University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Recognition

The establishment of our national park system has a fascinating history, and the journeys taken by John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and others laid the foundation for these public lands we have today. The protection and conservation of the most beautiful natural landscapes across the country has allowed all of us to be inspired and to connect with our inner geologist during our outdoor explorations. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have had to witness the geologic wonders from Acadia and Arches to Glacier and Hawaii Volcanoes, from the Everglades and the Grand Canyon to the Great Sand Dunes and the Great Smoky Mountains … the list goes on and on for where I have been, and what I have yet to see. Visiting national parks keeps me inspired as a geologist, as a citizen, and as an instructor who can share these journeys with her classroom. This book can bring a piece of these public lands to students through stunning images and the cultural history of national parks. I thank Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns for sharing with us not just the present-day inspiration provided by national parks, but the important history of how the park system came to be.