PBH 250 - America’s National Parks, 3 credit hours

This course will trace the origins, and development, of protected lands throughout the United States, beginning with the first national park in Yellowstone, in 1872. Students will explore the changing perspectives on the mission and purpose of the parks, which will entail examining how, and why, people visit, authorities’ manipulation of wild/plant life for human benefit, and the various consequences of doing so, resulting in ecosystem imbalance, animal attacks, and forest fires. This class will further consider the challenges encountered by park rangers and visitors, including criminal activity, the pursuit of extreme sports, the misuse of firearms, and disregard of park policies regarding waste disposal and interaction with wildlife. Students will investigate the history of native peoples in many of these reserved areas, how they have been exploited, and displaced onto reservations.