Thirty years ago, nearly one-third of the national park sites had historic fruit trees of some kind. It is unknown how many of them remain.
This data was pulled from a 2009 National Park Service report written by Susan A. Dolan called “Fruitful Legacy: A Historic Context of Orchards in the United States, with Technical Information for Registering Orchards in the National Register of Historic Places.” Dolan’s source for the list was a 1992 paper by William Coli and Nora Mitchell titled “Inventory and Conservation of Genetic Resources in the Form of Historically Significant Fruit and Nut Trees in the National Park System.”
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Why Draining Mojave’s Aquifer is a Really Bad Idea
Pulling water from the Mojave Desert would damage prized national parkland and deepen water insecurity for communities. Here are frequently asked questions about the latest attempt by Cadiz Inc. to…
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Which Presidents Have Created the Most National Monuments?
Presidents from both political parties have used the Antiquities Act to preserve the landscapes and historic places that help tell America's story. Some of these stories are now being threatened…
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Inside the FY26 National Park Service Budget
In January, park advocates across the country celebrated the passage of the fiscal year 2026 funding bill that includes the National Park Service budget. But what does this hard-won funding…
