Today we celebrate the Centennial of the National Park Service, widely appreciated today as “America’s Best Idea.” Since The Conservation Fund’s founding in 1985, it has been an honor to partner with the National Park Service to advance and grow its vision, at places like Gettysburg National Military Park, Grand Teton National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the over 200 National Parks sites where we have helped protect land. Together, we have protected a total of over 325,000 acres worth $235 million dollars, while also saving the taxpayer over $46 million.

The National Park Service preserves our nation’s natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations. National parks connect us to nature, adventure, solace, beauty, the past, and so much more that is a part of the American experience. They support local communities, celebrate our nation’s heritage, and bring us together.

As we celebrate the Centennial, The Conservation Fund reflects on some of the special places that we have helped the National Park Service preserve land, like the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Wind Cave National Park, San Juan Islands National Historical Park, Little River Canyon National Park, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, First State National Historic Park, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument and many more. These lands are part of the American story, and we praise the National Park Service for its amazing work to protect these places for the public, for current and future generations. 

About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states to protect more than 7.6 million acres of land since 1985.