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“There’s Only 58, So Get Over It!”

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truncate (TRUNG-kate) v. To shorten, as by cutting off.

My cousin Barb’s husband Jim is doubly entitled to be a crusty old bugger, being a retired police officer (he was a Captain on the Berkeley, California, police force) and a retired full-bird Colonel (USAF). Every time I visit Jim at his Bay Area home, he and I spend a lot of time discussing things. We do love to get under each other’s skin. Jim is an S.O.B. (Sweet Old Buddy) and I am a PCPWHNIHTWRW (Pinko College Professor Who Has No Idea How the World Really Works). Barb referees our discussions, being careful to duck out of the way and shield her ears when we really get into it.

During my most recent visit to the Left Coast, Jim and I were discussing national parks and he was rattling on about how he and Barb intended to visit all of them before they died. I told him that he’d have to step up the pace if he expected to visit all 391 before we planted him. He told me that he only has to visit 58, there being only 58 National Park System units designated National Park. He added that I was sadly uninformed for a geography professor, and that he intended to live long enough to dance on my grave. He did not actually say “dance.”

This conversation took place last January, and I thought I had paid no heed to Jim’s argument. (After all, I almost never pay serious attention to anything that Jim says.) But just recently I noticed that my use of national park terminology has shifted perceptibly. In the past few months I’ve gotten into the habit of referring to the 58 national park-designated units as national parks and the rest as simply NPS units.

Without benefit of conscious decision, I have subscribed to the notion that “All national parks are NPS units, but not all NPS units should be called national parks.” In other words, I have, at least at some subconscious level, come around to Jim’s way of thinking.

What a revolting development! The very thought that Jim will now be given free rein to gloat is almost more than I can bear. I briefly considered not telling him about my cognitive conversion but decided that this would be the coward’s way out. So, when I see him next month (the three of us are going to visit Redwood and Crater Lake together) I’m going to tell him that, after allowing for legitimate differences of opinion, and with due regard for his woeful ignorance of enabling legislation, Congressional intent, Supreme Court rulings, and National Park Service traditions, policies and practices, it may be technically appropriate for him to truncate his national park life list at 58.

Comments

With all due respect, this is not the case. All units are protected by the same laws and regulations (courtesy of the General Authorities Act and Redwood Act amendments). When Petrified Forest, Congaree, Cuyahoga, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, changed their designations to national park their protection and resources did not change. If Pinnacles changes to a national park its resources will not change. There are national parks you can hunt in and national lakeshores you cannot hunt in. There are hotels and other development in some national parks you will not find in some national monuments. Craters of the Moon National Monument has outstanding natural resources and is far larger than many national parks. I could go on. My point is, there is no objective criteria that defines the title designation. Designation is often political and often driven by the desires of local tourism boosters. There is no defending a nomenclature that has no rationale.


Ken Burns did not "ignore" some national parks because of their presumed lack of worth, but simply because he had only 12 hours to tell a good story (and a *very* good story this is). However, I think he made sure that an image of each of the national parks (this means the 58 ones :-)) was seen.

Moreover, the narrative, although centered on the national parks, is not confined to them. There are mention of other type of units, including long segments on Dinosaur NM and obscure ones such as Manzamar NHS, and their meaning within the expended mission of the NPS to preserve all aspects of the American heritage and history.

Please note that I have seen the 12 hours of the Ken Burns movie. Comments based only on partial previews may not be fair to the series.

Tuan

National Parks images


Jim is absolutely correct.

The 58 National Parks are recognized as the "crown jewels" of the NPS system.

It's not just a name.

They do benefit from more protection and resources than other units.

You will learn in the Ken Burns movie that although some areas were already National Monuments, there was a considerable effort done by individuals to have them re-designated as National Parks, because it was thought that only then they would be safe.

It is true that the area itself does not change, but what changes is our perception of its value. When Gates of the Arctic gained NPS protection, and two years later, NP status, no physical changed occurred on the land. No roads, trails, ranger stations, or visitor centers were built. Yet the area took a new dimension.

Tuan.

National Parks images


"Sweet Old Buddy"? That's LOL hilarious - mind if I use that? Seriously, if there are only 58, then I've actually visited a third of them! You've made my day, Bob - thank you!


Great story! I am now putting all 58 on my bucket list less the 8 that i've been to. That leaves a lot of travelling to do. Can't wait to start it, which will be in Sept with a trip to Arcadia.


Actually, Bat, I just borrowed the idea. There are baseball caps for sale with "SOB" printed on the front in large letters with "Sweet Old Buddy" beneath in tiny letters. The first time I ever saw one was in 1970 when a fellow graduate student at the University of Illinois presented an SOB cap to a geography professor during a Christmas party. It was richly deserved, I might add.


Bucket list is a great term in this context, mimi. I should have stolen that phrase too. Darn!


We still call the people that interpret and protect these places "park" rangers. Wouldn't it be hard work to create a whole new set of job series for monument rangers, preserve rangers, historic site rangers?

A friend of mine used to say, "the sweetest sound a man can hear is the sound of his own name." Guess he was right.


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