How you can help preserve a 100-year-old treasure

(ARA) – Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, the Statue of Liberty and Acadia – the names of some of America’s most beautiful and well-known national parks conjure images of majestic mountains, colorful deserts, crystal blue lakes and stories about our nation’s heritage.

In just seven years, the National Park Service will celebrate its 100th anniversary, and while the celebrations are starting out strong, the national parks are beginning to show their age. Threats of funding shortfalls, pollution, climate change, and encroaching development are competing with the parks’ natural and historic wonders.

Many of these threats plagued the parks 80 years ago, and are revisited in Ken Burns’ historical documentary series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” which recently aired on PBS.

Throughout history and continuing today, key individuals have made it their personal mission to overcome these obstacles and keep the parks healthy. Maxine Johnston has been dubbed the “Godmother” of Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas. Johnston’s 50 years of tireless advocacy have helped to protect roughly 100,000 acres of unique, highly diverse wildlife habitat within the preserve.
In the state of Washington, Clarence Moriwaki spent years working to ensure that the stories of more than 200 U.S. citizens of Japanese descent who were transferred to isolated internment camps during World War II are not forgotten. His efforts paid off this year when Congress and the president approved the creation of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial, now part of the park syste m

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