Western National Parks Association Announces New National Park Service Partnership with Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

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Jun 04, 2024, 08:00 ET

TUCSON, Ariz., June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Western National Parks Association (WNPA) will now provide support to its newest National Park Service (NPS) partner park, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument.

For thousands of years, melted winter snow from the mountain ranges near Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument has helped fill or recharge underground aquifers that feed nearby springs (NPS/Andrew Cattoir).

The monument, an urban park located in the Upper Las Vegas Valley in Nevada, preserves the story of an ever-changing ecosystem dating back approximately 570,000 years. With opportunities for ecological study, scientific research and development of future park stewards, the park's rich fossil record and its proximity to the Las Vegas metropolitan area, with more than two million residents and more than 38 million visitors per year, make it a significant location in need of support. "Linking past, present and future, the monument provides opportunities to understand how research can inform both scientists and the general public as they seek to learn how the world they see today came to be and to look to the future with greater wisdom," according to the NPS founding document.

"We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with Western National Parks Association," said Derek Carter, superintendent of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. "Their commitment to education and preservation aligns seamlessly with our mission, and we look forward to the positive impact this collaboration will have on our park and its visitors."

WNPA, a nonprofit education partner of the NPS, will now help to enhance and protect the park experience at Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument through many forms of support including direct financial aid, updated publications, funding for park-related research, interpretive retail, community events and outreach and marketing. WNPA has been serving national parks for more than 85 years.

"We are inspired and excited by the opportunity to support this important resource," said WNPA president and CEO, Marie Buck. "WNPA is committed to supporting parks as places of learning and belonging for everyone, and Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument will continue to play an important role in sparking future park stewardship and advancing our understanding of the past to help protect the future."

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument is now the 72nd NPS unit to partner with WNPA. Since 1938, WNPA has provided more than $147 million in aid to parks throughout the West.

About WNPA
WNPA helps make the national park experience possible for everyone. As a nonprofit education partner of the NPS, WNPA supports parks across the West, developing products, services, and programs that enhance the visitor experience, understanding, and appreciation of national parks. Since 1938 WNPA has worked to connect new generations to parks in meaningful ways, all with one simple goal: create advocates who want to preserve and protect these special places for everyone, for all time. Learn more about the organization and career opportunities at www.wnpa.org.

SOURCE Western National Parks Association