Reflecting on the Obama Legacy: Building for the Future
Clockwise from upper left, Buddy Bison kids with: former First Lady Michelle Obama at the Centennial Cherry Blossom Tree Planting; former DOI Secretary Sally Jewell rock climbing at Carderock; former WH CEQ Managing Director Christy Goldfuss at Rock Creek Park distributing Every Kid in a Park passes; and former DOI Secretary Ken Salazar with former NPS Director Jon Jarvis at a celebration on the National Mall.
From National Park Trust's Executive Director Grace Lee:
"Over the past eight years, we were honored and privileged to work with the Obama Administration, Department of the Interior (DOI), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, White House Council on Environmental Quality (WH CEQ), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and many others to engage and connect tens of thousands of our Buddy Bison students with our parks and public lands. We are also grateful for former President Obama's leadership in protecting our parks and public lands and waters.
As many of you know, in 2015, President Barack Obama launched the Every Kid in a Park movement. Little did we at NPT know how much that movement, along with the NPS Centennial, would help us to expand our reach and the number of under-resourced students we would be able to impact.
Thanks to generous support from former NPS Director Jon Jarvis and NPS Centennial Challenge Funds, the National Park Foundation, REI, The North Face, the Outdoor Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and many, many others, we have been able to provide life-changing park experiences through our Buddy Bison School Program for 20,000 under-served students across the country in just the past two years (many who are 4th graders), and more than 50,000 students over the past 8 years!
In addition, looking back to 2011, former First Lady Michelle Obama began her important work to encourage kids and their families to develop a more healthy and active lifestyle with Let's Move!. In fact, Let's Move! inspired us to create our national Kids to Parks Day (KTP) that same year working with the Let's Move Cities and Towns. Since 2011, KTP Day has grown tremendously with more than 730,000 participants in 2016. We look forward to celebrating with you the 7th annual KTP Day on May 20, 2017!
Finally, we are very grateful to both former DOI Secretary Sally Jewell'sPlay, Learn, Work, and Serve and former DOI Secretary Ken Salazar'sYouth in the Great Outdoors initiatives which encourage kids across the country to not only get out and enjoy the outdoors, but also to take care of our precious parks and public lands for future generations – the cornerstone of NPT's mission of preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow.
As we kick off the new year, the NPT board and staff thank all of these leaders and their dedicated staff for their extraordinary efforts that have resulted in a legacy that we will continue to build upon working with the new Trump Administration. We look forward to our continued partnership with the new leadership of DOI as well as other federal, state and local agencies to preserve our parks and cultivate the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and stewards of our public lands and waters. As Buddy Bison says, 'Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!' "
Wild About Rocky Mountain National Park
The view from the acquired property. (Photo Credit: Karen Fisher)
National Park Trust (NPT), in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy and TheWilderness Land Trust joined forces recently to help make Rocky Mountain National Park just a little more “wild.” A 12.5-acre private inholding located in the Wild Basin area was on sale for only the second time in 75 years. Wild Basin is a popular hiking destination for park visitors with breathtaking views of wilderness, rushing mountain streams, numerous cascades, and waterfalls. By acquiring this property, 33 total acres of wilderness will be added to the park when the existing access road and cabin are removed.
The last critical piece of funding of $150,000 was provided to NPT by The Barrett Family Foundation who have a special connection to the park. “Living in Boulder we are fortunate to have Rocky Mountain National Park at our doorstep," stated Richard Barrett of The Barrett Family Foundation. "Our youngest daughter had her wedding at the gateway to the park where wild turkeys and deer were part of the ambiance. Wild Basin with the North St. Vrain River flowing through it is one of those unspoiled, enchanting, wilderness areas of the park that was best left unspoiled by the presence of a mountain cabin.”
Park Superintendent Darla Sidles added, "We are extremely grateful to Rocky Mountain Conservancy, The Wilderness Land Trust and National Park Trust for acquiring this private piece of land inside the park. This is a gift that will live on forever as protected wilderness."
Discovering National Parks and Camping Too!
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Academy students visit Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C.
Thanks to our new partnership with the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation and their outstanding gift of $202,000, we welcomed 10 Title 1 schools in Washington, D.C. into this school year’s Buddy Bison School Program. Plus 6 schools will experience 3 days and 2 nights of camping at Prince William Forest, Harper’s Ferry or the Appalachian Trail!
"We are very pleased to be working with National Park Trust to provide robust national park experiences for elementary and middle school students in Washington, D.C.," stated Diana Davis Spencer, president of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation. "Through NPT's Buddy Bison School Program, we are providing local children with memorable park experiences and helping to foster future conservation leaders that will be inspired to preserve and protect our national parks for generations to come."
