Republished article from NPF Blog

For more than a century, our national parks have given shape to our multi-faceted and multicultural story. The over 400 national parks protected by the National Park Service honor our differences and remind us of everything that we have in common. Parks tell the ever-evolving story of who we are – our heritage and our history, in its struggles and triumphs. National parks are places that belong to us all, and we all have a place in them.  

The National Park Foundation is committed to making sure all of our national parks thrive. Working together with a growing community of passionate park champions, we strive to ensure that more people are able to discover their own connections to our parks, because national parks don’t just stand for where America has been – they inspire where we go next. 

OUR LAND

Some of the first national parks were designated to protect the natural resources of America’s vast and diverse landscape. From the Pacific coast and the rugged Canyonlands National Park in the west to the rocky shores of Acadia National Park in the east, the flourishing natural world preserved in national parks continues to inspire and strike awe in visitors.  

From trail maintenance and developing new wildlife viewing areas to restoring habitats and native populations of fish and wildlife, the National Park Foundation supports a variety of projects in parks that protect the natural resources found in parks. In 2019 alone, the National Park Foundation supported the building and maintenance of 420 miles of trails, protected the habitat of 14 species, restored 190 miles of waterways, and planted over 71,000 trees and vegetation. These vital efforts will continue to ensure that these treasured places continue to be protected and enjoyed for generations to come.

OUR CULTURE

Our national parks also interpret and honor our collective history. They preserve the stories of the communities that lived in the pueblos in the southwest and the soldiers at Bunker Hill as well as the “Rosies” during World War II and the heroes of Flight 93. They tell the story of our nation’s journey, with all its struggles and triumphs. It’s a story written at Independence Hall, where we reached for high ideals, and the times we fell far short, such as the massacre at Sand Creek and the internment camps at Manzanar National Historic Site.  

 

“History is not a track of simple stories. It is being able to see nuances and distinctions, being able to think critically and analyze, and history is about the past, but it as much about the present as it is the past.” – Dr. Sylvia Hollis, NPS Mellon postdoctoral fellow in gender and sexuality

 

The National Park Foundation is committed to supporting the National Park Service in its efforts to tell a more expansive history of our nation’s history through national parks. By supporting new parks that illuminate lesser-known stories in our nation’s history like Camp Nelson National Monument as well as helping to develop fresh and relevant interpretative strategies by supporting the National Park Service Mellon Humanities Fellowships, the National Park Foundation strives to enhance storytelling in our parks.

 

OUR LEADERS

Many parks tell the stories of specific individuals and communities that led bold movements that have shaped our experiences, culture, and collective history. The birthplace of the labor movement, the site of the first Women’s Rights Convention, the hometown of jazz, the training facilities used by the Tuskegee Airmen, the site of the Stonewall uprising – all of these places and more are preserved by the National Park Service. They remind us that generations of Americans, inspired by figures like Susan B. Anthony, Mary McLeod Bethune, Marsha P. Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and César E. Chávez, have fought and continue to work to create a better, more equal future for us all.  

The National Park Foundation is committed to amplifying the stories of these iconic Americans and their legacies as preserved by national parks across the country. From the work to donate the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park to the donation of funds to develop educational materials for Stonewall National Monument, the National Park Foundation continues to support projects and programs that honor the legacies of American trailblazers. 

OUR PARKS

We experience our national parks in ways unique to us. Perhaps you have a long family tradition of visiting a beloved park, or maybe you’re new to exploring all that national parks have to offer. With over 400 national parks across the country, no matter what brings you to a park, there is always more to discover. For more than a century, national parks have given shape to our multi-faceted and multicultural story, and they hold the power to inspire generations to come.   

The National Park Foundation helps connect people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to national parks, encouraging them to explore and support these special places. Whether by increasing accessibility to trails, encouraging hands-on learning through our Citizen Science 2.0 program, helping over 1,000,000 kids get into parks through our Open OutDoors for Kids program, or introducing new Junior Ranger programs in parks, the National Park Foundation is proud to support programs that encourage current and future generations of park enthusiasts to experience and care for our national parks.

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National parks show us that life can be both beautiful and complex. They embody the essence of a nation forged by the powerful forces of nature, the chronicles of conflict, a spirit of innovation, and an enduring vision of democracy for all. The National Park Foundation is dedicated to supporting our parks – ensuring that they thrive and inspire wonder for generations to come.