KNOXVILLE - National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) President Tom Kiernan today spoke to attendees of the 10th Discover Life in America - All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, telling attendees that understanding what is in our national parks is a key step toward protecting these beloved places.

We need to inventory what exists in the national parks, and we need adequate funding to protect the contents of that inventory into the future,” said NPCA President Tom Kiernan.

The Discover Life in America - All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory Conference celebrates ten years of accomplishments in biodiversity research and education. Attendees, including scientists, volunteers, teachers, students, and national park managers, heard from special guests including Kiernan; Michael Soukup, the National Park Service’s Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship and Science; and Paul Sloan, Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The conference provided updates on the research being gathered by scientists and volunteers participating in the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory now underway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and other national park sites. As of October 2006, 4,666 species new to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and an additional 651 species new to science have been discovered in the park.

In its 2005 report, Faded Glory: Top Ten Reasons to Reinvest in America’s National Park Heritage, NPCA raised concerns about the National Park Service being underfunded and understaffed to adequately conduct science and research in the national parks, and endorsed the efforts of Discover Life in America and its partners in bringing science into the parks and engaging so many Americans in their important work.

NPCA distributed fliers at the conference, encouraging attendees to visit the organization’s website and sign the Pledge to Fix Our Parks to help national parks.

Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice of the American people in protecting and enhancing our National Park System. NPCA, its members, and partners work together to protect the park system and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for generations to come.