Rick Reichmuth reports from Acadia National Park in Maine as a part of his summer travel tour 'Where's Rick Reichmuth' on 'Fox & Friends Weekend.' In recent years, America's national parks have wrestled with unruly visitors and vandals who ignore rules meant to keep plants and wildlife safe, according to media reports. The damage could have impacts on the ecosystem of the parks for centuries, the New York Post reported.
The newspaper cited examples at three beloved parks that have seen changes with dire consequences. In Southern California, many visitors explored Joshua Tree National Park during the 2019 government shutdown. Instead of basking at the park's desert ecosystem, visitors left graffiti and ruined trails.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, AUGUST 25, 1916, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS CREATED UNDER PRESIDENT WILSON Three tourists from Germany used paintball guns and slingshots to vandalize signs at Joshua Tree National Park. National parks have dealt with vandalism and rule-breakers in recent years. (National Park Services) "What’s happened to our park in the last 34 days is irreparable for the next 200 to 300 years," former park superintendent Curt Sauer told The Guardian at the time.
"There are about a dozen instances of extensive vehicle traffic off roads and, in some cases, into wilderness," said David Smith, the park’s superintendent at the time. "We have two new roads that were created inside the park. We had destruction of government property with the cutting of chains.