The Secret Lives of Parks

Study after study has shown that time in nature enriches us mentally and physically. Just a couple of hours outdoors each week can improve our mood, reduce our stress, boost our immune systems and deepen our sleep, among many other benefits. But life has a way of distracting us from simple pleasures like hiking and camping. The demands of work, school and family can overtake our best intentions and our waking hours.Award-winning journalist Nicolas Brulliard devised a plan to get himself into nature on four camping trips on the same trail, all taken on work nights over the course of a year — one in each season. He wrote about his experiences in a National Parks magazine article, then returned to the trail and reflected on his adventures with host Jennifer Errick. He shares some of his main takeaways, including the value of attention, the significance of sitting instead of walking, and how to hike like a kid instead of an adult.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Episode 47, Parks and the Art of Paying Attention, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Sound effects from Rocky Mountain National Park by Nicolas Brulliard.Read Nicolas’ award-winning National Parks magazine story, “Four Walks in the Park,” at npca.org/fourwalksLearn about the book that inspired the journey, “A Year in the Woods: Twelve Small Journeys into Nature” by Torbjørn Ekelund, at goodreads.com/book/show/57731687-a-year-in-the-woodsLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org 

Neotropical migratory songbirds spend the winter in Central and South America and travel each spring to their breeding grounds in the U.S. and Canada. These species are teeny creatures on average, often weighing under two ounces each, yet their travel plans are bold — some make roundtrips of more than 10,000 miles in a single year. But this colorful cohort of birds, from warblers to thrushes to tanagers, face habitat loss from climate change and development at both ends of their range.But the Big Ivy region of the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina is a rare intact forest that provides a welcoming breeding ground for many of these birds, including species whose outlook has been especially bleak. This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with NPCA Southern Appalachian Director Jeff Hunter and Wildlife Research Program Coordinator Steve Goodman on the 415,000 birdsongs they’ve captured in the Big Ivy and how they’re using the beautiful recordings to protect this rare and beautiful Appalachian forest.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.Episode 46, The Bird Nerds of Big Ivy, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about the campaign to create a Craggy National Scenic Area at IHeartPisgah.org.Learn more about NPCA’s Day of Action at npca.org/everyparkLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

