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Organizations like The Conservation Alliance have been created by outdoor brands and businesses to help join forces in advocating for our public lands.  In this episode we learn more about the hot topics in advocacy and how to get involved.

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On this episode of The Parks Podcast, I spoke with Brian Bird, a chapter coordinator for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, about the importance of the Roadless Rule. They begin by defining the Roadless Rule as a measure that prohibits road construction on federal lands to protect undeveloped areas. Bird highlights several key reasons for its importance, including preserving continuous habitat for wildlife, preventing erosion, and protecting against commercial logging.

He explains that the rule provides flexibility for land management, including for fire prevention, contrary to some claims. The discussion also touches on how the rule's potential rescission has been politicized, despite public lands being a nonpartisan issue that is important to all Americans.

Bird explains the rule's specific importance to hunters and anglers. For them, "backcountry" means areas that require effort to access, providing a peaceful and untouched environment free from the noise of vehicles. The rule protects these areas, which are crucial for the integrity of the hunting and fishing experience and the well-being of game species. He also notes the ecological impact of road construction, which can lead to increased sediment and disrupt stream ecology, harming fish populations.

The episode concludes with an urgent call to action. With the public comment period on the proposed rescission ending soon, Bird emphasizes that submitting a comment is a quick and effective way for listeners to voice their support for the Roadless Rule. He encourages everyone to use the provided links from Backcountry Hunters and Anglers to contact their legislators and the Department of Agriculture, and to share the episode to raise awareness about the issue.

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Everybody is a public landowner. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from — this land belongs to all of us. And the Roadless Rule protects the best of it.

Brian Bird of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers joins The Parks Podcast for a quick, urgent conversation about what the Roadless Rule does for hunters, anglers, and anyone who values wild places. Roads bring development. Roads bring noise. Roads cause erosion that chokes the streams where fish spawn. And once you build them, you can't un-build them.

In this episode: — What the Roadless Rule actually protects — from a hunter and angler's perspective — Why the fire prevention argument for rescinding the rule doesn't hold up — How roads change the fish habitat downstream — culverts, sedimentation, and the biology of streams — Why this isn't a red or blue issue — everybody owns these lands — How to submit a public comment and why it matters — BHA's before/after map — what 45 million acres looks like when protections are gone — The 24-hour call to action

Take action: — BHA take action page: backcountryhunters.org/roadless — Submit comments: regulations.gov — Call your rep: congress.gov/members/find-your-member

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In November 1805, after 18 months on the road, Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Coast. Before settling in for winter, they did something remarkable — they solicited opinions from everyone in their party on where to make camp. The record shows every opinion, including those of Clark's enslaved man York and Sacagawea. It was 1805.

Jon Burpee, Superintendent of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Astoria, Oregon, joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story of this six-unit park — the replica fort, the ethno-botanical garden, the Chinook trading relationship, the salmon restoration, and what the journals say about the most miserable six days Lewis and Clark ever spent.

In this episode: — Why Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark — scientific curiosity, economic ambition, and a $2,500 budget — The Chinook people — traders for generations before Europeans arrived, and why their relationship with the expedition was genuinely different — The extraordinary "solicitation" — when Lewis and Clark asked York and Sacagawea for their opinion — Six months waiting in the rain — 12 days of sunshine, 6 days of visible blue sky, the rest clouds and wet — The Fort to Sea Trail — 6.5 miles through forest, wetland, and maritime ecosystem — The ethno-botanical garden — a living research library of plants important to the Chinookan peoples — Salmon restoration — why a national park is protecting salmon habitat and what it means for the Pacific Northwest — How to visit all six units — Fort Clatsop, Salt Works, Station Camp, Dismal Niche, Cape Disappointment, Fort to Sea Trail — December visits — when rangers in period clothing make the experience feel exactly as Lewis and Clark described it

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/lewi — Lewis and Clark journals online: lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu — Cape Disappointment camping: parks.wa.gov

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Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument was designated in 2020 — making it one of the youngest units in the National Park Service. The visitor center is spectacular. The history is extraordinary. And the park is still actively being built.

