Everybody's National Parks

Description

Don Swann, a biologist who has worked at Saguaro National Park for over twenty years, joins Danielle to discuss the evolution of the biodiversity within Saguaro National Park. They discuss how the environment and biodiversity has changed within the national park overtime and how he both teaches and engages the community to investigate change with him as citizen scientists.

Discussion includes the following:

Tips for your Travels:

Resources from the Show:

Actions:

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We also want to hear about your adventures. Email us at [email protected]. You may write us a message or even record a short voice memo on your phone and then attach it to the email. You may also send comments at https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/contact. You may be featured on an upcoming episode.

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Description:

Danielle chats with Saguaro National Park’s Community Engagement Coordinator Cam Juarez about the desert’s spectacular beauty and what he’s doing to ensure that Saguaro’s worldwide popularity has strong roots in the multicultural communities that surround it.

You’d expect everyone in Tucson - a city sandwiched between Saguaro’s east and west districts - to be well acquainted with every inch of the park’s 91,000 acres. But Cam had never set foot in the park before becoming a ranger. Neither had many of his fellow Tucsonians. Since joining Saguaro four years ago, however, he’s extended park awareness by creating relevant and diverse programs that better reflect the region’s population.

Inclusivity is another aspect of Cam’s mission to bridge the gap between the park and the people who live in its midst. To that end, Saguaro recently held a ceremony to posthumously award a civilian arrowhead to a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation. “We’re happy to be in partnership with them,” he says, “because it’s that close connection to First Nation peoples, but also to honor traditions that are millennia old.”

The park’s diversity isn’t limited to humans. “We’re probably one of the most biodiverse deserts in the world,” says Cam. From dense stands of Saguaro cactus to Ponderosa pine forests to wildflower super blooms, there’s a broad range of flora to explore. The same is true of the birds, mammals, and reptiles that call the park home.

“Sometimes we’ll take it for granted,” Cam says of Saguaro’s painted skies and verdant desert floor. But the more the local community interacts with the park he says, “It becomes something you want to protect.”

Pair the following tips from Cam with the sample itineraries from our recent family adventure to make the most of your Saguaro National Park visit:

Always check the weather!

Carry more water than you think you need!

If traveling in the summer, map your hikes so you finish early - before 9am! - and save trips to visitors centers for midday when the temperatures climb

Winter is an amazing time for backcountry camping

November through April are the busiest months and parking is limited so consider coming later in the day and plan sunset hikes

Leave your pets at home as encounters with wildlife can be deadly

Loop drives offer great views with pull-offs for picnicking and trails for quick hikes

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a short drive from the park and features historic collections, live plants, and desert animals such as the javelina in a zoo-like setting

Danielle and Cam discuss the following:

What is a Community Engagement Coordinator and why is Cam’s position important to the future of Saguaro National Park? [3:11]

East vs West: What’s a rincon anyway? [7:02]

Saguaro’s sky island ecosystem: what it is and how rangers protect it [7:37]

The desert’s amazing biodiversity [9:15]

Black bears, elf owls, and the occasional monster [10:38]

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum [13:18]

What the Wild Kratts saw - or didn’t see [13:53]

All about jumping cholla [16:09]

Amazing facts about the park’s signature saguaro cacti [17:17]

How desert creatures and humans use the saguaro while it’s alive and after it has died [20:04]

Saguaro “boots” [21:40]

Birds, bats, and bees help pollinate the cactus [23:15]

Ceremonial uses of the saguaro fruit by the Tohono O'odham peoples [23:55]

Remembering Stella Tucker, keeper of traditions at the Saguaro Fruit Harvest Camp [24:33]

Waterfalls, washes, and tinajas: perennial water sources in the bimodal desert [25:40]

Cam’s tips for taking in all that the park has to offer [29:28]

Actions:

Subscribe to our podcast wherever podcasts are available or from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

We also want to hear about your adventures. Email us at [email protected]. You may write us a message or even record a short voice memo on your phone and then attach it to the email. You may also send comments at https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/contact. You may be featured on an upcoming episode.

