Park Talks

NPCA is proud to bring you a collection of free Park Talks. These live presentations provide an opportunity to hear from staff, park experts and partners about some of the park stories, victories and threats we most want to share.

If you can’t attend, check back here after the Park Talk for the recording.

Past Park Talks

May 2025

• National Parks Under Threat
  We could lose more than 350 national parks unless we come together right now and put an end to the reckless attacks on park staff, funding – and the parks themselves. President Trump just released his proposed federal budget, and it calls for the kind of extreme budget cuts that could force literally hundreds of parks to close completely. We can’t let that happen. Learn about the latest threats against national parks and how you can take action to help us fight these threats and preserve our shared history and heritage. The May 22 event recording can be found here.

February 2025

• From Visitor to Advocate: Understanding Challenges & Raising Your Voice Join us for a virtual Park Talk to learn about the current state of our national parks and the challenges they face, like how staffing shortages impact parks and their rangers, as well as how you can use your voice to make a difference. You’ll also hear from an NPCA staff member about her experiences as a park ranger and the vital role of park staff in fostering safe, educational experiences for visitors. In this free event hosted via Zoom, attendees will also have the opportunity to have their questions answered by NPCA’s staff of experts. The February 24 event recording can be found here.

December 2024

• Celebrating Park Victories & Protecting Parks in 2025 In 2024, thanks to our members and supporters, NPCA has celebrated numerous victories ― from defending iconic park species and protecting endangered habitats to improving the experiences of park visitors. In this Park Talk, learn more about these significant victories, as well as how NPCA plans to continue to advocate for parks ― and what the challenges and opportunities might look like ― in 2025 and beyond. The December event recording can be found here.

October 2024

• Telling the Full American Story Through New National Parks In this Park Talk, learn how NPCA is working to ensure the full American story is told through the National Park System by creating, expanding and supporting new national park sites that preserve our nation’s history. NPCA’s panel of experts discussed three newly established national parks: Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Illinois and Mississippi, established in 2023; Amache National Historic Site in Colorado, established in 2022; and Blackwell School National Historic Site in Texas, established in 2022. They shared about the history the parks protect, the importance of ensuring these places are protected and how safeguarding these places as national parks help to enshrine and interpret a more complete American story. The October event recording can be found here.

September 2024

• Protecting Yellowstone’s Wildlife Through Stewardship Over 150 years ago, Yellowstone National Park was established as the world’s first national park. Yet, in this place where bison roam free, the spectacle of Old Faithful draws visitors from around the world, and the sound of songbirds fill the air, every aspect of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is at risk. Join us for a virtual Park Talk to learn how NPCA is working to address the urgent challenges that threaten this landscape and the wildlife within it. The September event recording can be found here.

November 2023

• Learn about the cave and karst geology around Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The landscape around Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, is characterized by unique and fragile cave and karst systems which extend far beyond the park’s boundaries. But unbalanced development in the area, including a huge uptick in oil and gas drilling in recent years, can pose a threat to fragile cave ecosystems, local water supplies and public health. In this webinar, cave experts will share their research and work about the unique geology of this incredible landscape, and you’ll learn how you can stay involved and help protect the region. The November 2 event recording can be found here.

April 2023

• New Ways to Connect with and Explore our National Parks. Join us and our partner, Nature Valley, on April 19 for a virtual Park Talk to hear from three national park advocates whose transformative park experiences were brought to life through our recent video series.. Attendees will hear firsthand from panelists about lifechanging experiences in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Blackwell School National Historic Site and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Through the experiences of the panelists, you will learn the important role parks play in celebrating our history and culture and learn how to create your own unique and transformational park story! The April 19 event recording can be found here.

• Preserving National Park Cultural Resources in a Changing Climate. How do we preserve often fragile cultural resources and the powerful stories they tell as seas continue to rise and weather becomes more extreme? How can we also draw from the history captured in the parks to speak to the collective action and innovation needed to face the current climate crises? Join us for a discussion with Park Service experts who will outline how they are grappling with these challenges and what is needed to continue to bring those stories life in ways that inspire. The April 6 event recording can be found here.

January 2023

• Tips for Your Next Park Visit. Whether you’re considering visiting a national park for the first time or you’re a seasoned park visitor, planning a trip can be challenging. Our partners at Travelodge® by Wyndham want to help you get outside, explore parks responsibly and make sure you have the resources and information you need to make the most of your trip. Hear from well-traveled panelists who share helpful information about the national park trips they have taken and the tips and tricks they utilize to make their trips successful. The January 31 event recording can be found here. Additional travel guides and trip-planning resources available here.

