National Association of State Park Directors
First Day Hikes Another year of First Day Hikes has come and gone and we had another amazing year of participation. Over 68,000 participants joined us on January 1, 2025 for First Day Hikes! Some of the activities included guided hikes, bike rides, 5K races, history tours, horseback rides, and polar plunges. In total there were more than 1400 events held across the country from Hawaii to Maine. Participants did 171, 709 miles of activity; starting the New Year off on the right foot! First Day...
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Petit Jean State Park, ARSTIHL Inc. is proud to announce its continued support of the Hearts of STIHL program, an initiative dedicated to the preservation and care of our nation’s state parks. Inspired by the dedicated staff of America’s State Parks, the mission of Hearts of STIHL is to support the people and programs that protect these national treasures, ensuring they can be enjoyed by all Americans for generations to come. For 2025, the Hearts of STIHL program will provide grants to a state park in each o...
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Plan for Action THE CRISIS The way children understand and experience their natural world has changed radically over the past several decades. Their physical contact and intimacy with the natural outdoors has diminished greatly. Their inability to connect with nature is now recognized as a national issue of concern. There is speculation that the loss of a child/nature connection threatens their independent judgment, their value of place, their ability to feel awe and wonder, their sense of stew...
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The mission of the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) is to promote and advance the state park systems of America for their own significance, as well as for their important contributions to the nation’s environment, heritage, health, and economy.
State park systems can stimulate each state's economy through tourism, relocation, recreation, and even air-quality for nearby residents. Outdoor recreation can reduce juvenile crime, promote closeness within families, and build community involvement. Spending time in state parks promotes exercise, good health, inspiration, self-realization, and life enrichment. Supporting state park systems ensures that natural and cultural resources are preserved for the next generation. Children growing up in a culture of smart phones and computers can benefit greatly from spending time outdoors in state parks.