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks.

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Tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

A record-breaking snowstorm with whiteout conditions forces Danielle, Bryan, and the girls to ditch plans to visit the Petrified Forest in northern Arizona in favor of an impromptu visit to the Sonoran Desert -- and Saguaro National Park, located in southern Arizona.

The city of Tucson, splits this park into two halves: the Rincon Mountain District to the east and the Tucson Mountain District in the west. First-timers will be amazed at the desert’s biodiversity. There’s a riot of flora and fauna here, from wildflowers to majestic seventy-foot tall Saguaro cactus to stubby nurse trees. Much of the park’s wildlife can be elusive. Birds, however, are easier to spot as many make their homes inside the park’s namesake plant.

The east and west sides have their own robust visitor’s center with cultural exhibits and small learning gardens. Scenic drives also help you make the most of your visit. The Bajada Loop Drive takes you around the Tucson Mountain District while the Cactus Forest Drive circles the Rincon Mountain District. You can pick up trailheads or stop at overlooks along the way. 

There truly are activities for every type of park visitor, including several ADA-compliant walks. Our four-day trip included the following:

Tucson Mountain District / West:

● The Hugh Norris Trail

● Several easy walks- the Valley View Overlook Trail, the Signal Hill Petroglyphs Trail, and the Desert Discovery Trail 

● Bajada Loop Drive

Rincon Mountain District / East:

● Cactus Forest Trail

● Freeman Homestead Trail guided hike

● Guided hike along part of the Tanque Verde Ridge Trailat sunset 

● Mica View Loop

● Desert Ecology Trail

● The Garwood Loop Trail and Wildhorse Tank- a 6 miler that Danielle ranks as one of her favorite hikes of all time

● Cactus Forest Loop Drive

We may not have originally planned to visit Saguaro National Park but we highly recommend that you do! A long weekend is all the time you need to enjoy this desert beauty. 

Discussion includes the following:

● An introduction to Saguaro’s east and west districts [5:37]

● The Hugh Norris Trail [9:28]

● The Freeman Homestead Trail [11:50] 

● Plant life in the desert [15:58]

● The Tanque Verde Ridge Trail at sunset [18:03]

● Frontcountry and backcountry camping details [19:18]

● Speedway Blvd links the east and west districts [21:12]

● Gilbert Ray campground [21:20]

● The desert’s vibrant bird and animal populations [22:13]

● Saguaro and the city in one long weekend [24:26]

● Loop drives in the east and west districts [25:15]

● West Side recommendations [25:42]

● East Side recommendations [26:22]

● A kid’s eye view of Saguaro National Park - Part I: cactus hotels, Sonoran Desert signifiers, Junior Ranger responsibilities [30:01]

● A kid’s eye view of Saguaro National Park - Part II: cactus facts, cactus nursery schools, cactus jokes [36:50]

Actions:

Subscribe to our podcast wherever podcasts are available or from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

We also want to hear about your adventures. Email us at [email protected]. You may write us a message or even record a short voice memo on your phone and then attach it to the email. You may also send comments at https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/contact. You may be featured on an upcoming episode.

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks.

Support us on Patreon

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

Becky Lomax is the author of The Moon Guidebook USA National Parks - The Complete Guide To All 59 Parks. Just in time for National Parks Week, Danielle and Bryan talk with Becky about her favorite itineraries, tips for families planning summer trips, and her lifelong love affair with the National Park Service (NPS).

For summer travel, Becky recommends looking to the mountain parks because they can offer some cooler hiking, biking and scenic drives. Some favorites on the east coast include Acadia National Park, Shenandoah National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Other popular options are Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Glacier National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Parks generally to avoid in the summer and save for cooler months include Saguaro National Park, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and Big Bend National Park.

At Bryan’s request, Becky dreams up some wonderful road trip itineraries if you want to hit multiple destinations in one vacation.

