Nationalism refers to any group of people sharing an identifiable cultural and historical past and with an established sense of national identity, that have come together over time in one or more separate entities. This concept has become increasingly important within political science research as an academic discipline.
Contemporary nation-states face many daunting challenges, the most serious being maintaining social cohesion within their borders and managing ethnic, religious and national diversity.
The National Park System
National parks are an integral part of America’s natural heritage. These stunning landscapes are often protected to maintain their beauty or preserve significant historic or cultural sites.
These areas are administered by state/territorial governments or non-profit organizations known as local coordinating entities, while the National Park Service offers advisory support in terms of technical planning and financial assistance.
The National Park System consists of 424 units and over 150 related areas that serve natural resource conservation, recreation opportunities and education needs. The National Park Service is responsible for safeguarding these places while sharing stories of their history to inspire future generations to connect with nature.
The National Park Service
The National Park Service, part of the Department of the Interior, administers national parks and monuments for their preservation of natural features, historical and cultural sites, recreation opportunities and recreational value. Its primary goals include conservation and enjoyment.
At work in its various capacities are foresters, naturalists, engineers, historians, geologists, archaeologists and rangers; this workforce oversees an expansive system of areas in 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam Puerto Rico Saipan and Virgin Islands.
As the National Park Service began its early history, its management policies prioritised education and commemoration over recreation. By the mid-1960s however, NPS adopted more multifaceted missions by creating programs beyond park boundaries aimed at state and local communities – such as National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that gave the Service authority to designate historical sites; National Wild and Scenic Rivers Program promotes collaborative management of rivers throughout the country – programs which connect people more deeply to places they cherish.
The National Parks
National parks are areas set aside to conserve landscapes, wildlife habitats and historical treasures while providing recreational and educational experiences to their visitors.
The United States boasts over 400 national parks and preserves spanning 13 million acres, each one offering unspoiled beauty with plants and animals that cannot be found elsewhere on earth.
Congress has set aside areas to be preserved in their natural state for future generations’ benefit, protecting wildlife habitats, restoring natural waterways, replanting trees to capture carbon dioxide pollution and more.
The National Park System was conceived through a systematic analysis and selection of key areas considered representative of our natural and cultural heritage, through field trips, overflights, literature reviews and extensive interviews with knowledgeable individuals. This process included field trips, overflights, literature reviews and extensive interviews designed to identify full range of ecological zones, vegetation communities, wildlife populations, geology and geomorphology features as well as potential educational, scientific and tourism benefits of each park site.
The National Debt
The national debt is the amount a country owes its creditors and represents past deficits; it serves as an indicator of financial sustainability.
Budget deficits occur when annual spending exceeds revenues, leaving a nation short. When this occurs in the federal government’s finances, borrowing money to cover payments often occurs by selling marketable securities such as Treasury bonds and notes at auction.
Typically when there is a persistent deficit, government must restructure its debt and implement spending restrictions in order to control interest payments on existing debt. Debt service costs represent an expense of considerable importance to federal authorities.
As our national debt increases, it places additional strain on both the economy and interest rates. Rising interest rates require more funds be set aside to repaying our debt; consequently less funding can go toward supporting other federal programs.
