NATIONAL PARKS BLOG

On New Year’s Day, the national parks community suffered a great loss as Ranger Margaret Anderson at Mount Rainier National Park was tragically shot and killed. Like you, I was shocked and saddened that the places we cherish, and the brave people who safeguard them, could be victim to such a tragedy. 

Ranger Margaret Anderson

Margaret was an 11-year veteran of the National Park Service, working at Bryce Canyon National Park and C&O Canal National Historical Park before her time at Mount Rainier. Her husband Eric is also a National Park Ranger, having served in Shenandoah, Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone and Mount Rainier national parks throughout his career.

Margaret and Eric’s service and sacrifice reminds us of the importance and commitment of our Rangers. These individuals, from all walks of life, serve our country as proud stewards of our nation’s most valuable treasures. They teach us. They inspire us. They protect us. They serve as the trusted guardians not only of these sacred places, but of the countless people that visit them.

As many of you have noticed, the National Park Foundation emblem features the iconic National Park Ranger hat — a symbol of pride, guardianship and protection. As the official non-profit partner to National Park Service, we are proud to support and honor the bravery, tradition and excellence of the men and women we call Rangers.   

The National Park Foundation has established a memorial fund to benefit the children of Margaret and Eric Anderson. I hope you will join us in honoring Margaret’s memory.

Drop everything you’re doing and mark your calendars because just this morning we announced with our friends at the National Park Service that the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1, 2011, at 5 p.m. EST in President’s Park in Washington, D.C.!

Now how does one go about getting tickets to this must-see holiday event, you might ask.

Starting at 10 a.m. EST/ 7 a.m. PST on Thursday, November 3, you can enter the online lottery system by visiting www.thenationaltree.org. Be sure you enter before 9:59 a.m. EST/6:59 a.m. PST on Monday, November 7 or else you’ll miss out! In fact, I suggest going ahead and bookmarking www.thenationaltree.org and honestly, if I were you, I’d set a calendar reminder.

If you won’t have access to a computer, but will have access to a phone, make sure to save the number 877-444-6777 to place your name into the lottery. The same dates and times apply.

We’ll be announcing the talent line-up next month – so be sure to check back! And not to worry if you can’t make it out to D.C. this year, you can always watch the live webstream of the ceremony online at www.thenationaltree.org or on your local PBS station. Be sure to check your local listings for broadcast times.

And in case you missed last year’s ceremony – watch this video!

Are you a teacher? Know a teacher? Or just LOVE our national parks? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you have to check out National Park Foundation’s upcoming Electronic Field Trip (EFT) to Arizona’s Saguaro National Park! It’s awesome and it’s FREE!

EFTs give students from across the country and around the world the chance to learn about national parks and a variety of environmental topics in a fun and interactive way! On Friday, October 21, 2011 the National Park Foundation is broadcasting live from Saguaro National Park and will be focusing on the role biodiversity plays in this unique desert environment.

Saguaro National Park, Photo credit: Debbie Angel

And get this – this time around, the EFT is extra special as it coincides with the National Geographic Society-National Park Service fifth annual BioBlitz. At this year’s BioBlitz, more than 150 leading scientists and naturalists from around the country, thousands of local citizens of all ages, and more than 2,000 students from the greater Tucson area will be coming together for this scientific endeavor/festival/outdoor classroom! Sounds like a good time, right? We definitely think so!

The EFT will include two, live, hour-long broadcasts (1pm ET and 4pm ET) which can be viewed online at www.electronicfieldtrip.org and on participating public television stations.  Register here today and help us spread the word!

P.S. We’ve even pulled together some lesson plans and interactive games to accompany the EFT – check them out at www.electronicfieldtrip.org/saguaro!

Now that Autumn is in full swing, it’s time to check out colorful fall foliage! Lucky for you, the National Park Foundation just announced the 2011 “Great National Parks for Fall Foliage” list this week and it’s full of great ideas! Whether by water, foot, bicycle or car, these spectacular colors of the season are not to be missed.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Photo credit: Justin Hess

Here’s a glimpse at the 2011 list:

CALIFORNIA
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Peak colors expected middle to end of October. On October 18, a hiking event to Whiskeytown Falls offer a perfect way to view the foliage during the peak season.

MISSISSIPPI
Natchez Trace Parkway
In middle to late October, the maple, hickory, oak and other hardwood trees begin to change colors.

PENNSYLVANIA
Flight 93 National Memorial
The trees across the Flight 93 National Memorial begin to turn around mid-October.   Check out honorflight93.org/webcam today to find instant inspiration for a trip to the site or to take a virtual fall foliage tour.
To see the full list visit “NPF REVEALS GREAT NATIONAL PARKS FOR FALL FOLIAGE VIEWING”.

Also, I definitely encourage all you foliage seekers to contact specific parks for the inside scoop on their unique foliage timing, as many factors impact the timing of peak fall colors viewing.  Visit the National Park Service website for contact information and special event listings for all 395 national park units.

P.S. Don’t forget to share your fall foliage photos with us at www.facebook.com/nationalpark!

Last month, three National Park Foundation staffers set up shop in Central Park for the 7th annual Adventures NYC. This free event gave people the opportunity to enjoy a day outdoors and participate in various activities such as biking, canoeing and rock climbing. An estimated 25,000 people attended! We loved talking to the many folks who stopped by our booth to learn more about America’s greatest treasure, our national parks.

NPF employee David talks to event participants about America’s greatest treasure, our national parks. Photo credit: Kate Lacey Photography

We met people of all ages from all over the country and around the world, handing out hundreds of National Park Service maps, “I ♥ Parks” pins, NPF brochures, and much more. And get this - four lucky people who came by and chatted with us won a NPF prize pack consisting of an annual parks pass, National Parks Yahtzee and some awesome NPF gear including a NPF t-shirt, hat, water bottle, and Fodor’s Official Guide to America’s National Parks. Congrats again to our winners Giovanni, Silas, Scott and Arina!

The Skyriders, a professional team of acrobats whose routines include skis, snowboards and ball tossing, all the while jumping and performing tricks on the trampoline provided excellent entertainment throughout the day. If you haven’t seen them before, you should definitely check them out here.

The Skyriders at Adventures NYC 2011. Photo credit: Kate Lacey Photography

Overall, we had a really wonderful time meeting people who all share a common love for the outdoors and our nation’s parks. The event was a great opportunity to answer questions, help plan trips, and instill excitement for the places that preserve our country’s natural beauty and the stories of our nation’s history.

P.S. Check out more Adventures NYC photos from Kate Lacey here.