Protected areas of the United States
Encyclopedia
The protected area
s of the United States
are managed by an array of different federal, state, tribal and local level authorities and receive widely varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness
, while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation
. , according to the United Nations Environment Programme
, the U.S. had a total of 6,770 terrestrial nationally designated (federal) protected areas. These protected area
s cover 2607131 km² (1,006,618.9 sq mi), or 27.08 percent of the land area of the United States. This is also one-tenth of the protected land area of the world. The U.S. also had a total of 787 National Marine Protected Areas
, covering an additional 627830 km² (242,406.5 sq mi), or 67 percent of the total marine area of the United States. In addition, the World Commission on Protected Areas
' 2009 database has over 10,480 protected areas listed for the U.S., including the state level protected areas.
Some areas are managed in concert between levels of government. The Father Marquette National Memorial
is an example of a federal park operated by a state park
system, while Kal-Haven Trail
is an example of a state park operated by county-level government.
. They are often considered the crown jewels of the protected areas. Other areas are managed by the United States Forest Service
, the Bureau of Land Management
and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
. The United States Army Corps of Engineers
is claimed to provide 30 percent of the recreational opportunities on federal lands, mainly through lakes and waterways that they manage.
The highest levels of protection, as described by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are Level I (Strict Nature Reserves & Wilderness Areas) and Level II (National Parks). The United States maintains 12 percent of the Level I and II lands in the world. These lands had a total area of 210000 sq mi (543,897.5 km²).
A confusing system for naming protected areas results in some types being used by more than one agency. For instance, both the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service operate areas designated National Preserve
s and National Recreation Area
s. The National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management operate areas called National Monuments. National Wilderness Areas
are designated within other protected areas, managed by various agencies and sometimes wilderness areas span areas managed by multiple agencies.
There are existing federal designations of historic or landmark status that may support preservation via tax incentives, but that do not necessarily convey any protection, including a listing on the National Register of Historic Places
or a designation as a National Historic Landmark
. States and local zoning bodies may or may not choose to protect these. The state of Colorado
, for example, is very clear that it does not set any limits on owners of NRHP properties.
s. State parks vary widely from urban parks to very large parks that are on a par with national parks. Some state parks, like Adirondack Park, are similar to the National parks of England and Wales
, with numerous towns inside the borders of the park. About half the area of the park, some 3000000 acre (1,214,058 ha), is state-owned and preserved as "forever wild" by the Forest Preserve of New York
. Wood-Tikchik State Park
in Alaska
claims to be the largest state park by the amount of contiguous protected land; it is larger than many U.S. National Parks, with some 1600000 acre (647,497.6 ha). Many states also operate game
and recreation areas.
s, townships
, soil conservation
districts and other units manage a variety of local level parks. Some of these are little more than picnic
areas or playground
s; however, others are extensive nature reserve
s. South Mountain Park
in Phoenix, Arizona
, for example, is called the largest city park
in the United States; it spans 25 sq mi (64.7 km²) and contains 58 mi (93.3 km) of trails.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
are managed by an array of different federal, state, tribal and local level authorities and receive widely varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
, while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation
Exploitation of natural resources
Main article: OverexploitationSome exploitation of natural resources is an essential condition of the human existence. This refers primarily to food production and necessities...
. , according to the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
, the U.S. had a total of 6,770 terrestrial nationally designated (federal) protected areas. These protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s cover 2607131 km² (1,006,618.9 sq mi), or 27.08 percent of the land area of the United States. This is also one-tenth of the protected land area of the world. The U.S. also had a total of 787 National Marine Protected Areas
National Marine Protected Areas Initiative
The National System of Marine Protected Areas of the United States is a national initiative designed to strengthen the protection of U.S. ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources through the coordination of existing marine protected areas...
, covering an additional 627830 km² (242,406.5 sq mi), or 67 percent of the total marine area of the United States. In addition, the World Commission on Protected Areas
World Commission on Protected Areas
The World Commission on Protected Areas is one of six Commissions of the IUCN . WCPA is the world's premier network of protected area expertise...
' 2009 database has over 10,480 protected areas listed for the U.S., including the state level protected areas.
Some areas are managed in concert between levels of government. The Father Marquette National Memorial
Father Marquette National Memorial
Father Marquette National Memorial pays tribute to the life and work of Jacques Marquette, French priest and explorer. The memorial is located in Straits State Park near St. Ignace in the modern-day U.S. state of Michigan, where he founded a Jesuit mission in 1671 and was buried in 1678...
is an example of a federal park operated by a state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
system, while Kal-Haven Trail
Kal-Haven Trail
The Kal-Haven Trail, formally known as the Kal-Haven Trail Sesquicentennial State Park, is a rail trail that originally ran 33.5 miles between South Haven, Michigan, to a point just west of the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, where there is a trailhead...
is an example of a state park operated by county-level government.
