PODCAST

The Secret Lives of Parks

National Parks Conservation Association

Unusual stories from some of America’s most beloved and inspirational places — our national parks.

society & culture places & travel

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00:31:35

Holding Back the Sea

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2024/05/01

At first glance, American Samoa feels like an idyllic, tropical South Pacific paradise where life has changed very little in the past century. But residents have been struggling with the pronounced effects of climate change and other serious challenges. Samoan beaches are visibly eroding, heat and salt water are affecting residents’ ability to grow food and to fish, and the resulting changes in diets are creating more medical problems for the people who live on these remote islands. Yet, Samoans are

00:24:17

The Beauty of Loss

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2024/03/27

The Colorado River flows through some of the most spectacular landscapes in the Southwest, provides drinking water to more than 40 million people, and is one of the most important sources of water for U.S. agriculture. But access to the river has never been fair, and now, water levels are at historic lows after decades of extreme drought.Photojournalist and visual storyteller Pete McBride has photographed every mile of the river over nearly 20 years of reporting and exploration. This episode,

00:26:14

Creating the Country’s First ‘Idea Park’

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2024/02/28

In the late 1970s, only three national park sites out of 300 had specifically been created to interpret women’s history. Judy Hart, then a chief ranger for legislation in the National Park Service’s Boston office, knew she wanted to improve that number, but she wasn’t sure how.Hart’s determination took her to Seneca Falls, New York, as well as Capitol Hill as she won people over with the power of her idea. She used every tactic at her disposal to honor notable leaders in the movement for women’s

00:32:37

Stamped in the Soil

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2024/01/30

In the 1950s and ’60s, Alabama was a battleground for voting equality. White elected officials had long denied Black citizens their constitutional right to vote, and thousands of activists faced violent opposition from white residents and officials. In 1965, the Selma to Montgomery march made history, galvanizing the nation and leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which finally allowed millions of disenfranchised Black citizens to cast ballots.The march route is preserved in the National

00:34:32

The Skeleton Crew

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/11/30

Paleontologists have long explored Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on the border of Arizona and Utah for its fossils, notably its prolific dinosaur tracks — but few bones have ever been found there. But last March, after watching the waters at Lake Powell drop, scientists made a calculated hunch to investigate areas of the lakebed that hadn’t been exposed in 60 years. Their hunch paid off — and then some — with an unprecedented trove of remains that could provide scientists with new insights

00:27:15

The Beacon

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/10/26

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in America and a storied waterway where the Atlantic Ocean meets a series of rivers. It’s the place where Algonquian Chief Powhatan met with early English settlers in the 1600s; where the first enslaved people were brought to America; where Harriet Tubman was born and emancipated herself and many others; and where a Civil War fort became a destination of hope for enslaved people seeking freedom. It’s also a beautiful landscape with bountiful wildlife and

00:20:45

A Reporter ‘On the Brink’ at Cape Hatteras

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/09/28

Barrier islands naturally undergo erosion. But in the tiny town of Rodanthe, North Carolina, near Cape Hatteras National Seashore, sea-level rise fueled by climate change has intensified this process, creating difficult and dangerous conditions for the community. Four homes have collapsed into the ocean since February 2022, and the park’s dunes and beaches are washing into the sea, making the boundary between public and private land harder to determine.Journalist Melanie D.G. Kaplan covers this

00:29:39

Why We Serve

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/08/16

Anacostia Park is a lesser-known gem of southeast Washington, D.C. Stretching for 8 miles along both sides of the Anacostia River, the park encompasses a distinctive aquatic garden with lilies and lotuses, a historic golf course from the segregation area, and the only roller-skating rink in the National Park System, among many other scenic vistas and recreational facilities just up the street from the neighborhood where Frederick Douglass spent the last years of his life.This episode, host Jennifer

00:28:31

Opening Day

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/07/28

The only baseball stadium in the National Park System and one of the last surviving stadiums with a rich Negro League history, Hinchliffe Stadium at Paterson Great Falls was nearly lost for good. This spring, a fully restored Hinchliffe reopened to much fanfare—and we take you out to the ballgame. Host Todd Christopher captures the sounds of opening day and speaks with Brian LoPinto, founder of The Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium, Andre Sayegh, mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, and Darren Boch,

00:29:19

The Heart of America’s Story

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/06/29

Created by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 as "a new kind of national park," national heritage areas are large, regionally distinctive sites that celebrate human experience and achievement. Congress passed new legislation expanding and improving the heritage area system late last year--yet many people are unfamiliar with these hidden gems and the economic benefits they offer. Now, as national heritage areas could be entering a new era of improved visibility, host Jennifer Errick speaks with Sara

