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43 days. The longest government shutdown in US history. And now that it's over — a 24% reduction in NPS permanent staff, no FY26 budget, climate change signs removed from Acadia, the Ambler Road moving forward, and a secretarial order directing parks to sanitize their history.

Alan Spears, Senior Director of Cultural Resources and registered lobbyist at the National Parks Conservation Association, joins The Parks Podcast for the full picture on what happened during the shutdown, what's still happening, and what we do next.

In this episode: — The shutdown by the numbers: 43 days, 24% staff reduction, $2M+ in lost fees, record backcountry SAR calls — Why "parks look fine" is still a Potemkin Village — and what's actually happening backstage — Secretarial Order SO3431 — what it says, what it's done, and what it's tried to do — The QR code scheme — and why comments came back 10-to-1 in favor of complete, unfiltered history — What was removed (Acadia climate change signs, Jamaica Bay indigenous treaty signs) and what was fought off (Independence Hall enslaved people exhibit, Fort Pulaski "Whipped Peter" photograph) — The Senate Stewardship Caucus — Senator Sheehy (R-MT) and Senator Heinrich (D-NM) — The FY26 budget: House proposal (-$176M), Senate bill (flat funding), another shutdown possible January 2026 — What to do: thank a ranger, visit npca.org, contact your rep, ask about parks at town halls, look for 250th programming that tells real history

Links mentioned: — NPCA: npca.org — Alan Spears blog: npca.org/author/alan-spears — 250th anniversary: america250.org

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$1.5 million given back to conservation causes. Licensed Smokey Bear. Trail work in Yosemite. A wheelchair-accessible trail built in a local national forest. Cardboard boxes donated to smother invasive grasses in a South Carolina river restoration project.

Matt Moreau, partner and creative director at The Landmark Project in Greenville, SC, joins The Parks Podcast to share how a side project born in a screen printing shop became a company that takes conservation seriously — and how you can shop your values during the holiday season.

In this episode: — How The Landmark Project started — "let's make something we actually want to wear" — and how the give-back became part of the DNA from the beginning — $1.5 million given back — and how 1% starts to add up — Why licensed Smokey Bear products matter — and what unlicensed ones cost the Forest Service — 1% for the Planet — what it is, who else is in it, and the "one degree" metaphor for giving back — Trail work, seed collection, and tire removal at Yosemite Facelift — what showing up looks like — A river restoration project in downtown Greenville — and why the best conservation project might be in your backyard — The Potemkin Village problem of "we support the parks" — how to know if a brand really does — How to shop your values: what to look for, what to ask, and what to skip — The most sustainable product is the one you keep wearing — not the one that stays in a drawer

Links mentioned: — The Landmark Project: thelandmarkproject.com — 1% for the Planet: onepercentfortheplanet.org — Smokey Bear: smokeybear.com — NPCA gift guide: npca.org — National Forest Foundation: nationalforests.org — Yosemite Facelift: yosemiteconservancy.org/yosemite-facelift

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58% of veterans have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. 1 in 3 women veterans have experienced military sexual trauma. 30% of land management agency employees are veterans — five times their share of the general population.

Sherman Neal II, US Marine Corps veteran and Deputy Director of Sierra Club Military Outdoors, joins The Parks Podcast on Veterans Day to share why the outdoors is where healing happens — and how Sierra Club has been building that bridge since 2006.

In this episode: — David Brower, the Sierra Club's first executive director: a WWII veteran who climbed with the 10th Mountain Division — How Military Outdoors started — the Military Families Initiative of 2006, at the peak of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom — Why Sherman didn't want to be around other veterans after leaving service — and what a whitewater rafting trip on the Salmon River changed — Why 48% of Military Outdoors participants are women — when women are only 11% of the veteran population — What outings look like: ice fishing, sailing, picnics, cornhole, Class IV rapids — no template, no required format — Sierra Thrives (Los Angeles): a community cohort bringing veterans and service providers together on public lands — The Vet Space: a women veterans outdoor program that grew out of Military Outdoors — Red Top Mountain State Park, Georgia — the Tuskegee Airman who built a park for his community in 1950 — Barriers to access: transportation, awareness, and jobs — How to get involved: sierraclub.org/military-outdoors

Happy Veterans Day — thank you for your service.

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In Mi'kmaq, Skmaqn means "waiting place." The French arrived in 1720 and called it Port-la-Joye. The British took it by force in 1758, deported 3,000 Acadians, and renamed it Fort Amherst. In 2018, Parks Canada officially added Skmaqn to the name — acknowledging the Mi'kmaq people who were there long before anyone else.

