Confirmation of the Three-lined Skink (Acritoscincus duperreyi) in Morton National Park

In Asian Region, quite a few, only five countries had introduced National Parks and protected areas system before World War II including Japan, whose first National Parks, Kirishima, Setonaikai and Unzen were designated on March 16th 1934 as the first National Parks in Asian Region as well. Indonesia followed with the designation of Berbak National Park (Sumatra) in 1935, then India’s Corbett National Park (Uttar Pradesh) in 1936, Sri Lanka’s Ruhuna and Wilpattu National Parks in 1938, and Malaysia’s world famous Taman Negara National Park in 1939. These were all 14-18 years prior to gaining independent state-hold from former suzerain states of the Netherlands or the United Kingdom. The National Parks Act, enforced in 1933, prescribed that the Director of the Forestry Service would be appointed to the authority of National Parks management in the Philippines, and the Government of Japan nominally designated National Parks in Taiwan prior to and during the period of World War II, however according to the present official records the Philippines established five Natural (not National) Parks in 1996-97 and Taiwan designated its first park, Kenting National Park, in 1982 followed by its second park, Yushan National Park, in 1985. In terms of the first designation/establishment of National Parks, South-East Asian (ASEAN) countries can be divided into four groups excluding Singapore as a city-state: i.e. 1) prior to World War II; Indonesia and Malaysia, 2) in response to the 1st World Conference on National Parks in 1962; Thailand and Vietnam, 3) in response to the global trends of environmental issues during 1980s; Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines, and 4) still no designation/establishment; Lao PDR, with the exception of National Biodiversity Conservation Areas in response to the World Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In relation to the ASEAN member countries with their earliest designation/establishment of National Parks and protected areas, this article attempts to analyze mainly the present state and perspectives on National Parks and protected areas in this particular sub-region, putting special emphasis on tropical natural and remaining forests using data on natural forest areas from 1995, and annual deforestation rates from 1981-1990 and from 1990-1995 by IUCN, among others. Deforestation has continued steadily within ASEAN countries, except in Thailand. There might exist correlations among National Parks areas and all categories of Protected Areas in ASEAN countries. It should be pointed out that Thailand has remarkably high percentages of both National Parks area per natural forest area (47%), and of all categories of Protected Areas per natural forest area (76%). Particular emphasis on international cooperation should be considered and assistance should be given to Lao PDR and Myanmar (in quantity; establishment of protected areas), and Cambodia & Vietnam (in quality; management of protected areas).

The National Park Service (NPS) administers a very complex, and often confusing, organizational landscape. While many people might readily identify Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Everglades as national parks, they might not realize that in official NPS nomenclature, sites such as the Mount Rushmore Memorial, Gettysburg National Military Park, and the Cape Cod National Seashore are not. Actually, properties labeled “national parks” number only 59 of the 401 official units that are included in what is called the national park system. Making up the other units of the national park system are national battlefields (11), national battlefield parks (4), national battlefield sites (1), national military parks (9), national historical parks (46), national historic sites (78), international historic sites (1), national lakeshores (4), national memorials (28), national monuments (79), national parkways (4), national preserves (18), national reserves (2), national recreation areas (18), national rivers (15), national scenic trails (3), national seashores (10), and other designations (11). 1 Despite the technicality that only 59 units are really officially categorized as national parks, it is common practice to refer to all units administered by the Park Service as national parks. Friends groups and cooperating associations serve all NPS designations.KeywordsNational ParkOrganizational FrameworkCrater LakeFriend GroupNational Park ServiceThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Branding of the protected area plays an important role in the process of forming its attractiveness for the currently growing target market, focused on the consumption of environmental friendliness as an unconditional value. The results of literature review show that when the object of branding is a national nature park or any other nature protected object, intangible elements of the brand (affirmative opinions, beliefs and associations) must be based on the principle of eco-friendliness, and the tangible elements (logo, colours, design, semantic and visual effects) reflect this primary value. This is the so-called eco-brand which provides the ecological prerogative of the positioning object. The aim of this paper is to analyze the tangible and intangible components of Ukrainian national nature parks brands, their current market positioning, as well as the development of proposals for eco-brand formation of the national parks. The study tested text and visual content of Internet sites of Ukrainian national natural parks and analyzed their logos. As a result, most logos can be considered environmentally friendly due to their symbology and colours, but Internet sites are not customer and business oriented, and don’t reflect the national parks positioning. Based on a sample of 87 on‐ site visitor survey responses, two factors, the brand awareness and national parks attendance, were estimated. The brand awareness of Ukrainian national parks is critically small and directly depends on the brand awareness. The hiding place survey suggested that consumers do not identify national parks by logos and do not differentiate them well. The results of the survey of potential visitors were supported by the results of interviews with 8 ecotourism experts. Experts identified the current positioning for each national park, proposed changes in positioning based on the characteristics of the landscapes and hydrology, flora and fauna. Based on the findings of this study, the authors proposed a set of measures for the brand positioning of national parks within the framework of the eco-brand concept. The authors insist that the development of a national nature park in the concept of an eco-brand also means the introduction of environmental standards of landscape design, appropriate behaviour patterns and management approaches.

