In Jeopardy When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. As early settlers spread westward across the United States, they fought their way over rugged mountains and passed through endless miles of forest and prairie. Birds filled the air with song.
Wildflowers spread broadly across the plains.
Pristine rivers and lakes teemed with aquatic life. The bounty of this young nation must have been awe-inspiring. In the late 1800s, wise observers saw that the spread of settlement could easily destroy those natural wonders. National Parks were created to preserve the most outstanding natural resources. The vast oceans of forest and lofty mountains surrounding these parks would surely protect these resources indefinitely, or so they thought.