The US National Treasures Are Also Being Threatened

American national parks and landmarks are iconic symbols of America’s rich heritage and culture. They are often considered national treasures and thus its preservation is given more importance. There cultural and historical value contributes to the educational, inspirational, and recreational benefits of its citizens. It has also helped represent America into the whole world with its uniqueness and natural beauty. Perhaps one of the most important national treasures of America is the Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone Park was the first declared national park in the whole world. On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant together with the U.S. Congress spearheaded the signing into law of the park. It boasts a diverse ecosystem complete with a lot of geothermal features and wildlife. The world’s most famous geyser “Old Faithful” is also located inside the park. The park is visited by millions of tourist every year with camping being the more popular activity for families. Educational trips are also occasionally conducted by various universities and educational institutions which provide sufficient knowledge to students with regards to American geography, science and culture.

The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a tragedy that is very much relevant to other national treasures of the country. It has reminded the people that these treasures are indeed constantly being threatened by poor decisions of the government. Figures show that over the years, while the defense spending has significantly increased, funding for science and conservation efforts have been at a standstill. Same as what happened to the BP oil spill, lack of funding and attention will certainly make conservation efforts ineffective and be more prone to environmental damage in the future.

Not only is the lack of funding to be blamed but also the ever changing climate that will someday spell disaster to all of us. The hotter winter has caused abnormalities in the life cycle of certain insects, animals and even plants. This has affected the overall balance of the ecosystem creating chaos instead of harmony. And if we don’t act fast and do the necessary steps to protect these national parks and icons, we may lose these national treasures which were used to be loved and preserved by our ancestors. The challenge is to instill in the minds of the youth to work for the preservation and conservation of these natural resources as they are considered valuable assets of the entire nation.