National Parks Traveler Episode 58: Coronavirus Roundtable, And Mission Espada

By NPT Staff - March 22nd, 2020

The impact of coronavirus on the National Park System truly is unprecedented. Unlike the impacts partial or full government shutdowns have on the parks, government funding won’t overnight solve those impacts created by the growing spread of coronavirus. To take a look at how coronavirus is affecting the parks and the National Park Service, we’ve gathered three park experts, including former National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, who combined have more than a century of experience with the national parks and public lands.

And Lynn Riddick continues her tour of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park with a visit to Mission Espada.

Mission Espada and the Historic Water Systems at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Reported and written by Lynn Riddick

Produced by Jess Repanshek

National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
1:32 Roundtable discussion on coronavirus in the parks with former NPS Director Jon Jarvis, Phil Francis of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, and Dr. John Freemuth, a former park ranger who holds the Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for Environment and Public Lands at Boise State University.
18:32 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation promotion
18:55 Washington’s National Park Fund promotion
19:29 Yankee Freedom promotion
20:05 Roundtable discussion on coronavirus in the parks continues
37:52 Friends of Acadia promotion
38:19 Grand Teton National Park Foundation promotion
38:50 North Cascades Institute promotion
39:09 RVShare.com promotion
39:47 Lynn Riddick visits Mission Espada at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
59:39 Episode closing
57:07 Orange Tree Productions promotion

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Parks Traveler Podcast

Add comment

form.antibot { display: none !important; } You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form.

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 313 | National Parks in Crisis

The Trump administration’s determination to reduce the size of government regardless of the cost is having a hard impact on the National Park Service.

Last month the agency was forced to rescind job offers to seasonal workers, saw a hold placed on millions of dollars distributed through the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change, been told to prepare a reduction-in-force list of employees, and ordered to "hire no more than one employee for every four" let go.

February 16th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 312 | The Ghost Forest

National parks are home to many iconic trees. Bristlecones pines, Whitebark pines, Sequoias, even mangroves. And, of course, redwoods.

These trees hold many stories. The size alone of redwoods and sequoias are enough to hold your attention. But there are backstories, as well. In the case of redwoods along the Northern California coast, the backstory can be heart-breaking. There are chapters of logging fever, of course, as well as of political machinations, and stories of loss.

February 9th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 311 | Keeping Cape Lookout Above Water

Rising sea levels, stronger storms, eroding shorelines, and sinking terrain are taking a toll on the fragile ecosystems and historic resources at Cape Lookout National Seashore on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey takes a close look at these threats and predicts how they will impact the national seashore over the coming years.

February 2nd, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 310 | Parks Under Pressure

Here we are, a week into the second administration of President Donald Trump. It’s certainly a time of change, some of which is expected, and some perhaps not. Do we really need to rename North America’s tallest mountain, Denali in Denali National Park and Preserve?

There is much going on in the federal government, and not all is good. Hiring freezes are underway. There’s much talk about reducing the federal budget, which requires cutting agency funding.

January 26th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 309 | Yellowstone Wolves at 30

There are sounds that wake you up out of a deep sleep, only to be dismissed as you fall back to sleep. And then there are sounds that rivet you, make you sit bolt upright.

That was the type of sound that woke us while we were deep in the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park. Sunrise hadn’t yet come, yet we were wide awake, listening to one of the most mesmerizing sounds you can encounter in the wilds: The melodious rising and falling howl of a wolf.

January 12th, 2025 Read More

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks