National Parks Conservation Association

History

Founded in 1919 as the National Parks Association, the organization was designed to be a citizen's watchdog for the National Park Service (NPS) created in 1916. Among the founders of NPA was Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service. Robert Sterling Yard was NPA's first employee. Although Yard received personal financial support from Mather, the two often differed on development issues in the parks. Taking a strong preservationist position, Yard objected to such commercialization of the parks as the jazz bands and bear shows at Yosemite National Park.

The association continued to resist commercial efforts to build dams and promote mining, logging and hunting in the national parks. In 1970, the organization changed its name to the National Parks and Conservation Association, in response to the national attention to a new range of emerging environmental issues, including air and water pollution. This was shortened to National Parks Conservation Association in 2000.

Activities

In pursuit of its core mission to protect the national parks of the United States, the NPCA "works to educate decision-makers and opinion leaders about the most pressing issues facing national parks".

The NPCA publishes a quarterly magazine, National Parks, the print version of which is distributed primarily to its members with a circulation of 320,000 while articles are also available on its website.

Legislation

Supported

The North Fork Watershed Protection Act of 2013 is a bill that would withdraw 430,000 acres of federal lands in Montana from programs to develop geothermal and mineral resources. The law would forbid mountaintop removal mining and other natural resource development. In the 2010 agreement, Canada agreed not to do any additional mining on the British Columbian Flathead with the expectation that Montana would do the same thing to its land.

Opposed

The NPCA opposed the Water Rights Protection Act, a bill that would prevent federal agencies from requiring certain entities to relinquish their water rights to the United States in order to use public lands. According to opponents, the bill is too broad. They believe the bill "could also block federal fisheries agencies like the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from requiring flows that help salmon find fish ladders and safely pass over dams."

In June 2017 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Grizzly Bear from Yellowstone National Park's "endangered species list". The National Parks Conservation Association is suing the Fish and Wildlife Services for not going through the proper channels in their decision to remove the species from the endangered list. Citing that the Fish and Wildlife Service, "fails to provide long-term and enforceable regulations to ensure the grizzly population remains stable and is able to increase in both size and geographic scope." "It could open the way to hunting grizzly bears on private and state-owned land inside and adjacent to the area’s national park sites, further jeopardizing the long-term health of the grizzly population." "It does not include measures that would encourage connectivity with grizzly bears that live in the Crown of the Continent/Glacier ecosystem, depriving both populations of the genetic diversity they need to thrive." "It fails to provide the National Park Service with a formal seat at the table to work with state agencies to manage bears that move beyond park borders." "It fails to properly consider how climate change will impact the grizzly bears long-term."

The NPCA opposes the cutting of the Clean Power Plan, which if cut would increase the levels of carbon emissions and sulfur dioxides found in the parks which could lead to potential loss of life in and around the parks. The NPCA is using their strong grassroots base to petition the EPA, its Administrator Scott Pruitt, and the Trump Administration to keep the Clean Power Plan practices.

National Parks Conservation Association Awards

The National Parks Conservation Association presents a number of annual awards. These awards include the William Penn Mott Park Leadership Award recognizing the efforts of a public official standing as a strong advocate of the national parks. Other awards include the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Citizen Conservationist of the Year, National Park Achievement Award, Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks, and Stephen Tyng Mather Award Recipients.

Charity ratings and financials

The NPCA received an overall 4 star (out of 4) rating from Charity Navigator for fiscal year 2015, based on a score of 100 (out of 100) for Accountability & Finance, and 100 (out of 100) for Culture & Community.

The NCPA received Gold Transparency 2024 by Candid.org.

Notes

References

• John C. Miles, Guardians of the Parks: A History of the National Parks and Conservation Association (Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis, 1995).

References

1. ''NPCA 2016 Annual Report''. National Parks Conservation Association. p. 36. Available as a PDF file, from [https://www.npca.org/resources/3186-npca-2016-annual-report npca.org]. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
2. ''NPCA 2016 Annual Report''. National Parks Conservation Association. p. 40. Available as a PDF file, from [https://www.npca.org/resources/3186-npca-2016-annual-report npca.org]. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
3. "[https://www.npca.org/about/our-story#sm.001c7n9jpbmzdt711dr156sagujsp Our Story]". National Parks Conservation Association. npca.org. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
4. Miles, ''Guardians of the Parks'', pp. 4-52.
5. At its headquarters in Washington, DC, and 27 regional offices around the country, it employs 153 staff members, including program and policy experts who work together with committed volunteers, staff lobbyists, community organizers and communications specialists. Under the leadership of President and Chief Executive Officer Theresa Pierno, "the organization's strategic focus is on ensuring that as the leading advocate for national parks these places continue to be protected and have the resources and infrastructure they need to thrive in their second century.""[https://www.npca.org/people/theresa-pierno Theresa Pierno, President and CEO]". National Parks Conservation Association. npca.org. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
6. "Readership | NPCA Media Kit".
7. "[https://www.npca.org/articles/magazine National Parks Magazine]". National Parks Conservation Association. npca.org. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
8. (February 10, 2014). "CBO - H.R. 2259". Congressional Budget Office.
9. Scott, Tristan. (March 30, 2013). "Daines to introduce legislation protecting North Fork Flathead". Missoulian.
10. Frye, Katrin. (January 31, 2014). "A major step towards protection of the North Fork Flathead River". Montana Public Radio.
11. (February 8, 2013). "North Fork Watershed Protection Act Would Protect Beauty and Viability of the Greater Crown of the Continent Without Infringing on Private Property Rights". National Parks Conservation Association.
12. (December 9, 2013). "H.R. 3189 - CBO". Congressional Budget Office.
13. Nathan Fey. (December 20, 2013). "'Water Rights Protection Act' puts rivers at risk". Post Independent.
14. Fey, Nathan. (November 12, 2013). "The Water Rights Protection Act is Bad For Rivers - Take Action!". American Whitewater.
15. "Court Ruling Saves Greater Yellowstone Grizzly Bears".
16. "EPA: Protect National Parks -- Don't Repeal the Clean Power Plan!: Inactive - National Parks Conservation Association".
17. "[https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/530225165 National Parks Conservation Association]". Charity Navigator. charitynavigator.org. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
18. "[https://app.candid.org/profile/7794389]". Candid. candid.org. Retrieved April 1, 2025.