FEATURED PARK
Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park is a place of spectacular natural beauty. Famous for its geysers, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and wildlife, Yellowstone owes its unique geographic character to its location within an ancient caldera. The caldera is a giant bowl 30 miles wide by 45 miles long, created 640,000 years ago by a massive volcanic eruption. Today, volcanic activity continues below the surface, fueling geothermal formations such as hot springs and geysers. The Old Faithful Geyser is the best known geothermal feature in the park, but the entire landscape has become a deeply loved symbol of American wilderness. Winter is a particularly magical time to visit the park, when snow transforms the landscape, wolves roam the park, and frozen waterfalls stand in stark contrast to steaming springs.
Today, NPCA's Yellowstone field office is working to protect and restore the park's wildlife, unique winter quiet, and pristine air quality by fighting to phase out noisy and polluting snowmobiles. NPCA has called on the Park Service to support this effort and help encourage the use of park-friendly snowcoaches as the best way for park visitors to enjoy Yellowstone's winter beauty. NPCA is also working to protect Yellowstone's bison by expanding access to critical habitat outside the park, and fighting the construction of more cell phone towers that would mar the park's famous vistas.
View the slideshow > >
New Year's in Yellowstone
If you would like to experience the beauty and grandeur of Yellowstone in winter for yourself, we invite you to join us for our upcoming trip, "New Year's in Yellowstone."
PARK VICTORY!
Cleaning the Air in Our National Parks
 The National Parks Conservation Association confirmed yesterday with the EPA public affairs office that the Administration has abandoned its plans to weaken the rules that would have allowed coal-fired power plants and other facilities seeking to locate near national parks and wilderness areas to circumvent pollution limits established by Congress to protect these areas. If this rule had been finalized, there could have been more power plants and factories emitting more air pollution into America's national parks.
NPCA's Director of Clean Air and Climate Programs Mark Wenzler said, "This is a victory for our national parks, and the millions of Americans who visit them and live near them. The Administration wisely heeded the concerns raised by EPA scientists, the Park Service, Congress, and tens of thousands of Americans, and will not permit more pollution to damage wildlife, mar scenic views, or endanger visitors to our national parks and wilderness areas."
Your support has been critical in this success. We launched our "Spring Cleaning for National Parks" campaign a year and a half ago. More than 17,000 of you sent letters to the EPA telling the agency it was "time to clean the air" around our national parks. Yesterday's announcement that the existing EPA rules will not be weakened is a huge victory for our national parks and park supporters like you helped make it possible.
SUPPORT NPCA
Consider Making Your Year-End Gift From Your IRA!
Make Your Gift by December 31, 2008
 If you're age 70 1/2 or older, you have a special opportunity to make a gift to NPCA and avoid paying any additional taxes on your withdrawal.
Now that Congress has passed an extension of the IRA Rollover, you can make a contribution up to $100,000 from your IRA in both 2008 and 2009. If you are required to take minimum withdrawals from your IRA and do not need them for your personal use, you can support NPCA's work to protect our national parks and avoid taxes at the same time.
Visit us on the web to learn more about the IRA Rollover or contact Morgan Dodd, Director of Gift Planning, at mdodd@npca.org or call toll-free at 1.877.468.5775.
TRAVEL WITH NPCA
Crown of the Continent
July 19-25, 2009
 Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park--spread across southwestern Alberta, southeastern British Columbia, and northwestern Montana--is a world-class environmental and cultural heritage area. Home to ancient glaciers, dramatic mountain passes, plunging valleys, sparkling waters, and a host of wildlife, the surrounding communities boast distinctive character and history. Discover the celebrated treasures of this Crown of the Continent region on a NPCA small-group tour in July 2009.
For more information or to reserve your space, call us at 800.628.7275, email us at travel@npca.org, or go online to www.npca.org/travel.
Become a Trustees for the Parks member!
 With the year coming to a close, this is a great time to begin planning for 2009. Perhaps you'd like to improve your health, keep in more frequent touch with loved ones, or travel around the country to our beautiful national parks. As you consider your goals for 2009, we hope you'll keep NPCA in mind and consider becoming a Trustees for the Parks member!
As a Trustees for the Parks member, you will be one of our visionary leaders who understands the value and importance of our national parks and historical heritage. Annual gifts of $1,000 or more help NPCA continue our work to ensure that our National Park System can be enjoyed and treasured by our children and grandchildren. Plus, you'll receive exclusive mailings specifically designed for our Trustees for the Parks members, invitations to special events, and special travel opportunities.
As a token of our appreciation for becoming a Trustees for the Parks member, we would be delighted to send you a beautiful coffee table book titled Our National Parks by renowned photographer David Muench.
To join, or for more information, click here or contact Michele Gehrig, Trustees for the Parks Manager at mgehrig@npca.org or at 1.800.628.7275, ext. 290.
|
