Yellowstone Top of Seven Natural Wonders of North America
Yellowstone National Park was the most recognized winner, getting both the most votes and the most number one votes.
The Seven Natural Wonders Organization, sevennaturalwonders.org, announced the designations for North America in February of 2014. Yellowstone National Park was the most recognized winner, getting both the most votes and the most number one votes. It shouldn’t be a surprise. When you consider that Yellowstone has a supervolcano, 300 geysers, and an ecosystem that includes grizzly bears and wolves, you have to admit that it’s pretty wonderful.
Yellowstone Spokesman Al Nash said, “It is well known across the world that Yellowstone is a unique and amazing place.” Yellowstone was the first national park established in the world, and Nash added, “It has been said that the national park service idea is one of the United States greatest exports.”
The Seven Natural Wonders awards are determined by a group of scientists and nature conservationists. The designation requires that a feature is completely natural as opposed to man made. Other criteria includes statistical significance, traditional or historical significance, uniqueness, and splendor.
The organization’s main emphasis is on education and preservation. To keep the award true to its purpose, the primary voting is by expert naturalists, supplemented by public voting. The expert vote is weighted higher because public voting can be influenced by advertising, social media and commercial concerns.