East Coast:

Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains connected by the Blue Ridge Parkway

Central Mountains:

Yellowstone and Grand Tetons with either Glacier or Rocky Mountain

California:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and Yosemite National Park

Washington State:

Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park

To enjoy the beauty of the national parks without the crowds, visit lesser known destinations such as Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon,

Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park. If you do find yourself in a crowded spot, remember to hit the trails early for the best experience.

Becky’s best recommendation is to take a deep dive into one park at a time. This approach cuts back on driving and gives you the time to go hiking, do some wildlife watching in the evening, to try fishing or kayaking or to swim in the lakes. As she says, “when you can sit in one park and have a whole plethora of experiences you go away essentially just loving that park because you've had such a rich, rich, full time there.”

Discussion includes the following:

National Park Week activities and free entry day - April 20th to the 28th (3:11)

Reflections on National Junior Ranger Day (6:10)

How to make the most of your family’s NPS vacation with suggested itineraries and lesser known parks (6:53)

One of Becky’s early memories of backpacking as a child in Mount Rainier (15:41)

Witnessing the effects of climate change and glaciers melting (18:48)

Night Skies, the NPS program that protects nighttime views and one of Becky’s favorite park offerings (22:35)

Becky’s favorite memories from Grand Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Kenai National Park, and Yellowstone National Park including a breathtaking moment with the Northern Lights reflecting off a glacier (26:06)

Actions:

Subscribe to our podcast wherever podcasts are available or from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

We also want to hear about your adventures. Email us at [email protected]. You may write us a message or even record a short voice memo on your phone and then attach it to the email. You may also send comments at https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/contact. You may be featured on an upcoming episode.

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks.

Support us on Patreon

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

Ken Burns revisits his acclaimed documentary “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” In this personal, in depth conversation, Ken speaks to his perspective on the national parks ten years after the series broadcast on PBS: the parks as a patriotic paradigm for America at its best and his own family’s relationship to the parks.

Resources:

PBS - The National Parks: America's Best Idea

Ken Burns

Actions

Subscribe to our podcast wherever podcasts are available or from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

Send us your comments at https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/contact

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks.

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

Every spring people flock to Washington, DC to see the cherry blossoms and participate in the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Danielle speaks with Linda Samuel of KidFriendly DC, a go-to resource for recreation with kids in the Washington, DC-Metro area since 2010. Linda and Danielle share their tips for seeing the cherry blossoms and favorite events.

Discussion includes the following: 

Resources:

KidFriendly DC

Tips for Families Viewing the Cherry Blossoms

The Best Activities for Families during the Cherry Blossom Season

Bloom Watch

Cherry Blossom Festival

Actions

Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

In episode 11.5 Danielle speaks with Everglades National Park volunteer and naturalist Carmen Ferreiro about the Everglades ecosystem and the biodiversityfound in this rich and fragile environment.

Discussion includes the following:

· Volunteering at the park (1:55)

· Ecosystem and biodiversity of Everglades (4:30)

· Threats to the Everglades (6:44)

· Alligators and crocodiles are indicator animals for health of ecosystem (8:45)

· Wildlife often overlooked by visitors (12:48)

· Pine Rocklands (15:05)

· Hardwood Hammock (16:10)

· Alligator Holes in slough areas (18:28)

· Elusive Florida Panther (19:23)

· Favorite areas of park to view wildlife (20:58)

· Plume trade of late 1800’s (22:05)

· Bird watching in the Everglades (23:59)

· Plants of the Everglades (29:15)

· Photography as a learning tool (33:38)

· Dead whales and manatees found dead (36:36)

· Roseate Spoonbill (40:50)

· Carmen’s favorite experience at Everglades National Park (43:46)

Resources:

Everglades: Animals

Carmen Ferreiro Naturalist Photography

Monitoring American Alligators and American Crocodiles as Indicators of Everglades Restoration

Long Pine Key Trails

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Florida Panther 

Actions

Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks

Support us on Patreon

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

In episode 11.4 Bryan talks with Park Ranger Allyson Gantt about how people have affected the Everglades, conservation efforts and recommendations for how visitors may enjoy the park.

