Protecting the Beauty of Our Parks

Growing up in a not very outdoorsy family, I dreamed of visiting the iconic national parks...the Grand Canyon...Yellowstone...Grand Teton. And when I grew up and started my own family, I made sure the national parks would be part of our lives together.

I watched my children learn to flyfish at Rocky Mountains National Park, and experienced the serenity of Yellowstone National Park in the winter. When I moved to Washington, D.C., the C&O Canal National Historical Park became my favorite running route. Those scenic paths along the Potomac River are a great way to experience nature in the city.

But when Hurricane Fran swept through in 1996, it devastated the canal. I saw a news segment about the destruction, directing people to donate to the National Park Foundation to help rebuild. That’s when my partnership with the Foundation began.

The landscape and wildlife conservation projects in the parks are the most meaningful to me. It’s difficult for many people to understand the importance of these complex large-scale initiatives – but they are protecting the beauty of our parks and creating healthy ecosystems. I recently learned about one of the largest restoration efforts of its kind underway in the Northeast. I’m delighted to support the Herring River Tidal Restoration Project at Cape Cod National Seashore, where we spent many happy days as a family and where my daughter served as a seasonal ranger. This important sustainability effort will restore the river’s natural tides and improve water quality across the flood plain.

Government appropriations will never be enough to preserve the parks properly. That’s why I’m committed the National Park Foundation – my investments will allow future generations to enjoy the parks like my family does.

Linda Fisher is a former member of the National Park Foundation board of directors and currently serves as a member of our National Council.