In the Antiquities Act of 1906, Congress authorized the President to proclaim features of historic and scientific interest on public lands as national monuments. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service. Later President Theodore Roosevelt named national monuments such as the cliff dwellings in Montezuma Castle, Arizona and large natural areas like Death Valley, California. Some areas initially protected as national monuments, like Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, and Death Valley, were later made national parks by Congress. By 1916, the Department of Interior oversaw 14 national parks and 21 national monuments, but it was with ...view middle of the document...
Approximately 290 million people visited our National Parks in Fiscal Year 2000.The National Park Service serves under the Department of Interior, it has a national director; the current director is Fran P. Mainella. The next level of structure is the service center of each participating state. The people in charge of each state's service center are the director and the deputy director. Then there are specialized teams in charge of transportation, design and construction, planning and information management. These may vary from state to state.The National Park Service has many professional, volunteer, and trade opportunities across the country. From parks to regional offices, the Park service employs over 20,000 individuals (permanent/temp) and receives additional support from 90,000 volunteers. The House has approved the Appropriation Bill for 2005 and it is now waiting for approval from the Senate. This bill provides 1.686 billion dollars for the National Park Service, it is an $76.5 million dollars increase from 2004.The National park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources of the national park system for the enjoyment and education this and future generations. The park rangers aims to provide the best possible service to park visitors and partners. Collaborating with federal, state, tribal, and local governments, private organizations, and businesses to extend the benefits of the park system. Educating park visitors and ...