Search

• Park White Sands National Monument They may look like mounds of snow, but the dunes in this park are made of a rare form of crystallized gypsum. Because gypsum dissolves easily in water, rain would normally wash it away and carry it to the sea. In this part of the Chihuahuan Desert, however, the land forms a basin, trapping the mineral; water evaporates, leaving the gypsum behind, and wind and weather erode it over time into an ocean of glittering sand. The entire dune field is a massive 275 square miles (by comparison, the second-largest gypsum dune field in the world, Cuatro Ciénegas in Mexico, is only 8 square miles). Hiking and sledding over this vast white expanse of powder is a singular, otherworldly experience.
• Press Release National Parks Group Honors Three Parks Champions at Annual Celebration Apr 2017 Hosts of television show “Rock the Park,” longtime conservationist to receive awards
• Blog Post National Parks, and Park Apps, Free for National Park Week Apr 2012 | By Jennifer Errick Next week is National Park Week! Starting this Saturday, April 21, through Sunday, April 29, all 397 units of the park system will waive their entrance fees, from Acadia to Zion and everywhere in between. The fee-free days make an already affordable vacation to America’s most spectacular places even easier on the wallet, at an ideal time for viewing wildflowers, birds, and waterfalls at many parks.
• Press Release Parks Group Honors Entrepreneur Norman C. Selby for Commitment to America’s National Parks Oct 2017 Gala honors Mr. Selby for his commitment and ongoing support for national parks.
• Blog Post The Garage Door Opener That Almost Thwarted Joshua Tree National Park Oct 2019 | By Chris Clarke In 1994, the California Desert Protection Act designated millions of acres as national park and wilderness lands — but one faulty garage door opener nearly derailed the entire process.
• Press Release National Parks Group Supports Recommendations to Establish New National Historical Park Honoring Cesar Chavez and the Farm Labor Movement Oct 2013 Statement by Ron Sundergill, Pacific Region Senior Director, National Parks Conservation Association
• Press Release Country-Rock Songstress Doreen Taylor Releases Single to Benefit National Parks Conservation Association, Bring Awareness to Parks Apr 2014 Taylor debuts song at NPCA's Salute to the Parks Gala
• Press Release With Unanimous Support, Senate Passes the National Park Service Centennial Act Dec 2016 Centennial bill will help address national park needs and engage youth
• Press Release Federal Legislation Could Mean Largest National Park System Expansion in Decades Dec 2014 National Parks Conservation Association, with Local Communities and Businesses, Spent Years Advocating for Key Park Sites, Expansions and Studies
• Blog Post Rock On: 11 Lesser-Known Geologic Wonders in National Parks Apr 2016 | By Nicolas Brulliard From mysterious gliding rocks in Death Valley to fossils of some of the most ancient life forms in Glacier, here are 11 lesser-known geologic wonders—including a few personal favorites from Bruce Heise of the Park Service’s Geologic Resources Inventory program.
• Press Release New Law to Allow Loaded Guns in National Parks Puts Park Visitors, Wildlife, and America's Heritage at Risk Feb 2010 New law creates unnecessary dangers
• Press Release Bill Expanding Public-Private Partnerships Victory for National Parks Dec 2016 Bipartisan-Supported Centennial Bill Would Help Address National Park Needs and Engage Youth
• Press Release National Parks Conservation Association Opposes Park Service Move to Open Grand Teton National Park Lands to Hunting Dec 2014 Statement by Sharon Mader, Grand Teton Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association
• Press Release National Parks Group Support Yosemite National Park's Final Merced River Plan, Applauds Commitment to the Park's Next 150 Years Feb 2014 Statement by Neal Desai, Pacific Region Field Director for National Parks Conservation Association
• Blog Post Parks in Peril: Can We Protect Utah's Desert Parks from Energy Development? Nov 2015 | By Nicholas Lund After 8 years of work by a movement of energy advocates, Arches and Canyonlands could soon gain unprecedented protections from oil and gas development. But we need your help.
• Press Release NPCA Applauds Senate Passage of Key National Park Bills that Tell More of America's Stories Jul 2014 Senate package includes significant national park bills
• Press Release Interior Secretary Jewell Calls on Congress to Invest in National Parks and Public Lands Oct 2013 National Parks Group Calls for Renewed Commitment to National Parks
• Blog Post One-of-a-Kind Destinations: 11 National Park Curiosities Jun 2015 | By Jennifer Errick National parks preserve wondrous landscapes, stories, and artifacts—as well as a whole host of weird and exceptional sights. From wacky-looking rocks to giant monuments of steel, here’s a short list of places to explore that are like nowhere else in the world.
