National Park Advocates Unite on August 25 to Show Support for Park Staff and Urge Washington to Defend America’s Legacy

Washington, DC – As National Park Week begins, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is holding a nationwide Day of Action to celebrate our national parks and demonstrate the importance of protecting them for future generations. At events across the nation, park visitors will be invited to sign postcards thanking park staff and add their names to petitions urging Congress to fund and protect national parks. These events will showcase the broad support for parks and park staff among everyday Americans.

The Day of Action comprises 30 events in 20 parks, and is centered on August 25, the birthday of the National Park Service. Everyone visiting these parks can stop by NPCA’s tables to learn more and take action before continuing to experience everything the parks have to offer.

Visitors can find NPCA’s tables in the First Amendment Zones at Kenai Fjords National Park, Muir Woods National Monument, Yosemite National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Acadia National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, Glacier National Park, Gateway National Recreation Area, Blue Ridge Parkway, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, James Garfield National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Great Falls Park, North Cascades National Park, Rock Creek Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, and New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Events outside of parks include:

• Park trivia at Old Busthead Brewing in New Baltimore, Virginia

• Rebuilding fences in Madison Valley, Montana

• Park celebration and screening of “The Neches River: Wild Heart of East Texas” in Beaumont, Texas

• And more events nationwide. See npca.org/dayofaction for a complete list.

Americans are united in our love for national parks. According to a national NPCA survey, more than 2/3 of Americans reject the drastic cuts to park budgets this administration has pursued. Since January 2025, the National Park Service has lost nearly 25% of its permanent workforce, driven primarily by mass terminations, early retirements and deferred resignations.

The National Parks Conservation Association was created for moments exactly like this. And park lovers everywhere are joining us to speak up and call for an end to the devastating attacks that are wreaking havoc on the National Park Service.

Statement from David Lamfrom, Vice President of Regional Programs “Parks are unique and beloved, and during this National Park Week, we want to be rooted in place and together with communities to speak up for them. This Day of Action is an opportunity for all Americans to show that parks bridge differences and close divides. They are places that inspire us, educate us, and connect us to our history. Online and in parks across the country, people can take action for America’s legacy: our national parks.

"At each of our thirty sites across the country, visitors will be thanking park staff, sending messages of support to Congress, and learning how to join community efforts to protect all our national parks. We encourage everyone to take a few minutes to visit our tables – and then have a great day in the parks. We hope this Day of Action builds the public voice and will needed to protect our parks every day and for the long term.”