Are they cops?

  • Coolkidbozzy [he/him]
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    edit-2
    5 months ago

    The national park service has a complicated history. Many parks and monuments were still occupied by native americans when the parks were established, and rangers helped force them out for 'conservation' purposes. Until the last 40-50 years or sooner, many parks were more for recreation and has little focus on conservation. An example of this is dumping fish in Crater Lake for fishing purposes, which has changed its composition permanently as it never has fish before. Many parks have a history of racism, which is only being recognized by some of the parks post-george floyd. I love going outside more than most, but more work needs to be done to protect the wilderness and compensate native americans. I remember a couple years ago some articles were written suggesting parks should be returned to the native american tribes they were taken from, which if possible would be a good step.

    Ultimately I'm saying that parks themselves can be bad sometimes, even though I love them

    Some rangers do act as cops (the ones with guns), and there are also park police.

    • glans [it/its]
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      5 months ago

      Wow a lake with no fish "naturally" thats crazy. Why didnt anyone bring fish there earlier?

      • Coolkidbozzy [he/him]
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        edit-2
        5 months ago

        Because it was a sacred site for natives whose ancestors witnessed the eruption and the lake's creation. Also the only population center nearby is next to the Klamath river, one of the largest sources of salmon in North America before the dams decimated them

        Fish were only brought by the second administrator of the park. He stole it from the first guy, who he literally fought because he had business interests there and they were from competing political parties. Fish destroyed the delicate ecosystem of the lake. It will never recover because it's impossible to remove all the fish