Discussion includes the following:

· What did the Everglades look like before settlement? (2:02)

· Conservation efforts and relationship with agriculture (3:31)

· Role of advocate Marjorie Stoneman Douglas’s The Everglades: River Of Grass(6:10)

· Recreational activities (10:19)

· Nike Missile site (10:33)

· Backcountry excursions and beach or chickee camping (12:39)

· Kayaking/canoeing day trips (17:15)

· Airboats (18:14)

· Bird watching (20:19)

· Biking (22:22)

· Hiking (24:39)

· Dead Bryde’s Whale found in Florida Bay (26:09)

· Allyson’s favorite activity, Wet walk (28:46)

Resources:

National Park Service: Everglades

National Geographic Travel: “Discover the Largest Subtropical Wilderness in the U.S.” A Guide to Everglades National Park

Friends of the Everglades

Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s The Everglades: River of Grass

Everglades: Wilderness Trip Planner

Everglades: Backcountry Camping

Everglades: Permitted Tour Guides

Long Pine Key Trail Bike trail

Everglades: Canoe and Kayak Trails

9 mile pond

Beached whale dies off coast of Everglades National Park

Actions:

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

In episode 11.3 Bryan talks with Park Ranger Denise Ratajczak about planning a visit to Biscayne National Park, including camping on the keys and her favorite spot for paddleboarding.

Discussion includes the following:

· Park creation (2:25)

· Ecosystems and what makes up the park (5:35)

· Iguanas and invasive species (10:50)

· Fishing (14:12)

· Swimming (17:50)

· Camping (20:00)

· Need for more boat service access (22:18)

· Hikes (25:12)

· Paddle Jones Lagoon (25:55)

· Kayak, canoe and paddleboard rentals (27:05)

· Windsurfing with your own equipment (27:56)

· Diving and snorkeling (28:29)

· Visiting in different seasons (31:03)

· Impacts of government shutdown on Biscayne (32:54)

· Denise’s favorite story (35:33)

Resources

Biscayne National Park

Camping in Biscayne National Park

Biscayne: Canoeing and Kayaking rental

Biscayne National Park Institute Experiences

Guided Paddle to Jones Lagoon

Maritime Heritage Trail

Actions

Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks

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Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks

Description:

In episode 11.2 Danielle, Bryan and their daughters talk about their trip to Biscayne National Park in Southern Florida. This is part 2 of the trip report. In Part 1 (episode 11.1), they talk about visiting Everglades National Park during the government shutdown. 

Discussion includes the following: 

· Support the National Park Foundation’s Park Restoration Fund (0.45)

· About Biscayne National Park (2:25)

· Boca Chita and other tours through Biscayne National Park Institute (6:05)

· Limited accessibility to explore park (7:14)

· Fishing (12:23)

· Jetty Trail to Colonial Bird Protection Area near the picnic area at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center (13:03)

· Adams Key, Elliott Key (islands) that make up Biscayne (14:33) 

· Kids’ impressions of Biscayne National Park (17:00)

· John Pennekemp Coral Reef State Park (27:57)

· Thank you to Park Chasers for listing Everybody’s National Parks on their list of Best National Park Podcasts to Listen to in 2019 (34:24)

Resources:

National Park Foundation's Parks Restoration Fund

National Park Service: Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park Institute

Florida National Parks Association

National Park Planner: Jetty Trail

John Pennekemp Coral Reef State Park

Park Chasers - The Best National Park Podcasts to Listen to in 2019

Actions:

Subscribe to our podcast from our website https://www.everybodysnationalparks.com/

Tell your friends about Everybody’s National Parks

Support us on Patreon

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Please tag us from the parks you are visiting at #everybodysnationalparks