Camp NPCA is officially open! As NPCA celebrates National Parks Week, we evoke the nostalgia and fun of summer camp with a national park conservation twist.
Every April, the National Park Service and its partners dedicate nine days to celebrating our national parks and all the work it takes to protect them. In support of National Parks Week, NPCA is making its biggest tribute yet by introducing the Parks Advocacy Badge. Earn these iron-on badges by championing our National Parks during National Parks Week (and all year round!). The badges are 2 inches in diameter and serve as a commemoration of your favorite week of the year, while also providing an opportunity for park enthusiasts to better understand their connection to and conservation of the park.
Badges can be purchased at any time in the newly revamped Park Store, but you will need the Honor System to earn them. There are many ways to earn each badge and strengthen your park advocacy muscles.
climate change
A majority of Americans, across political affiliations, agree that climate change is negatively impacting our national parks, but we need to reduce the damage to our national parks through swift and comprehensive climate action. can. Almost everything we know and love about our parks, including plants and animals, rivers and lakes, glaciers, beaches, and historic buildings, is already under stress from climate change. Here are some ways to earn the Climate Change badge and fight for healthy parks for everyone.
Learn: Read about how the climate crisis is impacting parks. Action: Stop single-use plastics and focus on reusable, recyclable, or compostable containers for park snacks and water. Use your voice: Send a message to Congress to remind Congress that our parks are worth fighting for and urge the National Park Service to quickly implement cutting-edge climate science and management practices . Start a conversation: Reflect on how climate change is changing the landscapes you love through crafts, sketches, and other art projects and share it with your community.
history and culture
Two-thirds of our national parks are dedicated to history and culture, and 100% of them help tell America’s story. But the National Park Service’s role in protecting and interpreting our history is often overlooked and largely underfunded. NPCA is currently advocating for $250 million in new funding to help the Park Service hire more historians and better protect the approximately 185 million historic artifacts . NPCA also works to ensure that our shared heritage is protected and inclusive of all American stories by advocating for new park locations and expanding existing storytelling efforts.
Learn: Read about “Positioning Pullman” and the creative efforts behind a community-driven plan to contextualize and enhance the site of Chicago’s first national park. Do: Visit a National Historic Site you’ve never been to before. It’s probably closer than you think. Before you go, read about how the NPCA helped create places like Pullman National Monument and Stonewall National Monument. Use your voice: Just because a landscape is part of a national park doesn’t mean it doesn’t face ongoing threats. In honor of the region’s rich cultural heritage and communities, the Chaco Cultural National Historical Park supports a plan that would impose a 20-year moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands within 10 miles of Chaco Canyon. and the broader Chaco landscape. Start a conversation: The next time you find yourself reading an interpretive placard, ask yourself and those around you what stories the park is helping to tell, and which stories are missing. Please ask.
write the person in charge
In 2022, nearly 30,000 advocates sent nearly 300,000 messages to members of Congress and state legislators across the country speaking out for national parks. From passing the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act to advocating for new parks like Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, your voice makes a difference.
Action: There are many ways to contact your legislator to discuss issues you care about, including by phone, mail, social media tags, and personal contact. Leverage your voice: Sign up for action alerts to always be the first to know about new NPCA campaigns and how to take action. Start a conversation: Talk with friends and family about the future you envision for our national parks and how you can make that vision a reality, including by advocating for better park funding.
bring new friends
If you’ve ever brought a friend to your favorite park, you know the joy of watching your loved one fall in love with the place. Our national parks are better when we share and make sure everyone feels welcome.
Learn: Give the youngest park lovers in your life ideas for creating memorable and fun park experiences with kids. Action: Start a conversation with someone new at the park. You already have one surprising thing in common. Please be respectful and consider how we can all do our part to make the outdoors safe and comfortable. Start a conversation: Launch an online fundraiser to raise awareness about the need to protect our parks. Create a fundraiser to celebrate your birthday, honor a loved one, celebrate a park anniversary, or simply show your love for the park.
new way of looking at things
If you play it right, every park will offer a different experience every time you visit. Step outside your comfort zone, try something new, and gain a completely different perspective on your favorite places.
