I read with interest that representatives of Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake National Park, recently traveled to China to ink an agreement to establish a Sister Park relationship with Mount Wuyi World Heritage and Cultural Site in Oregon’s sister state of Fujian province. That relationship began in 1984 with a number of cultural, educational and business exchanges, and discussions to create the sister parks link started in 2011. Having spent a summer during my college years working at Crater Lake, and now living just 90 minutes away from the natural treasure, I’m eager to see how soon we might see an increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the area. Parties on both sides of the Pacific anticipate the new arrangement will boost tourism to the two parks and their surrounding regions. Visitors to Wuyi encounter ancient temples, Wuyi Palace, cliff carvings and stone inscriptions — some dating back more than 2,300 years. It is also noted for its biodiversity, tea plantations, caves, peaks and Nine Bend River. Though formally established fairly recently, in 1982, it receives nearly 10 million visitors annually, more than any one United States national park. (Crater Lake receives roughly half a million visitors during peak years.) Unlike guests to the U.S. parks, visitors to Wuyi may not roam freely but must keep to a series of paths and walkways which lead to scenic overlooks and historical points of interest. Crater Lake Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman, one of a five-member delegation from the U.S. who attended the signing ceremony in February, was pleased at the enthusiasm Chinese officials showed regarding the new relationship. They indicated that their countrymen have great interest in the U.S. parks (which are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year) and offered suggestions to Ackerman that would make Chinese guests feel welcome, such as signage in Mandarin and translations of park brochures, publications and information on ranger-led hikes and programs. Ackerman noted that he met with companies in Beijing organizing tours to Oregon and is preparing for a Chinese delegation to visit the park and Southern Oregon next month. April is still quite early in the season for the park, which averages about 530 inches of snow a year; the Rim Drive which circles the 1,943-foot-deep lake usually isn’t cleared of drifts until late June or early July, and most activities, including hiking, research, lake boat tours and interpretive programs, aren’t offered until June. Of course, the Chinese group may be able to enjoy more wintry activities like snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing! And while there aren’t any ancient temples to explore, they might visit the lava tubes at nearby Lava Beds National Monument, the caves at Oregon Caves National Monument and the giant conifers at Redwood National Park. And while Wuyi traces its history back more than two millennia, Superintendent Ackerman points out that Native American tribes called the region home well before the explosion of Mount Mazama that created Crater Lake more than 7,700 years ago, and the area is rich with their stories and heritage. I anticipate this new sister parks arrangement will be the start of a beautiful friendship . . . and a boon to tourism for both Oregon and Fujian. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor