维朗德里城堡，卢瓦尔河谷，法国 Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France (© Mint Images/Getty Images)

几何之美绽放于此 Geometry in bloom

维朗德里城堡花园，卢瓦尔河谷，法国

这边的草地确实更绿，尤其是当那一边是维朗德里城堡时。虽然法国卢瓦尔河谷遍布令人惊叹的城堡，但维朗德里城堡却与众不同，它并非以高耸的塔楼或中世纪的雄伟气势取胜，而是以花园闻名。这座城堡建于 16 世纪，由弗朗索瓦一世国王的财政大臣让·勒·布雷顿所建，目的就是为了令人印象深刻。与为战争而建的防御性城堡不同，维朗德里城堡的设计注重舒适，拥有大窗户和开阔、宜人的布局。城堡的花园分布在不同的梯田上。每个梯田有独特的主题。装饰性花园展示了如图所示的几何图案。水景花园则提供宁静的休憩之所，而蔬菜园则将日常作物打造成艺术展示。

在历经一段艰难时期后，破败不堪的维朗德里城堡于 1906 年被西班牙医生若阿基姆·卡瓦略及其妻子、美国钢铁帝国的女继承人安·科尔曼购得。他们对历史和园艺的热爱促成了城堡的全面修复，如今他们的后代仍在维护这座庄园。这些花园随季节更替而变化，确保每次造访都有不同的体验。无论是否擅长园艺，都很难不为其中的精巧布局所折服。

Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France

The grass truly is greener on the other side—especially when that side is Château de Villandry. While the Loire Valley in France is packed with stunning châteaux (French for castles), Villandry stands apart, not for its towering turrets or medieval might, but for its gardens. Built in the 16th century by Jean le Breton, a minister to King Francis I, Villandry was always meant to impress. Unlike fortified castles built for war, it was designed for comfort, featuring large windows and an open, welcoming layout. Its gardens are arranged across terraces with distinct themes. The ornamental garden showcases geometric patterns like the one pictured here. The water garden offers a serene retreat, and the vegetable garden turns everyday crops into artistic displays.

After a challenging period, the dilapidated Château de Villandry was purchased in 1906 by Spanish doctor Joachim Carvallo and his wife, Ann Coleman, an heiress to an American steel empire. Their passion for history and horticulture led to a full restoration, and their descendants continue to maintain the estate today. These gardens change with the seasons, ensuring that no two visits are exactly alike. Whether you have a green thumb or not, it's hard not to admire the precision at play.

从巴拉那州看到的伊瓜苏瀑布, 巴西 Iguazu Falls seen from Paraná, Brazil (© agustavop/Getty Images)

瀑布声在各国间回响 Falls echo among nations

红木国家公园和州立公园, 加利福尼亚州, 美国 Grove of redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California (© Bob Pool/Getty Images)

就在这里驻足吧 Park it here

红木国家公园和州立公园, 加利福尼亚州

国家公园周今天落下帷幕，但这些森林已经庆祝大自然数千年了。走进一个树木直插云霄的世界。位于加利福尼亚州红木国家公园和州立公园的红木林，是地球上最高的树木之一，高达超过 370 英尺。州立公园包括红木国家公园、德尔诺特海岸红木州立公园、杰迪戴亚·史密斯红木州立公园和草原溪红木州立公园。有些红木树在玛雅人建造神庙和中国修建长城时就已经存在了。自 1968 年起被保护，这座公园保留了全球近一半现存的原始红木森林。

漫步于杰迪戴亚·史密斯红木州立公园的斯托特林地或红木国家公园的“第一夫人”林地中，能在红木树间享受宁静的漫步时光。您还可以徒步探索仅凭许可证才能进入的“高树小径”，在那里可以近距离观赏到这些最高的树木。红杉国家公园的生态系统是许多动物的家园，包括罗斯福麋鹿、黑熊、香蕉蛞蝓以及濒危的云雀鹱。在郁郁葱葱的树冠下，蕨类植物和苔藓茂盛生长，而沿海的雾气则为这些树木提供了不可缺少的水分。无论是徒步穿越这些参天巨树之间，还是仅仅站在它们的树荫下，这种体验都会令人感到心生敬畏。

Redwood National and State Parks, California

Step into a world where trees touch the sky. The redwood groves of Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) in California are home to some of the tallest trees on Earth, soaring over 370 feet high. The combined RNSP contain Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Some of these redwoods were alive when the Mayans built their temples, and the Great Wall of China was under construction. Protected since 1968, the park preserves nearly half of the world's remaining old-growth redwoods.

