Muir Woods National Park Is Home To Several Efforts
Muir Woods National Park is one of the oldest in the country, representing the first generation of parks declared national landmarks as a result of the Antiquities Act. President Theodore Roosevelt thought Muir Woods National Park worthy of this distinction, thus the park has been registered as a national park for more than 100 years. Muir Woods National Park is a combination of new and old growth redwood forest that runs along a narrow strip of coastal land for roughly 500 miles. Redwoods that once dominated the landscape in much of America's temperate northwest are now found in much thinner populations. Muir Woods National Park contains a significant grouping of large redwoods and is committed to maintaining the integrity of these majestic trees.
Muir Woods National Park is a short distance from the booming metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. With the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930's, Muir Woods National Park became accessible to a much larger spectrum of visitors. The park's annual attendance nearly tripled after the bridge's completion, and stood at three-quarters of a million visitors annually as of 2005. Muir Woods National Parks conatins within its boundaries a number of trails, abundant wildlife, and recreational opportunities that draw ornithologists and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Muir Woods National Park was the first national park established on land given by a private donation. Aside from the historical significance of the land on which it sits, Muir Woods National Park was also home to the signing of the United Nations Charter under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Delegates from all over the world congregated in the San Francisco area to establish a common law of peace and legislation for the world's nations. Cathedral Grove of Muir Woods National Park was a fitting natural amphitheatre for the politics of peace and unity on a grand, ambitious scale.
Muir Woods National Park is home to several efforts in preservation of plant and animal species. Redwoods are studied diligently by rangers and scientists alike in hopes they can one day thrive again throughout the northwest as they do in this specific, protected region. Muir Woods National Park is also one of the last homes for freshwater salmon in the state of California. Redwood Creek, which runs through the park, possesses a clean, clear water that is the natural result of a symbiotic relationship between the trees and soil. Animals native to the region can be found throughout Muir Woods National Monument in the hollows of the parks giant redwoods or high in the canopies above.
