National Park Trust Inc

“Stephen schuler and kevin seth have a family relationship.”

“The bylaws were amended to include a compensation committee as a subcommittee of the finance and audit committee. Policies and procedures regarding the compensation and benefits of the executive director and general staff were updated as part of these changes.”

“The draft form 990 is first reviewed by the senior director of finance & administration and executive director for accuracy and content followed by review by and approval of the finance committee. Prior to filing, the full board is provided a copy of the final form 990.”

“At the request of the compensation committee, the senior director of finance & administration provides the committee with a current compensation market analysis comparing the executive director's salary and the salaries of all park trust employees to market benchmarks. Using this information, along with a formal evaluation conducted by the board of trustees, a recommended compensation package for the executive director is presented to the board and voted on in executive session. The most recent board meeting at which compensation was reviewed and voted on took place on june 10, 2025, in washington, dc.”

“The governance committee of the board of trustees is responsible for reviewing and approving the compensation of the executive director, as well as for all staff, including the senior director of finance & administration, in alignment with the 3-year strategic plan for fy24 - fy26 adopted by the board in june 2023. Additionally, a formal compensation committee compares market analysis surveys to ensure that compensation per the strategic plan for the upcoming fiscal year is still reasonable. Recommended compensation adjustments are communicated to the full board of trustees by the governance committee. The last board meeting where compensation was voted on, in conjunction with approving the fiscal year budget, was held on june 10, 2025, in washington, dc.”

“The governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are made available to the public upon request.”

“During the 2024-2025 school year, the buddy bison youth programs have been implemented in the following states: alaska - 2 schools, 200 students arizona - 6 schools, 458 students california - 59 schools, 4,019 students colorado - 3 schools, 173 students connecticut - 3 schools, 224 students delaware - 5 schools, 359 students florida - 4 schools, 170 students georgia - 5 schools, 491 students hawai'i - 4 schools, 135 students idaho - 3 schools, 186 students illinois - 13 schools, 995 students indiana - 2 schools, 84 students iowa - 1 school, 75 students kansas - 5 schools, 261 students kentucky - 3 schools, 201 students louisiana - 4 schools, 293 students maine - 2 schools, 245 students maryland - 37 schools, 3675 students massachusetts - 1 school, 96 students michigan - 4 schools, 333 students minnesota - 2 schools, 80 students mississippi - 1 school, 50 students missouri - 5 schools, 356 students montana - 6 schools, 366 students nevada - 6 schools, 881 students new jersey - 6 schools, 364 students new mexico - 6 schools, 364 students new york - 10 schools, 1,257 students north carolina - 5 schools, 603 students north dakota - 1 school, 120 students oklahoma - 1 school, 57 students oregon - 5 schools, 250 students pennsylvania - 9 schools, 654 students rhode island - 1 school, 29 students south carolina - 1 school, 12 students south dakota - 1 school, 30 students texas - 3 schools, 153 students virginia - 16 schools, 1717 students washington - 3 schools, 150 students washington, dc - 51 schools, 3494 students wisconsin - 7 schools, 311 students wyoming - 1 school, 11 students american samoa - 1 school, 25 students below are samples of buddy bison school events implemented by the park trust: alaska: on 4/30-5/2/25, 55 5th-grade students from william tyson elementary (anchorage, ak) visited the begich boggs visitor center in the kenai mountains turnagain arm heritage area (kmta). Over three days and two nights, educators at the alaska outdoor school and ktma park rangers led them to learn about glaciers, the local flora and fauna, and how animals and people interact with and are supported by the land around them. Arizona: on 11/12/24 and 11/14/24, 115 3rd-graders from saddleback elementary (maricopa, az) visited casa grande ruins national monument to learn about the resilience of the ancestral sonoran desert people. Rangers introduced students to the native desert plants and explained how the ancestral people used each plant in their daily lives. Students toured the casa grande ruins and imagined the different uses of the great house. The rangers also showed students how the ancestral people's children would use a 'mano and 'metate' to grind corn for their food. Students tried using the tools themselves and quickly learned how laborious it is to grind corn by hand. They finished the day by visiting the museum exhibits to view the artifacts found by archeologists at the site. California: on 2/13/25 and 2/18/25, 60 5th-graders from pennycook elementary (vallejo, ca) visited muir woods national monument for the ranger-led "into the redwood forest" program. Students used plant identification cards and information about the coast miwok relationship to the woods to familiarize themselves with the habitats and history of the forest. The rangers helped students explore one of the last remaining old-growth redwood forests in the bay area, focusing on the question - "how can nature teach us about community?". Colorado: on 4/29/25, 43 1st-3rd graders from gilpin county elementary school (black hawk, co) visited majestic view nature center for their habitat homes and meet a mammal programs. Students learned what a habitat is, the different types of habitats that animals live in, and how they provide those animals with what they need to survive. They then learned about the characteristics that make a mammal a mammal and all about their unique adaptations. Connecticut: on 3/25/25 and 3/26/25, 130 3rd-graders from eli whitney elementary (stra”

