National parks preserve our culture, history, and most incredible landscapes. In trying times, the parks are even more important as they offer low cost escapes that re-enrich the American spirit.
That's where you come in...
Never before have park friends groups played a more important supporting role. The proliferation of these friends groups, and their now essential contributions, is a nationally significant but largely untold story. Until now.
In a special edition magazine—Essential Friends, Celebrating Friends Groups In The National Parks—we're telling the stories of these indispensable organizations to a global audience. We invite you to download the magazine free and suggest your friends stop by for a copy.
You'll encounter eight great national parks, from the Atlantic and the Appalachians to the Rockies, from Mexico to Canada. You'll also meet the people who passionately step up to help "their parks" on our behalf—and learn their insider tips for enjoying them.
Friends of Acadia, Friends of Big Bend National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the Glacier National Park Fund, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, the Friends of the Smokies, the Shenandoah National Park Trust, and the Yellowstone Park Foundation—are among the nation's most innovative and energetic friends and foundations.
These groups are worthy of your support. We invite you to read their stories, learn how they're creatively aiding the parks—and do what you can do to help them, or another near you. Download the entire magazine—click here.
Traveler's footnote: The file is a bit over 7 megabytes in size.
You can order your own bound copy of Essential Friends, with its gorgeous, full-color photography from the parks, details on the friends groups, and insider tips, for $12.95 from HP MagCloud. This special edition publication from the Traveler also includes overviews and photographs of eight national parks to help you choose which to visit! That purchase price also includes a free digital copy that you can download to your iPad or other portable tablet to take with you on your travels while the printed version graces your coffee table.
By Kurt Repanshek in National Park Advocates, LLC
42 pages, published 6/6/2012
