As nice as it might be, the federal government does not fully fund all the needs and challenges the National Park Service faces. And that's where friends groups, cooperating associations, and even for-profit businesses come into play. Some of those organizations even help National Parks Traveler bring news and features about the park system to these pages every day of the year.
Here's a glance at the organizations that give to parks and also help make it possible for Traveler to cover the parks:
Those who love the Bluffs Lodge and its iconic coffee shop know how much time, effort, and dollars the foundation put into seeing those facilities come back into use. While the lodge's future is unclear at this point, the coffee shop has been beautifully and lovingly restored. And then there's the Blue Ridge Music Center, trails, and wildlife along the parkway that also benefit from this organization.
Forty-five or so miles of carriage roads, the trails that weave through Acadia National Park, and even cross-country ski trails are just three of the projects Friends of Acadia plays a substantial role in maintaining. But the nonprofit organization also works with teens and technology in the park, and is active in seeing that the park's "native plants and wildlife thrive despite threats from climate change, invasive pests, and other rapid environmental changes."
Grand Teton National Park Foundation
Donations to Grand Teton National Park Foundation tackle a lot of needs in the organization's namesake park. Millions were devoted to restoring the trail network above Jenny Lake, millions have gone into acquiring private inholdings surrounded by the park, and there's even a fund for acquiring steel boxes to keep bears out of your food when you're camping in the park.
Teach your children well. And when it comes to the outdoors and national parks, the North Cascades Institute can help provide some of that education, and not just for grade school students. The institute has programs that fit families and even college students, and a campus that sits inside North Cascades National Park.
This firm helps organizations maximize their efforts, whether the goal is to raise an organization's profile or raise its bottom line. Its services are utilized by more than a few nonprofit organizations that work within the National Park System for the good of the parks.
Washington's National Park Fund
One organization, three parks. That's no small task for Washington's National Park Fund, which raises philanthropic dollars to pay for projects in Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic national parks. Those dollars might go to trail work, technology needs, or wildlife research. And those are just three areas the fund is involved in.
With underwriting support from Wild Tribute, a Utah-based company that sells park-branded clothing, Traveler in the coming months will be taking a look at some park projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Redwoods National and State Parks, and Zion National Park that revolve around natural resources. Your purchasing practices play a role, too, as Wild Tribute contributes 4 percent of its revenues to fund projects in more than a few parks.
To learn more about these organizations and how they're benefiting parks, check out their websites.
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