A National Park, Monument or Forest is a place that holds unique natural, cultural or historic resource. They are like living laboratories. By the Act of March 1, 1872, the U.S. Congress established Yellowstone National Park "as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people" and placed it "under exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior." This designation began a worldwide national park movement. Today, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), close to 15% of the Earth's land and 10% of its territorial waters are under protection, an increase of about 300% in the last decade. These special, irreplaceable locations preserve our world history and our wild environments. They contain the legacy of this planet. We hope our expeditions, conservation efforts and photographic field surveys promote the importance of their preservation for future generations to enjoy and to offer wild refuge for species threatened by human encroachment.