Ethain Arsenault, Visitor Experience Team Lead at the site (and descendant of one of the first Acadian settlers), joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story.

In this episode: — Why the French came to PEI in the first place — farmland and a harbor worth controlling — The Mi'kmaq–French alliance — annual ceremonies, gift exchange, renewed annually on this very site — The Acadian deportation of 1758 — 3,000 people on ships, half didn't survive, and a monument on site commemorates it — The only battle ever fought on PEI — New England privateers briefly captured the fort — Michel Haché dit Gallant — the Acadian settler whose footprint is still on the land, and Ethain's ancestor — The trilingual signage — Mi'kmaq, French, and English throughout the park — "Woven Stories" — a 16-minute video in three languages at the visitor center — Co-management with Epekwitnewaq Mi'kmaq — what it looks like in practice — What visitors can see: earthworks, range lights, coastal views, bald eagles, osprey, trembling aspen — Acadian Remembrance Day — December 13th annual ceremony — How to plan a US visit: passport, pet requirements, border crossing, the 35-minute drive from Charlottetown

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/pe/fortamherst — PEI Tourism: tourismpei.com

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Day 27 of the federal government shutdown. Parks are technically open. But behind the scenes: rangers working without pay guarantees, evidence from criminal investigations stuck because government credit cards are frozen, snow tires that can't be changed, nonprofit reserves being burned through.

Retired NPS law enforcement ranger Tara Ross — who spent most of her career at Yellowstone — joins The Parks Podcast for a frank insider update on what's actually happening in our parks right now.

Note: Recorded October 24, 2025 — information reflects conditions at that time.

In this episode: — Why "the parks look fine" is a Potemkin Village — what visitors see vs. what's happening backstage — Snow tires and crime labs: two real examples of shutdown chaos in Yellowstone — Why some parks appear more open than others — FLREA funds, state subsidies, nonprofit support — The Ambler Road project — 211 miles through one of the last intact roadless wilderness areas in the US — What's still happening to public lands even while the government is shut down — How to recreate responsibly right now: self-sufficient, no garbage cans, respect all closures — Crime Off the Grid podcast — and what's coming up

Links mentioned: — Crime Off the Grid: crimeoffthegrid.com — NPCA: npca.org

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Maryland has 80 state parks. 500,000 acres of public land. 1,000 miles of trails. Mountains to the west. Bay in the middle. Ocean to the east. And a commitment to making sure that outdoor access reaches every community — including urban Baltimore.

Sandy Olek, Director of Outdoor Recreation at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, joins The Parks Podcast to share what makes Maryland one of the best outdoor recreation states in the country — and what the Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit is doing to bring the entire outdoor community together.

In this episode: — Maryland's public lands portfolio: 80 state parks, state forests, wildlife management areas — and the differences between them — Patapsco Valley State Park: oldest, largest, 200 miles of trails, 32-mile river, spanning 4 counties right up to Baltimore City — The 25 in 2025 challenge and how the state is encouraging people to explore — The Deep Creek Lake centennial — 100 years of Maryland's most beloved recreation destination — Outdoor equity: adaptive fishing platforms, accessible hunting blinds, vision-impaired programming, and more — The natural health connection: why parks and public lands are a non-medicated path to wellbeing — Maryland Outdoor Equity Grants — capacity-building for organizations reaching veterans, foster youth, and more — The $1.2 trillion outdoor economy — and why bringing the whole industry together matters — The Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit: who's there, what they're doing, and what comes out of it

Links mentioned: — Maryland DNR: dnr.maryland.gov — Maryland State Parks: dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands — Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit: dnr.maryland.gov/outdoor-recreation

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Prince Edward Island National Park was established in 1937 to protect a strip of barrier coastline, its dunes, and the landscape that inspired Anne of Green Gables. Today it spans three sections of the island's north shore — Cavendish, Brackley–Dalvay, and the stunning dunes of Greenwich — and draws visitors from around the world.

Manon Gallant, Interpretation Coordinator at PEI National Park, joins The Parks Podcast for its first Parks Canada episode — and announces that park admission will be free in 2026.

