In Italy, the creation of national parks in the Alps became a major topic in public debates at the beginning of the twentieth century, eventually finding its practical realization under Fascist rule: the Gran Paradiso and Stelvio national parks were founded in 1922 and 1935, respectively. This paper analyzes the dialectical and rhetorical strategies used by nature conservationists and tourism enthusiasts to support the creation of nature reserves and discuss the diverse interpretations of what a park should be.