In late June, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the state was moving forward on plans — negotiated without public or Tribal input — to build a tent-based immigration enforcement facility in the Western Everglades. This facility is designed to hold between 3,000 and 5,000 detainees on an isolated airstrip on the border of Big Cypress National Preserve at an estimated cost of $450 million a year. By July 2, just days after the public first learned about these plans, the facility was already open and holding several hundred people.Ironically, the isolated jetport is the exact site where the National Parks Conservation Association once stood side by side with Marjory Stoneman Douglas and many others to defeat the development of a massive airport in 1968. This effort led directly to the creation of Big Cypress National Preserve. Two key stakeholders were part of that effort and have lived in and protected this landscape for millennia — the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes who continue to speak out against the misuse of their homelands.This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Curtis Osceola, senior executive policy advisor to the chairman of the Miccosukee Business Council; William “Popeye” Osceola, secretary of the Miccosukee Business Council; Dr. Melissa Abdo, NPCA Sun Coast regional director; and Marisa Carrozzo, NPCA senior coastal and wildlife program manager.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.Episode 45, Florida’s Untenable Alcatraz, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to Edward Ornstein, Deputy General Counsel and Tallahassee Embassy Director for the Miccosukee Tribe. Special thanks also to John Adornado, Cara Capp, Kristin Gladd and Kyle Groetzinger.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about NPCA’s opposition to Alligator Alcatraz and speak out at npca.org/alligatoralcatrazLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Earlier this month, the National Park Service had a major victory in a place you’ve probably never heard of and didn’t know was in danger. The focus of this good news is a humble warehouse on the outskirts of Charles Town, West Virginia, that houses millions of rare artifacts and employs a dream team of specialized staff devoted to restoring and conserving America’s history.In March, the Department of Government Efficiency made plans to cancel the lease on this Park Service facility, throwing the future of these rare objects into question. Though the collections can stay in their specialized facility, for now, we investigate the highly skilled conservators, archivists and technicians who keep the country’s most precious papers and keepsakes from falling apart, and we delve into why “we need to be able to treat our history with the respect that it deserves, because that's how you honor the people who lived it.”This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Director Brendan Bray, Supervisory Conservator and Manager Theresa Voellinger, Textile Conservator Anne Ennes, Book and Paper Conservator Allison Holcomb, Inorganics Conservator Nicole Peters, Taxidermist and Organics Conservator Fran Ritchie, Archivist Nancy Russell, Collections Manager and Museum Specialist Kyle Bryner, and NPCA Senior Director for Cultural Resources Alan Spears.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.Episode 44, The Sum of Its Parts, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Special thanks to all the National Park Service staff in Charles Town and Harpers Ferry who took time to talk with me and answer questions about their work.Learn more about the National Park Service’s museum collections and read their Conserve O Grams at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/museums/conserve-o-grams.htmLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Over a decade ago, an explorer conducting surveys at Grand Canyon National Park noticed what appeared to be an opening in a red rock cliff face high above him in the park’s remote backcountry. His team discovered a cave that appeared, by all accounts, to have been completely untouched by people. Researchers found a series of passageways with gypsum formations and a variety of wildlife, including thousands and thousands of mummified bats.In episode 4 of the podcast, we talked with several experts about this remarkable cave and its ancient remains. Since then, researchers have returned and ventured into a second cave, even more difficult to explore than the first, and made more exciting discoveries. This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks Carol Chambers, professor of wildlife ecology at Northern Arizona University; Shawn Thomas, volunteer caver and bat expert; and Stephen Eginoire, photojournalist. We learn about the implications for science, the extreme lengths the team takes to preserve the cave, and profound feeling of being the first person to set foot in an unmapped place.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Episode 43, Return to the Bat Cave, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to Vincent Santucci.Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Read the Grand Canyon research team’s most recent paper at: parks.berkeley.edu/psf/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/psf_401_chambers_web.pdfRead Stephen Eginoire’s story for the Grand Canyon Trust at: www.grandcanyontrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AdvocateMagFall2024Digital.pdfLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Multiple staffing crises are harming the National Park Service, including mass layoffs, a hiring freeze, forced retirements and delays in onboarding seasonal employees — and a new reduction in force could be imminent. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced plans late last Friday to drastically consolidate land management agencies across the country, and a new round of terminations could affect every level of park management.These reckless, wide-ranging job cuts come at a time when national parks are more popular than ever. How are parks — and people — coping under these ongoing employee upheavals?This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with John Garder, senior director of budget and appropriation at the National Parks Conservation Association, and Cassidy Jones, former park ranger and visitation program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, on how job cuts and insecurity are harming parks and morale, some of the long-term consequences for resource protection, and what people can do to support park staff.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.Episode 42, Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to Angela Gonzalez, Cory MacNulty and Abbey Robertson.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Read Cassidy Jones’ recent blog story on how to prepare to visit understaffed parks at npca.org/prepareLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org, including one of Cassidy’s favorite winter adventures in episode 15, The Little Jewel Box.Remember, NPCA’s silent auction is live until April 28, and you can bid on your own podcast-style audio story, for you and about you, as well as many other cool experiences and keepsakes, at npca.org/auctionFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org.

On April 18, the National Parks Conservation Association will host a 10-day silent auction. As part of this fundraiser, The Secret Lives of Parks cohost Jennifer Errick is offering to produce a podcast-style audio story for one winning bidder or couple, modeled after the stories we create here. Today, we’re sharing what this kind of keepsake can sound like, with excerpts from Jennifer’s recent conversation with NPCA Senior Vice President of Communications Amy Hagovsky. If you'd like to be the star of your own audio story, check out npca.org/auction. There are plenty of other great items you can bid on, too, from a fly-fishing trip to a set of beautiful T-shirts to a giant box of cheese. All the proceeds will benefit NPCA’s mission to protect national parks. On the Trail with Amy is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Today's special episode was produced by me, Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton. Special thanks to Molly Green.Music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

To celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service in 2016, journalist Conor Knighton visited all 59 capital-N, capital-P parks in one year — turning that experience into a series of "On the Trail" segments for CBS Sunday Morning and, later, into the New York Times best-selling memoir "Leave Only Footprints."Host Todd Christopher interviews Conor about that year and how his year in the parks shaped his understanding of our public lands, and of himself as well.Original theme music by Chad FischerThe Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: Todd Christopher – Producer & Host Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host Bev Stanton – Online ProducerThe Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