“Louisiana: on 10/11/24, 51 4th graders from audubon charter (new orleans, la) visited the creole queen paddle-wheeler and chalmette battlefield. They started their morning with a ride down the mississippi river aboard the creole queen paddle-wheeler. They were greeted at chalmette battlefield by rangers in colonial dress who performed a musket-firing demonstration in character. Students were excited to see the muskets in action, as they'd been learning about them in history class. After the stop at the battlefield, they got back on the boat and ended their day cruising back up the mississippi. Maine: on 6/2-6/4/25, 136 5th-grade students from fairmount school (bangor, me) visited acadia national park to hike the gorham mountain trail. During the hike, students learned about local plants and wildlife and the health benefits of hiking. For many students, this trip also marked their first time seeing the ocean. Maryland: on 10/11/24, 51 4th-graders from cesar chavez dual spanish immersion (chillum, md) visited watkins nature center for the rocks & minerals program. The watkins naturalists led students through an exploration of the common and not-so-common minerals and rocks from around the world. They discussed how the rocks formed, how we classify them, and why they are important in ecosystems and for human development. After the program, the students explored the nature center exhibits and went for a hike on the forested trail. Massachusetts: on 6/10/25, 100 4th graders from woodville school (wakefield, ma) visited boston harbor islands national recreation area. They learned about weathering and erosion as well as human impacts on the environment and earth's resources. All students participated in a ranger-led program and earned their junior ranger badges. Michigan: on 5/8-5/9/25, 41 6th-8th graders from salina intermediate school (dearborn, mi) visited walled lake outdoor adventure center for an overnight camping trip. For many, this was their first experience camping. They conducted a water testing activity in the lake and a dissection of an owl pellet to learn more about the raptors living in the park. These first-time campers gained a new sense of self-confidence and self-respect while tackling new challenges in the outdoors with their classmates. Minnesota: on 3/14/25, 70 4th-grade students from bruce f. Vento elementary (st. Paul, mn) celebrated the return of spring with dodge nature center's maple sugaring program. Tudents helped tap a maple tree and observed the sap flow. Then, students visited the evaporator and were able to sample some maple syrup. Students then enjoyed lunch and self-guided exploration around the gardens and beehives on the property before heading back to school. Mississippi: on 5/17/25, 37 k-5th graders from the pearl public school district (pearl, ms) visited lefleur's bluff state park and medgar and myrlie evers home national monument. At lefleur's bluff, students participated in hands-on lessons to learn about the pearl river ecosystem and the importance of conservation efforts along the river. At myrlie evers home, students participated in a living history lesson about the civil rights movement and a guided reflection encouraging students to connect lessons from the past to modern social justice efforts. Missouri: on 10/10/24, 110 1st graders from hannah cole primary (booneville, mo) visited powell gardens. They broke into small groups and explored the gardens at their own pace. Highlights included a tree id scavenger hunt and the interactive children's garden. Montana: on 10/16/24, 29 kindergarten and 1st-grade students from the hot springs school (hot springs, mt) visited the national bison range visitor center for a fun day of activities before taking the bus on a driving tour of the range. While at the visitor center, students explored the museum, used tracks, bones, and pelts to learn about native wildlife, played some running games in the field, and visited the maker truck, a cultural make”

“South carolina: on 5/2/25, 12 preschool students from h.e. Corley elementary (irmo, sc) visited saluda shoals park. They participated in a sensory story time program, reading a story about turtles and then moving on to hands-on activities that compared turtle artifacts to other objects and involved playing games where they acted out different characteristics of turtles. South dakota: on 5/12/25, 34 5th-grade students from the bridgewater-emery school (emery, sd) visited newton hills state park. At the park, students learned to fish, completed water quality testing activities, hiked the trails, and identified some of the common tree species in their area. Texas: on 3/7/25, 36 9th-grade ehrhart school (beaumont, tx) students traveled to big thicket national preserve for a guided hike and stewardship activity with volunteers from their sponsor, howard energy. After big buddy greeted students off the bus, everyone headed inside the visitor center for a short presentation on the ecosystem of the thicket and the fire restoration methods that nps staff use. This was followed by a guided hike, where students learned about the tree adaptations that help them survive controlled burns as well as carnivorous plants in the area (sundews, butterworts). After lunch, everyone donned their high-vis and set to plant little blue stem grass plugs in a burned plot of land in front of the visitor center. Students will be able to visit big thicket for years to come and know that they helped restore that plot of land. Virginia: on 10/2/24, 117 4th-grade students from riverside elementary school (alexandria, va) visited hidden oaks nature center to participate in their "eastern woodland indians and how they related to their ecosystem" rogram. During this program, students took a guided nature walk while learning about how indigenous peoples used natural resources for survival. After the program, students and teachers enjoyed a picnic lunch at annandale park before returning to school. Washington: on 6/16/25, 38 5th-graders from mlk elementary (seattle, wa) spent the day at camp pigott, rotating between several nature camp activities. Students scaled a rock-climbing wall, created tree-ring medallions, learned to make fire with flint and steel, and enjoyed games about camouflage and predator-prey relationships. After dinner, everyone enjoyed s'mores by the fire and a talent show. Washington, dc: on 5/29/25, 29 3rd-graders from neval thomas elementary (washington, dc) visited the national air & space museum udvar-hazy center. Students participated in a hands-on steam lab, discovering the phases of the moon, its relationship to earth, and the story of the apollo missions. Before this trip, students completed the junior ranger spaceflight explorer activity guide and discussed the connections between national parks and outer space. Wisconsin: on 5/15/25, 71 6th-8th graders from wonewoc-center junior high (wonewoc, wi) visited devil's lake state park. This program promoted physical wellness through hiking and kayaking. They also learned about the woodland period in wisconsin while viewing the effigy mounds in the park. Wyoming: on 5/5-5/8/25, 11 6th graders from ten sleep school (ten sleep, wy) visited grand teton national park. They enjoyed new experiences such as hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing while learning about plant and animal adaptations and the ecosystems of the park. American samoa: on 3/12/25, 26 k-5th-grade students from matatula elementary school (pago pago, as) explored the national park of american samoa. The students learned about the importance of building relationships between people and the parks and public lands around them, and about the unique habitats and ecosystems within the park. Kids to parks day as a public extension of our rapidly growing buddy bison youth programs, the park trust initiated kids to parks day in 2011. Kids to parks day has captured the interest of many communities across the country. The 15th annual”