Today, the world faces increasing challenges related to climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss. The development of national parks, which are crucial for preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, is significant in the context of these global challenges. The article aims to study the peculiarities of environmental and economic aspects of the development of the territories of national nature parks. The article establishes that national nature parks are the main areas for the conservation of flora and fauna. Therefore, developing strategies to preserve these unique ecosystems is essential while ensuring sustainable development and taking responsibility for biodiversity conservation. The article emphasizes that the development of territories should consider the needs of the local population while not harming the natural environment, i.e., forests, water resources, and other natural resources should be used reasonably. Ecotourism is an essential component of the functioning and development of national nature parks, as it can be a way to support local economies without harming nature. Ecotourism can include excursions, wildlife watching, hiking, and biking trails, etc. Efficient management and development of national parks require appropriate legislation and regulatory policies. This includes laws governing the use of natural resources, prohibitions on illegal activities such as poaching or illegal logging, and mechanisms to monitor compliance with these laws. The article proves that educational and scientific programs are essential to developing national parks since national parks can be used as sites for scientific research and educational programs. This helps to raise awareness of the importance of nature conservation and can boost the development of the local economy through research and educational initiatives. The development of the territories of national nature parks requires investment and funding. It is crucial to raise funds from the government, the private sector, and international donors to ensure the sustainable development of these territories. The article specifies that local communities should be actively involved in the planning and managing of national parks. Keywords: environmental and economic foundations, territories, communities, recreation, national nature parks, sustainable development, environment, management activities.

Nature-based tourism has wider implications for biodiversity-rich tropical countries such as Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka at present is in a rapid post-war recovery process, and the country’s tourism sector is also gaining a rapid momentum. As such, Sri Lanka’s National Parks (NPs) are increasingly becoming prime destinations for both international and domestic tourists. With rising demand, the nature-based tourism market in Sri Lanka is becoming more heterogeneous, and as a result, the management of NPsare facing the quandary of positively meeting the diverse expectations of tourists while efficiently conserving the biological and natural resources. In making sound management decisions to accommodate the dual mandates of conservation and recreational utilization of NPs, a proper understanding of park visitors’ attitudes is essential. Hence, this study explores the visitor perceptions of roles, functions, policies and appropriate uses of NPs in Sri Lanka, based on data gathered from a highly visited national game park.Data were collected from 682 local visitors to the Minneriya NP. A structured questionnaire was the primary research instrument. Using a systematic sampling method, every one in three visitors were intercepted to administer the questionnaire at the park exit. Only visitors over 18 years of age were interviewed. Results indicated that visitors have predominantly positive attitudes towards NPs. Majority of respondents viewed aspects related to “ecological protection” as most important roles and function ofNPs. Recreation and commercial development related roles and functions were least prioritized by most respondents. Limiting visitor numbers, recreational activities and phasing out inappropriate uses of the NPs policy were also supported by most participants. Factor analysis and subsequent ANOVA comparisons of visitor attitudes further buttressed that NP policy should be protection-oriented rather than accommodating recreation. Non-consumptive activities such as observing wildlife and wildlife photography were rated as most appropriate uses by respondents. However, if nature-based tourism/ecotourism to be promoted within NPs in a sustainable manner, it is imperative that infrastructure facilities supporting appropriate visitor activities, visitor education, lodging and other facilities such as sanitary and emergency services be developed according to the carrying capacity of respective NPs, as these were deemed highly or moderately appropriate consumptive uses by respondents. Key words: Minneriya National Park, visitor attitudes, nature-based tourism, ecotourism, visitor Management