The Clara Barton National Historic Site in Glen Echo, Maryland, was the first national park site created to honor a woman and one of just 13 such sites across the country. Barton lived and worked in this corner of Maryland thanks to a unique partnership with a local arts institution known as Glen Echo Park, whose founders built the stately building to honor her as a celebrity in residence. It served as a multipurpose homestead and the American Red Cross headquarters during the last 15 years of Barton’s life.But now, the building is in serious disrepair and in need of numerous upgrades. Ironically, the fruitful partnership between Barton’s site and Glen Echo Park led to an inappropriate plan that would have minimized Barton’s legacy. A team of historians banded together to improve the process and share the importance of this American hero, who devoted her life to serving others while breaking barriers and revolutionizing disaster response in the process.This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Liz Witherspoon, co-founder and CEO of the Clara Barton Fund and board member for the American Red Cross for Montgomery, Frederick and Howard Counties in Maryland; as well as Pam Goddard, senior program director for the Mid-Atlantic region at the National Parks Conservation Association. They discuss Clara Barton’s remarkable legacy, the state of her homestead and headquarters, the new group helping to preserve her history, and the puppet show concept that galvanized them to take action.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Episode 40, The Angel of Glen Echo, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, Linda Coutant and Abbey Robertson. Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org. Hear about another inspiring woman who broke all kinds of glass ceilings in episode 35, The Woman Behind the Weekend, on the incomparable Frances Perkins. And listen to more about Pam Goddard and her work to preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed in episode 24, The Beacon.Podcast listeners can get a 10% discount at npca.org/store for just a few more days, until March 31, by using code PARKSPOD at checkout. For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org 

Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah is the original Jurassic Park, created 110 years ago to protect a trove of more than 1,500 fossils, including the Allosaurus, the Diplodocus, the Stegosaurus and many others. Visitors can even touch real dinosaur bones from 149 million years ago.This area has long been a target for oil and gas development, but earlier this month, incoming Interior Secretary Doug Burgum raised the threat level when he issued a new secretarial order directing his assistant secretaries to review all public lands for potential new resource extraction, specifically targeting national monuments. NPCA released a list of 13 national monuments our organization believes are most vulnerable to new development threats, including Dinosaur National Monument.This episode host Jennifer Errick speaks with Cody Perry, a longtime advocate for Dinosaur National Monument and assistant director of Living Rivers and Colorado Riverkeeper, and Kristen Brengel, senior vice president for Government Affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, on what makes Dinosaur so special, why it and other national monuments are under attack, and how public outrage isn’t just normal — it’s also useful.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.Episode 39, Save the Dinosaurs, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to Cory MacNulty, Daniel Hart, Beau Kiklis, Katelynn Shea, Michaela Pavlat, Caitlyn Burford, Michael Jamison, and Betsy Buffington.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.See NPCA’s list of 13 threatened national monuments at npca.org/13monumentsLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgPodcast listeners can get a 10% discount at npca.org/store through March 31, 2025, by using code PARKSPOD at checkout. Check out our “I stand with park rangers” T-shirts and other gear, and make sure Dana knows we sent you!For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

“Half the park is after dark.” This phrase was coined by the astronomer and artist Tyler Nordgren in 2010 as part of a series of posters he created of nightscapes at public lands. National parks are some of the best places in the country to see dark night skies. Still, many visitors head home after sunset, not even considering the sights they’re missing out on. This episode, photographer and night-sky enthusiast Jeff Pfaller speaks with host Jennifer Errick on some of the techniques he uses to take stunning images of stars, synchronous fireflies and other phenomena at national parks. He explains how he got started, the three essential capabilities you need your camera to have, why right now is an excellent time to see the northern lights, and reasons he recommends Yosemite as an ideal place for admiring dark skies.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Episode 38, Photographing Parks After Dark, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher and Bev Stanton Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Learn more about Jeff Pfaller’s photography and preorder his upcoming book at jeffpfaller.comLearn more about the National Park Service night sky program and look up astronomy programs in your area at nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/Get information about certified dark-sky parks at darksky.orgLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

