Eric wrote,


 >
>     I have a inchoate sense, largely unarticulated in my own mind,
>     that in fact, there has been a patina of "theme parkness" applied
>     to many publicly owned natural areas.

I heartily agree.  Not long ago I watched as a visitor to Yellowstone
demanded that the NPS Ranger "Tell me where you are keeping the bears
today."  At first I thought she was joking, but she persisted in her
demands and became quite upset that the Ranger was uninformed.  That is, he
didn't seem to know where the bears were scheduled on that particular day!
She never quite got it . . .

Chris

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Christopher D. Geist                        Phone: (419)372-2981
Chair, Department of Popular Culture        FAX:   (419)372-2577
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