“We are delighted to be able to impact a large number of schools in one community and provide multiple park experiences for their students through this extraordinary gift from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation,” said Grace Lee, NPT executive director.
To learn more about how you can support a school in your community contact Maryann Kearns, director of development, at maryann@parktrust.org or call 301-279-7275 x15.
20 Days Left to Win a Park Adventure!
Teachers, don't miss a great opportunity to get your students outside for hands-on learning with help from National Park Trust (NPT). Our 2017 Kids to Parks Day National School Contest encourages students to create and plan their own park experience to celebrate Kids to Parks Day in May. With help from our sponsors including an early lead gift of $50,000 from Northside, NPT will award schools with park scholarships up to $1,000. Last year 100 grants were awarded to 74 schools in honor of the NPS Centennial.
“We couldn't be more excited to be partnering with the National Park Trust and their Kids to Parks Day campaign. Like Northside, this is an organization passionate about getting families outside and preserving lands for future generations. While we take pride in providing approachable outdoor footwear, we want to do more, and that includes giving young people a better opportunity to spend more time outdoors,” said Jack Wolfin, president of Northside.
“We welcome Northside as our newest sponsor for Kids to Parks Day. Their generous gift will go a long way to providing park grants for our contest winners – students and schools who would not have the opportunity to discover a park without this critical support,” stated Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust.
The contest is open to all under-served public, public charter and private schools across the U.S. in grades pre-K through 12 and ends on February 14th. Winners will be announced on March 1st. See contest forms here. For more information about the contest, contact Billy Schrack, director of youth programs, at william@parktrust.org or call 301-279-7275 x20.
To learn more about how you can join Northside to help provide additional park grants for our contest participants, contact Maryann Kearns, director of development, at maryann@parktrust.org or call 301-279-7275 x15.
Young Scholars Learn about Freshwater Ecosystems
Kindergartners from Harmony Hills Elementary (MD) at Anacostia Park.
Just before the end of 2016, 120 kindergartners from Harmony Hills Elementary in Silver Spring, MD explored the Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) at Anacostia Park. Over the course of three days they received hands-on biology lessons ranging from activities with local freshwater ecosystems and habitats to aquatic-themed stories and sing-a-longs.
Kudos to the AREC staff and the Department of Energy & Environment for leading the fun and educational activities. In addition, many thanks to Robert Trone and the Trone family for their sponsorship of Harmony Hills this school year.
"Our family is delighted to partner with National Park Trust by sponsoring Harmony Hills Elementary as a Buddy Bison School this academic year. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to connect and engage their youngest students with the many benefits of our local national parks and public lands," stated Robert Trone, co-founder of Total Wine and More.
We look forward to planning their next park adventure this spring. If you would like to learn more about our school sponsorship program, contact Maryann Kearns, director of development, at maryann@parktrust.org or call 301-279-7275 x15.
National Park Service Centennial Act Signed
On December 16, President Barack Obama signed the National Park Service Centennial Act into law, a bipartisan effort by the U.S. Congress to help the National Park Service (NPS) meet the challenges of its second century of stewardship. The legislation provides the agency with new resources that will help it engage the country’s growing and diverse population with their public lands and waters, embrace new technologies, and address a $12 billion maintenance backlog. Click here to read about the key provisions of this new legislation.
Note: If you, or someone you know, is age 62 or older, now is the time to take advantage of the $10 fee for a life-time entry pass to all federal recreation sites, including all national parks. As part of the Centennial Act, the price of the passes will increase to $80 later this year or early 2018.
Mark Your Calendars: National Park Fee-Free Days
Get out your new 2017 calendars! The National Park Service is offering 10 days this year when they will waive entrance fees for all visitors. Upcoming fee-free days are:
Feb. 20, Presidents Day
April 15-16 and April 22-23, National Park Week
Aug. 25, National Park Service’s Birthday
Sept. 20, National Public Lands Day
Nov. 11-12, Veterans Day Weekend
The National Park System includes 413 sites including national parks, national historical parks, national monuments, national recreation areas, national battlefields, and national seashores. Click here to find a national park unit near you.
Now get your Buddy Bison and get out and go! And don’t forget to share your photos with NPT on Facebook and Instagram @NationalParkTrust or on Twitter @NatParkTrust.
#BuddyBison #WheresBuddyBisonBeen
On December 16, President Barack Obama signed the National Park Service Centennial Act into law, a bipartisan effort by the U.S. Congress to help the National Park Service (NPS) meet the challenges of its second century of stewardship. The legislation provides the agency with new resources that will help it engage the country’s growing and diverse population with their public lands and waters, embrace new technologies, and address a $12 billion maintenance backlog. 
