national park

National

Life In The Park: Finding Meaning In Park Service Work

10:11am July 31, 2016

by Nathan Rott

For many National Park Service employees, the pay is seasonal and not great. The hours can be long and tedious. But for many, there's a big payoff in dedicating their days to nature.

Michael Peterson, an archaeologist at Redwood National Park in California, photographs the coastline annually to monitor erosion of archaeological sites.

As Storms Erode California's Cliffs, Buried Village Could Get Washed Away

5:54pm July 26, 2016

by Jes Burns

Until now, the archaeological philosophy at Redwood National Park has been "keep it in the ground." But for one Native American site, climate change may force the park to reconsider that approach.

Moraine Park is a grassy valley inside Rocky Mountain National Park.

Beyond Sightseeing: You'll Love The Sound Of America's Best Parks

12:51pm June 29, 2016

The National Park Service is racing to record soundscapes of each park that capture nature for the ear. "If we start to lose sounds of wilderness, we start to lose a piece of us," one scientist says.

Queue Listen Now

People light candles at a memorial to the Orlando shooting victims outside the Stonewall Inn last week in New York.

Obama Names LGBT Landmark As National Monument

3:49pm June 24, 2016

by Scott Horsley

The Stonewall National Monument in New York City will be the first addition to the National Park System specifically highlighting the history of the LGBT community.

Tamara Johnson is a new Outdoor Afro leader in Atlanta.

Code Switch Podcast, Episode 2: Being 'Outdoorsy' When You're Black Or Brown

3:11pm June 08, 2016

by Leah Donnella

On this episode, Shereen and Adrian take a look at why being "outdoorsy" can get complicated when you're a person of color in America.

Jack Burns, chief of commercial partnerships and planning, stands at the Temple of Sinawava.

National

Long Lines, Packed Campsites And Busy Trails: Our Crowded National Parks

4:30pm March 07, 2016

by Kirk Siegler

Overcrowding is one of the biggest challenges facing the National Park Service, and as the agency prepares to turn 100, another record-breaking year is predicted.

This is one of several canals that will be filled to slow the movement of water through the Everglades, restoring an ecosystem environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas called the "river of grass."

Once Parched, Florida's Everglades Finds Its Flow Again

9:52am February 19, 2016

by Greg Allen

The Everglades lost half its ecosystem after Tamiami Trail was built through the heart of the national park in the 1920s, cutting off water flow. Now, restoration efforts are finally taking effect.

Queue Listen Now

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis remains the tallest man made monument in the United States. A new museum under construction on the Arch's grounds will reopen in 2017.

National

As Gateway Arch Turns 50, Its Message Gets Reframed

6:38am October 28, 2015

by Camille Phillips

The Arch was originally built to honor St. Louis' role in western expansion, and its museum is focused on the experience of white American settlers. Its new museum will include different perspectives.

Admiring the view from the Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park on Aug. 22.

National

Get Ready To Pay More To Enter Some National Parks

9:56am October 01, 2015

by Grace Hood

The entrance fees at some national parks increase on Thursday. It will help with upkeep of restrooms and trails, but it's likely to be a drop in the bucket.

Queue Listen Now

Can You Hear Nature's Sounds?

11:06am February 19, 2015

by Barbara J. King

Our lives are now so noisy that we're at risk of shutting out nature's beautiful sounds, a new study shows. Anthropologist Barbara J. King invites us to be still and listen to the world.