Abstract
This paper discusses the prominent features of physical geography both within the park and the surrounding region. The focus of the paper is on the physical geography, including topography, minerals, glaciers, soils, animals, plants, environment and climate. Glaciers and the effects of glaciation on the Kenai Fjords National Park and surrounding region are
also discussed in some depth.

Outline
Topography
Rocks and Mineral
Soils
Glaciers
Animals and Wildlife
Plants
Surrounding Bodies of Water
Rivers and Lakes
Environment
Climate and Weather
Geopolitical
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The Kenai Fjords National Park is located on the Kenai Peninsula off the southern part of Alaska. The Park and the surrounding region are known for a wide variety of climates, terrain, and flora and fauna. The region also contains reserves of oil, natural gas, and coal. The Peninsula provides a microcosmic view of the overall Alaskan ecology- all the various types of terrain native to Alaska can be found within the Kenai Peninsula. The region is also home to some of the largest glaciers outside of the Arctic Circle."

Tags:peninsula, harding, icefield, lowlands, mountains, glaciers, pleistocene, glaciation

Abstract
This paper discusses the history of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. The paper explains that the park was built to preserve the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people and that it is of historical and archaeological significance to visitors and scientists alike.

Tags:Mesa Verde, national park, Native Americans, Anasazi

Abstract
This paper describes the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park and the threats it faces as a result of hurricanes, tourists, a home-building boom, and social inequality.

From the Paper
"The U.S. Virgin Islands National Park is located in the Caribbean in the U.S. Virgin Islands on the island of Saint John. The park borders encompass the island with the park owning all of the land within its boundaries, except for..."

Tags:U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands National Park, ecology, demographics, social inequality, coral reefs, geography, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

Abstract
This paper explains that the boundaries of Joshua Tree National Park are several mountain ranges including a quadrangle underlain by a basement terrane comprising Proterozoic metamorphic rocks, Mesozoic plutonic rocks, and Mesozoic or Cenozoic hypabyssal dikes. The author points out that, even in arid climates such as Joshua Tree National Park, water and wind are the key dynamic as far as erosion of rock is concerned; however, what is seen today in this park is a collection of relict features inherited from an earlier time of higher rainfall and lower temperatures. The paper stresses that the park, located just east of the San Andreas fault zone, is crisscrossed with hundreds of faults from ancient and recent earthquakes, which can be viewed and clearly understood by an alert visitor to the park.

From the Paper
"On June 28, 1992, the largest earthquake to have hit the contiguous United States in 40 years hit the Joshua Tree National Park area - a 7.3 Richter Scale shaker. It was called the Landers Earthquake Sequence; it was the result of a "right-lateral shear on five major faults," according to an article in the journal "Science". The earthquake was generated in an 80-kilometer-wide swath of seismically active faults along the southern part of the eastern California "shear zone" - of which Joshua Tree is a part."

Tags:earthquake, dikes, water, relict, terrane

Abstract
The paper discusses how national parks in the US have various problems, including pollution stemming from inside and outside the parks and a present management that is seen as insufficient and contradictory. The paper discusses the structure, history and mission of the National Park Service (NPS). The paper looks at park system powers and the politics surrounding them. The paper concludes that a restructuring in the administration of the NPS might be in order, if only to gain more protection for the parks against 21st century environmental problems.

Outline:
Structure
History
Mission
Powers
Politics

From the Paper
"Since 1916, more than 370 parks of great natural beauty and grandeur from Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to the Hawaiian Islands have been managed and preserved by the National Park Service (NPS) which is a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior. Such great historic and natural treasures as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone; are now parks that preserve the pristine animal habitats or echo the nation's history, such as the Gettysburg Battlefield or preserve such notable landscapes as Mesa Verde and parks along seashores, lakeshores, and river-ways. They also provide opportunities for outdoor activities, such as at Assateague Island and Lake Mead. (National Park Service 2006)."

Tags:nature, resources, pollution, preservation, scenery, habitat

Abstract
This paper briefly discusses the history of the Kruger National Park which is considered to be an international icon and represents the heritage of South Africa. The paper also explains that thousands of people had to suffer so that the park could grow and flourish, and thousands of people have been displaced because of the bureaucratic decisions made by officials.The paper also emphasis that the park has a dark history of a war over land as there were land claims from the tribes that once populated the park.