Federal level protected areas
Federal level protected areas are managed by a variety of agencies, most of which are a part of the National Park Service, a bureau of the United States Department of the InteriorUnited States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
. They are often considered the crown jewels of the protected areas. Other areas are managed by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
. The United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
is claimed to provide 30 percent of the recreational opportunities on federal lands, mainly through lakes and waterways that they manage.
The highest levels of protection, as described by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are Level I (Strict Nature Reserves & Wilderness Areas) and Level II (National Parks). The United States maintains 12 percent of the Level I and II lands in the world. These lands had a total area of 210000 sq mi (543,897.5 km²).
A confusing system for naming protected areas results in some types being used by more than one agency. For instance, both the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service operate areas designated National Preserve
National preserve
National Preserve is a designation applied by the United States Congress to protected areas that have characteristics normally associated with U.S. National Parks but where certain activities not allowed in National Parks are permitted. These activities include public hunting, trapping, and oil...
s and National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area is a designation for a protected area in the United States, often centered on large reservoirs and emphasizing water-based recreation for a large number of people. The first National Recreation Area was the Boulder Dam Recreation Area...
s. The National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management operate areas called National Monuments. National Wilderness Areas
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
are designated within other protected areas, managed by various agencies and sometimes wilderness areas span areas managed by multiple agencies.
There are existing federal designations of historic or landmark status that may support preservation via tax incentives, but that do not necessarily convey any protection, including a listing on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
or a designation as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. States and local zoning bodies may or may not choose to protect these. The state of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, for example, is very clear that it does not set any limits on owners of NRHP properties.
- List of areas in the United States National Park System
- List of National Parks of the United States
- List of biosphere reserves in the United States
- List of National Wild and Scenic Rivers
- List of National Wildlife Refuges
- List of U.S. National Forests, including United States National GrasslandUnited States National GrasslandNational Grasslands are authorized by Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. For administrative purposes, they are essentially identical to U.S. National Forests, except that grasslands are areas primarily consisting of prairie. Like National Forests, National Grasslands may be open for...
s - List of U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- National Landscape Conservation SystemNational Landscape Conservation SystemThe National Landscape Conservation System is a collection of the lands considered to be the crown jewels of the American west. NLCS is also known as National Conservation Lands. These lands represent 10% of the managed by the Bureau of Land Management...
- National Trails SystemNational Trails SystemThe National Trails System was created by the National Trails System Act The Act created a series of National trails "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation." Specifically,...
State level protected areas
Every state has a system of state parkState park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
s. State parks vary widely from urban parks to very large parks that are on a par with national parks. Some state parks, like Adirondack Park, are similar to the National parks of England and Wales
National parks of England and Wales
The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
, with numerous towns inside the borders of the park. About half the area of the park, some 3000000 acre (1,214,058 ha), is state-owned and preserved as "forever wild" by the Forest Preserve of New York
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
. Wood-Tikchik State Park
Wood-Tikchik State Park
Wood-Tikchik State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Alaska north of Dillingham. Over 1.6 million acres in area—about the size of the state of Delaware, it is the largest state park in Alaska....
in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
claims to be the largest state park by the amount of contiguous protected land; it is larger than many U.S. National Parks, with some 1600000 acre (647,497.6 ha). Many states also operate game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
and recreation areas.
- Lists of State Parks in the United States include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, MassachusettsDepartment of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...
, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming - List of U.S. state and tribal wilderness areas
Local level protected areas
Various counties, cities, metropolitan authorities, regional parkRegional park
Regional park is a term used for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.-Definition:...
s, townships
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
, soil conservation
Soil conservation
Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the Earth’s surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination...
districts and other units manage a variety of local level parks. Some of these are little more than picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
areas or playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
s; however, others are extensive nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s. South Mountain Park
South Mountain Park
South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona, is the largest city park in the United States, one of the largest urban parks in North America and in the world. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.-Geography and Ecology:...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, for example, is called the largest city park
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in the United States; it spans 25 sq mi (64.7 km²) and contains 58 mi (93.3 km) of trails.
External links
- National Landscape Conservation System (BLM Special Areas)
- National Park Service
- National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
- National Wildlife Refuge System
- Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US)
- National Conservation Easement Database (NCED)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lakes Gateway
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Marine Protected Areas