national parks

Sequoia National Park. Photo by Anthony Ambrose

Startling Report Highlights Issue of Air Pollution Among National Parks

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According to a recent report from the National Parks Conservation Service, that last part of the equation is problematic at several national parks, including Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. Startlingly, the report names Sequoia and Kings Canyon as among the parks with the worst air pollution in the country, meaning that the parks “had unhealthy air for most park visitors and rangers to breathe for more than two months of the year, mostly in the summer months.”

National Parks Week 2019

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National Park Service hosts National Park Week 2019, which runs from April 20 through April 28, 2019. This annual event includes fun-filled week of activities and events with a different theme each day.

This Land Is Your Land

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You are the proud owner of over 250 million acres of land (external link) — majestic redwoods, breath-taking beaches, and erupting volcanoes. Over 100 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt Jr. signed into action the Antiquities Act which paved way for the protection of the beautiful valleys and mountain tops of our national monuments.

Photo credit Latino Outdoors

Encontrando Mi Parque

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My journey exploring our public lands and the outdoors coincided with my journey inward, exploring my cultural identity. And as those paths intertwined, I came to realize that when we learn to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for both our natural and cultural spaces, we have richer, fuller, and more empowering experiences.

Stephen Mather, father of the National Parks Service and a founder of Save the Redwoods League. Photo courtesy Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Charting a New Course in Step with the US Department of the Interior

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It’s National Park Week in the National Park System’s 100th anniversary year, so there’s no better time for Sally Jewell, US Secretary of the Interior, to inspire and challenge the nation, calling for a major course correction in the way we conserve America’s public lands, waters and wildlife.

With my conservation hero, Professor E.O. Wilson.

E.O. Wilson Champions Biodiversity Protection

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This week, I had the rare opportunity to meet Professor E.O. Wilson and hear him rally National Park leaders, academic scientists, and conservationists at U.C. Berkeley’s Park Summit to unwaveringly protect Earth’s biodiversity. His powerful charge for us is to set aside …

Celebrating National Trails Day

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I talk a lot about the importance of parks and wild places, the beautiful scenery and interesting wildlife they contain, but this week I’m putting the spotlight on one of my favorite features of our open spaces: trails. My appreciation …

Family hiking in a redwood park

NPS Economic Impacts Report: Parks Are A Great Investment!

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Conservation is important for so many reasons. It’s good for the land and wildlife, air and water, it’s good for our mental and physical health, it’s good for the soul — and now we know it’s great for the economy. …