The best idea America ever had

SAN LUIS VALLEY — Since the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 our national parks have protected some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth, included are the majestic sand dunes.

Our local park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was first established in 1932 as a national monument. It became a national park and preserve in 2004.

National Parks Week began on Saturday, April 20. This week, each day has a different theme to highlight various aspects of Great Sand Dunes and the National Park Service as a whole:

The weeklong rededication to our parks began in August 1991 when President George Bush proclaimed, " The founding of our magnificent Yellowstone National Park in 1872 not only marked an important milestone in the history of American conservationism but also inspired a worldwide movement to set aside certain lands for the preservation of their unique scenic value and natural resources. Today more than 100 countries boast some 1,200 national parks or equivalent preserves.

"To help protect the scenery, wildlife, and historic sites that are found throughout our National Park System, the Congress established the National Park Service on August 25, 1916. 

"The National Park Service is responsible for managing the lands in its care "in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." It is a noble and important task because our national parks are more than scenic preserves. As the renowned conservationist and civic leader, J. Horace McFarland, observed: 'The parks are the Nation's pleasure grounds and the Nation's restoring places, they are an American idea; it is one thing we have that has not been imported. These great parks are, in the highest degree, as they stand today, a sheer expression of democracy."

In 1983, Wallace Stegner wrote, "National Parks are the best idea we ever had, Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflet us at our best, rather than our worst."

This week, visitors to the park can enjoy a variety of activities including:

• Tuesday, April 23 – INNOVATION: Stop by the visitor center at 1:30 for a short ranger program about the innovative tools and devices people have made here for millennia.
• Wednesday, April 24 – WORKFORCE WEDNESDAY: Watch for our social media post highlighting a few Great Sand Dunes staff members!
• Thursday, April 25 – YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: Great Sand Dunes engages youth through programs for schools, local libraries, the Alamosa Boys and Girls Club, internship programs through Conservation Legacy, and Youth Archeology Camps. Watch for a social media post highlighting our current Conservation Legacy intern.
• Friday, April 26 – COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: This is also Arbor Day, a day set aside to celebrate and care for trees. Watch for our social media post about some of the unique trees at Great Sand Dunes! Arbor Day was founded as a way for communities to learn about and plant trees. But long before Arbor Day, Indigenous people have been peeling trees at Great Sand Dunes, carefully extracting the inner bark for food and medicine without killing the tree.
• Saturday, April 27 – NATIONAL JUNIOR RANGER DAY: Stop by the visitor center throughout the day for a touch table of cool fossils, artifacts, and natural objects, and pick up a variety of Junior Ranger booklets – Great Sand Dunes Junior Ranger, Night Explorer, Wilderness Explorer, Eclipse Explorer, and Bat Explorer, to earn special badges or patches! Our Great Sand Dunes Junior Ranger Day will be on Saturday, Aug. 10.
• Sunday, April 28 – ARTS IN PARKS: Join a park ranger for a time of sketching and creating! Materials provided. Visitor center, 1:30 p.m.