The National Parks Service
And what we do for you!
Our Purpose
Founded in 1916, the National Parks Service works towards preserving natural landscapes and monuments for future generations. The Service looks after parks, campsites, trails, monuments and monitors animal populations. We try to minimize human impact on landscapes by restricting activity to specified trails, hunting seasons, and areas in order to allow the majority of the lands under our control to be unaffected by human activity. Currently, we manage around 79.7 million acres of land in practically every US State, and 66% of our lands are in Alaska. We primarily adhere to the Endangered Species Act, since many of our parks represent niche habitats that contain unique ecosystems, which we try to study and preserve.
Some of Our Parks
Weir Farm, Wilton, CT
This historic site is the place where many artists draw inspiration, painting the gardens, orchards, and native Connecticut landscapes.
Yosemite National Park, CA
This breathtaking park is home to some of the most amazing feats of nature. From giant sequoias, to huge waterfalls, to jagged granite cliffs, to untouched wilderness, this park has everything there is to love about nature.
Sequoia National Park, CA
This park is next to the Sierra Nevadas in California, and is home to some the biggest trees in the world! These trees are some of the oldest redwoods in the US, and narrowly avoided being chopped down in the 18 and 1900's to be used for fuel.
What working as a National Parks employee means
An Ecologist at Yellowstone National Park
Being an ecologist at the oldest National Park in the US is interesting. Everyday I am in a different part of the park, looking at how different inter-species interactions have affected the landscape. Right now I am tracking the birds of prey within the park, and looking at how their populations change in response to human interactions. In the past I have studied rates of erosion in certain park areas, and monitored fish populations in the rivers. It is my job to report on how the wildlife of the park are behaving, and advocate for the animals. I spend almost every day out in the field, looking at and studying wildlife. To get to this position, I had to get my bachelors degree in a biological science, such as ecology. Others have higher degrees, such as a masters' or doctorate, in other areas too, such as microbiology, marine biology, or even just ecology overall. However, only a bachelors is required.
A Park Director at Weir Farm National Historical Park
As the Park Director of Weir Farm National Historical Park I am in charge of many different things. I coordinate specific dates to hold fundraisers and activities. I also handle recreational operations and plan dates for things like tourist attractions, resupplying things for the wildlife, clean up days, etc. I overlook expenses and develop marketing and financial plans. Further, I also oversee conservation efforts in the park. In short, I basically oversee all that goes on in the park. It's helpful to have a Bachelor of Science degree in park and recreation management, conservation, botany, geology, wildlife management, or forestry.
A Landscape Architect at Yosemite National Park
Tasked with the job of being a landscape architect of a 1200 square mile expanse of California's vast wilderness is incredible to say the least but its importance goes much deeper than that. Much of my day is spent planning and designing specific land areas and the rehabilitation of the surrounding habitats. You may think that my days are almost exclusively spent in the outdoors, but a lot of it is in fact spent painstakingly in the office. In order to even be considered for this job I had to obtain a bachelors degree in landscape architecture and obtain a license. Intern experience is very helpful and the passing of of the Landscape Architect Registration exam is essential as well. If you have a deep respect for the wilderness and a drive to preserve one of the most beautiful parks in the country than this might indeed be the job for you.
Botanist at Sequoia National Park
As a botanist of Sequoia National Park, I have the privlege of scouring through huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, and vast caverns to monitor the diverse plant life including the world's largest trees. The majority of my job consists of experimenting with different plants and discovering the different conditions they grow under. Sometimes I'm even lucky enough to find a new species! I also observe harmful effects like acid rain on the Sequoia trees and figure out ways to protect the trees from extreme damage. To become a botanist, you must obtain an undergraduates degree in a biological science and a bachelor's degree in botany. It also helps to intern with government agencies or educational insitutions.