Phone:
312.263.0111
Email:
midwest@npca.org
Address:
8 South Michigan Avenue
Suite 2900
Chicago, IL 60603
States:
IL, IN, IA, KS, NE, OH, MI, MN, MO, SD, WI
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 small, but mighty team of the Midwest operates from Chicago, Illinois, with a supporting 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 the wolf at Isle Royale and the next day planning a community event at Pullman. Much of their work also builds off previous success. After advocating diligently for the designation of Chicago’s first national park, Pullman National Monument, the team now prioritizes implementing the award-winning vision, Positioning Pullman to improve the visitor experience and enhance the community. Following the huge victory for Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, in which the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock was closed in order to protect upstream waters from invasive Asian carp, the Midwest team has envisioned opportunity for a new national park experience at the lock in downtown Minneapolis with Transforming the Lock. Acknowledging that parks do not exist in isolation, they also strive to increase the stewardship and conservation of the broader landscape between Pullman and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and between the great national parks of South Dakota.
The Midwest team will continue to build park allies and work across local, state, and federal lines to fight for the enhanced protections of the many landscapes, resources, and stories that make the parks of 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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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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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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Blog Post Vacation with Ghosts in These 10 Deserted Park Towns Enjoy the spookiest time of year in one of the many abandoned towns that dot scenic national park landscapes around the country.
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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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the mountains keep calling... — Saurabh
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Trip Ocean of Grass: America’s Tallgrass Prairies Western settlers were awed by the sea of grass they encountered growing head-high and higher, interspersed with colorful wildflowers. Today, only about one percent of America’s tallgrass prairie remains. The history-rich Flint Hills of south-central Kansas safeguard one of America’s last native tallgrass prairie landscapes. The heart of this journey has you exploring and learning about this significant landscape on the 11,000-acre Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, a remnant of the grasslands that once covered more than 170 million acres of North America.
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Press Release Voyageurs National Park Threatened by Plans to Allow for Toxic Mining Even small amounts of contamination from this toxic mining will threaten public health and the park's fish, plants, wildlife and entire ecosystem for decades to come.
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Magazine Article Muskrats to the Rescue Biologists at Voyageurs National Park are counting on the voracious appetite of rodents to help contain a cattail invasion.
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Blog Post 10 (Truly) Hidden National Park Gems Many of the national parks’ wonders are out in plain sight, but some are nearly impossible to see. Here are 10 of those frustratingly out-of-reach attractions as well as easier-to-get-to alternatives.
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Blog Post Your Favorite Park Photos and Stories People around the country have shared some of their most poignant and intriguing moments in national parks on NPCA’s recently relaunched MyParkStory site.
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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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Blog Post A New Resource in the Fight to Defend the Boundary Waters: Kids Teen advocate launches a new initiative to motivate youth to protect wild places, including the watershed that includes Voyageurs National Park.
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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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Magazine Article Small Plastic, Big Problem Plastic is polluting oceans and national park beaches alike, and new studies show that even the tiniest pieces pose a large threat.
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Blog Post An Important Step for Wildlife at Isle Royale The wolf population at this remote Michigan park has been dwindling for years. A new plan, supported by the island’s eminent researcher, will benefit the animals and the ecology of the island.
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Blog Post Get Underground for Mammoth Adventures This Spring Go below the Earth’s surface to explore exquisite realms that evolved in total darkness. See twisting pathways through limestone and marble, crystal-lined walls, and distinctive rock formations that can only be discovered on foot. These 10 national park caves are places to learn about the mysterious worlds under our feet.
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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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Press Release Introduction of Wolves is Right Move for Isle Royale Park Service to bring more wolves to the park to save population.
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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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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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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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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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Fact Sheet How to Host a Park Volunteer Event Hosting a park volunteer event is an empowering act that flexes your leadership skills, helps our parks and engages new people. Learn how with this step-by-step guide.
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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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Staff Colin Deverell Colin is the Program Manager for NPCA’s Midwest Regional Office in Chicago, Illinois.
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Trip Great American West From Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial to Custer State Park and Devils Tower, the West is a colorful storybook spilling over with strong personalities and profoundly historic landscapes. Discover some new chapters and add your own footnotes on this fun and engaging exploration.
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Trip Isle Royale Wilderness Sojourn Isle Royale National Park is a road-less wilderness island accessible only by boat or float plane. Get an insider’s look at the world’s longest running wolf/moose interaction study as we take in Lake Superior's beautiful coastline along the Wisconsin and Michigan borders.
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Staff Christine R. Goepfert Chris is the Associate Director for NPCA's Minnesota Field Office in St. Paul, MN.
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Staff and Media Personnel Alison Zemanski Heis Alison Zemanski Heis joined NPCA in 2010 and leads communications outreach for the Midwest, Northeast and NPCA's national water work. She also leads the communications outreach strategy in support of NPCA’s corporate partnerships and celebrity engagement efforts.
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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 Monument of America ›
- Hopewell Culture National Historical Park ›
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I-O
- Ice Age National Scenic Trail ›
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore ›
- 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 ›
- 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 ›
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