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Squeezed Thin: Park Staff in Upheaval
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.
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47:52
Bonus: On the Trail with Amy
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
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16:46
On the Road Again... and Again
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
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36:02
The Angel of Glen Echo
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
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33:51
Save the Dinosaurs
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
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