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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND NATIONAL PARKS 



In addition to the 24 National Parks, the National Park Service 

 administers 68 other reservations known as National Monuments 

 which are reservations of outstanding objects or locations of historic, 

 prehistoric, or scientific interest; and 36 other areas mostly connected 

 with our military history. 



In most of the National Parks and some of the Monuments and 

 military areas are to be found magnificent and unusually interesting 

 primeval forests. Every effort is made to protect them from injurious 



FIG. 111. Flower fields in Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier National Park. 



influences, such as forest fires, insect infestations, and tree diseases, 

 and to maintain them in the best possible primitive conditions for 

 the future. An important feature of this service is the developing 

 protection and care of native wild animals. In fact, some of our finest 

 and largest herds of elk, bison, antelope, mountain sheep, and moun- 

 tain goats are to be found within the confines of our National Parks. 

 The developmental work consists chiefly in the improvement and ex- 

 tension of existing roads and trails, together with their reconstruction 

 and maintenance and the general supervision of hotels, camps, and 

 other recreational accommodations for the convenience of visitors as 



