Protect What Matters Most
Find Your Park Match
Already know your Park Match? Choose from the list below for a detailed breakdown.
“See You Outside” Parkgoer
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
You appreciate natural beauty, inclusivity and conservation. You believe in experiencing the best of America’s national parks while ensuring they’re welcoming spaces that are accessible to everyone. You have a deep desire to witness the grandeur of America’s national parks, from the majestic peaks of Glacier to the ancient forests of Sequoia. You crave the feeling of awe and wonder that comes from immersing yourself in nature and surrounding yourself in gorgeous landscapes. You embody the spirit of exploration while championing the values of conservation.
Your park matches: Glacier, Great Smoky Mountains, Sequoia
Interests: Hiking, camping, photography, travel, environmentalism and conservation, park visitation
LEARN:
📰 Selling Off Our Public Lands? A Line We Cannot Cross
📰 Seeing Recovery at Yellowstone
📰 Making Our Mark on Capitol Hill: Advocating for the Great Lakes and National Parks
WATCH:
🎥 How Your Voice Makes a Difference with Kristen Sykes | Campfire Chats
LISTEN:
🔊 On the Road Again… and Again: Taking a year to visit all the national parks is the stuff of bucket lists. It’s also a logistical puzzle and a lot of hard work, especially if you’re reporting stories for an Emmy-winning news magazine and capturing the entire experience in a bestselling book. Conor Knighton did all of that, and today he shares his insights from a year on the road in the national parks.
🔊 Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval: A series of staffing crises are squeezing a national park workforce that was already spread thin through years of underfunding. Now, a new reduction in force could put even more pressure on employees as we head into the busy spring and summer seasons.
🔊 Return to the Bat Cave: What is it like to be inside one of the wildest places on Earth? In a remote area of the Grand Canyon, explorers discovered two caves previously untouched by human beings, with thousands of ancient bats — some older than carbon dating can measure. We hear the latest findings and stories from the research team.
🔊 Photographing Parks After Dark: When night falls at a national park, many visitors pack up and head home — but dark skies offer rare wonders worth staying up to see. Get tips on where to go and ways to photograph parks after dark.
REP YOUR PARKS:
🛒 Click to shop the See-You-Outside collection in the NPCA store. Every purchase helps NPCA protect and enhance America’s National Parks for present and future generations.
“Historical Advocate” Parkgoer
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
You are driven by a deep sense of social justice and a commitment to amplifying American voices and histories. Your activism is rooted in a desire to address inequities and ensure that history accurately reflects the experiences of all citizens. As a passionate advocate for historical truth and social justice, you want to ensure that all American stories are told and remembered. You see history as a powerful tool for change and are dedicated to using it to create a more just and equitable future.
Your park matches: Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, Frances Perkins National Monument, Stonewall National Monument
Interests: History, civic engagement & activism, cultural exploration, education, volunteering, art & Expression
LEARN:
📰 5 Reasons the Rim of the Valley Should Be Protected
📰 Public Lands Did Not Come Free: What Trump’s Actions May Cost Tribal Nations
📰 I Was There in 1969: Here’s Why Stonewall Still Matters
📰 The 13 National Parks Devoted to Women’s History
📰 Learn About Black History in 11 Unexpected Places
📰 5 Courageous Asian American Women You May Not Have Heard Of
WATCH:
🎥 Online Advocacy Expert Answers Your Questions
LISTEN:
🔊 The Angel of Glen Echo: Clara Barton was a trailblazer who devoted her life to helping people in need, and who revolutionized disaster response in the process. But the national historic site where she once lived and worked is now in serious disrepair. After pushing back on a problematic renovation plan, a small group of dedicated historians is helping the National Park Service to honor her legacy more fully.
🔊 It Takes a Village: On the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, hundreds of people gathered at Stonewall National Monument in New York to celebrate the opening of its new visitor center — the first of its kind. Everyone from President Joe Biden to Katy Perry to Elton John honored the significance of the site and its watershed rebellion for equality. Mark Segal, one of the participants in the uprising, was among the speakers. In this episode, he remembers that night in 1969 and shares how it sparked a lifetime of activism ― and how Stonewall continues to shape the LGBTQ+ movement today.