Walk through Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park or Lady Bird Johnson Grove in Redwood National Park for a quiet stroll among the redwoods. You can also hike the Tall Trees Trail, a permit-only path where you can closely witness the tallest trees. The RNSP ecosystem is home to many animals, including Roosevelt elk, black bears, banana slugs, and the endangered marbled murrelets. Ferns and moss thrive beneath the leafy canopy, while coastal fog provides essential moisture to the trees. Whether hiking beneath these towering giants or simply standing in their shadows, the experience is humbling.

印第安头湾, 布鲁斯半岛国家公园, 安大略, 加拿大 Indian Head Cove, Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario, Canada (© Maurice Prokaziuk/Getty Images)

悬崖、洞穴与清澈的水域 Cliffs, caves and clear waters

印第安头湾, 布鲁斯半岛国家公园, 安大略, 加拿大

布鲁斯半岛国家公园是安大略省一段令人叹为观止的尼亚加拉断崖地貌，由时间与水流共同雕琢而成。该公园于 1987 年设立，保护着高耸的石灰岩悬崖、隐秘的洞穴、茂密的森林和未被破坏的湖岸线。作为联合国教科文组织生物圈保护区的一部分，这里是多种适应崎岖地形的野生动物的避难所，比如黑熊、大响尾蛇和白尾鹿。

公园内拥有多条徒步步道，包括长距离的赛普里斯湖步道和布鲁斯步道。游客可以穿越茂密森林，探索喀斯特地貌、卵石海滩和宁静的草地。当你深入公园，自然会展现出静谧而惊艳的景象：东部草原流苏兰为小径增添色彩，古老的雪松树顽强地扎根于岩石边缘，仿佛在挑战地心引力。这里还有著名的“岩洞”，位于马尔湖和乔治亚湾步道之间的湖岸线上。这座令人惊叹的石灰岩洞穴内，碧蓝的水波光粼粼，每一步徒步都值回票价。无论你是为美景、野生动物而来，还是想在乔治亚湾中畅游一番，这座国家公园都能带来一段难忘的逃离喧嚣之旅。

阿拉斯加基奈峡湾国家公园尖顶湾, 阿拉斯加州苏厄德, 美国 Spire Cove in Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska (© Wander Photography/Getty Images)

崎岖山峰与野性水域 Rugged peaks and wild waters

阿拉斯加基奈峡湾国家公园尖顶湾, 阿拉斯加州苏厄德

随着国家公园周的持续进行，让我们把目光转向阿拉斯加基奈半岛上的瑰宝——基奈峡湾国家公园。该公园面积超过1,000 平方英里，拥有高耸的峡湾、蜿蜒的河谷和高山地貌。其中超过一半的区域被冰雪覆盖，冰川占据了其面积的 51%。在 20 世纪，公园内的冰川不断消退，为植物和动物的生长腾出了新的土地。从古老的西加云杉到娇嫩的柳兰幼苗，再到覆盖森林地面的茂密苔藓，尽管地势崎岖，基奈峡湾的植物依然繁茂生长。该公园也是多种陆地和海洋哺乳动物的栖息地，包括森林狼、豪猪、加拿大猞猁，以及虎鲸和长须鲸等鲸目动物。这里还栖息着多种鸟类，如白头海雕和皮尔氏游隼。

基奈峡湾国家公园不仅有令人惊叹的自然景观和繁茂的荒野，还蕴藏着丰富的人类历史。几千年来，阿拉斯加原住民在此生活，留下了他们生活的痕迹。在国家公园的范围内，过去依然留下印记，从沿海分布的苏格皮亚克人（阿拉斯加原住民一族）营地，到努卡湾中废弃的旧矿营遗迹。这些历史的足迹和公园的自然奇观一样珍贵，为我们提供了与曾塑造这片土地的人们之间的重要连接。有如此丰富的内容可供探索，难怪基奈峡湾是该州最受欢迎的公园之一。

Spire Cove in Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska

As National Park Week rolls on, let's turn our attention to Kenai Fjords National Park, a gem on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. Stretching over 1,000 square miles, this landscape features fjords, river valleys, and alpine landscapes. More than half of the terrain is blanketed in ice. Throughout the 20th century, the park's glaciers have receded, uncovering new land for plant and animal life to take root. From ancient Sitka spruces to delicate fireweed shoots and moss carpeting the forest floor, plant life in Kenai Fjords flourishes. The park is also home to diverse terrestrial and marine mammals, including timber wolves, porcupines, Canadian lynxes, and cetaceans like orcas and fin whales. It also hosts a variety of birds, such as bald eagles and Peale's peregrine falcons.

