John Muir, the great wilderness prophet, called national parks "Nature's sublime wonderlands, the admiration and joy of the world." They still are, but keeping them that way requires renewed commitment from each generation of Americans. The National Parks Traveler is a much-needed voice in that effort, constantly reminding us, as Muir himself said, "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike."  -- Ken Burns

Bison in Yellowstone National Park. Manatees at Everglades. California condors at Grand Canyon and Zion national parks.

In 1995, the National Park Service embarked on an aggressive recovery program for wolves in Yellowstone that not only restored this apex predator to the benefit of the park’s wild kingdom, but also generated tens of millions of tourism dollars for local economies.

Managing and preserving wildlife is a key and ongoing mission for the Park Service. Your donations to National Parks Traveler will support stories on topics such as:

• Can the Interior Department succeed with its long-discussed bison conservation program?

• How successful is the National Park Service in recovering wildlife listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act?

• Is there a middle ground that can be achieved between the state of Alaska and the National Park Service over predator control?

These all are important stories revolving around the health of national park ecosystems, and there are many more. Your tax-deductible contribution to National Parks Traveler will help us keep you up to date on the health of wildlife in the National Park System.