the national park of Zion is a national park of the United States of America, it is located close to Springdale, in Utah. It extends on 593 km ² and culminates with 2.660 meters of altitude to Horse Ranch Mountain. Created in 1909 as a national monument of Mukuntuweap ( National Mukuntuweap Monument ), it is classified national park in 1919. " Zion " comes from an old Hebrew word meaning " refuge" or " sanctuaire". The park conceals natural treasures such as canyons in orange red sandstone and cliff S pertaining for the majority to the Formation Navajo (170 million years). It is next to the Plateau of Colorado, the Grand Basin and the Désert of Mojaves. Its single landscapes and the variety of its fauna make of it a natural park of first importance for the tourists and the scientists. One can find in this park 289 Espèce S different from Oiseau X, 75 species of Mammifère S (including 19 of Chauve-souris) and 32 of Reptile S. Among those one notes the presence of Puma S, stags hémiones, golden eagles as well as condors of California and Canadian moufflons recently reintroduced. Among the plants which one can discover in this park one finds Cactus, Genévrier S, pines, maples Negundo many Arbrisseau X like various species of Saule S. The most known part of the park is the Zion canyon which makes more than 24 km length and sometimes 800 m height dug in the orange red sandstones by the Northern branch of the Virgin River.

physical Geography

The park of Zion is in the south-west of the United States in Utah. It occupies three counties partially (of Washington, Iron and Kane). According to the criteria of the Geomorphology, the area belongs to the plates of Markagunt and Kolob. The part of the north of the park is known besides under the name of Kolob Canyons. Altitudes lie between 1.128 meters and 2.660 meters of altitude. The climate is subjected to the constraints of altitude and the continentality. The maximum of precipitations arrives in March. They allow an intense flowering from April June. The summers are canicular (between 35 and 43°C the day), sometimes stormy. The winters can be snow-covered (the roads are then closed) and the temperatures are contrasted: one could observe days with 16 °C.

History

The archeologists divide the History of the area of Zion into four periods.

The antiquated period

The oldest traces of human occupation go back to approximately 8000 years, when family small groups drove out and collected plants and seeds. 2000 years ago, these groups start to cultivate the Maïs and are sédentarisent. At the 4th century of our era, Basketmakers settle: they make baskets and other objects starting from fibers of Yucca.

Formative period

During centuries, the populations of the area become less and less wandering. They depend more and more on the products of agriculture. The Pétroglyphe S found by the archeologists indicate that the companies are more complex. The first Anasazi S are established on the edges Virgin River and of its affluents. They cultivate corn, marrows and cereals. They maintain the relations with the Fremont people, located more at north. The two cultures disappear from the area between 1200 and 1300, perhaps because of bad collects or conflicts with other people, such as the Paiute S and the Ute S.

Protohistoric period

The Parrusits Indians replace Anasazis; they move along the rivers in the search of wild seeds and pinions. They supplement their food with hunting and agriculture.

Historical period

At the end of the 18th century, the area is explored then colonized by Europeans, then by Americans. Padres Dominguez and Escalante are the first to visit Zion in 1776. They are followed by the forwarding of the trapper Jedediah Smith in 1826, then that of the captain John C. Fremont in 1844. With the beginning of the year 1850, farmers Mormon S, come from the Big lake Salted, are the first with truly settling. They exploit wood, develop the breeding and practice the irrigation. They choose the name of Kolob which indicates star nearest to God. In 1858, a Mormon missionary, accompanied by a Paiute guide, explores the canyon of Zion. A few years later, agriculture develops, in particular under the influence of Issac Behunin, which introduces the tobacco and the cane with sugar. It is undoubtedly him which baptizes the place " Zion". The agricultural development ceased in 1909, when the place became national monument. The forwarding of John Wesley Powell arrived in 1869 after a passage at the Large Canyon. It brought back geological statements, charts and photographs of the area. These testimonys encouraged the president William Howard Taft to protect the site. Tourism developed really only when the first roads were arranged. The architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood drew the first hotel ( Zion Lodge ) in the rustic style. He was rebuilt after the fire of 1968.

Geology

External bonds

• Card of the park on site UNEP-WCMC

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