During the season of giving, don’t forget about our country’s beautiful national parks! The National Park Foundation is able to provide grants and programs to parks across the country, all thanks to its generous members and supporters. Explore these ideas to find the perfect way to show your appreciation for our national parks.
By now you’ve surely heard that the National Park Service is celebrating its 100th birthday—but just what is the National Park Service, anyway? Consider this your crash course on National Park Service history, in which you’ll learn about the past, present, and future of one of the most important government agencies in America! Learn More
Cheers to 100 years! 🎉 Help us wish the National Park Service a happy birthday and celebrate the centennial with a #FindYourPark adventure this fee-free weekend!
Thank you to the women and men of the National Park Service who help safeguard our heritage and share the many stories that make up our national narrative. Here’s to kicking off the second century together! http://prks.org/1pbOyNm
How many years have you been with the National Parks Service? 1 year as of September, woohoo!
How did you get involved with the National Parks Service? Or what brought you to the organization?
I started with the Park Service as a student intern under the Pathways Program. The program offers students and recent graduates a way to explore employment opportunities with any federal agency, whether it be Veteran Affairs or the Treasury. As a kid growing up, visiting national parks was a family past time, but I never thought I would wear the flat hat.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
My job is a creative outlet that connects nature and humans in ways that think outside of the box. I love that I get to talk to people of all ages and all backgrounds about natural resources that are meant for everyone to enjoy.
What do you do when you’re not a ranger?
Sleep.
What’s the biggest thing people often don’t know about National Parks Service?
There is such a broad range of sites that the National Park Service deems necessary for protection: over 400 places! When people think about national parks, they think about our wilderness parks like Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Mt. Rainier, but the Park Service tries to capture stories of cultural and historical significance in the United States too. Did you know that Edgar Allan Poe’s house is part of the Park system? Or Manzanar National Historic Site, which was a Japanese relocation camp created during WWII? There are some crazy things that happened in US history and we want to preserve those stories. But most of all, the lands that we protect and preserve are your lands. Go play!
Can you share one of your favorite photos taken on the job? Where were you and what is the story behind it?
This photo was taken during the final week of summer camp with the YMCA. This is a special group to me because I grew to know every single one of these youthful souls. We learned about things from watershed conservation to protecting habitat for wildlife and humans. This activity brought all the ecosystems together under one large parachute and we, as a community, kept it healthy.
What was your first impression of the Bowtie Project?
Oh gosh, at first I thought the physical space of the Bowtie Project was hot, dangerous, and unappetizing. But this is by far one of the coolest places to access the LA River, and get down and touch the water. There is way more water gushing out of the vegetation making mini rapids, creating that river symphony rarely found on the 51-mile stretch. The Bowtie Project is constantly changing as Clockshop hosts exhibits and performances along the river. What’s weird is that this post-industrial site is open to the public, but not many people know about it.
August 25 marked 99 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act that created the National Park Service. Cheers to NPS and all the ways it protects parks, educates visitors, and works with communities to get people excited about our favorite places.
Happy 99th birthday, National Park Service! Make a wish!
Which national park do you wish you could visit to celebrate this great day? Help us send warm birthday wishes to our friends across the National Park System!
And remember: all parks are fee-free today! Need ideas on how to celebrate? We’ve got you covered: http://prks.org/1Nlc0q3.
#FlashbackFriday: The Albright Visitor Center at Yellowstone National Park was built by the United States Army in 1909 as bachelor officers’ quarters for the cavalry troops who protected the park before the creation of the National Park Service.
The center will have a grand re-opening this Sunday with new exhibits, festivities, and guest speakers! #FindYourPark: http://prks.org/1dQAmZi
