Grand Canyon - sublime spectacle of nature

By Pramod De Silva

I have always wanted to visit some of the most famous natural and man-made structures in the US and the Grand Canyon has always been near the top of that list. However, one of those eluded me until last month, but I finally ticked it off my list.

If you do visit the Grand Canyon and have time to spare, take the well-known Pink Jeep safari or a guided walking tour to appreciate its true beauty at close quarters. If you have money to splash, why not take a helicopter or plane ride over this unique landscape?

Why are we fascinated by the Grand Canyon? In fact, the Grand Canyon is one of the most studied geologic landscapes in the world. Due to its unique layer-by layer structure, it offers an excellent record of three of the four eras of geological time, a rich and diverse fossil record, a vast array of geologic features and rock types, and numerous caves containing extensive and significant geological, palaeontological, archaeological and biological resources. The canyon’s mile-high walls display a largely undisturbed cross section of the Earth’s crust extending back some two billion years. It is in other words, a living fossil of the Earth itself. Nearly 40 identified rock layers form the Grand Canyon’s walls. Because most layers are exposed all along the canyon’s length, they afford scientists the opportunity for detailed study of environmental changes from place to place (within a layer) in the geologic past. Geologic evolution through time can be studied through the changes between different layers.

Although the Canyon initially appears to be arid and lifeless, it is actually teeming with life, big and small.

Diversity

The Park contains several major ecosystems. Its great biological diversity can be attributed to the presence of five of the seven life zones and three of the four desert types in North America. Over 1,500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammalian, 47 reptile, nine amphibian, and 17 fish species are found in the park. The large size, relatively unfragmented habitat, and range of elevations and associated climates of Grand Canyon National Park have made it a valuable wildlife preserve.

There are 1,737 known species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen found in Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon boasts a dozen endemic plants (known to exist only within the park’s boundaries), while only 10 percent of the park’s flora is exotic. Sixty-three plants found in the park have been given special status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Geological and biological studies in the park began with the work of John Strong Newberry in 1858 and continue today.

In case you thought that the Park was a refuge only for plants and animals, humans too have been living in the Park and the vicinity for thousands of years. The oldest human artefacts found in Grand Canyon are nearly 12,000 years old and date to the Paleo-Indian period. There has been continuous use and occupation of the region since that time. Eleven traditionally Associated Tribes and historic ethnic groups view the Grand Canyon’s archaeological resources as preservation of their heritage. The park has recorded more than 4,800 archaeological resources with an intensive survey of just three percent of the park area.

Explore

Indeed, it will take a lifetime and more to explore the Grand Canyon in full. Many waterfalls and other geographical features are hidden deep inside the Canyon and are very difficult to reach. But stunning vistas await those who dare to reach those inaccessible places.

However, things could change soon with a controversial development project which calls for shops, homes, hotels and restaurants on site. The developers also plan a gondola ride from those attractions to whisk tourists to the canyon floor, where they would stroll on an elevated riverside walkway to a restaurant at the juncture of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers. These plans have raised apprehension at the US National park Service and among conservationists that the pristine nature of the Grand Canyon could be lost if these developments go ahead. These will certainly attract more tourists but at what cost is the question raised by concerned groups.