Transcript ARCHES_NATIONAL_PARK2 - Brown-Leach15

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
BY
Stefan Ionascu
DELICATE ARCH
OVERVIEW
There are many places with arches and natural bridges in the world. But, there is no place so
beautiful and with so many arches such as Arches National Park. It is located in Grand County, Utah,
north of the town of Moab, Arches National Park has over 2,000 recorded arches .
The Jurassic-era sandstones covers the entire park and has the amazing ability to change shape
throughout the years into arches. That gives the park its name.
MAP OF ARCHES NATIONAL
PARK
MAP OF USA/Red dot marks ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
WHAT YEAR DID THE PARK BECOME AN
OFFICIAL NATIONAL PARK AND WHY?
In 1922 Arches was discovered as a potential tourist attraction by a local miner and prospector
named Alexander Ringhoffer.
In 1929, by an Act of Congress, under President Herbert Hoover’s permission, it was named
first as Arches National Monument. Only in 1971, President Richard Nixon signed the law that
changed Arches to a National Park and set its size at the present 73,233 acres.
The Arches National Park was
created to protect the sandstone
formations such as arches, spires,
balanced rocks, gargoyles, hoodoos,
towers, ribs etc.
TOPOGRAPHIC MAP OF USA
Red dot marks ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
SAND DUNE ARCH
WHAT SPECIAL LANFORMS OR FEATURES ARE
INSIDE ARCHES NATIONAL PARK?
Arches National Park sits on an underground salt bed called the Paradox Formation. The park is
filled with arches, towering spires, balanced rocks, fins and eroded monoliths. Beside these, there
are lush riparian areas, ephemeral pools, dry arroyos, mixed grasslands and large expanses of bare
rock. Arches also has cryptobiotic soil and potholes.
POTHOLE IN ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
MESA ARCH
BALANCED ROCK ARCH
WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE
AFFECTING ARCHES NATIONAL PARK?
Do not step on Cryptobionic crust, its alive! This is a dark crust, made out of cyanobacteria,
lichens algae and fungi. It can be found everywhere on the ground of the Arches. It’s important
because it helps desert plants grow and it protects against erosion. It takes up to 50 years to
regenerate cyanobacteria.
Each year, Arches is visited by 700,000 visitors. The park’s ecosystem is threatened by careless
visitors, noise, water, and air pollution.
Soil erosion is linked to
wind erosion. Wind
blows away particles of
sand which changes the
landscape over time.
CRYPTOBIONIC CRUST
SIGNS IN ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
THE ROOTS OF A
BLACKBRUSH EXPOSED
TO SOIL EROSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/arches-national-park-ga2.htm
http://www.untraveledroad.com/arches-national-park.htm
http://www.us-parks.com/arches-national-park/arches-national-park.html
http://www.nps.gov/arch/learn/nature/geologicformations.htm
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/arches-nationalpark
http://www.sangres.com/utah/national-parks/arches-nationalpark/index.htm#.Vldhw16z4gc