In an article about crowds in national parks and possible ideas to help alleviate these challenges, Outside interviews NPF’s President and CEO Will Shafroth. Will’s insights demonstrate NPF’s commitment to helping people understand and appreciate the full breadth and depth of the National Park System, going beyond the most well-known parks, and also “knowing before you go.” Read an excerpt from the story, “Could One of These Be Our Next National Park?” below.
“Last year, 50 percent of total recreational visits occurred in just 6 percent of all parks, explained Will Shafroth, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation, when I emailed him about the current crisis. ‘We need more people to know that there are more than 420 NPS sites across the country and many of them are in folks’ backyards,’ he said.
No matter where you visit this summer, outdoor lovers will need to get creative if they want to experience the pristine, untrammeled nature that the ideal of a national park is supposed to provide. ‘For park visitors, it’s always a good idea to ‘know before you go.’ If you’re considering a trip to a well-known park, call the park first and ask about ways to avoid crowds and inquire about other nearby lesser-known parks to also add to your journey,’ said National Park Foundation’s Will Shafroth.”
Read the full article here.