Does the designation of a National Park need congressional approval? I read where President Obama

[RamblingRose]

recently created 2 National Parks: Great Falls National Park in New Jersey & Fort Monroe National Park in Virginia. It said the Fort Monroe N.P. was created by executive power and brings the total number of National Parks to 396. What are the various designations of National Parks (National Park, National Monument, National Recreational Area, National Historic Site) and what are the differences? I tend to think of "National Parks" as the biggies like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, etc. Can executive power be used to designate any type of National Park? I seem to recall when there was a big stink about President Clinton establishing Escalante National Monument.

Just wondering

RR

[Atman]

1. Teddy Roosevelt started the whole Nat'l Park system by presidential edict.

I don't know if that's still how the system works, but since that's how it all started, stands to reason the current president could do it, too.

[Mendocino]

4. The first National park was Yellowstone

designated under President Grant in 1872. The National Park Service was created in 1916 during Wilson's administration.

[Atman]

7. Grant created Yellowstone on paper only.

There were no wardens in the 2.2 million acre preserve and it was rife with poaching...essentially, just a forest with a name, until the Lacey Act of 1894 (also known as the Yellowstone Game Protection Act). TR was only 14 when Grant created Yellowstone, but Grant was one of Teddy's biggest heroes and strongly influenced his huge expansion of the national park system when TR took office in 1901.

No, this isn't from Wikipedia...I actually read Douglas Brinkley's TR bio, Wilderness Warrior. I kept telling myself, as I slogged through it's 1000 pages, that I'd be able to use the info some day! Damn that I got the creation of Yellowstone wrong, though.

:hi:

[Mendocino]

9. Douglas Brinkley

was from my hometown. I vaguely remember him, he was a freshman when I was a senior.

I haven't read WW. I just wish TR had saved Hetch-Hetchy. He could have but let Gifford Pinchot, who was an adversary of John Muir, sway his decision.

Mendocino

[GoCubsGo]

2. He did not designate them as national parks.

He designated them as national monuments. That is within his authority under the Antiquities Act. It is up to Congress to designate them as national parks. Designating them as monuments puts them under the management of the National Park Service.

[Mendocino]

3. See the Antiquities Act of 1906

n/t

[Atman]

8. Now THAT was under Roosevelt!

:)

[Ineeda]

5. Just posted today: 1st Delaware National Park proposal

This article indicates that at least the National Park designation normally goes through the legislative process.
link: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111111/NEWS08/111110338/1st-national-park-in-Del-advances?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

BUT this article indicates a work-around, evidently using the Antiquities Act.
link: http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/white-house-decides-making-fort-monroe-national-monument

[bluedigger]

6. Here's a NPS link that explains the various categories of Federal properties managed by them.

http://www.nps.gov/legacy/nomenclature.html

In addition, private property may be added to the national Historic Register, which is maintained by the park service.http://www.nps.gov/nr/faq.htm

[Sedona]

10. another interesting NPS thread happening now

just an FYI, I'd be interested in the thoughts of this threads participants in the water bottle controversy at Grand Canyon NP.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2284831