333 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 921
Chicago, IL 60601
IL, IN, IA, KS, NE, OH, MI, MN, MO, SD, WI
Sweep over the stark Badlands of South Dakota, under the curve of St. Louis Arch, along the shores of Indiana Dunes, and through the rugged wild of Isle Royale to gain a sense of the vast and diverse territory covered by NPCA's Midwest Regional Office. Spanning eleven states, the parks in this region – such as Lincoln Home National Historic Site – reverberate with the stories of America, teaching us about our journey as a country, from our early residents to our presidents, and from tragic battles to triumphs of progress. In addition, they inspire us with their beauty, size, and natural resources. Building support for, and ensuring the protection of, these special places is the focus of NPCA’s Midwest Regional Office.
The Midwest regional team is based in Chicago, with a field office in St. Paul, Minnesota. The diversity of this region’s parks means that the staff might spend one day fighting for the continued survival of wolves in the wilderness of Isle Royale National Park and the next day working to improve public transit at Chicago’s first national park, Pullman National Monument.
Because parks do not exist in isolation, the Midwest team works with the National Park Service and many landowners to protect parks in their landscapes. For example, at Indiana Dunes National Park on the shores of Lake Michigan, NPCA brings public and private land managers together to solve conservation challenges, such as controlling invasive species, managing erosion, and leveraging staff and project funds to better protect wildlife and nature in the highly industrialized and fragmented landscape.
In the urban environment, after advocating diligently for the designation of Pullman, the team is working with hundreds of Chicago residents, businesses and government agencies to implement the award-winning vision, Positioning Pullman.
The Midwest team will continue to build national park advocates in its 11 states to fight for enhanced protections of the beautiful and historic national parks that make this region so exceptional.
Cuyahoga Valley: What's in a Name?
Cuyahoga is the Mohawk word meaning “crooked river.”
Field Offices in the Midwest Region
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Minnesota Field Office
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- Address:
- 546 Rice Street Suite 100 St. Paul, MN 55103
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- Phone:
- 612.270.8564
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More about the Midwest region
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Read more about Park Talks
Regional Events Park Talks Join our NPCA community for virtual "Park Talks" to learn about our work and ways you can get involved.
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Read more about Wilderness of Isle Royale
Land Based Trip Wilderness of Isle Royale Isle Royale National Park is a remote island of rugged wilderness in Lake Superior consisting of dense forests, rocky ridges and small lakes. The island park is accessible only by boat or seaplane, there are no paved roads, and all the human inhabitants leave in the winter, returning control of the island to its wolves, moose, red squirrels, bats, river otters and loons. Our adventure will take you to landmark lighthouses and forts and give you a behind-the-scenes look at a bold wildlife restoration project.
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Read more about This Land Is Their Land
Blog Post This Land Is Their Land Honor Indigenous history at these 15 sites where visitors can learn about the extensive connections tribes have with today’s national parks.
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Read more about Spooky, Beautiful Photos of Abandoned Park Towns
Blog Post Spooky, Beautiful Photos of Abandoned Park Towns National parks preserve landscapes with centuries of history. Sometimes beauty is in the remnants of what is no longer there.
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...they are a huge part of what makes America great. They harken back to a more pristine America, before development and habitat destruction, and remind us of what's truly important-clean air and water, an abundant diversity of flora and fauna, and natural places we can share with family and friends. — Brian
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Read more about Promised Land
Magazine Article Promised Land After the Civil War, more than 26,000 African Americans left the South to homestead the Great Plains, carving out farms, free lives and community on the prairie.
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Read more about Free Flowing
Magazine Article Free Flowing For 30 years, activists talked about removing the Brecksville Dam in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Now it’s gone.
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Read more about Sustaining Indiana Beaches
Resource Sustaining Indiana Beaches The scenic beaches of Indiana Dunes are disappearing. In order to sustain this critical asset to Indiana’s economy and quality of life, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must conduct a federal damage mitigation feasibility study.
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Read more about New Wolves Helping to Restore Balance at Isle Royale National Park, Moose Numbers Down
Press Release New Wolves Helping to Restore Balance at Isle Royale National Park, Moose Numbers Down For the first time in nearly a decade, Isle Royale's skyrocketing moose population has declined.
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Read more about The Power of Protest
Blog Post The Power of Protest These 7 sites honor the long history of Americans fighting for their civil rights.
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Read more about 9 Not-So-Cute Endangered Animals That Live in Our Parks
Blog Post 9 Not-So-Cute Endangered Animals That Live in Our Parks Celebrate Endangered Species Day with these curious critters
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Read more about Trump Administration Signals To Reopen National Parks While Health Concerns Remain
Press Release Trump Administration Signals To Reopen National Parks While Health Concerns Remain "Until it is completely safe to reopen, national parks must remain closed for the safety of park staff, visitors and communities." -- Theresa Pierno
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Read more about Amid Public Health Threat, Park Superintendents Given Authority to Close Areas Within National Parks
Press Release Amid Public Health Threat, Park Superintendents Given Authority to Close Areas Within National Parks These are unprecedented times, and we need to make sure park staff and visitor's health comes first.
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Read more about Say Bees!
Magazine Article Say Bees! Sam Droege’s stunning photos of national park insects are the bee’s knees. (And all the other parts, too.)