In this episode: — The history of PEI National Park — why it was created and what it protects — The three sections: Cavendish, Dalvay, and Greenwich (the hidden gem) — Dalvay by the Sea — the 1890s summer home of an American oil magnate, now a historic hotel — The piping plover — why beaches are closed in sections during nesting season — The vote — and what it actually was — on whether to stay for the 1805–06 winter (Note: this appears in Episode 36; confirm source for Ep. 42 context) — Dune restoration after Hurricane Fiona — planting marram grass and protecting the coastline — The red chairs — from easy spots at Dalvay Lake to a 5km bike ride to find hidden ones — Crossing the border: what Americans need (passport, pet health certificate) — Dogs in the park — welcome everywhere except beaches April–October — 2026: free admission under the Canada Strong Pass

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/pe/pei-ipe — Reservations: reservation.pc.gc.ca — Dalvay House: dalvaybythesea.com — Canada Strong Pass (free 2026): pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission

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The US government shut down on October 1st, 2025. Parks stayed open — but the rangers, maintenance staff, and interpretive employees who make those parks safe and meaningful were furloughed.

Retired park ranger John Goodwin returns to The Parks Podcast to share what changes during a shutdown, what happened last time parks stayed open without adequate staff (it wasn't good), and exactly how to recreate responsibly right now.

In this episode: — What a shutdown actually means for parks — the 433 NPS units, not just the big ones — Who's furloughed and who stays: the difference between essential and non-essential employees — What happened to the parks last time — vandalism, archaeological theft, bear incidents, ecological damage — Why some people are calling for park closures — and why John understands the argument — Whether you should visit — and why that's a personal decision with real economic stakes for gateway communities — How to recreate responsibly: pack out trash, respect closures, stay on trails, know your limits — The second edition of Echoes of the Badge — more stories, now available — The political message: don't forget the parks when the shutdown ends

Links mentioned: — John / Lightning Ever: @lightningever — Echoes of the Badge (2nd ed.): available at major booksellers

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Fort McAllister repelled seven Union naval attacks — including four Passaic-class ironclads, the most advanced weapons in the world in 1863, engaging at near point-blank range. It finally fell on December 13, 1864, to Sherman's Army during the March to the Sea.

Today it's one of the finest examples of a Confederate earthen fort in America — and one of the best birding spots on the Georgia coast. Park Manager Jason Carter joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story, including the alligator they found in the underground bombproof three weeks before we recorded.

In this episode: — How Fort McAllister guarded the back door to Savannah — and why that mattered — The Ironclad engagements of 1863 — four Passaic-class ships at point-blank range, and why it was basically a stalemate — Why earthen forts are more resilient to artillery than masonry or wooden forts — The post-battle dinner — Sherman, the Confederate commander, and the argument about landmines — What you can see underground: the hot shot furnace, the central bombproof, the ammunition magazine — The witness tree — 210+ years old, blown over by Hurricane Matthew, and still growing on its side with musket rounds embedded in it — Birding at Fort McAllister — painted bunting, bald eagle, osprey, herons, raptors, and the mink on the causeway — Camping options from backcountry to premium cottages — and why it's the perfect base for Savannah — Deer flies in April through June — the honest warning

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit / reservations: gastateparks.org/FortMcAllister — Savannah: visitsavannah.com — Jason's photography: Photography by Jason C on Facebook

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In 1989, four outdoor brands put together a $40,000 grant to protect public lands. Their insight: their business depended on it. Thirty-five years later, the Conservation Alliance has 200+ business members, has granted $34.5 million, and has helped protect 125 million acres.

Kim Paymaster (Grants and Program Director) and Katie Johnson (Campaigns and Engagement Manager) of the Conservation Alliance join The Parks Podcast to explain what the organization does, who it works with, and how businesses of every size — and individuals — can be part of the movement to protect our public lands.

In this episode: — How the Conservation Alliance started — and why outdoor brands realized their bottom line depended on conservation — The three organizations people confuse: NPS, NPF, and NPCA — and now TCA — Who's in the network: outdoor gear, energy companies, beverage brands, media, and more — What the grants program actually does — from a 342-acre county park near Asheville to the Boundary Waters to the Grand Canyon — Priority campaigns: Boundary Waters, Grand Canyon National Monument, and the Roadless Rule — The Brands for Public Lands coalition — and why the business voice matters right now in Washington — How small businesses of five or fewer employees can make a bigger impact than they think — What individuals can do: follow, subscribe, support brands that show up, and stay informed — The outdoor economy: $1.2 trillion, and why it all depends on protected lands and waters

Links mentioned: — Conservation Alliance: conservationalliance.com — Brands for Public Lands: conservationalliance.com/brands-for-public-lands — Boundary Waters: savetheboundarywaters.org — Grand Canyon Trust: grandcanyontrust.org

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