U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the longest-lived American president, died on Sunday, December 29, at 100 years old. Carter was president between 1977 and 1981, during which he pushed heavily for conservation, including through the establishment of national park units.
Your favorite national park may have been established by Jimmy Carter, especially if it’s in Alaska. As the 39th President of the United States, Carter created 39 national parks, including sights from the Lowell National Historical Park in Massachusetts to Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
YouTuber National Park Diaries took an in depth look at the impact the President had on the National Park system.
Jimmy Carter helped to create these parks through several different acts. The National Parks and Recreation Act of November 10, 1978, for example, authorized the addition of 15 parks. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980 created most of the national parks that exist in Alaska. Without him, who knows what our park system would look like today.