American Wilderness : A Journey Through the National Parks

The National Parks of the United States of America display the spectacular range of the country's climatic, geological, biological and botanical environment. From East to West, from the Great Lakes to the Grand Canyon, the National Parks tell the history of the earth, revealing along the way the astounding beauty of natural forms and the exhilarating variety of flora and fauna.

Today, ever-increasing pressure on the environment -- the destruction of naturally balanced ecosystems, the plundering of natural resources that once seemed inexhaustible, the extinction of species after species -- has shown the world the fragility of our planet. Our collective goal must be to stabilize the environment, to recognize the dangers we face, and to protect the planet from our less sensitive interventions. The National Parks are both a significant step towards this goal and an unsurpassed historical, educational and natural resource.