Dear Friend of the National Parks,
Happy Summer! I'm Sandra Ramos, a new team member here in NPCA's Texas and Oklahoma region and am thrilled to update you on what we have been up to the past few months.
The Blackwell School is Close to Becoming our Next National Park Site
The Blackwell School is close to becoming our country’s newest national park site after the Senate passed designation legislation in May. NPCA is leading the way to protect this important site in Marfa, Texas which tells the story of segregation and struggle for inclusive education for Mexican-American children. We are working on the ground with the local community and partners to move the bill towards final passage and open the doors quickly as a national park site.
Welcome Trinity River National Water Trail!
NPCA and partners were finally able to celebrate the Trinity River National Water Trail designation received in the Fall of 2020. Thanks to the Trinity Coalition, the City of Lewisville and the City of Dallas for hosting the events in June. You can read more about it here: Secretary of the Interior Approves 130 mile Trinity River National Water Trail.
Veterans in our Parks
During National Park Week in April, NPCA staff joined five veteran partners representing Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines on a camping expedition at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The team hiked to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas!
NPCA is proud to work with America's veterans to protect and enhance our national parks for current and future generations. Through local opportunities and the recent launch of our National Veterans Council, veterans are leading the way in speaking up for our parks. To learn more or get involved, contact Chloe Crumley at ccrumley@npca.org.
Call to Action: Join Our Young Leaders Council
NPCA believes engaging the next generation is critical to ensuring the relevancy and protection of our parks. Since 2016 the Texas office has been engaging young adults to connect with our national parks, educate their community on issues and lobby at our nation’s Capital.
We are looking for young professionals in the San Antonio area with an interest in civic engagement, a drive to learn about and take action to protect national parks and historic places, and an interest in uplifting diverse voices on public lands. Deadline to apply is July 31. Click here for more information.
Regional Haze – Oklahoma
Oklahoma members submitted comments to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) urging the department to clear up the air. Regional haze, created from coal fired power plants and other industrial sources, not only degrades visibility in national parks, but harms the health of visitors, wildlife and communities living near polluting sources. The draft state plan to reduce haze establishes no new pollution reductions. We hope ODEQ will protect our parks and health by clearing the air with stronger pollution controls when they submit their final plan to EPA on August 15.
Our Team Grows
Our regional staff has grown by two in recent months. We are excited to introduce Cristóbal Lopez, who will work this summer to help establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site. He currently works as a Park Historian Intern with the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, and previously participated in the Latino Heritage Internship Program at the San Antonio Missions.
I came on board in April, and am excited to be based in the Big Thicket National Preserve, working on coastal park and resiliency issues in the Big Thicket, Padre Island National Seashore and Palo Alto National Battlefield Park. Bringing my enthusiasm and advocacy for our national parks and 20 years of political experience both here in Texas and across the country, I am excited to be on board working on important issues in our parks.
As always, thank you for being an advocate for your national parks.
Sincerely,
Sandra Ramos
Texas Coastal Program Manager
Photos, from top: Blackwell School in Marfa, TX © Alan Spears | NPCA; Trinity River Water Trail © Trammel Crow; Veterans on Guadalupe Peak © Chloe Crumley | NPCA; Young leaders council members © Chloe Crumley | NPCA; Cristobal Lopez