May 2022

• River of Grass and Beyond: Exploring the Biodiversity of Everglades National Park. In honor of Everglades National Park’s 75th anniversary, join NPCA for a visual jouney of the dynamic and abundant array of plants and animals that call the Everglades home. The May 25 event recording can be found here.

March 2022

• Park Talk: How You Can Help Clean the Air in California’s National Parks The pollution that causes hazy skies obsures some of California’s most treasured viewscapes, worsens climate change and harms park wildlife and ecosystems. Dirty air also negatively impacts the health of park visitors, staff and everyday Californians in communities across the state. Join us to learn more about where the state is heading and how you can help ensure cleaner air in California’s national parks and communities. The March 31 event recording can be found here.

December 2021

• “Paving Tundra” – virtual film screening and live conversation. Please join us for our NPCA Park Talk, which will feature a new documentary, “Paving Tundra,” as well as comments and conversation with Alaska Native tribal and community leaders. Content warning: the discussion will include reference to sexual violence against women. The December 9 event recording can be found here.

November 2021

• The Climate Policies Parks are Burning For: A Panel Discussion. Join us to learn from a panel of experts on the significant progress current legislation could make in addressing climate change, the role parks play in public climate discourse, and the policies NPCA, and members and supporters like you, are fighting to get enacted into law. The November 3 event recording can be found here.

October 2021

• NPCA Park Talk: Spooky Species Stories. This Halloween season, we share conservation stories of ghost orchids and our country’s rarest bats with you. This park talk features experts from National Parks Conservation Association and Bat Conservation International (BCI) that included family-friendly and individual activities that you can do during Bat Week. The October 27 event recording can be found here.

• How the Next Generation is Making an Impact for our National Parks. Our partner, Nature Valley, knows that making a difference for the future of our national parks begins by empowering the next generation. That’s why this year, they have donated $50,000 to NPCA to fund impact initiatives developed and led by members of our Next Generation Advisory Council, in support of national park protection and the important work ahead. The October 25 event recording can be found here.

• Breckenridge Brewery virtual public lands Park Talk Whether you’re based in Colorado, appreciate its national parks from afar – or you want to learn more about issues impacting all parks and how you can get involved – this discussion is for you! By the end of our discussion, you’ll know how NPCA’s current park protection priorities come to life across the nation, and how you can get involved whether you’re nearby Mesa Verde, Everglades, Acadia or anywhere in between. The October 13 event recording can be found here.

September 2021

• Alternatives to the Maglev: Equitable Transit for All Marylanders. The proposed high speed Maglev train between Baltimore, MD and Washington D.C. would harm a national park, a national wildlife refuge, the Chesapeake Bay and numerous nearby communities. NPCA, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the West Baltimore Project, Delegate Jared Solomon and Delegate Robbyn Lewis had a conversation on an equitable transit future for all of Maryland, and why the proposed Baltimore-Washington Maglev project is wrong for the region. The September 21 recording is available here.

• Protecting Biodiversity Beyond Park Boundaries. This virtual event explores the critical work of protecting biodiversity beyond national park boundaries through urban conservation and endangered species monitoring. Also highlighted are efforts to protect the endangered Florida bonneted bat in urban Miami-Dade County with NPCA partner organization Bat Conservation International. The June 17 recording is available here.

• Addressing the Unequal Burden of Air Pollution. A presentation and discussion on how the Regional Haze Rule can be used to not only clean the air at our national parks but also ensure overburdened and under-served

June 2021

• An Inside Look at the Historic Julius Rosenwald Schools. An inside look at the historic Julius Rosenwald Schools with Andrew Feiler, author of the new photo book, A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America. Andrew spent years visiting extant Rosenwald Schools, meeting alumni and caretakers, and taking photographs. The June 24 recording is available here.

• Protecting Biodiversity Beyond Park Boundaries. This virtual event explores the critical work of protecting biodiversity beyond national park boundaries through urban conservation and endangered species monitoring. Also highlighted are efforts to protect the endangered Florida bonneted bat in urban Miami-Dade County with NPCA partner organization Bat Conservation International. The June 17 recording is available here.

• Addressing the Unequal Burden of Air Pollution. A presentation and discussion on how the Regional Haze Rule can be used to not only clean the air at our national parks but also ensure overburdened and under-served communities across the nation have equal access to a clean environment in which to live, work and learn. The June 15 recording is available here.

