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An Overlooked Danger In Trump’s Cuts To Our National Parks By Phil Francis Recently, a colleague was traveling in Ghent, Belgium,  and ran across an advertisement encouraging people to visit the national parks of Utah. While it may seem odd and out of place to pay to advertise parks that are more than 5,000 miles

The Grand Canyon. Zion. Death Valley. Acadia. These are just four of more than 420 units of the National Park System that protect irreplaceable natural and cultural resources. In addition to being national parks,  these four sites also started as national monuments. Over 100 units in the National Park System were designated as national monuments

In 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson set out to correct a great wrong when he advocated for setting aside one week per year to encourage learning more about Black history. His efforts to designate one week expanded into one month, establishing a time to focus on more 400 years of Black history – the achievements

Without question, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I am grateful to live in a nation that has committed itself to pausing and collectively sharing gratitude for all that we have been given. As my children grow and their schedules fill with school, clubs, sports, and friends, finding precious family time becomes a greater challenge. I

Recently, my family and I took a trip into downtown Washington, D.C., where we had a great experience visiting the Washington Monument. It had been at least twenty years since I last rode the elevator to the top, and it was the first time I brought my children to take in the amazing view. It

Since our founding 20 years ago, the Coalition has been an advocacy organization, offering the expertise of our membership on precedent setting issues impacting national park units, the National Park Service, or the National Park System. The collective knowledge of the Coalition’s membership uniquely positions us to offer our “Voices of Experience” to decision makers

As we know, necessity is the mother of invention. And so, we find ourselves in 2003, when a few former park rangers stepped forward to counter the misguided implementation of new National Park Service (NPS) policies and a new management agenda. With the support of the Rockefeller Family Fund, Destry Jarvis, former assistant director of

It’s that amazing time of year when trees leaf out, flowers bloom, and the sunshine beckons us outside. We also all pause to recognize our amazing national parks and the people who care for them through our celebration of National Park Week! This year’s theme, “Your Park Story,” asks visitors to share which place is

In honor of the Coalition’s 20th Anniversary, we are kicking off a new blog series focused on the history and stories of our organization. This is the first installment of Who We Are: Stories of the Coalition. Our Members Nearly 20 years ago, a small group of National Park Service retirees came together to call

Are you planning a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park this year? If so, a few proposed management approaches to mitigate the huge crowds, long lines of traffic, and lack of parking could improve the quality of your visit. The number of visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park has grown dramatically in recent years, increasing

When Americans think about the National Park Service (NPS), places such as Grand Canyon National Park, the National Mall, and Yosemite National Park usually come to mind. Most people are unaware of the important work done by smaller programs within NPS that are just as critical to the goals of conservation and outdoor recreation. The

Like many families, the pandemic kept us grounded in our home on the East coast and separated from family who live on the west coast. This summer, it was important for us to reconnect with those we had not been able to see for too many years. The excitement of finally boarding the plane and

It is not a family secret that my grandfather served with the Navy SeaBees in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although he had one or two anecdotes that he would retell, his time of service remained a mystery, and he refused to discuss the war in any real detail. After having our questions

The end of August saw more devastating environmental news from California with stories of toxic algal blooms along the Southern California coast stranding and sickening sea lions and thousands of fish dying in San Francisco Bay. The harmful effects on human, animal, and ecological health of growing harmful algal blooms (HAB) and hypoxia continue to

On Tuesday, June 14, the House Subcommittee On National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, Committee on Natural Resources, held a hearing to consider eight bills pending before the Subcommittee. The Coalition submitted written testimony for the record in support of H.R. 7615, the Lodging Options Developed for Government Employees (LODGE) Act; H.R. 7693, the National

Years ago, my husband and I planned a vacation through Colorado and New Mexico. I suggested stopping at the Great Sand Dunes. He gave me an odd look and questioned why I would want to detour there, but ultimately agreed. During our trip, I learned that this landscape was originally designated as a national monument

The Office of Personnel Management on Thursday, April 28, published the 2021 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results. The complete report can be found on the OPM website. The survey does not separate out employee responses of the National Park Service from the rest of the Department of the Interior. Overall, the responses from the employees

As we celebrate National Park Week, I would like to offer a sincere thank you to all the dedicated National Park Service employees who provide park visitors an exceptional and unparalleled experience every day. My family’s incredible experiences with our national parks are what compelled me to pursue the opportunity to join the Coalition’s staff

  Our national parks are often referred to as America’s Best Idea and they have been set aside for the enjoyment of everyone. People of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the United States and across the world, visit our national parks. However, according to a recent article from National Geographic, roughly 78 percent

In June 1980, I began my career with the National Park Service at Fort Sumter National Monument on Sullivan’s Island. I am an African American man raised in a rural Jim Crow town of Kingstree, South Carolina, and educated at the historically Black University, South Carolina State University. I was first introduced to vibrant displays

  What is it that makes a traditional camping experience in a national park unique and memorable?  And how does a camping experience in a national park differ from a typical commercial campground or a Walmart parking lot? The differences are significant and important. First of all, the goal of the commercial campground is profit