Editing Thousand Islands (section)

===Public parks===
To be considered an island, a piece of land must stay above water throughout the year and support a living tree. Many of the islands are publicly owned. A group of 21 islands<ref name="OtherFAQs">{{cite web |url=http://www.visit1000islands.com/first-time-visitors/other-faqs/ |title=Other FAQs |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2016 |publisher=1000 Islands |access-date=December 11, 2016}}</ref> form the [[Thousand Islands National Park]], the oldest of Canada's [[National Parks of Canada|national parks]] east of the [[Rocky Mountains]]. The park hosts campgrounds, inland walking trails, annual family events, as well as a national heritage building.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/on/lawren/natcul.aspx |title=Thousand Islands National Park of Canada - Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures |website=Parks Canada |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref>

Thirty [[List of New York state parks|New York state parks]] are managed as part of the [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]'s Thousand Islands Region,<ref name=NYSP>{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/regions/thousand-islands/default.aspx |title=Thousand Islands Region |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref> including many on river islands or along the New York shore. Many of these river parks were established in the late 19th and early 20th century as part of the [[St. Lawrence Reservation]],<ref name=FGFC_1901>{{cite book |title=Seventh Annual Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York |date=January 30, 1902 |chapter=The St. Lawrence Reservation or International Park |author=Strough, Arthur B. |chapter-url=http://nysl.cloudapp.net/awweb/guest.jsp?smd=1&cl=all_lib&lb_document_id=114278 |pages=71–86 |publisher=J.B. Lyon Company, State Printers}}</ref> and were among New York's earliest land acquisitions for the purpose of preservation and recreational development.<ref name=50years>{{cite book |title=Fifty Years: New York State Parks, 1924-1974 |url=http://nysl.cloudapp.net/awweb/guest.jsp?smd=1&cl=all_lib&lb_document_id=104152 |pages=10–12 |publisher=Natural Heritage Trust |date=1975 |author1=Natural Heritage Trust |author2=New York State Office of Parks & Recreation |author3=New York State Council of Parks & Recreation |access-date=November 24, 2016}}</ref> Among the larger parks are [[Wellesley Island State Park]], which includes the largest camping complex in the region,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wellesley Island State Park |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |url=http://parks.ny.gov/parks/52/details.aspx |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref> and [[Robert Moses State Park - Thousand Islands|Robert Moses State Park]].