<p><strong><em>Purpose </em></strong><em>of the study: to contribute to improving the quality of environmental education by television for the formation of an environmental outlook, environmental culture of TV viewers.</em></p><pre><strong><em>Methodology.</em></strong><em> The methodological basis of the research was formed by the types of scientific analysis of the content of the TV programs «Heads and Tails. Wonder of the World» 2020 – the first half of 2021 about foreign national parks, especially: system analysis, content analysis, comparison, synthesis. A descriptive method was used to show the role, functions, and significance of national natural parks in environmental education of the travel show «Heads and Tails. Wonders of the World».<strong> </strong>Content analysis helped to identify the types of ecotourism and specific methods of television environmental education. The method of comparing statistical data for the three semesters of the research period helped to identify trends in environmental education.</em></pre><pre><strong><em>Results.</em></strong><em> Environmental education in the travel show «Heads and Tails. Wonders of the world» is a demonstration of impressive landscapes, unique flora and fauna as a visual environmental education for education and formation of an ecological culture of TV viewers.<strong> </strong>The issues of the travel show «Heads and Tails. Wonders of the World» covered foreign travels to 5 reserves, 20 national parks of all continents which are protected by UNESCO as outstanding natural values of humanity, where the presenters really and financially contribute to the conservation of animals.</em></pre><p><em>Foreign national parks are described as unique nature conservation areas adapted for various types of ecotourism, environmental education, which have special cognitive, scientific, historical, cultural, recreational value, where museums, observation platforms, places for extreme sports and extreme entertainment are located.</em></p><p><strong><em>The novelty</em></strong><em> of the research is in a new subject of reproduction – environmental education of the travel show </em><em>«</em><em>Heads and Tails. Wonders of the World</em><em>» </em><em>2020 </em><em>–</em><em> the first half of 2021; new objects of research – national natural parks as protected areas, showing the protection of the environment from clogging, excessive exploitation, the harmful effects of mass tourism, the peculiarities of television infotainment as a combination of ecological and cognitive function, with rehabilitation and entertainment during extreme sports, extreme entertainment on the territory national parks.</em></p><pre><strong><em>Key words:</em></strong><em> environmental education, environmental outlook, environmental culture, travel show «Heads and Tails. Wonders of the World», infotainment, national parks.</em></pre>

The necessity of the forming and development of industrial and national natural parks networks in Ukraine in accordance with the leading world initiative for responsible investment PRI is proved in article. Both types of parks are among the most effective options for organizational solutions to the problem of attracting «green» and socially responsible investments into the country’s economy. The activity of national nature parks in Ukraine on the example of the Halytsky National Park and the Skole Beskids is investigated. At the same time, if national parks are created in order to promote ecologically balanced development; the main purpose of industrial parks is connected first of all with increase of economic efficiency of attracting investment in various directions of business activity. Considering the common features of parks as organizational forms of territorial integration of economy, environment and society, as well as instruments of attraction of investments, the directions of strengthening of their role in achieving the Sustainable development goals till 2030 in Ukraine are offered. Along with the problem of the development of the industrial parks network and the formation of the national natural parks network, the idea of a «functional intersection» of these networks is justified in order to search for the new opportunities for socially and environmentally responsible investment. General practical recommendations on improvement of functions for strategic planning, stimulation and monitoring of social and ecological activity in the territory of industrial and national parks according to the Principles for Responsible Investment are worked out. Namely settlement of issues of property on natural resources and recreational facilities; owners interest and initiative on attraction of «green» investment; ensuring an integrated approach — when monitoring measures on social and environmental activities in the park networks; development of an unified information resource where data on any activities of business entities and all stakeholders in the framework of the functioning and development of the park networks is collected and analyzed etc.

"Historian Wallace Stegner characterized America’s National Park system as “the best idea we ever had.” One can quibble with that, but, indeed, it was a pretty good idea! This book specifically is a guide and a celebration of 30 of those national parks, national historical parks, and national monuments that, each in its own way, reveals the histories and cultures of America’s first inhabitants, the Native Americans. Its pages will take you to: great mounds in Ohio where the dead were laid to rest in sumptuous splendor 2,000 years agoa place in Iowa where 1,000 years ago, Native Americans sculpted earth into the forms of giant bears and birdsa quarry in Minnesota where Native People have, for hundreds of years, extracted blood-red stone for their ceremonial pipesthe remains of a village in North Dakota visited by Lewis and Clark in the early 1800s and the home of their guide Sacageweatruly breathtaking, more than 700-year-old cliff dwellings in Arizona and Colorado, that will astonish you in their ethereal beauty and architectural ingenuityphantasmagorical images of 7-foot-tall, wide-eyed spirit beings in Utah painted more than 1,000 years agoAnd many more.All of these sites have in common the fact that, at the insistence of Native and non-Native people, men and women, the federal government of the United States set them aside as places to preserve, study, and revere as part of the American story no matter where your ancestors came from, how they got here, or how long ago. Read this book and visit the historically sacred sites enshrined in our national parks, national historical parks, and national monuments, places that reveal the creativity and genius of the Native People of North America. With 180 color photographs and complete visitor information, this is a wonderful guide to Native American archaeology in our national parks and monuments."