The Battle of Mill Springs on January 19, 1862 was a rare winter battle and the first major Union victory in the West — a watershed moment that changed how the war would develop west of the Appalachians. Chief of Interpretation Andrew Miller joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story: the battle, the preservation history, and what visitors can see and do at a park that is genuinely coming to life.

In this episode: — How this battlefield nearly disappeared — listed among the 10 most endangered Civil War battlefields in the late 1980s — How the Mill Springs Battlefield Association preserved this land from the ground up, decades before the NPS arrived — Why the Battle of Mill Springs happened in winter — and why it almost didn't happen at all — Kentucky's extraordinary neutrality — Colonel Sanders with two pistols — and how it collapsed — Felix Kirk Zollicoffer — the newspaper editor turned Confederate general who had no professional military training — What visitors can see today: the visitor center, the 20-minute film, the driving tour, the hiking trails, and the Brown-Lanier home — What's coming in the next five years: new signage, expanded trails, a staff ride program, and a NPS film — How to make a full vacation out of the area — Camp Nelson, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace, Mammoth Cave, Big South Fork all within 90 minutes

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/misp — NPS App for self-guided battlefield tour — Mill Springs Battlefield Association: millsprings.net

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New River Gorge became America's newest national park in 2020 — but the story here goes back 10,000 years. This is where the smokeless coal that fueled the industrial revolution came from. Where Henry Ford leased mines and Carter G. Woodson — the father of Black History Month — worked as a coal miner. Where Mother Jones helped build the labor movement. And where one Saturday every October, BASE jumpers from around the world leap off the longest steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

Eve West, Chief of Interpretation and Education at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, joins The Parks Podcast to peel back the layers of a park that keeps revealing more the deeper you go — and share everything you need to know to plan your visit.

In this episode: — Why New River Gorge was designated a national park AND preserve — and what the difference means — Henry Ford, Carter G. Woodson, and Mother Jones — the history most visitors don't know — How the gorge's forests were stripped bare and came roaring back — Invasive species — what they are, what's happening at New River, and what you can do — Whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, and everything else you can do here — Bridge Day — the one day a year people jump off the bridge — How to plan a visit to a park that doesn't work like traditional national parks — Accessibility, dogs, camping, and where to stay

Links mentioned: 

Plan your visit

Bridge Day

Bridge Walk (underneath the bridge)

Gauley River National Recreation Area

Friends of New River Gorge

Camping reservations

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National Hammock Day is June 22nd. We met up with Anna Rawlins from ENO to talk about the history of hammocking, how to do it safely, and why so many people are incorporating hammocks into their lives.

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General Coffee State Park in Georgia celebrates the rich agricultural history of our country. The park showcases its late 1800s farm and diverse recreational activities.

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What do dish towels, dorm-style boarding houses, and secret British tech have in common? Welcome to Lowell National Historical Park — the birthplace of American industrial innovation and a catalyst for social change.

In this episode, host Missy Rentz explores the fascinating history of Lowell, Massachusetts, with Park Ranger Aubrey Brown. Discover how Lowell became the blueprint for mill towns across the U.S., why it centered young women as its primary workforce, and how the hum of textile looms sparked waves of activism, immigration, and independence.

🎧 You’ll learn about:

• The power looms that changed American manufacturing forever
• The "mill girls" who fought for better conditions—and found their voices
• How WWII shifted the mills from dishcloths to parachutes
• Why the boarding house system gave women a rare taste of freedom
• Today’s immersive visitor experience, including weaving demos, canal walks, and cultural exhibits

From innovation to labor rights, Lowell’s story is more than machinery—it’s a lens into the American spirit. Press play and get inspired by this city’s past and its ongoing legacy.

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Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are home to two of the largest trees in the world. The parks host large-scale conservation efforts and offer incredible recreational activities.

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