About Jefferson National Parks Association
Jefferson National Parks Association: A Non-Profit Partner to National Parks and Historic Places
Jefferson National Parks Association (JNPA) is a non-profit organization that serves as a vital partner to national parks, public lands, and historic places. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, JNPA operates across five states and supports visitor centers, park retail stores, museums, publications, and products that serve millions of park visitors each year.
JNPA was founded in 1946 with the mission to support the preservation and interpretation of natural resources and cultural heritage sites within the national park system. Over the years, JNPA has expanded its reach beyond national parks to include other public lands such as forests, wildlife refuges, historic sites and trails.
One of JNPA's primary goals is to enhance visitor experiences by providing educational materials about the history and significance of these special places. The organization produces a variety of publications including books on natural history topics like geology or wildlife biology; interpretive guides for specific parks or trails; maps showing hiking routes or scenic drives; children's activity books; calendars featuring stunning photographs from around the country.
In addition to publishing materials for visitors' use during their trips to national parks or other public lands managed by federal agencies like the National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) etc., JNPA also provides funding for research projects related to conservation efforts at these sites.
JNPA-supported visitor centers are staffed by knowledgeable volunteers who can answer questions about local flora/fauna or historical events that took place there. These centers often have exhibits showcasing artifacts from past eras such as Native American pottery shards found during archaeological digs at nearby ruins or old mining equipment used during gold rushes in California.
Park retail stores operated by JNPA offer unique souvenirs that reflect each site's character - from t-shirts emblazoned with iconic images like Old Faithful geyser at Yellowstone NP or Mount Rushmore in South Dakota -to handcrafted jewelry made from stones found only within certain regions like Arizona's Petrified Forest NP where ancient trees were fossilized over millions of years into colorful agate stones.
JNPA also partners with local businesses near national parks/historic sites so they can benefit economically while preserving their communities' unique character through sustainable tourism practices. For example: In Yosemite NP located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains region- JNPAs partnership with local hotels/motels helps them reduce waste generated by guests while promoting eco-friendly activities such as hiking/biking tours led by certified guides who share knowledge about flora/fauna along trails leading up into high alpine meadows where wildflowers bloom profusely every summer season!
Overall Jefferson National Parks Association plays an important role in supporting our nation’s most treasured landscapes- ensuring they remain accessible for future generations while educating visitors about their importance through various programs/products/services offered throughout its network spanning five states!
jnpa.com
