The National Park Foundation has launched its ParkVentures initiative within the organization’s Outdoor Exploration program. ParkVentures supports programs and activities that help people create and strengthen life-long relationships with national parks, with a focus on communities that have been historically excluded from parks and may not feel a sense of belonging in the outdoors.

“The National Park Foundation recognizes that many factors can hinder people from connecting with and being inspired by national parks,” said Will Shafroth, the foundation's president and CEO. “Through our new ParkVentures program, the National Park Foundation is investing in leaders and organizations who are removing barriers and bringing people together for joy-filled and meaningful experiences outdoors.”

The program supports the National Park Service’s mission by expanding access to the outdoors and connecting more people to the benefits of nature, the foundation said in a release.

“National parks belong to all of us as Americans, but their full benefit is only realized when everyone has access, feels welcome, and can see themselves represented in parks and the stories they tell,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “Efforts like ParkVentures demonstrate how strong partnerships can advance our goal that everyone has access to the outdoors no matter where they live, how much money they have, or what their background is.”

While ParkVentures is a new National Park Foundation program, the push to advance equity in parks is an enduring cause. ParkVentures now joins numerous efforts across the country, including the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. initiative, to make national parks and public lands more accessible and welcoming to everyone.

“No matter someone’s background, zip code, or disability, every young person deserves the educational, life-enriching experiences that our beautiful public and tribally recognized traditional lands have to offer,” said Ángel Peña, executive director of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project who sits on the leadership team of the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. initiative. “As a diverse coalition of organizations across the country, the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. initiative aims to tear down barriers to access and create new points of entry into experiencing the living ecosystems of the great outdoors, and we are excited to see the National Park Foundation supporting this type of work through their new ParkVentures program.”

In its inaugural year, the ParkVentures program is supporting 58 projects that focus on the following core themes that leaders in outdoor recreation and equity spaces identify as barriers:

• Representation: A lack of representation of historically excluded communities among visitors, staff, volunteers, and in materials used to raise awareness about public lands. A lack of representation prevents people from seeing themselves in parks and feeling a sense of belonging.
• Accessibility: A lack of understanding for the spectrum of information and accommodations needed for people, including people with disabilities, to participate in the outdoors. A lack of accessibility inhibits participation and prevents people from feeling a sense of belonging.
• Interpretation: A lack of diverse perspectives in the stories shared and historical figures featured in parks. A lack of interpretation prevents people from having a broad understanding of history, seeing themselves reflected in parks, and understanding how parks connect to their personal identities and lives.