Kenai Fjords isn't just about stunning landscapes and flourishing wilderness—it's also a place rich with human history. For thousands of years, Alaska Natives have called this region home, leaving behind traces of their lives in the land. Within the national park, the past still lingers—from the camps left by Alaska Native Sugpiaq people once scattered along the coastline to the remnants of old mining camps in Nuka Bay.

大棱镜彩泉，黄石国家公园，怀俄明州，美国 Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (© Ajith Kumar/Getty Images)

我们的能源，我们的星球 'Our Power, Our Planet'

世界地球日

在地球日这一天，让我们前往大自然最壮观的地热奇观之一，位于美国怀俄明州黄石国家公园的大棱镜温泉。这是美国最大的温泉，直径达 370 英尺，水温高达 160 华氏度。这一地热奇观由地表下巨大的黄石火山所产生的强大热能驱动。温泉中色彩斑斓的蓝色、绿色、黄色和橙色环带是由生活在富含矿物质的热水中的嗜热微生物（称为嗜热菌）所形成的。

黄石的地热活动不仅为间歇泉和温泉提供动力，也为可持续能源提供了一个范例。与化石燃料不同，地热能是一种持续且可再生的能源。在我们庆祝地球日之际，“我们的能源，我们的星球”这一主题强调了寻找更清洁能源解决方案的必要性。黄石国家公园的地热力量展示了地球尚未开发的巨大潜能，这一潜力有助于减少碳排放并应对气候变化。大棱镜温泉提醒着我们，我们的星球蕴含着巨大的能量。关键在于如何明智地使用它，为可持续的未来努力。

Earth Day

On Earth Day, let's journey to one of nature's most stunning displays of geothermal power—Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The largest hot spring in the US, it spans 370 feet across and reaches temperatures of 160°F. This geothermal marvel is fueled by the immense heat of the massive Yellowstone volcano beneath the surface. Its vivid rings of blue, green, yellow, and orange are created by heat-loving microorganisms—called thermophiles—that thrive in the mineral-rich waters.

Yellowstone's geothermal activity not only fuels its geysers and hot springs, but also demonstrates a model for sustainable energy. Unlike fossil fuels, geothermal energy provides a continuous and renewable energy source. As we celebrate Earth Day, the theme 'Our Power, Our Planet' highlights the need for cleaner energy solutions. Yellowstone National Park's geothermal forces showcase Earth's untapped potential—one that could help reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. The Grand Prismatic Spring serves as a reminder that our planet holds immense power. The challenge is using it wisely for a sustainable future.

银河下的约书亚树，加利福尼亚州，美国 Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California (© Chao Zhang/Getty Images)

银河的魔力之下 Under the spell of the Milky Way

国际暗黑周

想象一下，站在一片漆黑的天空下，银河像一条发光的丝带横跨天际。这正是“国际暗黑周”希望带给我们的体验。每年四月，在新月周（今年是4 月 21 日至 27 日）期间，人们被邀请关闭灯光，仰望星空。这项活动由高中生詹妮弗·巴洛于2003 年发起，旨在对抗光污染。体验夜空之美的最佳地点之一是位于加利福尼亚州东南部的约书亚树国家公园，这是一个国际黑暗公园。在这里，由于没有人工光源的干扰，游客可以看到我们的祖先曾经看到过的星星。你知道吗？光污染使我们无法看到银河系中的大多数星星。通过减少光污染，我们可以重新与宇宙的美丽和神奇建立联系。

International Dark Sky Week

Imagine standing under a sky so dark that the Milky Way stretches across it like a luminous ribbon. This is the experience that International Dark Sky Week aims to bring back. Every April, during the week of the new moon (this year from April 21 to 27), we are invited to turn off our lights and gaze at the stars. The event was initiated by Jennifer Barlow, a high school student in 2003, to combat light pollution. One of the best places to experience the night sky's beauty is Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California, an International Dark Sky Park. Here, the absence of artificial light allows visitors to see the stars as our ancestors once did. Did you know that light pollution prevents us from seeing most of the stars in the Milky Way? By reducing it, we can reconnect with the universe's beauty and wonder.