From the Paper
''The establishment of game reserves in the Transvaal in 1889 before the park was founded as well as more recently is still an issue surrounded by controversy today. Game reserves are considered undemocratic by many due to the fact that the land is closed to the public and only available for use by certain privileged individuals. The governing of game reserves in the Transvaal was not well established at the time, which made it difficult to even define what constituted a game reserve. Those who took part in the establishment of these reserves believed it was a novel idea, and that they should be given credit this new and modern institution, however in actuality, game reserves had a long history going back many centuries. After the South African War from 1899-1902, the already existing game reserves were inherited by the new British government in place, and looked upon as a method of wildlife protection. No real function of these game reserves was ever announced during the life of the Transvaal Republic Government, and this was straightened out during the colonial Transvaal period. It was stated that game reserves were for sportsman, and that they would eventually contribute to the government after the antelope population returned to an adequate number and the reserves would then be open to the public who would pay to hunt. In addition to the colonial citizens, African residents also opposed game reserves because they alienated land and made it impossible to defend themselves from dangerous animals since Africans were not allowed to have weapons. In addition to this, many Africans were evicted from their homes and forced to live on native reserves or "locations", in addition to the fact that they were not allowed access to game as a means of subsistence. Africans were commonly arrested for "being in possession under suspicious circumstances of game meat".

Tags:rinderpest, epizootic, poaching, land, claims, game, reserves

Abstract
This paper discusses how, given the historical and ecological history of Yellowstone National Park, the forest manager has three options in regard to controlled wildfires - suppression, fire management involving allowing natural fires to burn, and controlled or prescribed burning involving fires set by professionals. It also looks at the pros and cons of controlled burning in Yellowstone and gives recommendations concerning an option combining both controlled burning and suppression.

Outline:
What Options Are Available As Manager?
What Can Yellowstone National Park Do About This Current Issue--Fires In Yellowstone?
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Controlled Burning In Yellowstone?
Part II Recommendation Analysis

From the Paper
"In 1988, the largest fire in the history of site burned in Yellowstone National Park. The fire was a combination of unseasonably dry weather and controlled and uncontrolled fires. Some believe the fire to be a combination of experimental fire management plans that were launched after the research of the 1960s that shed light on the benefits of small fires although only thirty-eight of the fifty fires that burned were actually controlled or prescribed fires ("Wildland Fire"). Though this evidence seems to suggest that the destruction caused by the fire was a result of wildfire, not fire management, the argument can still be made that the additional twelve fires were not suppressed because of relaxed suppression policies due to fire management. "

Tags:controlled, burning, suppression

Abstract
An examination of the series of events that followed the disastrous fire at Yellowstone National Park in 1988. It discusses the destruction and ecological damage of the fire and also looks at plans to repair the damage as much as possible.

From the Paper
"Fires are dangerous and deadly but just how far they can go that can be seen with the example of the 1988 fire at the Yellow Stone National Park. Yellowstone National Park is located in the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming is the first and oldest national park in the world. It covers 8,983.210 km? (2,219,790.71 acres) mostly in the northwest corner of Wyoming. Yellowstone is home of the brown bear (sometimes called "grizzly bears") and wolf, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. It is the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact Temperate Zone ecosystems remaining on the planet. The park was named for the yellow rocks seen in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone a deep gash in the Yellowstone Plateau that was formed by floods during previous ice ages and by river erosion from the Yellowstone River."

Tags:forest, ecological

Abstract
This essay is on the history of California's national parks, especially Yosemite National Park. The paper discusses how such land came to be preserved, and what obstacles were faced in the process of their preservation.

From the Paper
"According to an essay published online by the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES), the National Park Service maintains different units in California, including nine National Parks. These Parks, Monuments and Preserves offer visitors a wide variety of options, including historical and cultural experiences to the exploration of natural wonders which can be seen nowhere else in the world. California's best known National Park is Yosemite National Park. According to an essay published online on the American Parks Network website, Yosemite Valley's first residents..."

Tags:National park service, california, national park, Yosemite, preservation, creating, congress

Abstract
This paper explores the history of point Pelee National Park. Other issues discussed are: the changing roles of recreation and parks management and the problems facing park management.