NPS Photo
Vickburg National Military Park exists as part of a larger landscape and a much larger environment. What occurs within these overarching systems has definite impacts upon the natural resources located within the park's artificially drawn boundaries. And because Vicksburg NMP is relatively small and located within a developed part of the country (which is becoming increasingly developed with each passing year), its resilience to environmental disturbance originating outside the park is limited indeed. From pollutants in the air; to deforestation and development along the boundary; to artificial lights and visual intrusions upon the battlefield scene; to the introduction of invasive, non-native plant species; to the noise of modern interstate traffic; and to the degradation of park waters from upstream pollution- the park's resources are buffeted from without (and sometimes within) constantly. Whether Vicksburg and other parks survive intact into perpetuity is up to society at large, because the parks exist within a society and environment that dwarfs them in comparison.
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Last updated: May 30, 2018