• Press Release New York’s Elected Officials to Congress: Fix Our National Parks, Support Job Creation Feb 2018 Analysis demonstrates federal investment in deferred maintenance at parks could create or support 9,847 direct and indirect New York jobs.
• Blog Post It's the Best Year to Enjoy National Parks: 10 Reasons Why Jan 2016 | By Nicolas Brulliard It's the 100th birthday of the National Park Service, with opportunities to celebrate the parks throughout 2016. From planting a “Centennial Forest” in Texas to counting species of plants and animals on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., here are 10 ways to take your appreciation for national parks to historic levels in 2016.
• Press Release Park Service Finalizes New Guidelines for Park Fundraising Dec 2016 Director’s Order 21 Lays out Guidelines for Philanthropy and Partnerships
• Press Release New Report Shows America's National Parks Are in Jeopardy Jun 2011 National Parks Conservation Association Says Obama Administration Must Address Threats Facing National Parks and Develop Comprehensive Long Term Plan for Parks
• Blog Post Trivia Challenge: The Park That Helped Americans Hide in Plain Sight May 2017 | By Nicolas Brulliard In 1917, the United States entered World War I. It was also a century ago that the U.S. military created its first camouflage unit, and many of the pioneer "camoufleurs" either resided in or visited regularly what is now a national park site. Can you name this park?
• Press Release Hundreds of People Voice Support for New National Park Commemorating Women's Equality Apr 2016 Today’s public meeting part of ongoing process to establish new national park site
• Blog Post The 12 Most-Visited Winter Parks Dec 2018 National park sites can provide an ideal adventure or an escape from the cold during the winter months.
• Press Release National Parks Conservation Association Encourages Guests to See America, at 35th Annual Salute to the Parks Apr 2016 35th annual celebration honors Creative Action Network and See America co-founders Max Slavkin and Aaron Perry-Zucker
• Blog Post Cut Hundreds of Rangers from National Parks? Unacceptable. Mar 2012 | By John Garder Even in tight times, we can't afford to underfund our national parks and the people who protect them.
• Blog Post Congress Passes Major Bipartisan National Parks and Public Lands Package Feb 2019 | By Kristen Brengel Today’s sweeping victory represents significant expansions and enhancements to America’s national parks and public lands.
• Blog Post From a Top-Secret Mission to a Public Park Nov 2015 | By Jennifer Errick A Q&A with Atomic Heritage Foundation founder Cynthia Kelly on her quest to preserve the history of the Manhattan Project as part of America's newest national park.
• Press Release National Parks Group Partners with The Creative Action Network to Re-Imagine New Deal Arts Project, Reconnect Americans to Their National Parks Jan 2014 New "See America" campaign to kick off with gallery show at FDR Library in New York
• Press Release National Parks Group Files Lawsuit to Defend Mojave Desert Parks, Wildlife and Water Apr 2018 NPCA's lawsuit against the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) challenges policy changes by the agencies that threaten Mojave National Preserve, Mojave Trails National Monument, wildlife and fragile desert water resources.
• Advocacy in Action Support Storm Recovery Funding for the National Park Service Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria devastated communities. They also caused unprecedented damage to national parks. Hundreds of millions of dollars are needed to repair these parks and protect the National Park Service budget, which is already underfunded and cannot absorb the huge cost of hurricane recovery.
• Park Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Harriet Tubman escaped from brutal slave owners in 1849 and risked her life to help bring many more enslaved Americans to freedom via the Underground Railroad; this park a testament to her remarkable legacy of fighting for the equal rights of all people. Its 25,000 acres also encompass beautiful natural areas for wildlife-watching, hiking, biking, and paddling. The park includes large portions of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, Maryland, where Tubman spent much of her early life, as well as the home site of Jacob Jackson, a free black man who helped Tubman in her efforts to free others.
• Park Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park This park protects a 12-mile stretch of the Gunnison River as it flows through an exceptionally deep and narrow gorge. The steep canyon walls keep out much of the sunlight, giving it a dark appearance and inspiring the "Black Canyon" name. Visitors can enjoy trout fishing and challenging paddling conditions on the river; rock climbers can also choose from 145 remote and challenging climbs throughout the park.
