National Parks Ready for Spotlight Ahead of 100th Birthday

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Happy birthday, NPS! In August 2016, the National Park Service will celebrate its centennial, marking 100 years of recreation and conservation in protected parklands across the country. The NPS was signed into law in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment … of future generations.” A new public campaign seeks to continue that tradition well into the next millenium.

To get ready for the big birthday bash, the NPS announced that it will be launching a comprehensive public operation to “reintroduce the national parks” to even more future generations. The next few years will see a combination of events and new programs aimed at drumming up interest among young travelers and steering them toward the nation’s parks (there are now more than 400 of them). Says NPS Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, “Our campaign will encourage Americans to ‘Find Your Park’—to discover a personal connection to a place or a story that provides inspiration or enjoyment, and to then join us in our second century of stewardship of America’s most treasured places.”  

In addition to new programs and events, the NPS launched two modern new logos (see above) as well as two centennial-themed webpages at NPS.gov and NationalParks.org (the site of the National Park Foundation, its congressionally chartered nonprofit). The nationwide campaign will kick off early next year, so stay tuned for announcements, happenings, and new activities.

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Need inspiration before next year? Take a spin through some of our recent national-parks roundups.

You Might Also Like:

• 10 National Parks You Never Knew Existed
• 10 Thrilling National Park Trails
• 7 Wild National Park Adventures You’ll Never Forget
• 10 National Parks That Are Better in Winter
• 13 Best National Parks to See in the Fall
• 10 Best National Parks Around the World

(Photo: Thinkstock/iStock)

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