Newsroom - Western National Parks Assocation | Donate Today!

In the News

Ernestine BBQ, Nicodemus National Historical Site

John Koprowski, Aldo Leopold Memorial Award

WNPA publishes a digital newsletter several times a year. Park happenings, research stories, WNPA news and more helps 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.

View Newsletters

Follow Us on Instagram

wnpa_1938

2,175 10,939

Mar 18

Born in what is now Nevada around 1844, Sarah Winnemucca achieved lasting fame as an activist for the rights of American Indians and as the author of the first known autobiography written by an American Indian woman.

For Women’s History Month and all year long, you can learn about the stories of American Indian women like Sarah at parks across the west.

📷: NPS Photo

.

#findyourpark #nationalparks #wnpa1938 #InternationalWomensDay #womensday #womenshistory #womenshistorymonth

Mar 17

Why is St. Patrick’s Day a great time to start planning a visit to one of our national parks? Because they’re a great place to discover different shades of green!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to park lovers of Irish heritage–and anyone else who wants to join the party!

📍: El Malpais National Monument
📷: NPS Photo

📍: Big Thicket National Preserve
📷: NPS Photo / Scott Sharaga

.

#nationalparks #nationalparksadventure #nationalparkstravel #IrishAmericanHeritage #StPatricksDay #green

Mar 16

Our March featured park, Golden Spike National Histoical Park, is a small park but it tells a big story–one that stretches from coast-to-coast. Visit Golden Spike and learn how the completion of the transcontinental railroad changed the US overnight. https://wnpa.org/discover_parks/golden-spike/

📍: Golden Spike National Historical Park
📷: NPS Photo

.

#findyourpark #nationalparks #wnpa1938 #GoldenSpike

Mar 13

WNPA is proud to support #Whiskeytown National Recreation Area’s Artist-in-Residence program. Whiskeytown has announced Obi Kaufmann and Carrie Katzenmeyer have been selected for this spring’s residencies. They’ll spend two to three weeks camping and exploring Whiskeytown this spring where they will gain inspiration from the park's land, water, and history.

.

#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938 #Whiskeytown

Mar 12

Happy 111th birthday to the Girl Scouts! From the humble beginnings as a group of 18 members that Juliette Gordon Low founded in 1912, the Girl Scouts and Girl Guides now include over 10 million members in 145 countries. The National Park Service and the Girl Scouts have partnered to create the Girl Scout Ranger Program. Learn about how scouts can earn a certificate or patch in one of our national parks: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/youthprograms/girlscoutranger.htm

📍: Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
📷: NPS Photo

.

#GirlsScout #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #wnpa1938

Mar 11

This camel couldn’t help but make a funny face when he heard you haven’t visited one of our national parks lately.

Can you guess which national park site has a history with camels?

Camels traveled through El Morro National Monument in the 1850s as part of the US Army Camel Corps testing them as pack animals in the 1850s.

📍: El Morro National Monument
📷: Wendy Parrish/NPS Photo

.

#ElMorro #Camel #FunnyAnimal #nationalparks #wnpa1938

Mar 10

Each year, WNPA recognizes individuals and organizations through awards and grants. In 2022, Rianne Kravitz of Ukiah, California was named the first recipient of the James E. Cook Nature’s Classroom Grant. She plans to use the grant to fund a trip to Pinnacles National Park for eight girls who have never been camping. They will spend two days helping researchers monitor the endangered California condor and will also spend time beautifying the park with cleanup activities and trail maintenance. Congratulations to Rianne and our other award and grant winners!

.

#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Mar 8

For International Women’s Day, read and listen to highlights from an interview with Cherry Payne, who built a remarkable career with the National Park Service after starting out as a young ranger in an era when relatively few women pioneers worked in our national parks. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/oral-history-spotlight-cherry-payne.htm

📷: Cherry Payne

.

#findyourpark #nationalparks #wnpa1938 #InternationalWomensDay #womensday #womenshistory #womenshistorymonth

Mar 7

Our March featured park, #GoldenSpike National Historical Park, is a dream destination of train enthusiasts! During the winter months you can tour the engine house with two replica 19th century locomotives, and during the summer you can see them in action! Start planning your visit today.

📍: Golden Spike National Historical Park
📷: H. Harvey/NPS
.

#findyourpark #nationalparks #wnpa1938 #GoldenSpike

Mar 6

Congratulations to WNPA board member John Koprowski, who was named the 2022 recipient of the Aldo Leopold Memorial Award—the most prestigious honor given by The Wildlife Society. Read about John’s wildlife conservation work that’s taken him from Arizona to Nepal on our website.