April 2021

• How a Shirt, Hotel Stay and Beer can Protect Parks. Learn about how three incredible national brands are doing their part to protect parks alongside NPCA – and all of you! Hosted by NPCA’s Mark Wenzler, and featuring Parks Project’s Abbey Robertson, Travelodge® by Wyndham’s Haley Maglio and Breckenridge Brewery’s Todd Thibault. The April 19 recording is available here..

• Loco for Local Plants: Connecting with Native Plants. Antonio Sanchez, Native Plant Nursery Manager with the Santa Monica Mountains (SAMO) Fund will share his experiences and knowledge of native plants in southern California, in addition to highlighting upcoming volunteer opportunities.

March 2021

• Amache: A living history, an American story, and a new opportunity for the National Park Service. Learn why NPCA supports the creation of a new national park in Colorado at Amache, a former WWII Japanese American incarceration site, and hear from Amache descendants and experts about the importance of honoring and preserving this place for future generations. The March 24 recording is available here.

January 2021

• From Bear Dens to the Oval Office, a Park Talk with Sheridan Steele. The former Acadia National Park superintendent talks about his 38 years with the Park Service and his new book. The Jan. 28 recording is available here.

• Over a Decade of Growth: Seeing the Big Thicket Thrive. The Jan. 18 recording is available here.

• A Clear Solution: Reducing Haze at our Texas Parks. The Jan. 6 recording is available here.

December 2020

• Justice for Jamestown: A Conversation with Former National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. The Dec. 17 recording is available here.

• The National Park Experience, featuring Limestone Branch Distillery’s Stephen Beam, BACKPACKER Magazine’s Randy Propster, and two members of NPCA’s Next Generation Advisory Council. The Dec. 9 recording is available here..

• The Woolsey Fire Two Years Later: Recovery and Restoration in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Dec. 1 recording is available here.

November 2020

• Post-Election Park Talk, featuring NPCA policy experts. The November 10th recording is available here.

October 2020

• Understanding Civil Rights Through our National Parks and Heritage Areas, featuring Dr. Rolando Herts, director of the Delta Center, and Dr. Tina Jones, professor at the University of West Alabama. The October 29th recording is available here..

• Seeing Clearly: Advocating for Clean Air in Parks. The October 27th recording is available here.

• Wyoming’s Wild Migrations, featuring Matt Kauffman, lead scientist for the Wyoming Migration Initiative and research wildlife biologist for the U.S. Geographical Survey. The October 14th recording is available here.

September 2020

• Human-Caused Climate Change and Solutions in Our National Parks – A briefing by Dr. Patrick Gonzalez, Principal Climate Change Scientist of the U.S. National Park Service. The September 29th recording is available here.

• Voices of Dinosaur National Monument, featuring representatives from the National Park Service, filmmaker and advocate Cody Perry, and other area experts. The September 29th recording is available here.

• Venture Out Film & Panel Discussion, featuring Spruce Tone Films Co-Founders Matthew Mikkelsen & Palmer Morse, Perry Cohen, executive director and founder of The Venture Out Project, Jamie DiNicola of TransWave Films, and Sergio Moncada, NPCA’s Northeast regional program manager. The September 24th recording is available here..

• Wild Lands, Sacred Lands – Protecting the Badger Two Medicine, featuring Dylan DesRosier, Blackfeet tribal member. The September 23rd recording is available here.

• Documentary Screening of “The Mystery of Chaco Canyon,” featuring a panel discussion with Governor Brian Vallo of the Pueblo of Acoma and Julia Bernal with Pueblo Action Alliance. The September 22nd recording is available here. (Passcode: 1^HcGL2#)

• The Unspoken Science of Climate Change in South Florida’s National Parks. The September 17th recording is available here.

• World Heritage Site at Risk: Chaco Canyon National Historical Park. The September 10th recording is available here.

August 2020

• The Glories and Challenges of the National Parks, featuring explorer/writer/photographer Jon Waterman. The August 25th recording is available here. Additional reading and resources available here.

• Suffrage and Seneca Falls, featuring staff from Women’s Rights National Historical Park and celebrating the centennial of the 19th amendment. The August 19th recording is available here.

• The Amargosa River, Where Hydrology Becomes Biology, featuring Patrick Donnelly, Center for Biological Diversity’s Nevada state director. The August 13th recording is available here.