Historian Wallace Stegner characterized America’s National Park system as “the best idea we ever had.” One can quibble with that, but, indeed, it was a pretty good idea! This book specifically is a guide and a celebration of 30 of those national parks, national historical parks, and national monuments that, each in its own way, reveals the histories and cultures of America’s first inhabitants, the Native Americans. Its pages will take you to: great mounds in Ohio where the dead were laid to rest in sumptuous splendor 2,000 years ago a place in Iowa where 1,000 years ago, Native Americans sculpted earth into the forms of giant bears and birds a quarry in Minnesota where Native People have, for hundreds of years, extracted blood-red stone for their ceremonial pipes the remains of a village in North Dakota visited by Lewis and Clark in the early 1800s and the home of their guide Sacagewea truly breathtaking, more than 700-year-old cliff dwellings in Arizona and Colorado, that will astonish you in their ethereal beauty and architectural ingenuity phantasmagorical images of 7-foot-tall, wide-eyed spirit beings in Utah painted more than 1,000 years ago And many more. All of these sites have in common the fact that, at the insistence of Native and non-Native people, men and women, the federal government of the United States set them aside as places to preserve, study, and revere as part of the American story no matter where your ancestors came from, how they got here, or how long ago. Read this book and visit the historically sacred sites enshrined in our national parks, national historical parks, and national monuments, places that reveal the creativity and genius of the Native People of North America. With 180 color photographs and complete visitor information, this is a wonderful guide to Native American archaeology in our national parks and monuments.

Nature-based tourism has wider implications for biodiversity-rich tropical countries such as Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka at present is in a rapid post-war recovery process, and the country’s tourism sector is also gaining a rapid momentum. As such, Sri Lanka’s National Parks (NPs) are increasingly becoming prime destinations for both international and domestic tourists. With rising demand, the nature-based tourism market in Sri Lanka is becoming more heterogeneous, and as a result, the management of NPsare facing the quandary of positively meeting the diverse expectations of tourists while efficiently conserving the biological and natural resources. In making sound management decisions to accommodate the dual mandates of conservation and recreational utilization of NPs, a proper understanding of park visitors’ attitudes is essential. Hence, this study explores the visitor perceptions of roles, functions, policies and appropriate uses of NPs in Sri Lanka, based on data gathered from a highly visited national game park.Data were collected from 682 local visitors to the Minneriya NP. A structured questionnaire was the primary research instrument. Using a systematic sampling method, every one in three visitors were intercepted to administer the questionnaire at the park exit. Only visitors over 18 years of age were interviewed. Results indicated that visitors have predominantly positive attitudes towards NPs. Majority of respondents viewed aspects related to “ecological protection” as most important roles and function ofNPs. Recreation and commercial development related roles and functions were least prioritized by most respondents. Limiting visitor numbers, recreational activities and phasing out inappropriate uses of the NPs policy were also supported by most participants. Factor analysis and subsequent ANOVA comparisons of visitor attitudes further buttressed that NP policy should be protection-oriented rather than accommodating recreation. Non-consumptive activities such as observing wildlife and wildlife photography were rated as most appropriate uses by respondents. However, if nature-based tourism/ecotourism to be promoted within NPs in a sustainable manner, it is imperative that infrastructure facilities supporting appropriate visitor activities, visitor education, lodging and other facilities such as sanitary and emergency services be developed according to the carrying capacity of respective NPs, as these were deemed highly or moderately appropriate consumptive uses by respondents. Key words: Minneriya National Park, visitor attitudes, nature-based tourism, ecotourism, visitor Management

Planning for Tamblingan Lake Natural Park Buleleng, Bali. The Tamblingan lake's natural tourist park has a potential of attractions that are aided by both its unique and strategic location. This makes the Tamblingan natural park a highly prospecting area that is able to attract tourists and plan the park's natural parks. The study intended to set up a zoning plan for lake tamblingan natural tourist park. The method in this study used survey method. By the stage of planning starting from the preparation stage, inventory, analysis, synthesis, concept, and planning. This research has a site plan. The attractive, environmentally insightful concept of tourism is based on the potential resources of landscapes and attractions and tourist attractions to preserve the landscape's resources and sustainability. The end result of the study was the landscape plans for the natural park areas of Tamblingan lakes involving the distribution of space, circulation, activity, and facilities.

