Marianna Vardanyan is a talented and interesting writer, known for her interesting articles in the public interest on everything from the National Park to the heights of Mount Everest. She is the founder of Tall Trees Publishing, an imprint that she has worked with and developed into one of the best-known publishing groups in the world. Her writing has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Self Magazine, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and other periodicals. Her first book, The National Park: A History of America’s Best Places, was published in 1992 and was critically acclaimed by both reviewers and readers.
In her latest book, Marianna Vardanyan looks at the National Park Service, focusing on its recent management and how the agency is being run by now, as well as the challenges ahead. The book is divided into two parts, the first dealing with the history of the National Park Service, and the second looking at the present situation, with an eye to its future. The first part gives an account of the origins of the National Park Service, how it was founded, who founded it, and what its mission is today. The second section of the book looks at how the Park Service’s mission and work today have changed over the years. The second half gives a detailed look at the many changes that have occurred, both in terms of personnel and in terms of the landscape.
Marianna Vardanyan’s research shows that over the years, there has been a steady decline in the actual number of visitors to the Grand Canyon. There are some who criticize her work for showing the decline in Grand Canyon heights as being due to a ‘lack of interest’, but this could not be further from the truth. The Park Service has been very effective in maintaining the integrity of the wilderness areas around the Grand Canyon. They recognize that there are benefits to having people explore these areas on their own through the use of guided tours, and they work very hard to promote and publicize these programs. As a result, there are now more guided tours of the Grand Canyon than in any other era in history.