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Read more about Senior Outreach Coordinator for the Midwest Region
Staff Mark Mesle Mark Mesle is the Senior Outreach Coordinator for the Midwest Regional Office in Chicago. Mark is working with community groups and local officials to build support for parks throughout the region.
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Read more about Restoring Wolves at Isle Royale
Infographic Restoring Wolves at Isle Royale Through years-long advocacy efforts by National Parks Conservation Association, the National Park Service will bring more wolves to Isle Royale National Park, an island in Lake Superior. More wolves will keep the island’s rapidly growing moose population in check and improve the overall health of the park landscape.
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Read more about When Nature Is Out of Balance
Fact Sheet When Nature Is Out of Balance The wolf population at Isle Royale National Park has been dwindling for years but a new plan to introduce more wolves brings hope.
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Read more about Midwest Regional Office Field Reports
Report Midwest Regional Office Field Reports NPCA's Midwest Regional Office produces a newsletter twice a year. These field reports provide timely updates and perspectives on issues of interest in the more than 50 diverse national park sites throughout the region.
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Read more about Ozone Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet Ozone Fact Sheet Ozone threatens the health of park visitors and contributes to the disease and death of park species such as the black cherry tree in the East and aspen and ponderosa pine in the West. National park ecosystems across the country are already showing damage from ground-level ozone pollution.
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Read more about More Wolves at Isle Royale National Park
Infographic More Wolves at Isle Royale National Park NPCA has long advocated to bring new wolves to the national park to protect the long-term survival of this iconic species.
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Read more about 10 Ways to Be a Park Advocate
Resource 10 Ways to Be a Park Advocate Want to be an advocate for parks, but don't know where to start?
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Read more about Voyageurs National Park at Risk from Sulfide Mining
Fact Sheet Voyageurs National Park at Risk from Sulfide Mining Recent mining proposals could pose a significant threat to this watershed. Even small amounts of contamination could harm the park's fish and wildlife.
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Read more about Transforming the Lock
Report Transforming the Lock Transforming the Lock is a vision for a national park visitor experience at the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock in Minneapolis.
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Read more about Pullman Transportation Plan
Report Pullman Transportation Plan As one of America’s newest national parks, Pullman National Monument is preparing for as many as 300,000 visitors by 2020. The Pullman Transportation Plan, produced with funding secured by NPCA, outlines ways to improve access to and within Pullman for visitors and community residents.
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Read more about Regional Director of Development
Staff Diane Gerrish Diane Gerrish serves as the Regional Director of Development for the Midwest. Diane connects National Parks Conservation Association's most generous Midwest-based supporters with our advocacy and activities to protect our national parks.
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Read more about Program Manager, Midwest Regional Office
Staff Colin Deverell Colin is the Program Manager for NPCA’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago, Illinois.
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Read more about Associate Director, Midwest Region
Staff Christine R. Goepfert Chris is the Associate Director for NPCA's Minnesota Field Office in St. Paul, MN.
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Read more about Director, Communications
Staff and Media Personnel Alison Zemanski Heis Alison Heis joined the organization in 2010 and oversees media outreach and communications for the East Coast, Midwest, and NPCA's national water initiatives. She leads communication outreach focused on strengthening NPCA’s brand through corporate partnerships and our emerging celebrity engagement efforts.
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Read more about Senior Regional Director
Staff Lynn McClure Lynn came to NPCA in 2007 to launch the Midwest office in Chicago. As the Regional Director, she leads protection of more than 50 national parks in NPCA’s largest region.
Explore Our Parks
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A–H
- Agate Fossil Beds National Monument ›
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore ›
- Badlands National Park ›
- Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site ›
- Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument ›
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park ›
- Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park ›
- Effigy Mounds National Monument ›
- First Ladies National Historic Site ›
- Fort Larned National Historic Site ›
- Fort Scott National Historic Site ›
- Gateway Arch National Park ›
- George Rogers Clark National Historical Park ›
- George Washington Carver National Monument ›
- Grand Portage National Monument ›
- Harry S Truman National Historic Site ›
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site ›
- Homestead National Historical Park ›
- Hopewell Culture National Historical Park ›
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I-O
- Ice Age National Scenic Trail ›
- Indiana Dunes National Park ›
- Isle Royale National Park ›
- James A. Garfield National Historic Site ›
- Jewel Cave National Monument ›
- Keweenaw National Historical Park ›
- Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial ›
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site ›
- Minuteman Missile National Historic Site ›
- Mississippi National River & Recreation Area ›
- Missouri National Recreational River ›
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial ›
- Nicodemus National Historic Site ›
- Niobrara National Scenic River ›
- North Country National Scenic Trail ›
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways ›
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P-Z
- Perry's Victory And International Peace Memorial ›
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore ›
- Pipestone National Monument ›
- Pullman National Monument ›
- River Raisin National Battlefield Park ›
- Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway ›
- Scotts Bluff National Monument ›
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore ›
- Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park ›
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve ›
- Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site ›
- Voyageurs National Park ›
- William Howard Taft National Historic Site ›
- Wilson's Creek National Battlefield ›
- Wind Cave National Park ›
Preserve Our Parks
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