Zion Canyon National Park is located in Utah near Springdale, and is 229 square miles of pristine and beautiful unspoiled natural formations. The highlight of the park is Zion Canyon, which stretches 15 miles and is roughly 1/2 mile deep. It was carved over thousands of years by the Virgin River through Navajo sandstone, and the resulting canyon is a true wonder to behold. The history of the area is that it was first populated by human beings around 8,000 years ago and has been the home to several settlements, each of which displaced the others. It was finally declared a national park on November 19, 1919 and was protected from development by the Antiquities Act Roosevelt established in order to provide federal protection to areas of the United States which offer outstanding beauty or interest. Federal protection prohibits development of these areas by private industry, and provides a buffer zone around the specific area as well that cannot be developed. This prevents the spoiling of the area, and keeps it intact for visitors to enjoy without the encroachment of development. Recent discussions in congress have threatened areas like Zion Canyon by bringing the Antiquities Act under scrutiny. Discussion has been brought up to cut federal funding to the areas and turn them over to state control, which would place the burden of upkeep on states that are already running in the red as far as budgets. This would allow states to sell off portions of the areas for private development, essentially destroying them forever. In an attempt to legitimize the federal funding for upkeep by increasing tourism to the areas, an advertising campaign run over the course of the last few years has dramatically increased the amount of visitors that tour the parks every year, this number being especially
Zion Canyon National Park is located in Utah near Springdale, and is 229 square miles of pristine and beautiful unspoiled natural formations. The highlight of