2007-11-01, National Park Secret - 大盆地国家公园（在线收听） |
| A stretch of road known as America's loneliest highway seems the perfect place to ignore the speed limit. But for those who slow down, Nevada's high desert reveals its unexpected side. Great Basin National Park is home to Lehman Caves. Lehman Caves was a tourist attraction long before there was a national park here. Visitors used to break off pieces of these delicate formations and take them home as souvenirs. "To tell you the truth, the best way to conserve a cave is not to go in it." That's the dilemma posed by the national park mission. Parks exist both to preserve natural wonders and to be enjoyed by people, even with relatively few visitors that poses a problem. "Humans impact caves in ways that, that sometimes we can't even fathom. Like every time we walk through a cave we leave, we leave wet from our clothing, and that the oils from our hands can irreversibly damage formations." Even the lights that allow people to see the cave can help destroy what took millions of years to create. "The lights we currently use are incandescent, so there are kind of a full spectrum white light, and the problem with that is that they facilitate the growth of algae." That's why studies are underway to develop a less damaging lighting system . This type of science benefits from the park's isolation. It's unlikely that Great Basin will be overrun by hordes of visitors anytime soon, but each year it seems there are more of us seeking solitude. |
| 原文地址：http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/guojiadili/57614.html |