Reflecting on a Year of Achievements in Our National Parks

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is upon us and it presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on 2020 before we embark on the adventures ahead. Throughout 2020, many found comfort and escape in the wonders of our country and discovered a newfound appreciation for nature and the outdoors. The National Park Foundation (NPF) is proud to help protect the 85 million acres of land and water that encompass the National Park System and to connect people to the natural, historical, and cultural treasures that they offer. Join us in celebrating some of our proudest accomplishments from the past year.

Protected Wildlife

We helped preserve the precious species and habitats that inhabit our national parks, including wolves, golden eagles, and cutthroat trout at Yellowstone National Park, bonneted bats in Everglades National Park, salmon at Olympic National Park, and elk at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. 

We provided financial support to Glacier National Park as they prepare for the potential return of bison to the park for the first time in 150 years. This funding allows the park, Wildlife Conservation Society, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Blackfeet Tribe to evaluate the impact of the bison's return on the park's habitat, its diverse species, and its cultural resources. 

Preserved Historic Landmarks

NPF provided funding and support to projects that help preserve and restore historic landmarks that commemorate important moments in our nation's history.

Pullman National Monument is Chicago's first National Park Service (NPS) unit and commemorates pivotal moments in the nation's labor and civil rights history, including the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first African American labor union.

With the support of NPF and our donors, NPS started construction on a new visitor center at the iconic Pullman Administration Clock Tower Building. The new visitor center will have audio and visual exhibits that tell stories of industrial innovation and workers' struggles for economic and social equity at Pullman. The new visitor center and its exhibits are expected to open to the public in the summer of 2021.

Invested in the Next Generation of Park Stewards

NPF invested more than $3.7 million in service corps programs which give young adults and veterans the opportunity to accomplish critical maintenance projects at national parks while developing technical and leadership skills for future careers. NPF supported service corps programs at parks across the country in 2020, including the all-women Nevada Conservation Corps resource crew at Great Basin National Park and Northwest Youth Corps LGBTQ+ Inclusion Crews in Oregon and Washington.

Shared Untold Stories

Debuting this year, NPF's Women in Parks initiative supports projects and programs that help NPS tell a more comprehensive and inclusive American narrative, including the stories of Black women, Indigenous women, and all women of color.

In 2020, NPF provided 23 inaugural grants totaling more than $460,000 in funding as part of its Women in Parks initiative to unearth, preserve, and highlight women's stories at national parks. The grants will help connect people with these stories through physical and digital park exhibits, guided walks, talks and special events, digital content, and more.

As part of the Women in Parks initiative, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park will create an exhibit interpreting and celebrating the life and legacy of Coretta Scott King, a leader for the civil rights movement in the 1960s and advocate for African American equality who worked alongside her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Harpers Ferry Center for Media Services at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park will create an online exhibit that explores equality and the evolution of women's National Park Service uniforms. This exhibit will encourage viewers to look beyond the fashion statements to see the parallels between women's experiences in NPS and women's struggle for equality in the U.S.

Celebrated African American History and Culture

NPF continues to support projects honoring African American history and culture through national parks. In 2020, NPF provided funding to several projects, including an endeavor by the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail and the Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University. This project will utilize interactive and immersive technologies, oral histories, and historical narrative to enhance visitors' interpretive experiences while they learn about the 1965 Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March from the point when the marchers left the City of St. Jude to protest at the Alabama State Capitol. 

Connected People to Parks

We helped people experience the beauty and wonder of our national parks from the safety of their homes. From virtual tours and webcams to educational activities and games, virtual experiences like our digital "parkcade" provided crosswords, coloring pages, national parks trivia, and more to the young and young-at-heart national park lovers.

Supported Park Partners

NPS units work closely with their philanthropic partners, oftentimes called friends groups, to raise funds, implement volunteer programs, develop connections with nearby communities, and more. In 2020, NPF helped to build the resiliency and organizational strength of these partners in several ways. We launched our Park Partner Resource Portal, which houses a variety of resources, including communication tools and Resiliency Modules to help organizations strengthen their brand, culture, leadership, strategy, and adapt to times of crisis. Additional modules will be added to the portal next year.

We also produced our Park Partner Report, which provides a comprehensive portrait of the diverse group of partners and their contributions to the National Park System. As part of this endeavor, we gathered and analyzed data, including the total number of park partners in existence, the dollar amount of in-kind support they provide to NPS, and much more.

As always, we thank our dedicated community of park champions who enable us to support NPS year-round. We hope you're inspired to support important initiatives like these so that our national parks are protected and preserved for future generations.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help protect more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts and connect all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.

SOURCE National Park Foundation