The Mojave Desert of Southern California is a place where creatures move and grow at a slow pace. In this vast, harsh landscape, the desert tortoise has served as a hard-working hero that has helped life flourish around it for centuries. But its population has been plummeting for decades, and activists have been working to preserve more than half a million acres that will help the tortoise, and many other species, survive.In this episode, host Jennifer Errick travels to the Mojave Desert to speak with desert tortoise expert and NPCA California Program Manager Luke Basulto and Executive Director of the Desert Advocate Media Network and 90 Miles from Needles podcast host Chris Clarke. These two long-time desert residents and park advocates talk about how the desert tortoise is critical to the Mojave, why the proposed national monument is a special place for a variety of plants and animals, the special lure that blank spots have on the map, and some of the rare desert sights you can only see at Chuckwalla.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to NPCA Communications Manager Caitlyn Burford.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about the Protect California Deserts Coalition at protectchuckwalla.orgLearn more about the Desert Advocate Media Network and listen to Chris Clarke’s 90 Miles from Needles podcast at thedamn.orgLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Have you ever dreamed of living on the road and exploring national parks for months at a time? One Minnesota couple uprooted their lives to go on a year-long adventure with their twin daughters, building a curriculum for their girls’ education at public lands around the country.How did they do it? This episode, we explore some of the joys and challenges of “roadschooling.”Host Jennifer Errick speaks with Jen Goepfert, Travis Pedersen, and their daughters Aela and Eva. From the seed of the idea to their first taste of living in a 42-foot trailer together, this adventurous and creative family shares why they spent years planning their trip and some of their hopes and concerns for their year on wheels.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to NPCA Upper Midwest Campaign Director Chris Goepfert, Jen Goepfert’s sister, for sharing this adventure with our team.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about the Goepfert-Pedersen family and follow their blog at thebigfunrv.comRead the National Parks magazine story that first inspired Jen at npca.org/articles/1865-lessons-in-motionLearn about the Every Kid Outdoors program at everykidoutdoors.govLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

If you enjoy having time off on the weekend, you can thank the woman who standardized the 40-hour workweek and made the concept possible. Frances Perkins also created Social Security and unemployment insurance, banned child labor, and put many safety measures and workplace protections in place that we simply take for granted. Yet, few people know much about the first female U.S. cabinet secretary and how she continues to shape our lives decades later.Giovanna Gray Lockhart is executive director of the Frances Perkins Center and a key advocate for making Perkins’ homestead in Newcastle, Maine, our newest national park site; it would be just the thirteenth devoted to interpreting women’s history. In this episode, host Jennifer Errick talks with Lockhart about why Perkins was so important, why we don’t know more about her, and what visitors can see at her wooded 57-acre riverside farm.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to NPCA Communications Director Alison Heis and Government Affairs Senior Vice President Kristen Brengel.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about the Frances Perkins Center at francesperkinscenter.orgLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Since childhood, award-winning author Kevin Grange has been fascinated with one of the most fearsome and misunderstood predators on the continent: grizzly bears. His passion has taken him to remote and colorful destinations, and he has spent many long, rugged days following in the pawprints of grizzlies — and occasionally having those pawprints charging back in his direction.Now, Grange shares his wealth of bear knowledge and advice in a new book, “Grizzly Confidential: An Astounding Journey into the Secret Life of North America’s Most Fearsome Predator.” In this episode, host Jennifer Errick asks Grange about the enduring charisma of bears, the many stories he uncovered in his research, and whether people truly can live in harmony with these 600-pound mammals.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to National Parks magazine Editor-in-Chief Rona Marech and Associate Editor Katherine DeGroff.Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Learn more about Kevin Grange and his new book, “Grizzly Confidential,” at kevingrange.comRead an excerpt from Kevin Grange’s visit to Katmai National Park and Preserve at npca.org/magazine and learn how you can subscribe to National Parks magazine to get in-depth reporting and storytelling on national park issues for just $15 a year.Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Our pets are family, and when we travel, it only makes sense that we want to bring our dogs with us. Many national park sites are ideal places for our canine companions, with accessible trails and programs geared just for them — but not every site is a good choice for a dog, and many can present serious dangers to our pets.A new system-wide map and guide to dog accessibility can take some of the mystery out of planning a park trip, and knowing the park regulations and best practices can make trips safer and easier for pet owners and their furry family members. In this episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Dr. Ryan Valdez, NPCA senior director for conservation science, and Dave Bieri, district supervisor at New River Gorge National Park, about the range of options for dogs in parks, the National Park Service’s BARK Ranger program, joys and fears of traveling with dogs, and tips for having a safe and enjoyable park trip.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.This episode was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Special thanks to Charlie, Beans and Blu, canine companions of NPCA Special Events and Design Director Rachel Holmes and Video Production Manager Terrance Liggins, for providing the barking noises used in this story.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about Dr. Ryan Valdez’s research project and view his interactive map at npca.org/dogsLearn more about the National Park Service BARK Ranger program at nps.gov/subjects/pets/Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

