The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)

Episode Overview

In the aftermath of World War II, national parks face an influx of 62 million visitors annually. To manage this surge, a major initiative called Mission 66 is launched, aimed at developing necessary facilities and infrastructure. Biologist Adolph Murie proposes a groundbreaking idea: predatory animals, still targeted by hunters, should receive the same protections as other wildlife. Meanwhile, in Florida, Lancelot Jones, a descendant of a slave, stands firm against developers trying to buy his family's pristine islands in Biscayne Bay, ultimately selling the land to the federal government for national monument status. In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter sparks controversy in Alaska by designating 56 million acres for preservation, marking the largest protected land expansion ever. By 1995, wolves are reintroduced to Yellowstone, bringing the iconic national park closer to its original state.