• Beyond Boundaries: Restoring the Migration Routes of the Yellowstone Pronghorn Antelope, featuring Julie Cunningham, a wildlife biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The August 12th recording is available here.

July 2020

• Ancient Desert Plants, featuring Chris Clarke, associate director for NPCA’s California Desert program. The July 30th recording is available here.

• The Science of Marine Reserves: Protecting Coral and Wildlife in Florida’s National Parks, featuring world-renowned angler, Dr. Martin “Marty” Arostegui. The July 23rd recording is available here.

• Great American Outdoors Act, featuring Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Kristen Brengel, Chair of NPCA’s Board of Trustees Vic Fazio, NPCA’s Senior Director of Budget and Appropriations John Garder, and Next Generation Advisory Council member Jessica Loya. The July 23rd recording is available here.

• Seeing the Connection: The Intersection of Energy Development & Air Quality at Parks in the Southwest. The July 22nd recording is available here.

• Half the Park is After Dark: Protecting the Intrinsic Value of the Night Sky, featuring Stephen C. Hummel of the Texas McDonald Observatory. The July 21st recording is available here.

• The Arts, the Desert, the Pandemic and Exile, with the Luna Arcana journal. The July 16th recording is available here.

• Forgotten History: Chinese Americans and the Formation of Our National Park System, featuring remarks from Yenyen Chan, Yosemite National Park ranger, and Jack Shu, formerly of California State Parks. The July 9th recording is available here.

• California Desert’s Conglomerate Mesa, featuring Bryan Hatchell, Friends of the Inyo. The July 1st recording is available here.

June 2020

• Julius Rosenwald: The Most Important Donor You’ve Never Heard Of, featuring Alan Spears, senior director for Cultural Resources at NPCA; Dorothy Canter, president of the Campaign to Establish the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park; Robert Stanton, former senior advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior; and Stephanie Deutsch, author of “You Need a Schoolhouse, Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald and the Building of Schools for the Segregated South.” The June 30th recording is available here.

• Connecting the LGBTQ Community to the Outdoors, featuring the Venture Out Project. The June 24th recording is available here.

• Speaking up for the Swamp: What’s at Stake in Big Cypress, featuring Dr. Melissa Abdo of NPCA. The June 18th recording is available here.

• Pebble Redux: Film & Discussion, learn how the best brown bear habitat in the world is threatened by the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska. The June 16th recording is available here.

• World Oceans Day Park Talk, A Conversation with Award-winning Photographer and Filmmaker Ian Shive, featuring behind-the-scenes photos and stories. The June 8th recording is available here.

• Moosewatch Expedition: Stories from Isle Royale, featuring past Moosewatch volunteers who have traversed the park searching for moose and wolf signs to inform the longest running predator-prey study in the world. The June 3rd recording is available here.

May 2020

• Searching for the Ghost Bear in the North Cascades, featuring Dr. Bill Gaines, lead biologist organizing the search for the great bear. The May 28th recording is available here.

• To Love and To Advocate: What It Takes to Preserve and Protect the National Parks and How You Can Turn Your Love of the Parks into Advocacy, featuring NPCA’s Senior Director of Cultural Resources, Alan Spears. The May 26th recording is available here.

• Wildlife Recovery and the Elwha River, featuring Kim Sager-Fradkin, wildlife program manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. The May 21st recording is available here.

• Bears Ears to Hovenweep: Conserving a Connected Cultural Landscape, featuring Kurt Riley, former governor of the Pueblo of Acoma, and Amanda Podmore, consultant for NPCA’s Southwest and Energy teams. The May 19th recording is available here.

• Sound the Bugle, See the Stars: How History and Nature are Enjoyed at Fort Davis National Historical Park, featuring NPS rangers. The May 19th recording is available here.

• The Atomic Frontier and Black Life at Hanford, featuring Jackie Peterson, guest curator for the similarly named 2015-2016 exhibition at the Northwest African American Museum. The May 14th recording is available here.

• NPCA’s Work to Protect Parks from Oil & Gas Development, featuring Theresa Pierno and Matt Kirby of NPCA. The May 7th recording is available here.

April 2020

• Tahoma & Its People: A Natural History of Mount Rainier National Park, featuring Jeff Antonelis-Lapp. The April 23rd recording is available here.

• Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons from the Japanese American Exclusion, featuring Clarence Moriwaki. The April 16th recording is available here.

• Solving a Wilderness Puzzle: North Cascades National Park, featuring Lauren Danner. The April 9th recording is available here.