Last month, several hundred people gathered in Greenwich Village to celebrate the opening of a new visitor center at Stonewall National Monument and to honor the movement Stonewall set in motion as the “birthplace for Pride.” Mark Segal is a longtime activist and journalist who participated in the momentous events that took place here in June 1969, and he curated the interpretive exhibit featured in the new visitor center.In this episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Segal on the events of the uprising and how it shaped his lifetime of activism. We also feature NPCA Northeast Program Manager Timothy Leonard who has spent 10 years working with the coalition that helped create and support the monument, as well as clips from the grand opening event, featuring President Joe Biden and Pride Live CEO Diana Rodriguez, the driving force behind the new visitor center.Special thanks to the staff of Pride Live, NPCA Communications Director Alison Zemanski Heis and NPCA Northeast Regional Director Kristen Sykes.Original theme music by Chad Fischer.Learn more about the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center and make a reservation to visit at StonewallVisitorCenter.orgLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve Stonewall National Monument and all of our national park sites. Learn more and join us at npca.org

On the remote Sea Islands of South Carolina, golf courses and gated developments are changing the rural character of some of the first African American-owned lands in the country.The Gullah/Geechee are the direct descendants of the enslaved people who once worked on the area's rice, cotton and indigo plantations; now, the island that serves as the epicenter of their culture is at risk from a new development threat. The Gullah/Geechee and their lands played a critical role at a turning point in the Civil War and are a central part of the history of the Reconstruction Era National Historical Site.In this episode, host Jennifer Errick travels with her colleague, NPCA Field Representative Joshua Jenkins, a South Carolina native, to speak with Queen Quet, chieftess and head of state of the Gullah/Geechee Nation; Ranger Katherine Freeman and Chief of Interpretation Chris Barr of the Reconstruction Era National Historical Site; and Grant McClure, south coast project manager for the Coastal Conservation League.Correction: Queen Quet was elected to her position as chieftess and head of state of the Gullah/Geechee Nation in 2000, not 2002 as reported in the story. NPCA regrets the error.Learn more about the coalition to protect Saint Helena Island at protectsthelena.comLearn more about the Gullah/Geechee Nation at gullahgeecheenation.com. Follow Queen Quet on Facebook at facebook.com/GullahGeecheeWeBe/ and on TikTok at tiktok.com/@gullahgeecheenationIn this episode, we discuss the Penn School on St. Helena Island, one of the first schools in the country where formerly enslaved people could receive an education. The Penn Center is the nonprofit organization that owns and manages the historic campus today. The National Park Service has an agreement with the Penn Center to use a portion of the property. Learn more about the historic school at penncenter.comRead a 2023 NPR story on this issue at npr.orgLearn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org

They say the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas... but what about the middle of the day? Not just any day—in this episode, we experience the recent total solar eclipse at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and discover how the history of this Hill Country ranch connects it to the night sky and the heyday of the U.S. space program.Host Todd Christopher captures the sounds of the awe-inspiring celestial event from the LBJ Ranch as ranger Kevin Goodwin shares LBJ’s space cowboy roots and NASA’s Molly Wasser breaks down the science behind solar eclipses. Original theme music by Chad FischerThe Secret Lives of Parks is brought to you by: Todd Christopher – Producer & Host Jennifer Errick – Producer & Host Bev Stanton – Online ProducerThe Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. Learn more at npca.org

At first glance, American Samoa feels like an idyllic, tropical South Pacific paradise where life has changed very little in the past century. But residents have been struggling with the pronounced effects of climate change and other serious challenges. Samoan beaches are visibly eroding, heat and salt water are affecting residents’ ability to grow food and to fish, and the resulting changes in diets are creating more medical problems for the people who live on these remote islands. Yet, Samoans are determined to preserve their lands and keep their culture and traditions alive for their children.Reporter Dennis Arguelles shares stories from the tiny island of Aunu’u and neighboring islands of Ofu and Olosega in American Samoa with host Jennifer Errick, featuring village chief and tour guide Pika Taliva’a; elementary school teacher Celesty Tuiolosega-Morse; and lodge owner Deborah Malae.The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association. Episode 29, Holding Back the Sea, was reported by Dennis Arguelles and produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.Original theme music by Chad Fischer. Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.orgFor more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks. And we’re proud of it, too.You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org