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Greetings,
In This Issue
Featured Parks: Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments
Resolve to Protect Our National Parks!
An Avalanche of a Plan at Glacier
Gerald R. Ford--United States President and National Park Ranger!
Pristine Winter Quiet in Yellowstone
National Parks Magazine Gets a New Look
Save the Date for NPCA's Annual Awards Gala
Featured Parks: Castillo de San Marcos & Fort Matanzas National Monuments
 Two national monuments on the East Coast of Florida commemorate the fierce clashes between European powers over the spoils of the New World. St. Augustine, Florida, was the northernmost point of a vast Spanish empire that included Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. The city's location was critical in defending fleets that carried treasure from the Caribbean back to Spain. In the late 17th century, Spain built Castillo de San Marcos to defend the city against both pirates and British forces. The castle withstood an attack by the English in 1702 that left the rest of St. Augustine burned to the ground. Although the fortress was eventually claimed by England and later America, via treaty, it was never taken by force. Today the bastion's history is told via weapons demonstrations, ranger talks, and detailed museum exhibits.
Fort Matanzas was built 15 miles away to protect St. Augustine from British attack via the Matanzas River, which was considered a strategic "backdoor" to the city. Twelve British ships were forced to retreat in a brief skirmish in 1742 as the fort was nearing completion. Today, a Park Service ferry takes visitors to the watchtower fort. During the boat trip, dolphins can be glimpsed surfacing the water. The park is on the only "natural" inlet remaining on Florida's east coast and includes a barrier island refuge.
Watch the Slideshow >>
Resolve to Protect Our National Parks!
With your invaluable support, last year was a year of many successes for NPCA. But the new year brings new challenges, and we need your continued support to fund our research and fact-based advocacy campaigns, educate Congress and the media about critical park needs, and mobilize our allies. So please resolve to help protect and enhance our national parks this year. Your tax-deductible donation is vital, and your partnership with NPCA makes a world of difference.
Donate Today >>
An Avalanche of a Plan at Glacier
 Avalanche control is no small task. Predicting an avalanche is tricky; identifying the best way to control them is equally challenging. The transcontinental railroad along the northern United States faces its toughest challenge where it crosses the Continental Divide on the southern edge of Glacier National Park, and avalanches sometimes threaten to sweep trains off the tracks. Controlling avalanches is a necessity--but use of explosives isn't the best way to do it in a national park.
In the early 1900s, Burlington Northern Santa-Fe Railroad (BNSF) built snow sheds to deflect avalanches that threaten trains. Unfortunately those snow sheds need to be maintained and extended to properly protect trains, their crew, and passengers. Instead of investing in improving the snow sheds, BNSF has a different solution: avalanche control via military explosives--a risky and inappropriate way to prevent potential disaster. Take action today!
 Gerald R. Ford--United States President and National Park Ranger!
Gerald R. Ford will be remembered for his many accomplishments as the 38th President of the United States. He was also a champion of our national parks, and we are grateful for his commitment to our parks. While in office he added 18 new areas to the National Park System and enlarged others. He was also the only American President to serve as a park ranger in the National Park Service.
Ford joined the Park Service in the summer of 1936, working as a seasonal park ranger in Yellowstone National Park. Ford later recalled "I remember as a ranger the first time I stood alone on Inspiration Point over at Canyon Station looking out over this beautiful land. I thought to myself how lucky I was that my parents' and grandparents' generation had the vision and the determination to save it for us."
We encourage all Americans to visit a national park this year in honor of President Ford, and share his appreciation and advocacy for these greatest of American places.
 Pristine Winter Quiet in Yellowstone
Be a part of Yellowstone's winter recovery
The pristine winter quiet of Yellowstone National Park is returning. Winter visitors are opting to take snowcoaches, and with fewer snowmobiles, the Park is becoming healthier, with less air pollution and noise pollution. But the recovery is not yet complete, and it still could be reversed. You can play a part in one of the country's most hopeful environmental trends.
Despite unprecedented political manipulation on behalf of the snowmobile industry, snowmobile use in Yellowstone is declining. Visitors are effecting the change that politics would not deliver. In the past three winters, 52% fewer visitors have chosen to ride snowmobiles and 63% more have opted to tour the park by snowcoach.
In addition to a cleaner ride, snowcoach passengers are discovering the vehicles are less expensive, more family-friendly and full of more meaningful interpretive experiences thanks to the presence of snowcoach drivers.
Vote with your pocketbook! Be a part of the visitor-led recovery of Yellowstone and Grand Teton this winter! Learn More >>
National Parks Magazine Gets a New Look
 Don't miss the winter issue of National Parks magazine, which unveils a much-anticipated redesign. Changes include a new section in TrailMix (the news section formerly known as ParkScope) that features fun, easily digestible items like park factoids, issue updates, and prominent media quotes from our very own staff. This section also provides space for sharing stories about what NPCA is doing in the parks, on the Hill, and online. The cover design has a cleaner look, the contents pages are sharper, departments are more distinguishable, and a new department called "Aperture" gives our talented photographers a chance to showcase their most stunning images and the stories behind them. Some things won't change--like our commitment to provide powerful photography and diverse, in-depth feature articles.
NPCA has raised the bar in a number of ways over the last few years--from our presence online to our influence on Capitol Hill--and we believe the magazine now reflects that level of influence and sophistication. We're happy with the results, and we hope you enjoy the new design as much as we do.
Read the Winter Issue of National Parks magazine online >>
Special Feature >> Saddle up and take a ride with park rangers and pack animals hard at work in North Cascades National Park Complex. View the slideshow.
Save the Date for NPCA's Annual Awards Gala
Salute to the Parks: Protecting America's Heritage
March 28, 2007
Washington, D.C.
 On March 28, NPCA will host its annual awards gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The William Penn Mott Jr. Park Leadership Award is presented annually at this event to a public official who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the protection of America's natural and cultural heritage. This year's recipient is Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Throughout his tenure in Congress, Sen. Alexander has taken actions to benefit the entire National Park System, including advocacy on behalf of national park air quality, cosponsorship of the National Park Centennial Act, and efforts to provide much-needed resources to national parks during debate on the transportation bill.
NPCA will also present the annual Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks to The National Geographic Society for more than 100 years of publishing materials that educate readers about the majestic beauty and cultural significance of America's national parks. The Society recently took an active role in collaborating with the National Park System Advisory Board to produce and publish the 2001 report titled Rethinking the National Parks for the 21st Century, which among other recommendations, encouraged the National Park Service to promote parks as "Pathways to Learning," elevating education as a fundamental element of the agency's mission.
Not only is this a wonderful celebration of our parks, it's a chance to support NPCA's work. For more information about the event, contact Elizabeth Jordan at ejordan@npca.org or 800-628-7275.
From All the Staff at NPCA,
Thank you for your time and dedication to helping enhance and protect our national parks for present and future generations. NPCA's park protection work is made possible by the generous support of people like you. An introductory membership is just $15, and includes a subscription to our award-winning National Parks magazine, recently recognized for excellence in coverage of environmental tourism by the Society of American Travel Writers. Join us Today!
National Park Explorer is a publication of the National Parks Conservation Association. E-mail us at TakeAction@npca.org, write to us at 1300 19th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036, or call us at 800-NAT-PARK (800-628-7275).
Are you having trouble making a donation online? Call us at 1-800-628-7275 Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time and one of our associates will be able to assist you.
Visit us online at www.npca.org. | 
