Protecting Our Parks: What You Can Do

This is a troubling time for our treasured spaces and places. An understandable instinct to make government more efficient is bringing painful, apparently indiscriminate, cuts in personnel and budgets to a system that was already woefully under-funded. So what can you do to help? Here's where to start.

We have always believed that national parks should be above the partisan fray. They belong to all of us, and both sides of the political aisle have long supported them.

Unfortunately, recent cuts in personnel and budgets have placed tremendous stress on America’s best idea. There’s a strong chance that if you’re headed out to one of your favorite places this spring and summer, you’re not going to have the experience you hoped for.

So what can we do? First, we encourage all park fans to consider joining and/or donating to the National Parks Conservation Association, the non-profit charged with advocating for public lands. They are the tip of the spear in efforts to push back against unreasonable – and even dangerous – cuts to services and preservation.

NPCA membership also comes with a subscription to National Parks magazine.

If you want to keep it personal and focus on a park that means something special, you should know that most of the larger national parks have their own “friends group,” a non-profit dedicated to supporting the park in ways beyond the federal government’s contributions. They come with a variety of names, from Yellowstone Forever to the Grand Canyon Conservancy and the Shenandoah National Park Trust. At the bottom of the page we’ve added links to a number of them. If you can’t find the one you’re looking for, our friends at National Park Traveler have compiled a searchable online guide here.

Remember too that national parks are not the only public lands under threat. National forests and Bureau of Land Management areas are also facing draconian cuts that will hinder our ability to enjoy the outdoors and increase the dangers of forest fires and other problems. The National Forest Foundation is another non-profit that could use your support.

To keep up to date on news affecting public lands, be sure to check out the National Parks in Crisis page at National Parks Traveler. Another great resource is the Pattiz brothers’ More Than Just Parks substack, whose content is showcased on our streaming app.

Too often, those who attack public lands ignore the tremendous economic benefit they generate. America’s outdoor economy is valued at $1.2 trillion. This year the Parks Channel joined The Conservation Alliance, a non-profit comprised of businesses dedicated to protecting outdoor spaces and wild places. Along with giants of the industry like Patagonia, REI, Osprey and The North Face, we will be adding our voice to lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill.

Your voice matters too. We strongly encourage you to reach out to your elected officials, both national and local, particularly if you live in a state directly affected by these draconian cuts. While you’re at it, you can call the White House at 202-456-1111 or send an e-message. Every email or phone call makes a difference.