00:20:45

Memorializing the Truth

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/05/31

Christopher Benson, associate professor of journalism at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, has worked for years to preserve the story of Emmett Till. He coauthored two books with members of the Till family that counter widespread misinformation and emphasize the humanity of the child at the center one of America’s most heinous crimes.Now, as anticipation builds around a potential new national park site honoring Emmett Till and his mother, civil rights icon Mamie

00:31:37

Hope Along the Cuyahoga

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/04/18

The Cuyahoga River was once a burning symbol of pollution and neglect — then the public demanded action to protect it. Decades of work have transformed the river into a thriving recreational destination for millions of visitors.Today, this dedication continues with major restoration projects that are revitalizing waterways, bringing back wildlife and improving the park and the Great Lakes region. Want a dose of optimism this Earth Day? We’ve got you covered.In this episode, host Jennifer Errick

00:19:08

A Collision of Breaths

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/04/12

What we experience in our national parks can sometimes leave us at a loss for words, but park-inspired poets prove that finding those words can be nothing short of extraordinary.To honor the National Park Service centennial in 2016, the Academy of American Poets commissioned 50 poems to celebrate national parks in every state. Today, we’re taking a closer look at five of our favorites, including:Ada Limón | Notes on the BelowNathalie Handal | Accepting Heaven at Great BasinArthur Sze | White

00:23:52

Behind the Scenes at Padre Island

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/03/28

Ben Goldfarb was looking forward to a sunny kayaking trip at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, but unseasonable weather blew his plans apart, and he found himself instead falling face-first into the frigid waters of the Laguna Madre.In this episode, the award-winning conservation writer speaks with host Jennifer Errick on his new feature in National Parks magazine — the trip he planned to have, the adventure he and his wife actually enjoyed, and how he wove elements of history, nature,

00:35:46

The Little Jewel Box

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/02/01

Winter is often a time when we hunker down, shield ourselves from the cold, and sleep off the dark evenings. But it can also be an ideal time to visit parks, once we find a little motivation to turn off Netflix, put on a coat and venture outside.In this episode, host Jennifer Errick turns to some of her favorite outdoor enthusiasts — her colleagues at the National Parks Conservation Association — for inspiration on where they love to travel in winter. She speaks with Michael Jamison, campaign

00:28:13

The Geography That Unites Us

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2023/01/11

Rock Creek Park is one of the oldest national parks in the country. It stretches through the heart of Washington, D.C., and creates a dividing line between neighborhoods to the east and west. The Carter Barron Amphitheater, a performing arts venue in the park, once brought these communities together with a mix of big-name concerts and creative programs — but structural problems forced it to close in 2017. Can a new alliance of advocates restore this unique venue for the next generation?In this

00:24:48

The Giving Trees

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2022/12/20

Witness trees were present for pivotal moments in our history but the stories they would tell, if they could, don’t have to die with them―thanks to a fascinating partnership between national park sites and student artists and designers. Host Todd Christopher visits Antietam National Battlefield’s renowned witness tree ― the Burnside Sycamore ― with natural resources manager Joe Calzarette, explores The Witness Tree Project’s unique mashup of history and design with RISD faculty members and founders

00:30:29

Making Things Whole

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2022/11/16

Channel Islands National Park and the marine habitat that surrounds it make up one of the most biodiverse coastal regions in the world, with a long and rich cultural history. It’s the traditional home of the Chumash people, and members of these seafaring Tribes have been working for decades to preserve their lands and waters from drilling, development and other threats. After a devastating explosion at an oil well in 1969 devastated birds and marine life along the coast, the Chumash and their allies

00:01:14

The Secret Lives of Parks: 2022 trailer

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2022/11/08

National parks are extraordinary places. At The Secret Lives of Parks, we meet people who know and love them, and we share their remarkable stories. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

00:31:33

Telling the Truth

The Secret Lives of Parks ·

2022/09/19

This week marks 67 years since the trial of Emmett Till’s murderers, a miscarriage of justice that focused the attention of the world on the tiny town of Sumner, Mississippi, galvanized international outrage and grief, and sparked leaders of the Civil Rights Movement to act. Today, advocates want to see the courthouse where the trial took place preserved as a national park site and want to continue to use the story of the Till tragedy as a way to facilitate conversations around race and racism and

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