卡帕多西亚格雷梅国家公园上空的热气球，土耳其 Hot air balloons over Göreme Historical National Park in Cappadocia, Türkiye (© Anton Petrus/Getty Images)

纪念历史 Celebrating history

国际古迹遗址日

试想一个没有金字塔、长城或古老洞穴城市的世界。是不是很难想象？这正是为什么 4月18日被定为“国际古迹遗址日”的原因。这个由联合国教科文组织认可的纪念日，致力于保护全球的文化瑰宝。这个日子旨在庆祝我们的历史，提升对濒危遗址的认识，并确保后代也能欣赏到这些宝贵遗产。

位于土耳其卡帕多西亚的历史国家公园正是一个极佳的例子。这里以“精灵烟囱”而闻名，这些高耸的岩柱由火山灰和数千年的侵蚀共同塑造而成。人们甚至在这些柔软的岩石结构中开凿出住宅、教堂，乃至完整的地下城市，其中一些可以追溯到公元 4 世纪。如今，它被列为联合国教科文组织世界遗产，每年吸引来自世界各地的游客。无论是古老的城堡、庙宇，还是隐秘的地下城，这一天都在提醒我们去珍惜并保护那些诉说人类历史的非凡地标。

International Day for Monuments and Sites

Imagine a world without the pyramids, the Great Wall, or ancient cave cities—hard to picture, right? That's why April 18 is the International Day for Monuments and Sites, an event recognized by UNESCO dedicated to protecting cultural treasures worldwide. This day is all about celebrating our history, raising awareness about endangered sites, and making sure future generations can enjoy them too.

A remarkable example is Göreme Historical National Park in Cappadocia, Türkiye. It's famous for its 'fairy chimneys'—towering rock formations shaped by volcanic ash and erosion over thousands of years. People carved homes, churches, and entire underground cities into these soft rock formations, some dating back to the 4th century. Today, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting visitors from around the world. Whether it's ancient castles, temples, or hidden underground cities, this day reminds us to appreciate and protect the landmarks that tell the story of humanity.

锡安国家公园，犹他州，美国 (© Simon Dannhauer/Getty Images)

国家公园周开始了

锡安国家公园，犹他州，美国

穿上你的登山靴——国家公园周开始了！这个为期九天的活动从今天开始，鼓励人们探索并欣赏国家公园的自然美景与文化遗产。这是一个了解这些受保护区域、参与保护工作、并享受壮丽景观的绝佳时机。可以通过参观国家公园、分享这些自然宝藏的信息，来加入这一庆祝活动，同时也感受它们在国家遗产中所扮演的重要角色。

今日图片展示的是锡安国家公园，这是一个很好的起点。该公园位于犹他州西南部，占地232 平方英里，地貌独特，拥有壮观的砂岩悬崖和狭窄的缝隙峡谷。锡安国家公园拥有丰富的动植物资源，包括近 300 种鸟类和19 种蝙蝠。是不是很吸引人？锡安国家公园只是全美 400 多个国家公园中的一个。国家公园周是一个深入了解它们并亲近大自然的绝佳机会。

卡奇纳桥，天然桥国家区，犹他州，美国 Kachina Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah (© Alan Majchrowicz/Getty Images)

时光通道 A passage through time

纪念天然桥国家保护区成立周年，犹他州

在犹他州东南部偏远的峡谷深处，天然桥国家保护区静静地诉说着时间与自然的力量。这里坐落着三座壮丽的天然桥：西帕普桥、卡奇纳桥和欧瓦乔莫桥。这些名字来源于曾在此生活的阿纳萨齐祖先印第安人，向他们的文化遗产致敬。其中，西帕普桥是最大的一座，其巨大的桥洞足以容纳美国国会大厦的圆顶。位于西帕普和欧瓦乔莫之间的卡奇纳桥，以桥基处发现的岩画和壁画而得名。而欧瓦乔莫桥被认为是三座桥中最古老的一座，其纤细的拱形结构表明它可能最终会自然坍塌。

1908年的今天，美国总统西奥多·罗斯福宣布此地为犹他州首座国家纪念地，以保护这一奇观。如今，这片神秘而壮丽的土地依旧保持着原始风貌。游客可以沿着小径徒步穿行，在高耸的天然桥下驻足仰望，感受大自然鬼斧神工的杰作，或是在这片以漆黑夜空闻名的保护区里，欣赏璀璨银河铺满天际的壮观景象。

Anniversary of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah

Within the remote canyons of southeastern Utah, Natural Bridges National Monument highlights the power of erosion and the passage of time. Shaped by the relentless forces of wind and water, this monument features three magnificent natural bridges—Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo. These bridges were named to honor the Ancestral Puebloans who once lived here. Sipapu is the largest bridge, with a massive opening that could almost fit the dome of the United States Capitol. Kachina, pictured here, is equidistant from Sipapu and Owachomo. It was named after the petroglyphs and pictographs found at its base. Owachomo is believed to be the oldest of the three. Its thin, arching structure suggests it may eventually collapse.

Recognizing the significance of these natural wonders, President Theodore Roosevelt designated Natural Bridges as Utah's first national monument on this day in 1908. Today, it remains a place of awe and solitude, where visitors can hike beneath the soaring bridges, gaze at some of the darkest night skies in the country, and step back into a landscape sculpted over millions of years.