Break out the birthday cake! Today (March 1) is the 150th birthday of Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone was established on March 1, 1872, by President Ulysses S. Grant when he signed a law creating America’s first national park.
The park’s establishment was meant to preserve and protect the scenery, cultural heritage, wildlife, geologic and ecological systems and processes in their natural condition for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations, the National Parks Service stated.
“We are proud to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone with America,” park Superintendent Cam Sholly said. “This anniversary should remind us of the incredible value of our national park system and the need for us to continue working together to address the many challenges of the future.”
Beginning today, the park will host and participate in a wide range of activities to commemorate 150 years of Yellowstone. Efforts will focus around reflecting on 150 years of protecting the park, highlighting successes in the ecosystem, and opening dialogue on the lessons learned from yesterday, the challenges of today and a vision for tomorrow.
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