00:00 National parks are a valuable and important idea that originated in the United States and has been adopted by countries around the world.

04:55 National parks allow for dispersed camping and exploring off the beaten path, and the inspiration for national parks came from the Mariposa Battalion stumbling upon the Yosemite Valley in 1851.

09:37 The first national park in the US was established in Yellowstone in 1872.

14:48 Yellowstone National Park was initially managed by a private company and then by the Army before the establishment of the National Park Service.

19:25 The tension between setting aside land for the public good and private interests is ongoing and capitalism and stewardship can coexist to benefit all people.

24:20 In 1916, Congress passed the Organic Act of 1916, which established the National Park Service to preserve and manage national parks for future generations.

28:58 The National Park Service identifies unique and significant areas, such as the Grand Canyon and the Agate Fossil Beds National Park, as qualifying for national park status based on their grandeur, scope, size, or the presence of rare features like undisturbed timelines of evolution, which need to be protected from human activity, exploitation, and climate change.

33:42 National parks inspire awe and need to be protected due to their unique landscapes and geology, and they provide breathing spaces in a society that is increasingly holding its breath.

39:06 The Civilian Conservation Corps was responsible for establishing new national parks and creating visitor centers, and Mission 66 was launched in 1966 to handle the influx of visitors and improve public services, while the Leopold Report highlighted the need to protect biodiversity and wildlife in national parks.

43:57 The reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park has had a positive impact on the ecosystem, leading to healthier grasslands, increased biodiversity, and the return of keystone species like beavers, fish, mammals, and birds.

48:48 National Parks have a relatively low number of deaths per year, with drowning being the leading cause, and while murders and sexual assaults are rare, they do occur occasionally.