Developed by the National Park Service, the National Natural Landmarks Program aims to conserve sites that contain particularly outstanding biological and geological resources, both public and private. They are selected for their condition, rarity, value to science and education, and a number of other factors. Here are some facts about the program:
1) There are more than 600 landmarks in the National Natural Landmarks Program.
The landmarks span from the continental United States to the American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
2) The National Parks Service runs the program.
It's the service’s job to protect these designated areas and act as an advocate to raise awareness about U.S. natural heritage. They partner with both public and private landowners to solve problems with these sites and attempt to conserve them.
3) The National Natural Landmarks Program offers a number of initiatives each year.
The NNL’s biennial report provides an overview of the program’s efforts for the previous two years as well as information about project successes and new landmarks. Their annual photo contest showcases photos of the landmarks in a wall calendar, and the Natural Landmarks Directory offers a map of the locations of each landmark.
National Natural Landmarks Program [National Park Service]
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