Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park, California.Image from the Library of Congress American Memory
Last night PBS premiered Ken Burns' latest creation "The National Parks: America's Best Idea". If you missed it, you missed a beautiful beginning to the history of the how and why of our national treasures. However, you can catch it again, just check the schedule. You can also watch it on your computer.
The parks owned by everyone in this country cover 84 million acres, contains the tallest mountains, dense forests, hottest deserts, greatest collection of geysers, breathtaking waterfalls, deep lakes, cool dark caves, wandering rivers, grand canyons, idyllic islands, live volcanoes, and are peaceful refuges for animals and humans alike. Wallace Stegner was right when he said "National Parks are the best idea we ever had."
Watch the videos, tune into PBS, read the books, remember again what it's like to be in a park here in our great country.
A Passion for Nature: the Life of John Muir by Donald Worster
To Yosemite and Beyond: Writings from the Years 1863 to 1875 by John Muir
The National Parks: America's Best Idea: an Illustrated History by Dayton Duncan
Sierra Club: 100 Years of Protecting Nature by Tom Turner
Wallace Stegner and the American West by Philip Fradkin
Ken Burns' other films available at the Library
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2 comments:
I think the National Forests and all of Nature should be preserved, especially in areas where the building has gone out of control. We need some trees and "green" stuff around...or we will go totally mad.
PBS is also running a series, produced by Oregon Public Television, on the Great Lodges of America's National Parks.
May be of interest to those watching the Ken Burns series. APL has at least two of the books assoicated with the series.
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