NPCA Notes
In March, NPCA's Community Partners group hosted "Get to Know South Florida's National Parks" in Miami. The conference was designed to bolster the relationship between minorities and southern Florida's national parks by emphasizing the parks' natural beauty and historical ties to people of color. About 100 residents of nearby communities attended. Park Service staff from Biscayne, Everglades, and Dry Tortugas national parks, Big Cypress National Preserve, and members of the Miami Community Partners Program participated and shared stories about historical connections. Staff told how African-American homesteader Lancelot Jones and his sons hacked out a channel in the coral reefs, still visible today, to enable their family to transport their citrus crops by boat to the mainland. Although today no one would advocate destroying the coral, Audrey Peterman, event organizer and NPCA board member, hopes that stories such as Jones' will encourage people of color to use and associate themselves with south Florida's national parks.
On May 17, Americans for National Parks launched the National Parks Scrapbook. Individuals can log onto www.americansfornationalparks.org/scrapbook and post their photos of national parks, in the hopes of inspiring others to care about such treasures. ANP, a coalition launched by NPCA, is working to get lawmakers to address the full funding needs of the National Park System. ANP will share posted entries with members of Congress and the president as evidence of the public's concern.
On July 18, the Murie Center pays homage to Mardy Murie, as the 1998 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient prepares to celebrate her 100th birthday. The center will host the "Evening of Enchantment" gala at the Murie Ranch in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming to commemorate Murie's lifetime commitment to conservation and to raise money for the center. The Murie Center works with people from various professions and geographic regions to promote nature and its connection to the human spirit. The night will be filled with food, live music, a performance based on Murie's writings, and a showcase of original designs inspired by Murie's and her husband Olaus' passion for wildlife. The premiere of "Place of Enchantment: The Mardy Murie Story," performed by Voices of the South, will conclude the evening.
—Jenell Talley