📷: Kathan Bandyopadhyay

.

#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Mar 5

With opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, bird watching and spending time with loved ones in nature, #nationalparks are a great place for a family trip during spring break. Get tips on how to get the most fun and education out of a park visit with kids and start planning your trip today.

📍: Santa Monica Mountains
📷: NPS

.

#springishere #firstdayofspring #spring #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks

Mar 4

Today we take a break from our “regularly scheduled programming” to recognize our employees! Your dedication helps our partner parks create unforgettable experiences for visitors and helps preserve our national parks as a treasured legacy for future generations. Thank you! 🤗✨

.

#EmployeeAppreciation #wnpa #rangers #wnpa1938

Mar 3

March 3 is #WorldWildlifeDay, a day to celebrate all wild animals and plants and the contribution they make to our lives and the health of the planet. Our #nationalparks are a great place to observe and appreciate wildlife–plan a visit today.

📍: Channel Islands National Park
📷: Tim Hauf, timhaufphotography.com/NPS

.

#WorldWildlifeDay #ExploreNature #WatchingWildlife #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #wnpa1938 #nationalparkphotography

Mar 2

Invasive species proliferating in our national parks can have disastrous consequences. One example is the introduction of invasive buffelgrass to many parts of the United States, including Tonto National Monument.

Buffelgrass is a fire-prone species that can quickly spread across the landscape, threatening native plant and animal communities, as well as increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfires. In addition, Buffelgrass can displace native vegetation, reduce biodiversity, and alter ecosystem functions. Understanding and managing the threat of invasive species is an important job for national parks staff. Lear more about national parks in the link in bio.

📍: Tonto National Monument
📷: NPS

.

#InvasiveSpecies #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Mar 1

Our March featured park is Golden Spike National Historical Park! Tracks from the east and west were linked on this site in 1869, completing the construction of the US transcontinental railroad–one of the greatest technological achievements of the 19th century. Visitors can learn about the challenges of building the railroad, the lives of the people who built it, and view two replica 19th century locomotives. Learn more about our resources at the link in bio!

📍: Golden Spike National Historical Park
📷: NPS

.

#findyourpark #nationalparks #wnpa1938 #GoldenSpike

Feb 28

You probably didn’t know that it’s Invasive Species Awareness Week but #invasivespecies are a complex challenge for our #nationalparks. Monitoring and removing invasive species that disrupt ecosystems is an important job for park staff. WNPA funds research work like this study of how nonnative fish impact the population of a species of snail unique to Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

.

#InvasiveSpecies #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Feb 27

#Nicodemus National Historic Site, our February featured park, is a living history lesson on black survival in America. The settlers of Nicodemus had an uncommon will to grasp freedom against all odds, and it’s that will which we celebrate this #BlackHistoryMonth and throughout the year.

📍 : Nicodemus National Historic Site
📷 : NPS/BOATES

.

#Nicomdemus #nationalparks #wnpa1938 #MartinLutherKingJr #FindYourPark #civilrights #travelkansas

Feb 26

With almost 100 different designs to choose from, including many for individual parks and historic sites, mugs are a great way to show off at work that you’re a “park geek”, or reminisce about an amazing adventure every time you drink your favorite beverage at home. Check out the link in our bio to get yours.

📷: Chris Rief

.

#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Feb 25

Digital Learning Day is an annual event that is held to celebrate and recognize the innovative use of technology in education and more. 📚🤔

It is an opportunity for educators and students to explore, create, and share digital tools, resources, and experiences to enhance teaching and learning. On this day, educators and students can attend webinars and online workshops, participate in online discussions, and collaborate with colleagues and peers to create digital projects. It is a great way to celebrate the power of technology in education and recognize the power of digital learning. What do you do to learn more online?

📍 : Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
📷 : NPS Photo
.

#DLDay #DLDaySTEM #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Feb 24

Happy National #EngineersWeek! In places that required inspiring creativity, National Park Service engineers have designed engineering marvels–bridges, roadways, monuments, and visitor centers–that help 300 million people each year experience these special places.

📍 : Gateway Arch National Park
📷 : NPS Photo/Sue Ford

.

#EngineersWeek #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #nationalparks #recreateresponsibly #optoutside #travelgram #wnpa1938

Load More... Follow on Instagram

For News Professionals

If you are working on a story and want help in your reporting, contact us.