From the Inbox: America's Great Outdoors

America's Great Outdoors Your Ideas for Protecting the Places You Love Dear Friend, We need your help to ensure that national parks are a focal point of the President's new initiative, America's Great Outdoors. President Obama announced this initiative in April during the first White House conference to focus on public lands in more than a century. National parks provide some of the best means of connecting Americans, young and old, to America's Great Outdoors, and preserving the natural and cultural diversity of our nation. Our national parks should have a prominent place in the administration's new initiative. Representatives from four federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior, will be traveling around the country this summer, staging public forums and "listening sessions" to gather the best ideas for land conservation and reconnecting Americans to the great outdoors. The first series of sessions were held in Montana last week--and hundreds of people turned out to participate. See what others are saying about this initiative. So, how can you help? For this initiative to be successful, participation from a variety of Americans is essential. To start, we invite you to check NPCA's website for more information on America's Great Outdoors. Here you will find the most up-to-date list of listening sessions around the country, information on how to participate on the Department of the Interior's America's Great Outdoors website, and talking points that will assist you in submitting your ideas--both online and in person at listening sessions. Later, we will send you an e-mail if a listening session is scheduled in your area to invite you to attend and speak up about the important role for our national parks in the America's Great Outdoors Initiative. By working together we will ensure our conservation strategies across the country address critical issues associated with wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, clean water, and the impacts of global climate change. Thank you for helping protect our national parks for our children and grandchildren and for lending your voice to develop a conservation agenda worthy of the 21st century. Sincerely, Thomas C. Kiernan President