From the Desk of NPCA’s President & CEO
Thank you for all you have done for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and our national parks in 2024. You are an invaluable part of what makes NPCA’s park protection work possible.
We celebrated so many park victories together over the past year. We defended iconic park species across the nation, pushing for protections for the endangered ghost orchid in Southwest Florida, driving science-backed management plans for Yellowstone bison and reintroducing grizzly bears to their historic home in the North Cascades ecosystem.
With your support, we pushed the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen numerous air quality standards under the Clean Air Act, helping to clear the air above national parks.
We fought for solutions for how we use public lands. In defending Glen Canyon National Recreation Area from destructive off-road vehicle use and safeguarding parks across the nation by securing stronger protections against oil and gas leasing on public lands.
When we celebrated the launch of our Protecting America’s Legacy campaign earlier this year, I felt confident in the work we had already done to ensure that our children and grandchildren can enjoy our national parks. The victories of the past year have brought us even closer to that goal.
As we look to the future, your partnership with NPCA is more important than ever. NPCA will continue to defend parks so they thrive for the next one hundred years, create new parks that preserve our nation’s most beloved landscapes and important stories, and inspire new park advocates to speak up for the places we all love. We cannot do it without you. Together, we will continue to protect and preserve our national parks for future generations to enjoy.
I am so grateful for your commitment to helping us ensure a thriving park system for years to come. Thank you.
With great appreciation,
Theresa Pierno, President & CEO
What You Did for Parks in 2024
Advanced Efforts to Restore Grizzlies to the North Cascades
NPCA and our partners are one step closer to restoring grizzly bears to their historic range in North Cascades National Park following the joint record of decision by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to relocate 3-7 bears per year until 25 bears reside in the North Cascades ecosystem. The plan is a culmination of decades of advocacy by NPCA, partners and advocates.
Secured Greater Protections for Biscayne National Park
NPCA won a legal victory that requires the National Park Service to act on a regulation “as soon as practicable” to implement a marine reserve zone in Biscayne National Park, protecting the park’s coral reefs and marine species like black groupers and hogfish. Protecting Biscayne’s vibrant coral reefs, and the marine species that depend on them, is critically important for park visitors and South Florida’s outdoor recreation and tourism economies.
Improved Visitor Experience at Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park, the fifth most popular national park in the U.S., made permanent its innovative timed-entry system after a successful pilot program helped manage its more than 4 million annual visitors. NPCA funded a visitor experience study that helped inform visitation management at the park and worked alongside local businesses, park advocates and other partners to build support for a more sustainable future for parks.
Defended Parks from Destructive Oil and Gas Development
After much advocacy from NPCA, the Bureau of Land Management released a final rule update to oil and gas leasing on public lands that better protects national parks by preventing poorly sited drilling in and near critical wildlife areas, watersheds, or cultural and natural resources.
Protected Glen Canyon from Motorized Vehicle Use
NPCA secured an agreement that commits the Park Service to propose a revised rule for off-road vehicle management in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area that better protects the ecological integrity and visitor experience. After years of litigation, NPCA and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance successfully settled and dismissed their lawsuits against the National Park Service over off-road vehicles in Glen Canyon.
Opened a Visitor Center at Stonewall
A new visitor center opened in June at Stonewall National Monument in New York City, the only national park site dedicated to LGBTQ+ history. NPCA has been a key supporter in the creation of the new visitor center, which will house exhibits, provide amenities for rangers and help visitors and locals connect with the Stonewall story.
Fought Invasive Carp in Minnesota
NPCA and the Stop Carp Coalition helped secure $12 million from the Minnesota State Legislature to fund an invasive carp deterrent system on the Mississippi River to protect the state’s waterways and national parks. The funding comes at a critical time – there is a limited but feasible window of time for a deterrent to be installed to achieve maximum efficacy.
Safeguarded Iconic Yellowstone Bison
The National Park Service released its Yellowstone Bison Management Plan, allowing Yellowstone bison to migrate beyond park boundaries into national forest lands and prioritizing the restoration of bison to Tribal lands via the Bison Conservation Transfer Program. NPCA has worked for decades with state and federal agencies, conservation partners, Tribes and local communities to conserve Yellowstone bison.
