heritage sites began in 1972, but the first UNESCO sites were officially designated in September of 1978.
ii
The purpose of the creation of UNESCO sites was conservation of places that had significance to world history, science, culture, and education. The official statement said that creating these sites would help to preserve "the achievements of our time, the values of the past and the beauty of nature.”
iii
Twelve sites were included in the original selection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including:
- Aachen Cathedral (Germany)
- City of Quito (Ecuador)
- Cracow’s Historic Centre (Poland)
- Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
- Island of Goree (Senegal)
- L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Park (Canada)
- Mesa Verde National Park (United States)
- Nahanni National Park (Canada)
- Rock Hewn Churches (Lalibela, Ethiopia)
- Simien National Park (Ethiopia)
- Wieliczka – salt mine (Poland)
- Yellowstone National Park (United States)
iv
To find a UNESCO World Heritage Site near you, you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site webpage here.
3
In the United States, the National Park Service oversees and maintains a large number of areas known as "national park areas" or "national protected areas." These are relative terms that describe all the land that the government owns and protects from development. However, these land areas have been broken down into a variety of other more specific categories:
- Cooperative Management and Protection Areas
- Forest Reserves
- National Conservation Areas
- National Estuarine Research Reserves
- National Forest
- National Grasslands
- National Historic Trails
- National Lakeshores
- National Marine Sanctuaries
- National Monuments
- National Parks
- National Preserves
- National Recreation Areas
- National Scenic Trails
- National Seashores
- National Trails System
- National Wild and Scenic Rivers
- National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
- National Wilderness Preservation System
- National Wildlife Refuge System
- Outstanding Natural Areas
- Wilderness Areas
- Wilderness Study Areas
In Canada, these are categorized similarly, but there are fewer categories:
- National Park
- National Park Reserve
- National Marine Conservation Area
- National Marine Conservation Reserve
- National Urban Park
- National Landmark
4
A national park is overseen by the nation's government itself and are locations of national importance. In the case of the United States, this would be the National Parks Service, as well as the US Forest Service at times. In Canada, this organization is known as Parks Canada. These organizations oversee the protection, managed development, staffing, care, and maintenance of these areas.
A state or provincial park, on the other hand, is managed and maintained by the local state or provincial government. These areas may have significance to the local area which would lead to the state protecting it, but they do not have the national importance required to make it a national park or monument. These state parks are managed, maintained, and staffed by the states themselves.
5
This is an opportunity for you to show what you've learned about national parks and historic sites! Remember, one of the most important goals for a national park is to preserve a special area for future visits, and even future generations. You can help share the importance of protecting and caring for these special areas by showing the unique features that make it special to people who may not be able to visit in person. It would be ideal to complete this requirement while you work on Requirement 7.
5a
5b
5c
5d
5e
5f
6
Object lessons are easy to create. Look around you! As you complete this honor, is there anything that stood out to you about the importance of caring for God's creation? Read the verses below and some ideas may come to mind! If you visit a national park, think about the projects the park is doing to conserve the nature that has been entrusted to it, and ask yourself how the park might be carrying out the responsibility that God gave us without even knowing it! You might be surprised how easy it is to come up with an object lesson once you start looking!
6a
- (26) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
- (27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
- (28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
- Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
6b
- The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
- The world and those who dwell therein.
6c
- The sea is His, for He made it;
- And His hands formed the dry land.
6d
- I brought you into a bountiful country,
- To eat its fruit and its goodness.
- But when you entered, you defiled My land
- And made My heritage an abomination.
7
7a
Many national parks or historic sites offer kids an opportunity to learn about the park's history and features by giving them a booklet to fill out. Participants can visit areas of the park or visitor's center and find the information that is required to complete the book, then bring the book back for the opportunity to receive a special pin or badge! Usually, this is free for all those who complete the program. You might even be able to mail the booklet in if you can't finish it before you need to leave. Many sites will even let parents and other adults get in on the fun!
7b
If you are planning to visit a UNESCO or national park site, you will probably want to take pictures to document your adventure! To fulfill this requirement, organize the pictures in a fun and thoughtful way!
7c
You will see many things during your visit you may want to preserve by painting or drawing a picture of it. Let your creative juices flow! Make sure you share it with your instructor or unit! You might even include it in your creative project from Requirement 5!
7d
You won't regret visiting a UNESCO, national park, or historic site! They offer great opportunities to get out into nature and experience sights, sounds, and smells you might not be able to experience elsewhere. Make sure you share what you experienced with your instructor or unit! You might even tell about it in your creative project from Requirement 5!
7e
Learn a little more about a specific park or heritage site that interests you! Even if it may be impossible for you to visit them in person, that doesn't stop you from getting to know more about the site from a distance! To find the information below, you can check to see if the national park or heritage site has a website. If so, most of the information could probably be found there under a title "about the park" or "history". If you can't find the information there, you could also send the park a letter or an email asking for fliers and such that might help you find the information. Also, if you can visit the location in person, you should be able to find all the answers in the visitor's center!
i
ii
iii
iv
7f
Many national parks have programs that allow visitors to help out in various ways around the park. Opportunities may range from helping clean up trash for a few hours, trail clearing, and planting trees, to extended volunteer projects up to six months. There are countless projects you can create your presentation about!
If you choose this option, why don't you participate in the conservation project? You can select a national park or historic area and ask them what you can do to help. The needs at each location will vary, so be sure you know where you want to go first!
7g
There are many great videos about national parks online. Expedia creates some excellent videos that show the best places to visit for many national parks and historic sites. Many YouTubers also create video tours of their own experiences at the parks or historic sites.
This video is a great overview of Yosemite National Park in California.
7h
Many national parks and heritage sites have "passport" programs that encourage people to visit and learn about these sites. These passport books typically only serve one system (for example, the US National Parks System has a different and more complete passport system than the Canada Parks system, which may not always have passport stamps, but might have other collectibles for visitors of the park.
References
United States' National Park Service webpage
Canada's Parks Canada webpage
UNESCO World Heritage Site webpage