Park Rangers, Naturally
Of the many parks that are part of the American heritage, the National Park 1 Service (NPS) is easily the most majestic. From the moment of the first European settlements in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, visitors and residents alike have marveled at the natural beauty and diversity of 2 the American landscape's attractiveness. As part of a commitment to preserving these national treasures against the forward movement of industrialization, the National Park Service was founded in 1916 during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.
Today, there are over 400 parks in the service, and these parks are run and overseen by the Department of the Interior. The day-to-day operations, 3 including maintenance and tours, are the work of park rangers. These park rangers are responsible for the upkeep of the 4 parks, their main responsibility is to maintain the balance between the wildlife and plant species and the human visitors that come to the parks every day.
5 Without park rangers, the parks would be overrun with pollution. Some are scientists who revel in the ecological aspects of maintaining the parts. Some are educators 6 helping visitors to understand the unique aspects and historical significance of the parks. Still others come from law enforcement and firefighting, given that their posts are often very far indeed from the municipal bodies that typically provide 7 them.
There are nearly 4,000 park rangers in service with the NPS today. 8 Visitors are on the rise, poising that number for growth. 9 Although park visitation numbers peaked in 1987, the general trend has been a steady rise. The numbers continue to be high, with over 270 million visitors in 2013. It seems that as economic conditions in the country as uncertain, more and more people turn to parks for economical, educational, and enlightening alternatives to the more costly tourist activities and trips. Now, too, that climate science has 10 foretold difficult times, the NPS is seen to be protecting the last vestiges of our green world before it slips away.
11 The park-ranger workforce is so diverse, there are actually a few common attributes among park rangers. Park rangers need at least a two-year degree and some experience working in parks. Many seasonal park workers and volunteers go on to become park rangers. Ultimately, attaining work as a park ranger is less about a skill-set than a particular mindset. Park rangers must honor and revere the natural world: they spend their entire careers learning about and living in the places they work. Park rangers have special jobs, so it naturally takes a group of special people to do those jobs.