Greetings,

In This Issue
Featured Park: Mojave National Preserve
Our National Mall Needs Your Help!
Victory for the Parks!
Cowboy Country Family Adventure
NPCA At Work in the Parks
Enjoy the Beauty of Our National Parks from Your Desk!
2006 Annual Report Now Available Online
You Are Invited to NPCA's Annual Awards Gala

Featured Park: Mojave National Preserve
Established in 1994 by the California Desert Protection Act, Mojave National Preserve encompasses 1.6 million acres of spectacular landscapes at the intersection of the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin deserts. The name of the park comes from the Indian words, “Aha Macav,” which means "the people who live along the water."

Mojave National Preserve protects the region's only year-round stream, seven mountain ranges, the famous 500-foot-high Kelso Dunes, the world's largest Joshua tree forest, and a host of archaeological remains. Almost half of the park is designated wilderness, allowing for the preservation of a wide variety of plant and wildlife species, including one of the largest herds of desert bighorn sheep in the country.

Most of us equate deserts with quiet desolation occasionally interrupted by the haunting sounds of wind whistling over a barren landscape, but in Mojave National Preserve and a handful of other deserts throughout the world, the right conditions prompt “dunesong” to fill the air. Scientists have spent years investigating the physics behind it all, and they’re finally beginning to make some headway. Read more about the dunesong and listen to a recording.

If You Go
When the weather conditions are just right, springtime visitors to Mojave National Preserve are treated to a captivating display of desert wildflowers. The blooming period ranges from late January to late May and varies year to year according to rainfall, temperatures, and elevation.

Watch the Slideshow > >

Our National Mall Needs Your Help!
Each year more than 25 million people visit the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to learn about America’s history and culture. Unfortunately, the Mall lacks a compelling, sustainable vision that would accommodate future monuments and memorials, provide basic visitor services including adequate restrooms, and allow for convenient, affordable transportation options.

TAKE ACTION: The Park Service is seeking comments on a proposed 50-year plan for the future of the National Mall. Urge the Park Service to develop a comprehensive vision that preserves the Mall’s history and integrity, and significantly improves the experiences of the Mall's 25 million visitors each year. The deadline for comments is March 16, 2007. Take action today! > >

Victory for the Parks!
This year the Bush Administration requested an unprecedented $211 million in new operational funding for national parks (over FY07), a much-needed increase that will go a long way toward restoring the parks in time for their 2016 centennial. With your generous support we’ve been able to kick off our national media campaign, including print ads and radio interviews from Seattle to New York City, to make sure that Congress approves the increase. But our efforts to put national parks in the national spotlight are far from over.

Contribute today to continue NPCA’s success > >

Cowboy Country Family Adventure
August 2-9, 2007

Come experience two spectacular National Parks—Yellowstone and Grand Teton—and explore the lives of cowboys past and present. Raft down a river looking for wildlife, take a ride on a vintage steam locomotive, attend an authentic Wild West rodeo, and take a trail ride with real cowboys. See the magnificent sculpture of four great American Presidents at Mount Rushmore and view the progress on the immense memorial honoring Crazy Horse. There is something amazing around every bend on this Yellowstone family vacation.

To learn more, visit the ParkScapes website

To join, call the NPCA ParkScapes Travel Desk at 800-488-4080.

NPCA At Work in the Parks
Northwest Groups Form Coalition to Deal with Storm Damage
In response to fall storms that caused at least $50 million in damage to the parks, and due in no small part to the support of REI, a coalition of public land partners is working to facilitate the rebuilding of Mount Rainier National Park.

The Northwest Public Lands Recovery Coalition includes the National Parks Conservation Association, the Student Conservation Association, the Washington Trails Association, and Washington’s National Park Fund.

The coalition has established some critical goals, including building a stronger long-term constituency for Northwest Parks and neighboring public lands, increasing volunteer involvement in Northwest public lands stewardship, and providing public land managers with additional support and capabilities to manage volunteer efforts.

For more information on the coalition visit the NW Storm Recovery Blog. You can also contact David Graves, NPCA Northwest Field Representative at dgraves@npca.org.

Enjoy the Beauty of Our National Parks from Your Desk!
For your enjoyment, we have posted a 5-minute video that features the stunning beauty of our national parks and the important role that NPCA plays in protecting them for present and future generations. We extend our thanks to Discovery Communications for producing the video and to Ted Koppel for lending his voice to the narrative.

Take Our Video Tour Today > >

2006 Annual Report Now Available Online
Last year the national parks faced an unprecedented series of assaults, including one that threatened the very foundation on which the parks were established and another that would have sold off 15 park units as a budget-reconciliation measure. Fortunately, with the support and aid of our members, donors, and partners who care deeply about the park system, NPCA was able to halt these ill-advised measures and even improve protections for the parks.

We invite you to read the full report to learn more about our efforts to protect parks for future generations.

Download the Report Now > >

There’s more to the park story than the scenery. Help NPCA as we develop innovative solutions to protect our national parks.

You Are Invited to 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. This year's William Penn Mott Jr. Park Leadership Award will be presented to Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) for his outstanding commitment to the protection of America's natural and cultural heritage. This year's Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks will be presented 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. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne will offer remarks on the National Parks Centennial Challenge.

Not only is this a wonderful celebration of our parks, it's a chance to support NPCA's work. Individual tickets can be purchased for $500 or $1,000, and are limited to 5 tickets per person. Want more seats? Table purchases start at $10,000. For more information about the event, contact Elizabeth Jordan at ejordan@npca.org or 800-628-7275.

Learn More About NPCA’s Annual Dinner Here > >

Did You Know?
Prehistoric rock art abounds in the desert parks. At Mojave alone, more than 25,000 individual petroglyphs and pictographs have been recorded at nearly 270 sites.

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).

Visit us online at www.npca.org.