🔊 Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval: A series of staffing crises are squeezing a national park workforce that was already spread thin through years of underfunding. Now, a new reduction in force could put even more pressure on employees as we head into the busy spring and summer seasons.
REP YOUR PARKS:
🛒 Click to shop the Historical Advocate collection in the NPCA store. Every purchase helps NPCA protect and enhance America’s National Parks for present and future generations.
“Good Steward” Parkgoer
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
You are driven by a deep sense of duty and patriotism. Your love of our parks is inspired by your greater love of American heritage. Your approach to national parks and monuments is rooted in the values of tradition and legacy, and you honor the freedoms we enjoy by preserving them. To you, national parks are a symbol of sacrifice, unity and legacy – and you want to ensure that they will be passed on to future generations.
Your park matches: Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Statue of Liberty National Monument, National Mall and Memorial Parks
Interests: American history and heritage, public service, patriotism, tradition, creating family memories
LEARN:
📰 Trump Administration Reverses Course, Brings Plastics Back to Litter National Parks
📰 Selling Off Our Public Lands? A Line We Cannot Cross
📰 5 Reasons the Rim of the Valley Should Be Protected
📰 4 Activities for Connecting Your Family to Nature
📰 5 Park Landmarks with Curious July 4 Histories
WATCH:
🎥 Reading Your Heartfelt Postcards to National Park Service Staff
LISTEN:
🔊 A School Year on Wheels: One Minnesota family uprooted their lives to go on a year-long adventure to national parks, building an educational curriculum around the public lands on their trip, and getting a taste of the joys and challenges of “roadschooling.”
🔊 The Heart of America’s Story: National heritage areas are some of the country’s most beloved hidden gems. In this episode, we feature three of the people who know these distinctive destinations best and who worked for decades to create two of our seven newest sites.
🔊 Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval: A series of staffing crises are squeezing a national park workforce that was already spread thin through years of underfunding. Now, a new reduction in force could put even more pressure on employees as we head into the busy spring and summer seasons.
REP YOUR PARKS:
🛒 Click to shop the Good Steward collection in the NPCA store. Every purchase helps NPCA protect and enhance America’s National Parks for present and future generations.
“Fauna & Flora Appreciation” parkgoer
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
You are deeply connected to wildlife and natural ecosystems. Your connection to national parks is rooted in a desire to protect these vulnerable environments and ensure their preservation for future generations. You value the environment, conservation and science. You have a deep respect for the natural world. You believe in taking action to mitigate climate change and/ or protect biodiversity.
Your park matches: North Cascades, Gates of the Arctic, Everglades
Interests: Wildlife conservation, ecology, climate policy, birdwatching, environmental activism and advocacy
LEARN:
📰 Protecting Wildlife & Wildlands: The Endangered Species Act
📰 Fragile Treasures Threatened in Chaco Culture National Historical Park
📰 3 Lessons Learned from a Desert Tortoise in Joshua Tree
📰 Trouble Ahead: How Staffing Cuts Threaten Air, Water and Wildlife at Your Favorite Parks
WATCH:
🎥 Yellowstone Bourbon x NPCA : Impact Near Blue Ridge Parkway
LISTEN:
🔊 In the Footsteps of Grizzlies: Can humans learn to coexist with some of the largest, most ferocious animals on the landscape? Former park ranger Kevin Grange has followed this question — and his love for grizzly bears — to some of the wildest lands and waters in North America, documenting ways to give humans and grizzlies a better chance at survival.
🔊 A New Park for an Old Hero?: A proposed Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree National Park would protect the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise and help many other species thrive, including people.
🔊 Save the Dinosaurs: Dinosaur National Monument preserves one of the richest collections of late Jurassic remains on Earth. But where there are fossils, there are often fossil fuels. Could a push for new drilling and mining threaten this beloved park and its prehistoric reptiles?
🔊 Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval: A series of staffing crises are squeezing a national park workforce that was already spread thin through years of underfunding. Now, a new reduction in force could put even more pressure on employees as we head into the busy spring and summer seasons.
REP YOUR PARKS:
🛒 Click to shop the Fauna & Flora collection in the NPCA store. Every purchase helps NPCA protect and enhance America’s National Parks for present and future generations.
Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.
Donate Now