Learn: Thinking about trying a solo adventure? Abby Robertson, NPCA’s senior manager of internal communications, has tips for taking the first step and how traveling solo can deepen your park experience I’ll show you what you can do. Action: Download an app like iNaturalist or Merlin Bird ID to identify sights and sounds around you. Shout out: Half the park is after dark. At many of our favorite venues, the show doesn’t start until after dark. Stay out there after dark, gain a new perspective on the galaxy, and send a message to the EPA to hold states accountable for reducing air pollution to keep skies clear. Start a conversation: On your next visit to the park, instead of hiking, invite your friends to go kayaking or rock climbing, and notice how the experience differs from traditional trails.
plan ahead
Our national parks are worth planning, and doing your research beforehand will ensure you have the best experience. Be sure to check the weather and visit the park’s website and social media for the latest information on storms, trail closures, events, and more that may impact your trip.
Learn: Explore the role of managed access systems and learn how visitation policies work to improve the experience from Cassidy Jones, NPCA’s Senior Visitation Program Manager. Action: Before heading to the most popular parks, check to see if you need a timed entry reservation or parking pass.
Use your voice: If your park is piloting a system to help manage crowds, share your thoughts by submitting supportive public comments. Start a conversation: Help others align their experiences with their expectations by sharing your positive experiences on social media.
alternative transportation
Where possible, walking, cycling, or taking public transport into and within parks is a good idea, as it helps reduce conflicts with wildlife and provides access to parts of the park that cannot handle car traffic. There are many benefits, such as increasing Some national parks, such as Denali and Zion, have extensive shuttle systems to popular trailheads, so visitors don’t have to rely on cars for transportation. This is especially helpful for people visiting from outside the prefecture.
fight for caribou
The NPCA has long protected Western Arctic caribou herds, and by shutting down the proposed 211-mile Ambler Industrial Mine Road, which would cut through Western Arctic caribou migration routes, the I have fought to maintain my sexuality. And the scenery of a vast and precious national park. In a historic move, the Biden administration announced on April 19 that the Bureau of Land Management intends to cancel the proposed road through the Brooks Range in northwest Alaska. As we celebrate this victory for wildlife, water, and people, it is important that we continue to demonstrate to leaders in Washington, D.C., and Alaska that this is an issue that the entire nation cares about.
Learn: Climb the Brooks Range with Alex Johnson, NPCA Campaign Director for the Arctic and Interior Alaska, to better understand what’s at stake in the fight against the Ambler Mine Road. Action: Listen to Alaska Natives — 66 Alaska Native tribes will be permanently impacted, putting the lives of vulnerable community members and food sources for their families at risk. This land also connects the community’s past and future. Roads endanger all of this.
Leverage your voice: Pledge to continue supporting and protecting Western Arctic caribou, Alaska’s Native communities, and Alaska’s great parks. Start a conversation: Invite your friends to watch his free 30-minute documentary “Paving Tundra,” directed by Jamie Dittmar and James Q. Martin, about one of the largest roadless areas on Earth. And learn why you should leave it alone. You can also host your own screenings.
bucket list
With over 425 national park locations to visit, deciding where to visit next can be difficult (and fun!).
Learn: The NPCA blog is full of articles, from the best parks to visit every season to parks that tell the lesser-known stories of women, Black Americans, the LGBTQ+ community, and more. There’s also a list of (supposedly) haunted parks…the first person to complete the complete list wins! Action: Visit the national park in your backyard. It might become your new favorite place. Start a conversation: Track your park visits with Wondery Outdoors’ Parks of the USA Bucket List Bottle (3% back to NPCA!). This is a surefire conversation starter no matter where you are.
NPCA member
NPCA’s 1.6 million members and supporters make up a major force in park conservation. You can join too!
Take action: Become a card-carrying park guardian! Join NPCA as a member to stay up-to-date on park issues and enjoy free welcome gifts. Leverage your voice: As an NPCA member, you also become a subscriber to our award-winning quarterly magazine. Have you read anything inspiring? Write a letter to the editor. Start a conversation: No need to wonder what to listen to on your next road trip to the park. The award-winning podcast The Secret Lives of Parks has 28 episodes, with new episodes released monthly.
