Resource Jul 8, 2026

Pepper Steps x NPCA

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Thank you for joining us for our National Park Week livestream with Pepper! We're so glad you're here. Now that you've heard about Pepper's personal connection to our national parks, their beauty and why protecting them matters now more than ever, here's how you can get involved.

United by Parks - Hero

United by Parks

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a pivotal moment for national reflection and for envisioning the country’s future. NPCA’s United by Parks campaign provides opportunity for all of us to commemorate this anniversary through the lens of our national parks, connect with our most treasured places, imagine what we would lose if they disappear, and take action to protect them.


Take Action

  • Stop the Erasure and Censorship of History and Science: Erasing history is the opposite of what the National Park Service has stood for since it was founded more than a hundred years ago. Urge Congress to reject efforts to erase or rewrite our nation’s history.
  • Stop Further NPS Staffing Cuts and Restore Staff: The National Park Service has lost nearly 25% of its permanent workforce since January 2025. Park staff are being pulled from the field and supporting offices, visitor centers are closing or reducing hours, and critical maintenance and research are falling behind. Urge your Members of Congress to do everything in their power to stop any further National Park Service staffing cuts and restore the thousands of positions lost over the last year.
  • Urge Congress to Keep Fixing Our National Parks: The success of the Great American Outdoors Act doesn’t just depend on dollars. It also depends on dedicated staff who ensure these significant investments will be maintained for the next generation too. There’s more work to do to ensure our parks are adequately staffed now and in the future. While we continue that fight, urge Congress to commit to funding the urgent repair projects in our national parks.

United by Parks – The Places that Make YOU!

What do we want our national parks to be in the next 250 years? The answer is up to us! The choices we make today will shape our parks and what future generations will inherit, enjoy and depend on. Now is the time to start envisioning what’s possible.

We’re inviting park lovers to share their ideas and visions for the future of our parks in whatever form feels right. Whether visual or written – think drawings, paintings, poems, short stories or something entirely your own – this is your chance to imagine and inspire.


Submit your artwork!

We’ll be featuring some of the submissions throughout the year, giving park protectors across the country an opportunity to share their vision and inspire others to care for our parks. Submit yours!

SUBMIT

Click here to download the United by Parks template and make it your own. Fill the page and the letters with artwork that lifts up the parks you love, the stories they hold and the future you want for them. Whether you’re commemorating your favorite places, exploring your connection to others through parks, imagining what’s at stake for our parks or envisioning how we protect and care for parks over the next 250 years, we invite you to share your story. All styles and mediums are welcome! This is about your voice, your vision and the role parks play in our lives.

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