National Parks | Government Book Talk

GPO Summer Travel Series: Exploring the Everglades

July 2, 2018

Visiting the same old summer vacation spot year after year can become mundane. So GPO’s Summer Travel Series is bringing you a new and different sanctuary like you’ve never experienced before. This isn’t a beach retreat. Nope, it isn’t a mountain resort either. Today we’re equipping you with resources for a subtropical wonderland excursion. Ladies and gents, spray the bug repellant, grab your favorite outdoor hat, pack the poncho, and don’t forget the camera … we’re heading to the Everglades in South Florida!

If you’re a fan of vegetation and wildlife (and yes, the wet), prepare to be amazed by Everglades National Park. Abundant in plants and animals, the Everglades includes both tropical species and species from the Temperate Zone. It’s a paradise where wildflowers bloom year round, lily pads lazily float down the river, trees form canopies, and algae paint the water a vibrant green. Birds, mammals, reptiles and orchids can be spotted among the community. And keep your eye out for alligators, which are considered the keeper of the Everglades.

Eager to learn more? Go into your trip an Everglades expert. Everglades Wildguide from the GPO Bookstore presents the story of the Everglades National Park and its plants and animals, some of which can’t be found anywhere else in the United States. Read as the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service take you through what you can expect to experience at various parts of the park. And gain knowledge on the park’s history and transformation and the Federal Government’s efforts to restore its ecosystem.

If you aren’t able to take a trip to the Everglades right now, you can still get a little piece of it from GPO’s Bookstore. Created by an artist with the National Park Service, Everglades National Park poster captures the natural beauty of the Everglades in brilliant color. It is guaranteed to delight both young and old as they try to identify all the hidden animals from alligators to armadillos to bears to butterflies and birds.

You’re armed with the best resources out there. Now call your most adventurous buddies and go explore the Everglades!

GPO Summer Travel Series: A Cape Cod Vacation

June 20, 2018

Our GPO Summer Travel Series is back. And let’s be honest. What is summer vacation without a retreat to the coast? So if you’re in the mood to ditch reality for colored sands, saltwater, spectacular sunsets, and communal history, consider a vacation to Cape Cod, the world’s largest glacial peninsula.

Cape Cod is the first place the Mayflower Pilgrims landed in 1620 and is where many American maritime cultural traditions, such as using carved bird decoys, were founded. The area once attracted seamen who sailed around the world hoping to bring home wealth and exotic treasures. Dating back to the 1800s, authors have been fascinated by the solitary and quaint life of Cape Codders such as lighthouse keepers and skip-wreck scavengers.

Today, the cape experiences much more activity and is one of America’s most popular public parks. But its traditional seafaring culture can still be felt by anyone who visits the destination. Full of wild inhabitants, summer cottages and colorful boats, it’s no wonder the shore attracts more than five million visits each year. And don’t miss out on majestic old lighthouses like Nauset Light, which you may recognize from your potato chip bags. The restored lighthouse is still used today to alert mariners off Eastham’s Atlantic coast.

Want to know more about this charming seashore? Order The Cape Cod Official National Park Handbook, produced by the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service, from the GPO Bookstore. Written by longtime resident Robert Finch, the handbook offers endless information about the cultural and natural history of Cape Cod. It examines the land, the sea, and recent transformations in the peninsula. Maps and a travel guide make this a great resource for those traveling to the Cape. Whether you’re interested in the bountiful sea, clambakes, or the historic attractions at Cape Cod, this handbook is guaranteed to make your Cape Cod experience even richer than it otherwise would be.

Get Outdoors this Summer with Help From GPO

July 19, 2017

July is National Parks & Recreation Month in the U.S., which delivers a reminder of the staggeringly beautiful images from the thousands of national parks around our great Nation. Perhaps this is the year that you finally pack up the family in the car or RV and spend a long weekend camping in the hills and enjoying the incredible wonder that is our naturally beautiful landscape.

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) is here to help you with the research and planning that can make any summer vacation into the one you tell stories about for years to come. The most important step of that epic road trip is first and foremost choosing where to go and where to stay. The U.S. Government Bookstore offers more than a few options on how to figure that out.

The National Parks Index offers a complete administrative listing of the National Park System and can help you figure out which parks are in your area and what they have to offer. Also, if you’re a more visual person, there is the National Park System Wall Map Poster which would allow you map out your trip visually, and you could even hang it on the wall in your house and use pushpins to track your progress in visiting all the parks our country has to offer.

While you’re on your trip, you may want to bring along a camera to capture some of the breath taking scenes you’re sure to see. The best photographers know that the key to beautiful pictures is the inspiration, and the book A Photographer’s Path: Images of National Parks Near the Nation’s Capital is full of incredible photos that are sure to light your creative fires and inspire you to take a couple of photos worthy of printing and hanging on your wall.

Another great thing our national parks offer is free or discounted fees to visit for active duty and retired military members due to the National Parks Freedom Pass Act which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2011.

