Thursday, September 13, 2012

Washington's National Park Fund, Highlighting Rainier!

Check out the Washington's National Park Fund's September Newsletter and find out how they have been helping Mount Rainier and other Washington parks this year! Thank you WNPF!
 September 2012
In This Issue
Starbucks Employee Trail Maintenance Crew
New Donor Corner
Your Gifts in Action
NEW! Ways You Can Give Back!
Quick Links
WNPF is preparing our FY2012 Annual Report. To our hundreds of donors, if you prefer anonymity, please let us know today. We will honor your wishes.
Questions?
Contact us!

Laurie Ward, Executive Director
253-566-4644

Jessie Bullis, Director of Development
253-566-4644

Washington's National Park Fund  is  the official nonprofit partner supporting Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks, ensuring the preservation of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and continued enjoyment for all. 
Starbucks Employees Lead Trail Maintenance Weekend
More than twenty Starbucks employees contributed 245 volunteer hours maintaining one of Mount Rainier's most-used trail areas in August.
  Starbucks Trail Maintenance Crew
Thanks to the leadership and passion of a few Starbucks Employees, this group of park lovers took it upon themselves to create a trail maintenance volunteer weekend in Mount Rainier. Now, in their sixth year, they're responsible for miles and miles of Mount Rainier's most beloved and well-traveled trails. 
Headed by Stacey Long Collins and Lesley Blyth, the group is made up of Starbucks employees from all departments, but with one important thing in common - their love for the national parks, and their desire to give back.
To learn more about this trail maintenance volunteer weekend, check out the full story, here.
Are you interested in doing some trail maintenance at your favorite national park? Check out the National Park Service's volunteer information website here. 
Want to learn even more about Washington's National Park Fund? 


Thanks to the Laura and John Arnold Foundation  of Dallas, you can learn more about Washington's National Park Fund right here. The production of this video was fully funded by the Arnold Foundation. The results propel Washington's National Park Fund forward as we achieve our marketing and communication goals. 

People want to know more about what we do; now it is nicely packaged into a short series of video clips. Thanks, Arnold Foundation!
New Donor Corner
Meet one of our newest donors!
Erik Blazing
Erik Blazing, on a recent trip to Mount Rainier National Park.

Erik and Anna Blazing, originally from Minneapolis, moved to Seattle five years ago and have been avid users of Mount Rainier National Park ever since. Recently the 
couple took a trip to the park's Glacier Basin Trail. Erik and Anna felt compelled to give back to the park after seeing what great shape the trail was in. 
 
"I know public funding for even basic infrastructure can be tough in this political climate, so I felt like I wanted to do something on my own to help the park out in general," Erik said. 
 
Anna Blazing
Anna Blazing during Glacier Basin hike 
The Blazings are hikers in the summer and skiers in the winter, and are constantly amazed by the number of people who have traveled significant distances just to get to places we take for granted. Third Burroughs is one of their favorite places in Mount Rainier National Park; they've been able to hike it for the past three summers.  
"As users and lovers of the national parks, and the opportunities they give us, we felt like we wanted to help make sure everyone has an awesome experience like we do, and that places like that are protected for the future. I was attracted by Washington's National Park Fund's focus on our local parks, since I think they're some of Washington's most important assets."
 
Thanks, Erik and Anna! 
 
 
Your Gifts in Action
Mount Rainier National Park
Project  Highlight: Cascade Red Fox Study

Mount Rainier National Park contains the most significant population of the Cascade Red Fox, a vulnerable subspecies proposed for listing as a state threatened species. Recent research has shown the Washington population as distinct and threatened due to climate change and human interactions. Mount Rainier may act as an "island refuge" for the Cascade fox, surrounded by an ocean of unusable habitat and threats from the non-native lowland red fox. This project, entails the attachment of GPS radio collars to record fine scale movements, and requires the trapping and immobilizing of subjects. Dr. Allison Case, DVM, from the Point Defiance Zoo, and the NPS term wildlife biologist will both be assisting on this important project, thanks to the funding the donors of Washington's National Park Fund has provided. The completion of this project will ensure the safe handling of rare Cascade foxes, and the information gained will be integrated into the NPS Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) process to establish resource indicators to guide visitor management.
 
North Cascades National Park 
Project  Highlight:: Youth Transportation into the Park

North Cascades National Park is hard at work to engage under-served communities through over 20 different youth programs, but transportation costs often create insurmountable barriers to participation. The funding for this project, provided by generous donors to Washington's National Park Fund, will enable the park to provide key assistance for  youth program partnerships with at least six school districts and organizations, including North Cascades Institute, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Urban Wilderness Project, Washington State University Cooperative Extension/4-H, and the Student Conservation Association. This program will also allow North Cascades National Park reach out to under-served youth from urban, rural, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, African-American and low-income communities in park based education and stewardship activities. For many of these youth, this will provide a first-ever visit into a national park, and help create the next generation of youths who will become stewards and advocates of these lands.

Olympic National Park 
Project  Highlight: Alternative Transportation Guide

This important project,
funded by Washington's National Park Fund's donors,
 will enable visitors to Olympic National Park to tour the park using public transportation options. This will also support the park's goal of reaching "Climate Friendly Park" status by reducing vehicle miles within the park. These new brochures will be distributed throughout gateway communities, such as Port Angeles and Victoria, B.C., and will highlight routes, key park destinations, and alternatives to get to each location. 
  

For more information on ongoing projects in the parks, please visit our website: www.wnpf.org
Looking for Ways You Can Give Back?
Check out our new programs, custom designed for you to give back to the parks how you want to!
Rainier Meadow
The New Adopta-Trail-Mile Program is raising much needed funding for Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. With nearly 1,300 miles of trails to maintain, funds raised will allow park staff to bring in more volunteer groups like Washington Conservation Corps, Washington Trails Association, and Student Conservation Association to name a few. These crews, trained and supervised by park staff, work tirelessly to improve trails washed out/damaged during the long winter monthsFor a gift of $300/year, your name will be added to the growing number of trail adopters. Individuals, couples, families, and corporations are welcome to pitch in. You can break down your support into monthly payments of $25/month, or $75/quarter. To adopt your trail mile now, click here.

The Park Ambassadors Program is recruiting individuals who are passionate about our parks, and who understand the need to get more "boots on the ground" filled by people with particular skills. We are seeking people who will spread the news about Washington's National Park Fund, and the projects resulting from our donors. These people will help us to share each park's priorities with others who care deeply about the parks. Those recruited will become Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks Ambassadors.

For more information about either program, contact Executive Director, Laurie Ward

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