Directors and Conference Attendees,
It’s been another unique year for us with some of the coldest, warmest, and wettest weather we’ve seen in 128 years of recordkeeping. The impacts on park management have been numerous, with conditions presenting special challenges as we navigate the aftermath of severe storms, lack of precipitation, and excessive heat. However, being the resilient and resourceful park employees that we are, it has also allowed us the opportunity to collaborate, troubleshoot, and overcome these challenges together, while still providing the best possible experience for our park visitors. We also continue our work to make our parks more accessible so that everyone feels welcome and can enjoy the great outdoors alongside each other. This year, America’s State Parks invites you to join Director Bob Mergell and the Nevada State Parks team for the annual National Association of State Park Directors conference in beautiful Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It will be a time to celebrate our successes, recognize the trials and tribulations we’ve all experienced, to share our collective lessons learned, and to challenge ourselves to be the best in the conservation of natural and cultural resources while providing for quality outdoor recreation experiences in the most effective and efficient means.
America’s State Parks continues to grow and adapt as innovative technology is embraced, new information is learned from advances in data collection, energy efficient infrastructure is built, and access in the outdoors is pursued. Since we met in Oregon last year, seven new directors have started, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and strategies for making our parks even better. And with change comes opportunities for teaching, learning, and collaborating with one another. Our annual conference remains an important opportunity for decision makers, partners, and the public to work together as America’s State Parks continue to see record numbers of visitors while also being understaffed and underfunded.
Nationally, outdoor recreation is booming. The outdoor participant base increased by 6.9% since early 2020 and the number of participants 55 years and older increased by more than 14% since 2019. Senior participants ages 65 and older were in the fastest growing age category with 16.9% growth since 2020. These are positive changes that will lead to significant health benefits, but more needs to be done to improve accessibility and equity so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation. Strategies like incorporating culturally relevant messaging and images to our marketing will go a long way towards meeting these goals. It’s also imperative for us to understand how to respond to issues, such as the presentation last year on climate change, and start to effectively plan, adapt, and mitigate these issues. With our combined efforts, we can and will overcome the challenges we all face.
This year’s conference will cover relevant and timely topics, including the importance of using data to manage parks, marketing strategies, facilities of the future, and the importance of using state parks stories. You will also find many opportunities to engage and connect with NASPD leadership, state park directors, and senior staff from across the country as well as our federal partners, affiliate non-profit organizations, and our ever-increasing community of industry suppliers and service providers.
Located in Stateline, Nevada, the new Tahoe Events Center is our host conference facility and is an hour from the Reno/Tahoe Airport. The Nevada team and partners are putting together some exciting excursions for you to choose from on Tuesday, and the conference program includes visits to Sand Harbor, Mormon Station, and Spooner Lake state parks. If you want to see more of Nevada, you are invited to come early and stay late to explore more of what Nevada has to offer.
Whether it will be your first time attending, or you are a veteran of our conference, we thank you for the leadership and support you provide America’s State Parks and welcome you to Nevada.
Sincerely,
Lewis R. Ledford
Executive Director, National Association of State Park Directors