Denali National Park

     Denali National Park was produced to protect large mammals, not because of its majestic Mt. McKinley.  A man by the name of Charles Sheldon made plans to produce Denali as a national park. Charles Sheldon was a hunter,  naturalist, and conservationist.  Sheldon traveled to Denali first in 1906 and then again in 1907 with a packer and guide by the name of Harry Karstens.  Later Karstens made the first ascent of Mt. McKinley's southern peak and served as the park's first superintendent. Charles Sheldon wanted to call the park  Denali but his suggestion did not get followed until 1980.  In that same year Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation enlarged the boundary by a total of 4 million acres.  At 6 million acres the  park is larger then Massachusetts.  More then 650 types of flowering plants have a home at Denali such as mosses, lichens, fungi, alge, and other species of plants beautify the slopes of Denali.  Only the plants that can survive the harsh winter may live at Denali because only the thinnest layer of topsoil thaws every summer to support plant life.  Denali was formed 10,000-14,000 years ago by glaciers. It took hundreds of years to begin building new soils and to do the slow process of revegitation.  Denali has slopes and lowlands that have two things covering them, taiga and tundra.  Taiga is a Russian word for evergreen forest in the north.  Most of Denali's taiga is in valleys along the rivers.  Denali's taiga includes lots of black spruce.  Denali's open areas have dwarf birch, blueberry, and many willow species.  The end of tree growth gives way at 2,700 feet into the mountains.  Just for comparison the park hotel's highest point is at 1,750. 
             When the mountains get too high for trees taiga gives way into tundra.  There are two types of tundra (dry and moist).  Tundra is a habitat with many shrubs and wildflowers that are adapted to a short growing season and a cold climate.  Some parts of the tundra are rocky while some other areas are where you may spot some flowers, willows and shrubs.  The plants you may see in  moist tundras are cottongrass, sedges and shrubs.  And in dry tundras you will find lots of rock and find a couple different shrubs than the moist tundras have.  Also in the dry tundra forget-me-not flowers  (Alaska's state flower)  live.  Pretty blossoms are seen in dry tundras also. 
            Denali also has animals in the taiga and tundra.  Caribou live in Denali while traveling in groups like the dall sheep.  Caribou are the only members of the deer family in which the male and female both grow antlers.  Moose also live in Denali and do not travel in groups.  The moose also  are the largest member of the deer family.  One of Denali's very rare animals is the wolf.  Wolves travel in packs  although  you could see one as an individual.  Grizzly bears live in Denali and eat berries and plants and smaller mammals and are seen throughout the park.  Smaller mammals live within the limits of this harsh north habitat including the lynx, wolverine, fox, weasel, marten, snowshoe hare, hoary marmot, red and ground squirrels, pika, porcupine, beaver, shrew, vole, and the lemming.  Denali's bird wildlife has ptarmigan, lapland longspurs, terns, jaegers, some shorebirds, harriers, and owls.  Goshawks, eagles, hawks,and gray falcons are some of Denali's birds of prey.  Plovers, mew gulls, magpie, and the gray jay are some of Denali's 156 species of birds.  Denali is located in Alaska close to the town of McGrath.

 The Park Ranger's Job

     Do you want to be a park ranger?

            Park rangers have the responsibility of acres and acres of land.  The first person you might see in a national park is a park ranger.  Park rangers have a job at a national park to preserve and teach to respect nature.  A way they might teach you to learn more about nature is to take you on a nature walk.  Park rangers may also show you the history of the people who used to live there  (their homes, their clothes, their way to survive etc.).  A park ranger is a person you should trust, so if you need help find a park ranger.  Being a park ranger is a tough job and it takes years of studying.  Park rangers help you search and rescue wildlife.  If you are lost, a park ranger will find you no matter what the climate is.  Park rangers believe that animals should be left in peace and try to get people to believe the same thing.  Park rangers have the job of enforcing the rules.  Park rangers set the forest fires when they think that part of the park should grow again.  Also, when people set fires they're left to fight them and that is one reason not to set forest fires.  Park rangers count and tag their animals.