WASHINGTON -- President Johnson signed legislation Wednesday creating the Redwood National Park and ending a half century fight by California conservationists to save the giant trees.
Johnson also signed three other conservation measures creating the North Cascades National Park in Washington State and establishing a national trails system and a national wild and scenic rivers system.
The President called the Redwood National Park "a great victory for every American In every state."
He said "We have rescued a magnificent and meaningful treasure from the chainsaw."
The bill established a 58,000-acre park to preserve redwoods on the northern coast of California. Estimated to cost about 92 million dollars, the park will be formed around three existing state parks.
The North Cascades bill creates a park and recreation area of more than 12 million acres in Washington State's "American Alps."
The Scenic Rivers bill sets aside eight rivers for preservation in their natural free-flowing state. They are the Middle Fork of the Feather River in California, Eleven Point River in Missouri, Rogue River in Oregon, Rio Grande River in New Mexico St. Croix River in Minnesota and Wisconsin Wolf River in Wisconsin and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and Clearwater River in Idaho.
The trails bill creates a national system of scenic and recreation trails. The first ones to be included are the Appalachian Trail in the East and the Pacific Crest Trail in the Cascade Mountains in the Far West.
The bill permits appropriations up to 10 million dollars over the next five years to provide trails for hikers horseback riders and cyclists.