Social needs arising from the occurrence of global threats prompt researchers from various fields to look for innovative solutions that are friendly to society. The COVID-19 pandemic was a global experience so strong that it influenced many social processes, enabling natural experiments to be conducted that provided new knowledge about human behavior. One of the greatest impacts of lockdowns was observed in the case of tourist activity. National parks are highly desirable destinations for tourists and are able to attract large numbers of visitors. Tourism inside national parks has shown systematic growth, driven not only by the desire to be close to nature and to seek aesthetically pleasing experiences, but also by the need for relaxation and for participation in outdoor sports. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers to national parks did not decline, despite their temporary closure in 2020. The article presents the result of empirical research conducted in 2021 on tourists to selected national mountain parks. The research aimed to explore visitors’ motives for visiting the parks, as well as types of behaviour and the opinions of tourists regarding the restrictions placed on tourism in certain national parks. Analysis was also conducted of tourists’ attitudes towards restrictions on access to parks due to formal legal regulations, limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the potential to recompense for these needs by replacing them with alternatives behaviors in tourists’ place of residence in the form of open social innovations. It was found, based on the opinions of tourists, that they visited national parks during the pandemic mainly for recreational and health purposes. Motivation to explore and admire nature or local culture was ranked third. On the other hand, the most frequently mentioned substitute of limited access to the national park was visiting nearby forests, meadows and city parks. The research allowed to notice the need to develop innovative solutions conducive to the psychological comfort of a community deprived of the possibility of mutual contact.

The article presents an analysis of one of the oldest and most important forms of nature conservation - National Parks, and their regulation in the legislation of the Republic of Poland. The material is based on the systematic interpretation of the Law of the Republic of Poland «On Nature Conservation», the analysis of scientific literature and the identification of some problematic issues of implementation of the prescriptions of the legislation in practice. Much attention is paid to the theoretical characteristics of National Parks, their place among other forms of nature conservation in Poland, the functions they perform. The issues of creation of the National Park, the regime of management of its territory, organization and zoning of the National Park have been consistently revealed. It also analyzes the bans fixed within the National Park and ensures its protection against external adverse effects. Problematic issues are raised related to the removal of land and real estate from private owners, the achievement of a compromise between private economic interests and public environmental interests. A comparison of the basics of functioning of National Parks in Poland and Ukraine is also partly presented.
 The author focuses on the differences in the legal regime of national nature parks under the legislation of Ukraine and Poland. The Polish legislation does not distinguish as an independent recreational function and does not allocate separate recreational functions within the national park. At the same time, the organization of tourist routes and the provision of conditions for visiting the park is one of the tasks and a significant source of revenue for the national parks of Poland, and the number of visitors many times exceeds their number in the territories of the national parks of Ukraine. In the territory of the national parks of Poland (as in Ukraine) a combination of exclusive state ownership (in Ukraine - the property of the Ukrainian people) and private property is possible. At the same time, as in Ukraine, the most problematic issue is the acquisition of ownership of real estate (including private land) when creating or expanding the territory of national parks.

Among scientists of various specialities there is still no unambiguous position about the zone belonging of the Male Polissya region ("Little Polissya", Ukraine). To confirm one of the positions, the authors of the article studied rare protected species of dendroflora of the National Nature Park (NNP) "Male Polissya" (deciduous forest zone) and other national parks that are close to it in the structure of flora and vegetation, and located within this and the northern mixed forest zone (Ukrainian Polissya). Methods of comparative florology have been used with the determination of coefficients of similarity of local floras. The results of chorological analysis, qualitative, quantitative and comparative assessment of rare species of dendromorphic plants of national nature parks in both natural zones have been presented. The analysis of similarity of rare fractions of local dendroflora revealed that the quality of plant species of the National Nature Park "Male Polissya" is more related to the national nature parks of mixed forest zone than to the national nature parks of deciduous forests. Among the national nature parks, deciduous forest zones have the highest levels of representativeness with Daphne cneorum, Hedera helix and Daphne mezereum, and mixed forest zones with Salix myrtilloum, Daphne cneorum, Dianthus psеudosquarrosus and Hedera helix. Therefore, for the national nature parks of both natural zones, the most representative is the species of wide chorological but narrow ecological amplitude, that is Daphne cneorum, which grows only in pale and dry sod-podzolic forestal ecotopes enriched with carbonates.

Science and Public Engagement in National Parks: Examples and Advice from Young Scientists