To find other bills and laws that Congress has passed to protect and preserve our park system, visit govinfo.gov and search “national parks.”

You can also search the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications to find a list of titles that will allow you to learn more about the parks and monuments available near you, like:

Make GPO your first stop when planning your next national park trip, and visit our sites to learn more about the great history of our Government preserving the parks for our future generations. Happy camping!

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Click on the Links: For the free resources, click on the links above in the blog post.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Scott Pauley is a Writer and Editor in GPO’s Library Services and Content Management office.

Leave a Comment » | Family, National Park Service, National Park Service, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: National Parks, National Parks & Recreation Month, national parks and recreation, national parks books, national parks month, Recreation | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

New Grand Canyon Trip Planner from the National Park Service

April 17, 2017

Just in time for National Park Week, the National Park Service offers you and your family a hardy, “Grand Canyon” experience.

To take the first step to a grand family travel time, the Park Service has developed a helpful guide filled with general information starting with “Getting to the Grand Canyon”, what weather to expect when there, plus lots of details and photos about the South and North Rim services and facilities.

Want to know more about tours and trips? It’s there.

Hiking map? Just be sure you come in shape since some paths are far from a “walk in the proverbial park”! Take a good listen to their tips on hiking, full day hiking journeys, and more for those up to the rigors, sharing life memories and experiences that come when backpacking.

Tourists gather at the South Rim’s Mather Point for sunset.

Park Rangers know just about everything and anything to make your Grand Canyon visit all you could expect it to be. So they urge you to “get involved.”

Start now by obtaining the Grand Canyon “Trip Planner” at the bookstore.gpo.gov. “Awesome” is an understatement!

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

2 Comments | Family, National Park Service, National Park Service, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Trip Planner, National Park Service, National Park Week, national park week 2017, National Parks, National Parks guides, parks, trip planner | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Stunning Images of National Parks Around DC

November 16, 2016

Washington, DC is populated with renowned stone edifices and towering monuments. Some even call our nation’s capital “American Rome.” Of course, national treasures are not limited to the metropolitan and man-made. Sublime natural beauty abounds in the parks of the Potomac River watershed.

Battlefields, wildlife preserves, canals, aquatic gardens, forests. The National Capitol Region has them all. And the National Park Service celebrates them in “A Photographer’s Path: Images of National Parks Near the Nation’s Capital,” available through GPO.

A Photographer’s Path: Images of National Parks Near the Nation’s Capital

National Park Service photographer Thomas Paradis spotlights the idyllic, artful, and even curious scenes within the region. It’s a “pictorial journey” that “reveals the subtlety and nuance of our natural landscapes.”

Now, I’ll let the images speak for themselves:

Swallowtail perched on branch. Manassas National Park

Looking toward Chimney Rock. Catoctin Mountain Park

Heron over Great Falls. Great Falls Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Park

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS PUBLICATION?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Chelsea Milko is a Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

2 Comments | Art, Department of the Interior, Landmarks & Monuments, National Park Service, National Park Service, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: D.C., DC, DC parks, District of Columbia, Landscapes, National Parks, national parks in DC, nations capital, Photography, Washington, Washington DC | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Celebrating the National Park Service’s Centennial

August 24, 2016

Since the creation of the National Park Service (NPS) on August 25, 1916, more than 275 million people visit the natural and cultural resources every year!

The seed for the national park idea was planted in 1864 with the passage of the Yosemite Grant. In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the bill creating Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the history of the world. This trend continued with the signing of the Antiquities Act of 1906, by the great lover of nature, President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought to protect scientific items of cultural heritage. The Act further prohibited the removal of cultural items from Federal lands without a permit. At that time, permits were granted by the agency managing that particular monument, especially the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture. Hence, monuments were managed by various agencies.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service, but it was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who in 1933 consolidated the stewardship of all national monuments and parks under the NPS. In 1935, through the Historic Sites Act, the US publically declared its goal to protect and preserve cultural heritage sites. Since then, Presidential administrations have classified more and more sites as cultural heritage. Thus far, we have close to 400 cultural heritage sites. The Obama administration alone is responsible for adding 18 of them.

We invite you to browse the U.S. Government Bookstore’s National Parks collection. It includes everything from posters, maps, and park guides to coloring books for children. Of particular interest is the National Parks Index 2012 – 2016: 2016 National Park Service Centennial: Official Index of the National Park Service. This index is a complete administrative listing of the National Park System’s areas and related areas, including historical documentation to distinguish between the types of National Park Service sites. It has been revised to reflect congressional actions. The entries, grouped by state, include administrative addresses and phone numbers, dates of authorization and establishment, boundary change dates, acreages, website addresses, and brief statements explaining the areas’ national significance.

You can also experience a little of what the NPS has to offer in the Washington, D.C. area through the pamphlet, “National Park Service: Where History Happens,” on sale via the U.S. Government Bookstore. Learn more about the D.C. area’s most historic attractions: where Abraham Lincoln died or where Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous “I Have a Dream…” speech. Visit Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, seemingly completely frozen in time, as workers cultivate the farm using the same techniques and tools as in Washington’s era.

