As someone who spent much time on Cape Cod, JFK was well aware of the urgency to protect the natural beauty of the Cape from development. His vision "to provide enjoyment and an understanding of the unique natural, historic, and scientific features of Cape Cod" has surely been realized. Other parks have been created since then, but the Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) remains one of the most popular of the nation's public parks, with 5 million visits made to its beaches, ponds, and pathways every year.

The CCNS is made up of 43,500 acres. The federal government maintains 27,700 acres of that land--mostly undeveloped upland, woodland, bogs, pitch pine forests, moorland, and many freshwater ponds, plus 40 miles of coastline along the Cape's outer arm in the towns of Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.

Here, amidst a rare scenic beauty, is a place that allows you to commune with nature and revitalize your soul. Thoreau walked it, birds migrate to it, and the Atlantic Ocean continues to pound it, and now we may enjoy it, whether we prefer a relaxing day at the beach or a solitary hike.

The Seashore encircles half of the town of Wellfleet and about 70 percent of Truro, while over 80 percent of Province-town's total area is within the National Seashore. Hundreds of families still live within its boundaries. These local inhabitants exhibit a fierce independence, yet the park is a place where the people of Cape Cod are interdependent--they all use resources preserved by the Seashore: fresh water, scenic beauty, fish and shellfish, and yes, unpolluted air.