Formal Partnership Established Among National, State, and Local Park Organizations

Looking for a way to improve your child’s mental and physical health? Look no further than your nearest park or natural area.

“Numerous studies conclude that time spent in outdoor settings decreases stress, inspires creativity, promotes social development, and encourages physical fitness,” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis. “A new partnership among the National Park [...]

Help Make America’s Best Idea Even Better

September 26: A Day of Service and Celebration in Your National Parks
WASHINGTON, DC (September 2, 2009)  – Join the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation in making America’s Best Idea – the national parks – even better.   On September 26, National Public Lands Day, the national parks will host visitors and volunteers for [...]

National Park Service Gets the Lead Out!

WASHINGTON – National Park Service visitors and wildlife have something to cheer about today with the agency’s stepped-up efforts to reduce lead in national park environments.
“Our goal is to eliminate the use of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle in parks by the end of 2010,” said Acting National Park Service Director Dan Wenk. “We [...]

New Year’s Resolution from National Park Service Director Mary A. Bomar

WASHINGTON – Out with the old, in with the new—let’s get rid of those tired old New Year’s resolutions and do something different—pledge to take a kid to visit a national park!
As Director of the National Park Service, I have spoken across the country of our children being “seduced by the dark side of video [...]

Service approves Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Pennsylvania

H. Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Marvin Moriarty, the agency’s northeast regional director, announced today that the Service has approved a new national wildlife refuge in eastern Pennsylvania’s Cherry Valley. The Service has established a boundary for the refuge, encompassing 20,466 acres in Monroe and Northampton counties, within which [...]

BLM Waives Recreation-related Fees for Veterans on Veterans Day

The Bureau of Land Management will waive recreation-related fees for veterans and military personnel, along with their families, on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11.
BLM Director Jim Caswell, a Vietnam veteran, encouraged veterans and members of the U.S. Armed Forces to recreate on BLM-managed or other Federal lands on November 11, saying, “We want to thank [...]

National Park Service Announces Support for Wounded Warrior Project

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Park Service will provide enhanced programs and services for injured military members through a partnership established with Wounded Warrior Project.
In a ceremony held at the Lincoln Memorial, National Park Service Director Mary A. Bomar and Wounded Warrior Project Executive Director and Founder John Melia signed an agreement to develop opportunities [...]

Hawaii DLNR Invites Public Participation in 2008 Update of State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of State Parks is seeking public participation on an update of the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) that will help shape the future of hiking, biking, boating, hunting, fishing and ocean recreation in Hawai‘i.
“The 2008 Outdoor Recreation Plan update represents a cooperative effort [...]

National Park Service Unveils New Website For Children

WASHINGTON, DC – The Kids Zone, a new addition to the National Park Service’s website, http://www.nps.gov, contains more than 50 interactive activities designed to connect children with the people, places, and events commemorated in the country’s 391 National Park Service sites.
Starting August 25, children visiting the website can learn about Mitsy, a nine-year-old Border Collie [...]

Cast Away: Park Rangers Take Public on Podcasting Adventure

WASHINGTON – All across the country, park rangers are turning into podcasters. Hundreds of brief audio and video programs are up on park websites and on iTunes giving visitors a new national park experience. People can learn about park resources, take a guided tour, get help planning trips, and, best of all, meet actual rangers.
“While [...]