Dear Friend of the National Parks,

As cooler weather begins to sweep through our region, we’d like to share our work here in the Texas and Oklahoma region from the summer months. Here are some highlights. 



Vets Cycle at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park 
The LBJ 100 Ride is a great way to fundraise for historical preservation and experience the glory of the Hill Country in springtime. We love being a part of this ride every year with our veteran partners who travel far and wide to cycle together as a unit. National parks stand out as a tangible symbol of veterans’ service — places where they see, smell, hear and touch the American ideas and treasures they fought to protect. Thank you to our veteran and active military members for your service. We hope you join the NPCA cycle team next year. 



Victory for Blackwell 
The Blackwell School is one step closer to becoming our nation’s newest national park site after Congress resoundingly approved the Blackwell School National Historic Site Act in early September. NPCA and our partner, the Blackwell School Alliance, have worked for years with West Texas communities and advocates across the country to honor the stories of Mexican American students who were segregated from their white peers and sent to “Mexican schools” across the American Southwest. This half-acre school campus in West Texas will become one of the first national park sites dedicated to interpreting modern Latino history. We are beyond grateful for the support of our partners, members and supporters who spoke up for the need for this national park site – and made this historic victory a reality. 



Celebrating the World Heritage of the San Antonio Missions 
In early September, NPCA joined community partners to highlight the beauty and culture of the San Antonio Missions during the 7th Annual World Heritage Festival. From learning more about the acequias that brought water to the Missions to supporting a Tour de las Misiones water stop at Mission Espada, our Texas team and volunteers celebrated the Missions as an educational, cultural and economic driver for the community. NPCA continues to work to preserve and protect this national park by advocating for needed funding, staff and interpretive resources at this national park site in the heart of San Antonio.  



"Deep In The Heart" Screening in the Big Thicket 
NPCA and coalition partners hosted a great evening at the movies with a screening of the Texas-based nature documentary "Deep in the Heart" at the historic Jefferson Theatre in Beaumont. More than 150 people turned out on a school night and more than half stayed for a great Q&A panel with NPCA Board of Trustees Chair Elizabeth Waddill, Big Thicket Superintendent Wayne Prokopetz, Big Thicket Chief of Interpretation Megan Urban, Big Thicket Bioshpere CEO Mary Bernard and Dr. Matthew Berg, our consulting hydrologist. We provided a wide variety of information for our audience, including why and how to get active with our national parks, how our changing climate affects the southeast Texas region. 



Looking to the Future of Guadalupe Mountains National Park 
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is a hiker’s paradise, containing the four tallest peaks in Texas, beautiful natural and cultural landscapes and the stories of the people who lived in this isolated environment. The park is also increasingly impacted by air pollution that threatens the health of park visitors, wildlife and neighboring communities and compromises the park’s scenic views. NPCA celebrated the park’s 50th anniversary on Sept. 30th at the Ship on the Desert, with community leaders and members of the family of Wallace Pratt, who was instrumental in the creation of the park. As we look to the future of the park, NPCA will work to improve its air quality and support protection of park resources to enhance the visitor experience. This forecast is good for fall colors in McKittrick Canyon, and the park is anticipating scheduling future public tours of the Ship on the Desert.  



Volunteer Historic Preservation at LBJ 
On September 24, National Public Lands Day, we celebrated with our Young Leaders Council by volunteering at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. We painted the cattle guards “Ladybird White” to help preserve the park’s historic integrity so visitors can experience the ranch the way it was while Johnson stayed there as President. It was a wonderful to enjoy this Hill Country park, plus see baby calves, but also a reminder that our parks are severely understaffed and underfunded to attend to all their deferred maintenance. With supporters like you, we can continue to fight for these special places. 

We hope to see you soon and thank you for your continued advocacy and support for our national parks! 

Warmly,

Cary Dupuy
Regional Director, Texas and Oklahoma Region

Photos from top: LBJ 100 cycling event © NPCA; Blackwell School, © Sarah M. Vasquez; San Antonio Missions event, © NPCA; Deep in the Heart Screening © NPCA; Ship on the Desert in GUMO © NPCA; LBJ public lands day © NPCA