• Park Wolf Trap National Park for The Performing Arts This unique performance space is the only U.S. national park devoted to the performing arts. Managed through a public-private partnership, the arts center hosts a wide variety of entertainment each year, from pop singers to elaborate dance troupes to comedians. It features three separate performance venues — a large amphitheater, a smaller performance space and a Theatre-in-the-Woods especially for children — as well as walking trails and picnic spots to explore before or after the show.
• Advocacy in Action Defending Clean Air Protections for Parks Air pollution is among the most serious threats facing national parks, threatening visitors’ health, clouding scenic vistas and altering our climate. To restore clean air to national parks, we work to defend the clean air laws that protect them.
• Fact Sheet Friends of the National Parks: 113th Congress The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is pleased to award the ‘Friend of the National Parks’ Award to 52 Senators and 176 Representatives for their support of legislation that upheld the standards and integrity of the National Park System in the 113th Congress (2013-2014).
• Report The Way In: Sustaining Public Enjoyment in our Northwest National Parks As damaging as they w ere, the storms of 2006 and 2007 revealed how much Washingtonians care for their national parks. At Rainier alone, roughly 2,000 people turned out to repair trails and rebuild facilities.
• Land Based Trip Hiking Olympic National Park Washington’s Olympic National Park is extraordinary. More than 95 percent of it is designated as the Olympic Wilderness, meaning it’s undisturbed by buildings or roads. On a trail in this International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site, you might find yourself with black bears, elk or mountain goats as your only companions.
• Small Ship Cruise Costa Rica & Panamá - Canal, Culture, Adventure Monkeys, sloths, iguanas, hummingbirds, toucans, and whales! By kayak, skiff, on foot, and small ship—uncover the wonders of jungles, mangroves, national parks, preserves, and the Panamá Canal.
• Report Making Connections: Linking Outdoor Recreation, Open Space & History Across the country, nature-based outdoor recreation is exploding in popularity. With a rapidly growing population, expanding suburban footprint, and growing demand for natural areas for recreation, the localities around Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park face both an urgent challenge and an enormous opportunity to leverage existing investments in protected lands in ways that will make this area a fantastic place to live–and to visit–for generations to come.
• Land Based Trip Seasons of Yosemite You’ll feel the long reach of history and see the grandeur of Muir’s beloved Sierras on informative hikes and interesting explorations that open new perspectives into this breathtaking park.
• Advocacy in Action Room to Roam Yellowstone's bison are under threat from the moment they cross the park's boundary. Outdated management plans and misunderstandings have led to the routine roundup and slaughter of this wild icon of the American West.
• Staff Melissa Abdo, Ph.D. Regional Director, Sun Coast As Regional Director overseeing national park & preserve protection efforts from Louisiana and Florida to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Melissa leads NPCA's work across the Sun Coast.
• Staff Sarah Duensing Senior Communications Coordinator As the Senior Communication Coordinator at NPCA, Sarah Duensing works on a variety of projects, including work for the blog, advocacy actions and National Parks magazine.
• Staff Bart Melton Wildlife Program Director Working from Washington, D.C., Bart currently leads NPCA’s Wildlife Program, focusing on the critical issues facing national park wildlife across the country.
• Staff West Honeycutt Director of Planned Giving West works with supporters across the country to secure and protect the long-term future of America's National Parks through legacy giving.
• Scott Kirkwood Former editor-in-chief of National Parks magazine
• Park William Howard Taft National Historic Site William Howard Taft National Historic Site includes the family home and exhibits about the career of the nation's 27th president and 10th chief justice.
• Land Based Trip Puebloan Mystery: Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, and Canyon de Chelly Venture into the Four Corners region of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah as we journey through the history and mystery of the Ancestral Puebloans.
• Letter Supporting Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monuments: Supporting Comments Supporting comments for Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monuments
• Advocacy in Action Support Grizzly Bear Recovery in the North Cascades Help the threatened grizzly bear thrive again in its native Pacific Northwest home.
• Advocacy in Action Positioning Pullman Pullman honors the unique stories of railroads in America’s industrial past, labor history — including formation of the first African-American labor union, urban planning and development of the country’s first model industrial town.
• Small Ship Cruise Whales, Wildlife & Glaciers Seven days in the heart of Alaska's Inside Passage searching for whales and wildlife including sea lion, bears, puffins, and eagles along with larger than life glaciers in and around Glacier Bay.
• Letter Reacting to Proposed Ozone Standards The undersigned groups submit these comments to the EPA Administrator and staff regarding the proposed revisions to the 2008 national ambient air quality standard for ozone. We represent conservation and recreation organizations from across the United States with a collective membership of over 1 million nationally.

Pagination