Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy our national parks and to take pride that some, such as Yellowstone and Mammoth Cave National Parks and the Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, have been designated as World Heritage sites.

Unfortunately, rumors somehow persist that the "United Nations is taking over public lands." No. In 1973, the U.S. Senate ratified the "Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage," which is under the umbrella of UNESCO and was adopted in 1972. World Heritage sites must first be nominated by their own countries. The United States has successfully nominated 20 U.S. landmarks and 47 biosphere reserves. After the U.S. withdrew from UNESCO in 1964, the Reagan administration voluntarily opted to remain active in World Heritage and developed participatory regulations which are still in force.

According to the Acting Deputy Director Denis Galvin of the National Park Service (Department of Interior), advantages to being a World Heritage site are considerable. International tourism is a frequent byproduct; the World Heritage Fund may be tapped when nations need help for necessary maintenance and repair (India's Taj Mahal, Egypt's Sphinx and Venice lagoons are examples), and international experts have a ready-made network. The World Cultural and National Heritage program must respect the sovereignty of participating countries, and it has no legal jurisdiction over countries or local communities.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has identified assorted problems at Yellowstone National Park such as the quality of surface and ground water, threats to the natural food chain and the impact of road construction. After the World Heritage Center was invited for an on-site visit in 1995, the park was added to the international "in danger" list. The listing affirms the world community's desire to support U.S. preservation efforts and has no legal or restricting effect. Whatever actions are taken to preserve and promote the park are entirely under U.S. control.