America’s heritage includes monuments, parks, recreational sites, parkways, and many other things. Layer upon layer, time upon time, when we look at these structures we are not just looking at our past, we are learning from it so we can build a better tomorrow. History is always being made; the unheard of yesterday is being made possible today.

Below is a list of handpicked resources for those interested in learning more. Find these resources via govinfo, the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, and the U.S. Government Online Bookstore.

govinfo – https://www.govinfo.gov/features/national-park-service-centennial

History of H.R. 3556 – A bill to prepare the National Park Service for its Centennial in 2016 and for a second century of protecting our national parks’ natural, historic, and cultural resources for present and future generations, and for other purposes

160 Cong. Rec. H3254 – NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

REPT. 106-250 – ANTIQUITIES ACT OF 1906

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications – http://catalog.gpo.gov/

National Park Service: Where History Happens

National Registry of Natural Landmarks

The Secretary of the Interior’s standards for the treatment of historic properties : with guidelines for preserving, rehabilitating, restoring & reconstructing historic buildings

National historic landmarks listed by state or territory

Presenting nature : the historic landscape design of the National Park Service, 1916 to 1942

National Park Service administrative history : a guide

U.S. Government Online Bookstore – http://bookstore.gpo.gov

National Park Service: Where History Happens

Washington: The Nation’s Capital (2013 Map)

Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (ePub eBook)

National Trails System: Map and Guide, 2010 Edition

National Park System (Wall Map Poster)

Great American Landmarks Adventure

The National Parks: Shaping the System

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

You can click on the links above in the blog or through any of these methods:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Click here to browse our National Parks collection

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

About the author: Blogger contributor Mohammed Butt is a Technical Services Librarian in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management unit.

Leave a Comment » | Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Park Service, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: National Park Centennial, National Park Service, national park service centennial, National Park Service’s centennial, National Parks, national parks books, national parks resources, nps, NPS books | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

This National Park Week, Be a Junior Ranger!

April 14, 2016

April 16-24 is National Park week and 2016 is the National Park Service’s (NPS) centennial year. National parks symbolize America’s spirit of discovery. Although protected today, parks need stewardship for tomorrow. The NPS activity-based Junior Ranger program aims to turn young visitors into lifelong enthusiasts. GPO makes available several park-specific booklets to help 5- to 12-year-olds explore “America’s best idea.”

The White House Junior Ranger Activity Guide

Home. Workplace. Museum. And National Park! The White House, home to every president and first family since 1800, is the only building in the world that fits all those categories. Since 1933, The White House has operated under the National Park System. That piece of presidential acreage sees millions of visitors each year. Now there’s a new fact-filled White House guide that appeals to both kids and adults.

This booklet drops some great presidential trivia. Abigail Adams used the East Room to hang laundry. Dolly Madison saved a famous painting of George Washington from the War of 1812 fire. Edith Wilson was the first to showcase custom patterned china. All White House occupants leave a visible impression but first ladies drive the story of expansion, design, and entertainment. Beyond aesthetics, the booklet points out that first ladies were “champions for change.” President Harry Truman understood this well. He often introduced First Lady Elizabeth Truman as “the Boss.”

The booklet includes several pages of post-tour activities, including a President’s Park walking map, first family puzzle, and the ABC’s of architecture. Tip for parents: kids can present their booklet to a White House Visitor Center to be sworn in as a badged and certified Junior Ranger!

Redwood National and State Parks Junior Ranger Activity Booklet

Redwood Trees looking up Source: www.nps.gov

Redwood Trees looking up: http://www.nps.gov

Redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth. Living fossil records. But decades of commercial logging nearly decimated old-growth redwood forests of the North Coast region. In this booklet, Ranger Jim points out that “about 95% of the original coast redwood forest was cut down.” Although that statistic is dismaying, take heart. NPS is the capable caretaker of those special giants.

The booklet has dozens of activities families can complete while exploring redwood areas. Play tide pool bingo, be a tree detective, and fish for the right color. Write your observations in the ranger beach report. Solve the octopus tree mystery. Keep track of badge points. The fun and fascination are as endless as the redwoods are tall.

Next time you visit a national park, take a fact-filled activity booklet along!

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PUBLICATIONS?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

Leave a Comment » | Children, Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Park Service, Parenting, Travel and Tourism | Tagged: National Park Service 100th anniversary, National Park Service’s centennial, National Park Week, National Parks, national parks books, nps, NPS 100th anniversary, NPS books, U.S. national parks | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Government Book Talk

GPO Summer Travel Series: Exploring the Everglades

GPO Summer Travel Series: A Cape Cod Vacation

Get Outdoors this Summer with Help From GPO

New Grand Canyon Trip Planner from the National Park Service

Stunning Images of National Parks Around DC

Celebrating the National Park Service’s Centennial

This National Park Week, Be a Junior Ranger!

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