Eliminated 22 Million Pounds of Waste from National Parks
NPCA, in partnership with Subaru of America, Inc., helped eliminate 22 million pounds of waste from national parks since 2015 through the Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative. NPCA partnered with Subaru, the National Park Foundation and the Park Service to reduce waste in national parks through reduction, recycling, composting and educational initiatives while engaging park visitors to lessen their environmental footprint.
Secured Strong Air Quality Standards Benefiting National Parks
Years of advocacy from NPCA and our partners led to the Environmental Protection Agency strengthening numerous air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. The new regulations will help reduce climate pollution, clear the air in national parks and park ecosystems, and improve the health of the people who visit them.
3 WAYS NPCA MADE YOUR PARK EXPERIENCE BETTER
National parks are our nation’s most beautiful, historic and awe-inspiring places. NPCA works to protect and preserve them for generations to come, but we are also working to ensure that visitors today have enjoyable park experiences, too. Here are three ways NPCA has made your park experience better in 2024.
Improved Park Infrastructure through Great American Outdoors Act Investments
In 2020, NPCA secured a major victory for national parks with the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, which provided $6.65 billion over 5 years to address critical repairs and improve infrastructure in our national parks. Since then, NPCA has advocated for smart allocation of those funds.
Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the most popular sights at Glacier National Park, taking travelers across the Continental Divide and showcasing lush valleys and towering mountains, imposing glaciers and colorful wildflowers. But the road and a nearby bridge are aging, creating a potentially unsafe place for millions of annual visitors. The Great American Outdoors Act invested $26 million to rehabilitate the road and the McDonald Creek Bridge so park visitors can safely enjoy them for decades to come.
Funds from the Great American Outdoors Act are tackling over a third of repairs in Yellowstone National Park, including fixing 22 miles of the heavily traveled Grand Loop Road connecting Old Faithful and West Thumb geysers, two of Yellowstone’s most popular attractions.
In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a $35.2 million investment is improving roads, fixing bridges and constructing ADA-accessible parking spaces and more to accommodate the park’s 13 million annual visitors.
NPCA continues to advocate for extending the Great American Outdoors Act’s infrastructure repairs fund, and ongoing investments that our national parks need to thrive.
Guided Smart Visitation Policies at America’s Most Popular Parks
The last few years have seen a big increase in the popularity of national parks, leading to long wait times at park entrances, hours spent circling parking lots, gridlocked traffic at popular spots, overflowing trash cans, overcrowded trails and a strain on rangers and resources. In response, NPCA has successfully advocated for smart visitation management systems that improve your park experience.
Pre-booked timed-entry pilot systems returned to Glacier and Arches National Parks for 2024 and Mount Rainier National Park implemented a new timed-entry system this summer to improve visitors’ experiences and preserve natural and cultural resources in the parks. Rocky Mountain National Park, where the number of annual visitors has increased 42% in the last decade, made their timed-entry system a permanent fixture.
A 2021 Utah State University study about park crowding and visitation at Rocky Mountain National Park, funded by NPCA, found that 78% of respondents had a favorable view of their park experience with timed-entry reservations. The study and success of the pilot program led to permanent implementation. Similar studies at Arches and Glacier National Parks proved timed-entry systems popular among visitors.
Timed entry leads to reduced traffic during peak hours and allows park rangers to focus on interpretive talks and programming, helping visitors stay safe, and keeping facilities clean. Visitors can spend less time waiting to enter the park and more time enjoying it.
Increased Protections for Iconic Park Wildlife and Endangered Species
NPCA made a major step forward in bringing grizzly bears back to North Cascades National Park and the surrounding ecosystem with the release of a plan by the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to return the bears to their historic home. NPCA and our partners advocated for the plan and built strong community support for grizzly reintroduction.
In Yellowstone National Park, the Park Service released a plan to guide management of Yellowstone bison within the park that integrates extensive public input and the best available science, ensuring that future generations can have the same awe-inspiring experiences we have today NPCA worked with state and federal agencies, conservation and community groups, and Tribal partners to advocate for plans to conserve Yellowstone bison.
NPCA and our partners fought to protect the rare and imperiled ghost orchid found in Big Cypress National Preserve, filing a lawsuit to push the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to commit to a deadline to make a decision on whether extend Endangered Species Act protections to the ghost orchid.
As parks continue to receive record numbers of visitors, NPCA will continue to push to make sure your park experiences are fun and engaging. And we will defend our parks so your children and grandchildren can enjoy them, too.
Looking Ahead
Advocating for the Cultural Resources Challenge
NPCA is advocating for $250 million over five years for critical historic and cultural preservation in our parks, including hiring historians, archivists, rangers and more ahead of America’s 250th in 2026.
Establishing a New Park for Julius Rosenwald
NPCA continues to advocate for a new national park to remember Julius Rosenwald, who partnered with African American communities across the South to help fund the construction of more than 5,300 schools.
Clearing the Air Above National Parks
NPCA and our partners will continue to advocate to the EPA for strong plans that reduce haze pollution from industrial facilities across the country, which harms scenic park views and surrounding communities.
Securing Park Funding
NPCA will continue to ensure that funding for our national parks remains a congressional priority, working to pass legislation to address park infrastructure, visitor experience, national park staff, natural disaster relief and ongoing appropriations.
Implementing Visitation Plans
NPCA will build on the success of the permanent visitation plan at Rocky Mountain National Park to inform visitor use management plans at America’s most-visited national parks.
Preserving Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments
As the Park Service and Bureau of Land Management finalize management plans for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, NPCA will monitor the plans and provide insight to ensure the monuments are properly protected.
Safeguarding Big Cypress National Preserve
NPCA will continue fighting for better protection for Big Cypress National Preserve, including limiting damage caused by off-road vehicles and restoring the preserve from the devastating impacts of seismic testing for oil and gas, while advancing efforts to permanently protect this delicate ecosystem from new oil and gas extraction.
Defending Bedrock Environmental Laws
NPCA joined a coalition moving to intervene in a lawsuit challenging updated National Environmental Policy Act regulations that ensure federal decisions about how public lands are used receive input from communities, Tribes and climate scientists.
Expanding Joshua Tree National Park
NPCA is partnering with Protect California Deserts Coalition to urge the Administration to use the Antiquities Act to protect 645,000 acres of public land in the California desert by adding 17,000 acres to Joshua Tree National Park and establishing Chuckwalla National Monument to create a protected, interconnected landscape.
Photos top to bottom: Zion National Park © Kwiktor; Shenandoah National Park © Lhb Companies; North Cascades National Park, WA © iStock.com; Biscayne National Park, FL © Michael Ludwig; Rocky Mountain National Park, CO © Ronda Kimbrow; Denali National Park and Preserve, AK © Brian Flaigmore; Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, AZ © Sdbower; Stonewall National Monument, NY © LittleNY; Mississippi River, MN © Mike777777; Yellowstone National Park, WY © iStock.com; Denali National Park and Preserve, AK © Gail Johnson; Sequoia National Park, CA © LuckyPhotographer; Yellowstone Bison © James Mattil; Yosemite National Park © Alicia Acevedo; Grizzly bear © Vividpixels; Acadia National Park © F11photo; Valley Forge National Historical Park, PA © Paulbradyphoto, Dreamstime; Rosenwald School, AL © Rory Doyle; Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN © Sean Pavone; Arches National Park, UT © NPS, Dreamstime; Mt. Rainier National Park, WA © Ismael Gama Jr.; Bears Ears National Monument, UT © Arlene Waller; Big Cypress National Preserve, FL © Wilsilver77; Glacier National Park, MT © Silva Krajnc; Joshua Tree National Park, CA © Phyllis D. Petersen; Ghost Orchid in Bg Cypress National Preserve ©Haniel Pulido