What the National Parks Service Means to Me

The National Park Service (NPS) fights to protect and restore natural and historic sites, places of wonder, beauty, and utmost importance. Their mission is to connect the public to the outdoors and offer education on the natural world and America’s history. Through NPS’ conservation work, the hope is that future generations will be able to enjoy the same beauty of the outdoors as we do today. This is a mission I am excited to be a part of as an incoming NPS fellow.

Lassen Volcanic National Park (LAVO), California 2004

Natalie Desmarais

I want to be part of the NPS because the experiences I have had at these parks have been so formative in my life and brought me so much joy. Even now, being in nature is where I feel my best. My favorite memories are those I have with my family - traveling across the country to visit various National Parks. I find being in nature to be inspiring and therapeutic. I want to share those same sentiments with people who may not have had a chance to experience a connection with the natural world, like I have. Working towards this reality is something I can take pride in and feel good about.

The NPS’ YouTube channel is a valuable resource for education on the great outdoors. Here you can find some examples of conservation efforts being implemented today. One conservation effort that really stands out is the implementation of the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) program. This initiative focuses on getting youth engaged in conservation work by directly involving them in community service and educational work rooted in nature. It is vital for our next generation to involve themselves in these initiatives to get a better understanding of what we are fighting to preserve and protect. Through programs such as the CCC, youth who may have never experienced much of nature before are able to learn firsthand just how valuable these resources are. This knowledge and understanding creates a foundation for a future generation that focuses on conservation. Another initiative that stood out to me is The Corps Network. This is an organization that has made its mission to plant trees across America. Through their efforts, millions of trees have been planted resulting in a vast amount of restored habitat area. Conservation efforts like this help repair entire ecosystems, mitigate climate change, and improve communities.

Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ), Alaska 2016

Thomas Desmarais

The conservation effort I found to be the most interesting is the work being done to help protect bats. This ongoing battle highlights how even the smallest creatures create such a large impact on our world, and exemplifies why conservation work is so important. Bats all over the country are suffering from White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), a debilitating disease caused by fungus that they can get while hibernating. While the threat to the bats themselves is enough to jump to action to help protect them, further understanding how their loss would pose huge implications for people, wildlife, and overall ecosystems is the key to understanding this conservation effort. They are responsible for keeping insect populations in control as they eat millions of insects a day. Without them, insect populations would rise significantly, leading to an increase of pests and creating huge problems for our agriculture industry. Without their help, more pesticides would be needed to keep these populations down, and that in itself can be even more damaging to wildlife. NPS monitors bats in their parks and works to mitigate the spread of WNS. This helps to protect and preserve bats, and the agriculture industry, for future generations.

NPS has such a powerful mission, and is truly making a difference on our landscape. From protecting our lands and wildlife to educating the youth on the importance of it all. I look forward to the new memories I'm going to make with NPS during my fellowship and am excited to see where this journey takes me in the future.

Writing Prompt written by Sarah Desmarais
for "A Day in the Life of a Fellow" Article Series
National Park Service - Workforce Management Fellow
in Partnership with Northwest Youth Corps