Pacific
About the Pacific Region | Regional Accomplishments | Current Activities
About the Pacific Region
The Pacific region’s 31 parks are studies in contrasts and extremes. Only 100 miles separate the lowest point in the United States (Death Valley) from the highest point in the lower 48 (Mount Whitney in Sequoia National Park). The region’s stark desert environments contain as much mystery and beauty as its underwater kelp forests and coral reefs. Known best for its natural resource parks, the Pacific is also rich in historic resources.
From the temperate rainforests of Redwood to the tropical rainforests of Haleakala and Hawaii Volcanoes national parks to the alpine wonders of Kings Canyon National Park, America’s natural beauty and heritage are at the heart of our national parks.
In addition to the value of their ecological, cultural, and historic significance, the national parks of the Pacific region generate $1.18 billion in visitor spending and 30,000 jobs annually for local economies. This significant financial influence reinforces the need to adequately protect the national parks.
In order to better protect and represent the wondrous national parks of the Pacific, including crown jewels such as Yosemite National Park, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) opened a regional office in Oakland in 1994. This office works on behalf of the 31 national parks of California, Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa and currently represents approximately 42,000 NPCA members.
In 85 years, NPCA has grown to represent more than 300,000 members through our DC headquarters and 12 regional and field offices, all working to "protect and enhance America's National Park System for present and future generations."
Regional Accomplishments
- 2007
- NPCA and five other conservation groups win federal court case, protecting Surprise Canyon, one of Death Valley's rare, fragile desert streams from off-road vehicle use. The unique habitat of the canyon provides shelter for desert bighorn sheep, endangered birds, and rare species found nowhere else on earth.
- NPCA worked with Representative Miller's office to introduce legislation that will ensure Port Chicago National Memorial becomes a full national park unit, increasing public access to the site and making it easier to pursue funding for an educational information center.
- NPCA helped influence the California Governor to sign AB 821 into law, thus protecting the California condors by requiring non-toxic ammunition use for big game hunting in condor country, including Pinnacles National Monument.
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks launches the Sequoia Shuttle, which provides public transportation from Visalia to features in Sequoia. This success comes after many years of negotiations with local communities and NPS staff, a process that NPCA has been heavily involved with since day one.
- NPCA contributed to the passage of SB 719, improving the future effort to clean the air in the Central Valley and nearby national parks such as Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon.
- 2006
- NPCA urges Congressman George Radanovich to get the EPA involved with air quality issues in the Central Valley, home to local parks such as Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon. In 2007, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Stephen Johnson, comes to the Central Valley for a roundtable meeting on air quality, at Radanovich's request. Johnson refers to the San Joaquin Valley as "a priority area for the EPA."
- NPCA sends delegations to the annual National Latino Congreso in Los Angeles to promote and pass three resolutions on increasing park funding, reducing air pollution in parks and introducing a national park unit honoring Cesar Chavez.
- NPCA creates the "My National Park Journal," which allows children to record their park experience and learn more about protecting and enhancing our national parks for future generations. The book was first unveiled at The Record's Literacy and Book Fair at University Park in Stockton, California.
- National Parks Family Day is voted "Program of the Year" by the California State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. NPCA partnered with the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce back in 2004 for the event, which aims to educate residents about local national parks.
- The Pacific Regional office played a key role in publicizing and ultimately defeating the Department of Interior’s attempted rewrite of the National Park Service management policies (the parks’ operating manual). The Pacific Region won support from key Congressional Representatives, such as Speaker Pelosi, whose highly critical comments helped to ultimately defeat the rewrite.
- 2005 - NPCA and co-plaintiffs win federal court case, thus reversing the federal land exchange needed for the proposed Eagle Mountain garbage dump to go forward. The dump would be the world’s largest and severely impact Joshua Tree National Park, which surrounds the proposed project site on three sides.
- 2004 - NPCA helped defeat a proposed new city—Joshua Hills—bordering Joshua Tree National Park. The Pacific Region opened is second field office in the Central Valley to provide local support to Yosemite and Sequoia Kings Canyon national parks. The region released a report highlighting the educational opportunities and challenges in California’s national parks that was endorsed by over 50 educators and education organizations.
- 2003 - NPCA helped to defeat the Indio power plant proposed near our desert parks. NPCA also deterred Joshua Tree National Park from building new, unnecessary equestrian trails in the habitat of desert tortoise and other sensitive wildlife. The region also released (with more than 60 endorsements ranging from business leaders to elected officials) an economic impact report that detailed the significant economic impact of the region’s park units. This well received and highly publicized report reminded decision makers that these natural treasures benefit our economy but will only continue to do so if the parks are protected and funded. The Pacific Region opened its first field office in Joshua Tree, California.
- 2002 - NPCA helped defeat the Cadiz Water project, which would have mined up to 10 billion of gallons of groundwater needed by five wilderness areas and Mojave National Preserve.
- 2001 - NPCA and allied organizations defeat a proposal to build a coal-fired power plant near Joshua Tree National Park.
- 2000 - NPCA and allies ensure completion of a new plan for Yosemite National Park that will restore native habitat and reduce auto traffic in Yosemite Valley by 60 percent in peak months.
Current Activities
- Central Valley Campaign
California’s Central Valley, with population forecasts expected to rival the size of Los Angeles by 2040, is a gateway to some of California’s most magnificent national lands, including Yosemite National Park. Four members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Resources, which has the authority to affect directly the health and future of our national parks and all of America’s public lands, hail from congressional districts in the Valley. Two of these elected officials hold key chairmanships on the committee: Rep. Richard Pombo, who serves as Chairman of the Committee on Resources, and Rep. George Radanovich, who serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands. Through our on the ground local outreach and public education efforts, NPCA is building relationships with key community leaders, businesses, and decision makers to build a broad and active constituency to influence these individuals to act on behalf of nationals park protection in the Central Valley and nationwide.
- Defending the Desert Campaign
California’s desert national parks are the core of one of our nation’s most expansive and unique ecosystems. Consisting of 5.8 million acres, these parks Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Mojave National Preserve make up the largest concentration of national park lands in the lower 48 states. Though deserts are often perceived as barren landscapes, these ecosystems sustain a considerable diversity of flora and fauna, including 100 year-old tortoises, 12,000 year-old creosote bushes, vibrant wildflowers, bighorn sheep, hawks, and threatened and endangered plant and animal species. While conservationists won important protections for this region in 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act, these parks are still increasingly endangered by various threats including lack of funding, misguided policies, weakening of air quality protections, encroaching development, and a proposed landfill next to Joshua Tree. NPCA is building a growing base of public and political support to combat the current and future threats to California’s desert national parks.
- Park Funding
The Pacific Region has the largest number (just under 100) of coalition members partnering in efforts to call for increased funding for park system. These coalition members include a wide variety of individuals, businesses, chambers of commerce and elected officials who are committed to protecting national parks.
- Park Management Plans
The Pacific Region staff engages its members and coalition partners in helping to shape the future of Point Reyes National Seashore, Yosemite National Park, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area by encouraging public involvement in the development of the General Management Plans of these units. NPCA staff also providing park policy expertise to help shape future management of these unique and popular park sites.
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