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Visit Parks with Remarkable Wetlands

Type: Article

Wetlands, where the land meets water, are some of the most important ecosystems in our world. Discover these unique, often overlooked, habitats! Check out this list of ten parks that have remarkable examples of wetland ecosystems.

3 Parks 3 Stories: The Power of Partnership with the Southern California Research Learning Center

Type: Article

In this issue of 3Parks3Stories, we would like to share three stories of successful conservation projects in the Mediterranean parks that were reliant upon partnerships between the NPS and one or more dedicated collaborators. In these stories, we hope you see the mutual benefits of these relationships and the value they bring in the effort to protect, preserve, and understand our national legacy.

Chesapeake Bay

Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Historic Park

Type: Place

Explore the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, the first built on the Potomac River. Discover captivating exhibits on local maritime history, WWII naval presence, and the iconic lighthouse itself. Climb to the top for breathtaking views of the Potomac and its rich ecosystem. Immerse yourself in the beauty and heritage of the Chesapeake Bay watershed while uncovering the stories that shaped this remarkable area.

Grand Teton National Park

Jenny Lake Plaza

Type: Place

Dive deeper into the history of Grand Teton National Park. Interpretive signs introduce topics like the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, grizzly bear research, geologic forces and features, glaciers, and the Hayden Survey. A large bronze tactile relief map will help orient you in relation to where you are in the park. Different peaks, canyons, lakes, falls, and other park features are labeled throughout the map.

Denali National Park & Preserve

Inclusive Conservation in the Denali Region of Alaska: Scenario planning with local communities

Type: Article

Public land management requires reflexive engagement, negotiation, and compromise among people who differ in how and why they value nature. The process of balancing visitor and resident interests while sustaining ecosystems is increasingly complicated by global environmental change and the range of relationships that people have with nature. This model of public engagement uses scenario planning throughout the decision-making process. Alaska Park Science, 2025

Scientists Tackle the Case of the Vanishing Seaweed at Channel Islands National Park

Type: Article

Since the early 2000s, ecologists who monitor rocky intertidal ecosystems each year have noted declines in a key intertidal seaweed commonly called rockweed. Rockweed is considered a foundational species, meaning that its presence is so important that without it the entire ecosystem would change radically. At Channel Islands National Park, marine ecologists are working with local scientists to understand the best methods to restore rockweed.

Internship Opportunities for Students in National Parks

Type: Article

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units created additional internship opportunities that mutually benefit parks and students while increasing agency capacity and preparing future employees. For parks, these programs provide access to student interns who are a good fit to assist with projects in the fields of conservation, cultural resources, tourism, park management or science, communication, and more. NPS, Intermountain Park Science, 2025

Creating a Sanctuary: Protecting Snails and Restoring Ecosystems at War in the Pacific National Historical Park

Type: Article

War in the Pacific National Historical Park is working to protect Guam’s biodiversity by managing invasive species like brown tree snakes and little fire ants while safeguarding native wildlife, including the endangered Guam tree snail. A recent study assessed the park’s Guam tree snail population, providing essential data to inform conservation efforts aimed at restoring the island’s fragile ecosystem.

How Alaskan Marine Ecosystems Responded to a Massive Heatwave

Type: Article

A marine heatwave in the North Pacific had widespread, detrimental impacts on ecosystems and species. Why were some more resilient than others?

New Research Shows How Parks Can Support Eco-Friendly Sunscreen Use

Type: Article

Sunscreens help prevent skin cancer, but some can harm the environment. Three recent behavioral science papers describe ways to boost visitors’ use of eco-friendly sun protection.

Boreal shrub and tree expansion promotes soil warming

Type: Article

Read the abstract and get the link to an article published in Environmental Research Letters that connects vegetation shift to warming Arctic and Boreal soils under vegetation. Kropp, H., M. M. Loranty, S. M. Natali, A. L. Kholodov, A. V. Rocha, … J. A. O’Donnell … et al. 2020. Shallow soils are warmer under trees and tall shrubs across Arctic and Boreal ecosystems. Environmental Research Letters.

Riparian Vegetation Response to Flow Modification: Water Management Impacts in Canyonlands National Park

Type: Article

Rivers, such as the Colorado and Green River, are vital, but limited, resources in the semiarid and arid intermountain west. The Upper Colorado River Basin is the principal water supply of the western United States and supports habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. For nearly a century, managers have been striving to balance water use needs and ecosystem health. Learn how dams and managed flow variability have affected riparian corridors in Canyonlands National Park.

Chesapeake Bay

Bald Cypresses at Trap Pond are Stately Shadows of Swamp that Was

Type: Article

Nestled on the Delmarva Peninsula, Trap Pond State Park offers a serene escape featuring the majestic bald cypress—its northernmost range in the U.S. Enjoy 4,000 acres of beauty, from shaded picnic spots to scenic nature walks. Glide through enchanting cypress groves, listen for kingfishers, and witness nature's artistry. Perfect for hiking, fishing, or simply soaking in the views, Trap Pond blends history with recreation. Come immerse yourself in this natural treasure today!

Commercial Services Program

Reducing PFAS in Drinking Water

Type: Article

There are thousands of different types of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that people, animals, and ecosystems are exposed to on a regular basis. PFAS are a group of manmade chemicals that have been used in both consumer and commercial products since the 1950s. While scientists are still learning about the effects of PFAS in our environment, there are studies showing negative effects on human health with higher exposure.

San Francisco Bay Area Coho Salmon & Steelhead Trout Monitoring

Type: Article

Federally endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead trout are large, charismatic fish that play crucial roles in both stream and ocean ecosystems. The National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program and its partners began monitoring coho and steelhead in Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore in 1998.

Understanding the Space Between Land and Sea Through the Eyes of Snowy Plovers

Type: Article

Limantour Beach is wide. Bookended by ocean on one side and grassy dunes on the other, its sandy expanse provides a habitat for many organisms that rely on the rich ecosystem between land and sea. The western snowy plover, a small brown and white shorebird, is one species that finds refuge in the sand. Over time, human activity and development have degraded many beaches like Limantour, and biologists have seen those impacts through the eyes of the snowy plovers.

Blackland Prairie section Northern Terminus Trailhead, Milepost 266

Type: Place

This trailhead is located just across the Parkway from the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center. Hikers can travel six miles along the outskirts of Tupelo (12 miles roundtrip). You can make the walk as long or as short as you would like on this out and back trail. This section of Scenic Trail is open to hikers only and requires walking on the Parkway for road and creek crossings.

Everglades National Park

Wildland Fire: Everglades NP Collaborates with Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve

Type: Article

Everglades National Park fire and resource management staff attended the 2nd International Congress for Coastal Protected Areas with Tree Island Ecosystems in Campeche, Mexico, in September 2014. The conference, held at Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve, focused on fire-prone, wetland ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. This international collaboration reflects NPS interest in maintaining and restoring resilient landscapes.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Students, Alpine Hotshots Form Bond through Rocky Mountain Fire Training Program

Type: Article

The “Fire!” program links students from Eagle Rock School with Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew members and ecologists from Rocky Mountain National Park and the NPS Continental Divide Research Learning Center. The course is based on experiential learning through a hands-on approach, including physical training standards. Students learn about succession and fire’s effects on ecosystems and work out scenarios to apply what they learned about fire suppression.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

George W. Childs Park

Type: Place

George W. Childs Park is ADA Accessible from the parking area to the first two viewing platforms. Beyond those viewing platforms, hikers can take walkways and stairs down along the ravine to view multiple waterfalls. Pets are NOT permitted at this site.

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