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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

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 327 | Plight of the Parks

So much is happening so quickly to the National Park Service. There have been staff reductions, hiring freezes, spending freezes, orders from the Interior Secretary to make sure that visitors find national parks welcoming, no matter what it takes.

June 1st, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 326 | Environmental Partisanship

Is green a red and blue construct? Put another way, is there a political partisan divide over the environment?

That’s a particularly interesting question, no doubt more so in recent years as the country seems to have drifted farther and farther apart because of our political beliefs. To that point, a reader reached out the other day to say our stories shouldn’t be negative on the Trump Administration because the national parks are going to need the help of all of us - Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and everything in-between - to survive.

May 25th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 325 | Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility

News around public lands these days seems to revolve entirely around the Trump administration. In the case of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, many of the steps the administration is taking with the operational efficiencies of the National Park Service and other land management agencies certainly are keeping PEER busy.
 

May 18th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 324 | North American Bird Declines

True birders are some of the most determined and persistent hobbyists out there. If you want to call bird watching a hobby. For many, it’s more like a passion. Many look forward to “Big Day” competitions, where individuals and teams strive to see how many different bird species they can spot in a 24-hour period.

May 11th, 2025 Read More

National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 323 | Walt Dabney and Public Lands

It’s fair to say that the nation’s public lands, those managed by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land-management agencies are at risk under the Trump administration.

There’s no hyperbole in that statement if you pay attention to what the administration already has done in terms of downsizing those agencies’ workforces, and when you listen to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum say he wants to open more public lands to energy development and mining.

May 4th, 2025 Read More

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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

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