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Newsletter: Your American West

WNP publishes a digital newsletter several times a year. Your American West, showcases park happenings, research stories, WNP news and more to keep you connected to our national parks. Browse the newsletters or sign up to receive them via email in the footer of this website.

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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Through a Living Memorial

“We share a border of 2,000 miles. Over three million of our citizens in the United States are descended from your citizens.” –President John F. Kennedy during a visit to Mexico in 1962 We share North America. What can we learn by exploring our own...

WNPA Is Now Accepting Nominations & Applications for Annual Awards, Grants & Scholarships

(Tucson, AZ) August 23, 2022— Western National Parks Association (WNPA) is now accepting submissions for its awards, grants, and scholarships. All submissions must be completed electronically through the WNPA web portal by Sept. 19, 2022. Recipients...

John Muir: A Passion for Nature

Equality and Justice for All. Heavy words, aren’t they? Even more so when put together. From the American Revolution to the Civil War, African Americans were encouraged to fight for America but were not allowed to serve with benefits during peacetime...

WNPA’s New CEO Loves Sweets and Sharing Her Passion for Public Lands

Marie Buck, former chief operating officer of Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) and an Arizonan for most of her life, has been appointed CEO of Western National Parks Association (WNPA). Marie was selected following a national search to lead WNPA, which...

Western National Parks Association Announces New CEO

(Tucson, AZ) July 13, 2022—Western National Parks Association (WNPA) announced today that Marie Buck has been named chief executive officer (CEO). Buck was most recently chief operating officer (COO) for the Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) where she...

Fort Davis and the Trail to Civil Rights

Equality and Justice for All. Heavy words, aren’t they? Even more so when put together. From the American Revolution to the Civil War, African Americans were encouraged to fight for America but were not allowed to serve with benefits during peacetime...

Grant Enables Research on Rare Biodiversity in Saguaro National Park

By Dave DeFusco A team of National Park Service researchers will study the biological diversity of Saguaro National Park’s “sky island” assisted by a $10,000 grant from the Western National Parks Association. The grant was supported by a $5,000 gift...

Interpretation of a Decisive Civil War Battle Evolves

By Robert Pahre The Battle of Glorieta Pass, which took place from March 26 to 28, 1862, was the decisive battle of the Civil War in New Mexico. While the battlefield has had historical markers since 1939, the stories you learn on the field have...

Desert Plants at Saguaro National Park Resist Ravages of Drought

By Dave DeFusco Desert vegetation surrounding the saguaro cactus in Saguaro National Park has been remarkably stable despite the presence of extreme weather over the past 30 years, according to a progress report on an ongoing research project, Three...

In Celebration of Women's History Month, Park Rangers Share Their Stories

During Women’s History Month, the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates a tradition of service and leadership that continues today in many NPS fields, including natural and cultural resource management, law enforcement, interpretation...