The fist national park appeared in the USA in 1872. It was Yellowstone. In Britain the first national park was founded in 1949. Now there are more than a dozen parks in the USA and ten parks in England and Wales. National parks protect the countryside and allow people to enjoy plants, animals and birds. One of the most interesting parks in the USA is the Everglades in Florida. Its wildlife is enjoyed by many naturalists and tourists. Water birds, snakes, alligators, wildcats, fish, cypress trees are protected in the Everglades. The Lake District is the largest national park in Britain. It is one of the most beautiful, attractive and popular places in Britain. It has Windermere, the longest lake in England, and Scafell, the highest mountain in England.