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AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

Large public protected areas were the backbone of America’s conservation strategy in the 20th century, and they are still important. But monuments and parks are not enough. To safeguard all our species, all our ecosystems—and to make sure that they have the resources and space to adapt as the climate continues to warm—we need to do conservation everywhere. On private timberland. On farms. In cities.

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN WILKES

We need to radically rethink how we conserve nature

Conservation itself is broadly popular—a truly bipartisan issue in a deeply divided United States. In 2021, the White House set a new goal: “conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.” Here are some novel ideas to help meet that ambitious target.

BEHIND THE COVER: This epic landscape photo of Bears Ears National Monument required hours of patience—and ingenuity under pressure. +

MAP BY NG STAFF

These are the most important places to conserve in America

Every community has something to protect: Here's where scientists think conservation would offer the greatest benefit to people and nature, based on four key environmental goals.

HISTORIC U.S. CLIMATE BILL: Here's how the recently passed legislation is expected to cut roughly a billion tons of emissions a year by 2030. +

“AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL” is the jaw-dropping story of North America’s picturesque lands and its amazing animals. We take you on a journey through the mountainous Northwest, the steamy South, the arid West and the endless Heartland to witness the animals of North America overcoming the elements and thriving.

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN WILKES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ PODCAST EPISODE‌ ‌ ‌

What It Takes to Keep America Beautiful

From our podcast "Overheard at National Geographic," explore the limits of traditional conservation and learn how innovation and Indigenous knowledge could shift how we protect the environment in the 21st century.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALICIA VERA

Can restoring mangroves protect Miami from rising seas?

As the 20th century dawned, mangroves blanketed Miami Beach. By 1915, they were gone: the first step toward transforming the island into the fabled tourist playground it is today.

LOUISIANA'S BOLD PLAN: Some say the Pelican State's southern wetlands are already doomed—but Louisiana has a plan to turn the tide. +

A REVITALIZED "AQUAPOLIS": People and wildlife are finding their way back to New York City's 500 miles of coastline. +

SEE ALL 63 U.S. NATIONAL PARKS: Discover the beauty of some of America’s wildest and most iconic landscapes. +

VINTAGE PARK PHOTOS: These timeless images show us several national parks in their youth. +

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDERS BEER WILSE, MAKAH MUSEUM

A U.S. tribe wants to resume whale hunts—and some conservationists support them

A federal report has moved the Makah Tribe a step closer to hunting gray whales again—a practice central to their culture and protected by an 1855 treaty, but snarled in red tape for the last 17 years.

A MONUMENTAL EFFORT: Here's a look inside the effort to save the Andean condor . +

LEFT PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF NPS COLLECTION; RIGHT PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS DAVIS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

It was a toxic wasteland. Now it’s a national park.

After a $50 million cleanup, flowers and wildlife replace chemicals and rusting cars in one corner of Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

RETURNING TO THEIR HOMELAND: A few jaguars now roam the Arizona borderlands. Here's why that’s a big deal. +

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6 tips to make your next beach trip more sustainable

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Planning to go camping? Try these eco-friendly tips.

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How to fight invasive plants—one bite at a time

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Tree-planting projects abound. Which should you support?

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