Our National Parks Solar Power Energy
Generation Guide
Our National Parks Help Maintain The Natural Environment
By Genevieve Thomson
Our national parks are known for their amazing monuments,
breath-taking scenery, and diverse wildlife. Much of
the landscape has remained unchanged for thousands of
years and give us a glimpse of what the natives and
early settlers might have seen.
Two of the most amazing sights to behold are the General
Grant Tree and Kings Canyon found in the Sequoia and
Kings Canyon National Parks, two national parks merged
into one.
The General Grant Tree towers over 260 feet above the
Grant Grove, the largest remaining natural Sequoia grove
in the world. The circumference of its trunk at its
widest is over 90 feet alone.
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The General Grant Trees Is 2,000 Years Old
The true size is difficult to imagine but, to put it
in perspective, the General Grant Tree is a little shorter
than the Statue of Liberty standing on her pedestal
and the trunk is bigger than the Oval Office at the
White House.
This two thousand year old Sequoia tree also has the
designation of being the third largest Sequoia in the
world, the second largest of all our national parks
(the largest found, also found in the Sequoia and Kings
Canyon National Park but not nearly as picturesque),
and our nation’s Christmas Tree.
The General Grant Tree can be found at the north entrance
of the park along Route 180 leading to Grant’s Grove
Village.
The Deepest Canyon In North America Is The Kings Canyon
Despite the impressive size of the General Grant Tree,
the true centerpiece of the Kings Canyon National Parks
is Kings Canyon. Kings Canyon has the distinction of
being the deepest canyon in North America. At 8000 feet
from its highest point to the Kings River cutting through
its middle, it is deeper than even the Grand Canyon
though it lacks the sheer width that makes the Grand
Canyon more impressive.
Most of the Kings Canyon National Parks beautiful sights
can only be enjoyed by hiking. The terrain is untainted
by vehicle traffic with the exception of the visitor
centers of both of our national parks. An ambitious
hiker who takes on the challenges of conquering the
canyon will be rewarded with the beautifully green Cedars
Grove and Zumwalt Meadow contrasted by the sheer grey
rock faces on each side.
The Roaring Falls And The Big Stump Basin
Other notable places to visit in the Kings Canyon National
Park include the Roaring River Falls, a section of the
Kings River that tumbles down the rocky side of the
Kings Canyon. Big Stump Basin is another location to
visit, where remnants of fallen giant Sequoia trees
lay dead from timber operations from the early 1900’s
as a reminder of mankind’s lasting effects on our environment.
All of our national parks teach us valuable lessons.
Both the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks show
us how mighty our forests can be - when humans do not
negatively affect them.
It would be a shame to lose these magnificent trees
and have our future generation only read about them
in books. Protecting the environment is a must for all
of us today, so that we may sustain nature and beauty
for as long as we can.
About the Author:
Genevieve Thomson has written a number of articles on
solar power and renewable energy including
Solar Power System,
Wind And Solar Power,
Solar Thermal,
Alternative Power Systems,
Alternative Energy Sources, Ethanol
Fuel , Alternative
Fuel Vehicles, Wetland
Ecosystems, Curbside
Recycling, Deforestation,
Forest
Ecosystems, Waste
Management, Recycling
Programs, Reduce
Reuse Recycle, Waste
Collection.
Look out for new articles as they become available on
this site.
Little Known Facts About National Parks.....
What are national parks?
National parks can be defined as
land reserves that are federally protected against most
human activity and encroachment. National parks are
not unique to the United States and specific laws regarding
what activities are permissible in a national park may
vary from country to country. In the United States,
national parks are often confused with state parks,
national forests and other similar protected areas.
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