“Outing at cuyahoga valley national park on april 12, 2025, the national park trust, in partnership with the national park service and project healing waters fly fishing (phwff), hosted a day-long fly-fishing event at cuyahoga valley national park in ohio for 40 veterans from pennsylvania and ohio. Paired with phwff volunteers, participants experienced the therapeutic benefits of fly fishing along furnace run near the everett covered bridge, while nps rangers shared insights on the park's ecosystems and history. The day fostered connection, reflection, and time in nature, and concluded with 21 veterans receiving lifetime military passes, empowering them to continue exploring public lands and reinforcing the partners' commitment to supporting veterans through meaningful outdoor recreation. Outing at new river gorge national park & preserve in june 2025, marines participating in the single marine program (smp) spent a weekend at new river gorge national park and preserve in west virginia, focused on outdoor adventure, teamwork, and connection. The trip began with a ranger-led program at the canyon rim visitor center, where participants learned about the park's history and geology and received lifetime military passes, reinforcing that these public lands are theirs to enjoy and protect. Over the weekend, marines took part in whitewater rafting on the new river, navigating class i-iii rapids on saturday and more challenging class iv-v rapids on sunday, building trust, coordination, and camaraderie through shared challenges. The experience provided a meaningful break from routine, allowing participants to recharge outdoors, strengthen community, and connect deeply with one another while exploring one of the country's most scenic and exhilarating national parks. College ambassador programs the national park trust college ambassador program provides college students with the resources to lead initiatives on their campuses that increase outdoor recreation participation and stewardship within their campus communities. The program also aims to increase access and awareness of parks and outdoor places. Each ambassador pair at participating schools works to leverage school assets and community connections to develop and implement a series of outdoor activities that engage their campus community in outdoor recreation. These activities include a local park outing, a stewardship event, a fishing-themed outing, and social media outreach. The fy25 program included 48 ambassadors across 24 participating colleges and universities. The program resulted in: -69 park outings, including local park visits, stewardship-focused outings, collaborative events, and outdoor recreation experiences. -920 students were engaged. A few examples of college outings include: tennessee state university at mammoth cave national park outing in october 2024, 15 students from tennessee state university, including three ambassadors, participated in a unique outdoor adventure through the national park trust x hbcu outside program by spelunking at mammoth cave national park in south-central kentucky-the longest cave system in the world. Building on tsu's (tennessee state university) strong relationship with the mammoth cave team, the experience offered students a rare opportunity to explore deep underground, crawling through narrow passageways and navigating an awe-inspiring environment unlike typical outdoor hikes. For many first-time spelunkers, initial nerves quickly turned into excitement as they were challenged to step outside their comfort zones with support from peers and expert park guides. The impactful experience introduced students to a new form of outdoor exploration and highlighted the transformative power of discovering unexpected landscapes beneath the earth's surface. Shenandoah university at c&o canal national historical park outing in april 2025, eleven students from shenandoah university embarked on a multi-day biking adventure along the c&o canal towpat”

“Appalachian national scenic trail (2022-present) in november 2022, the national park service (nps) and u.s. Forest service (usfs) asked the park trust to help acquire land for the appalachian trail near troutville, va. Two parcels owned by the same person-one for the nps section of the trail and one for the george washington-jefferson national forest-were intended to be purchased together. The park trust facilitated the single purchase, completing land surveys, title research, environmental clearance, and a fair market appraisal. In 2024, the nps parcel was sold to a private buyer after a higher offer, while the usfs parcel remains in the pipeline. The park trust's acquisition ensures the usfs can purchase the property in 2026, preserving critical trail and forest lands. Indiana indiana dunes national park (2020-present) the marquette greenway is a 58-mile trail along lake michigan from chicago, illinois, to new buffalo, michigan, divided into 20 jurisdictional segments. The park trust funded ownership research and quiet title actions on 19 abandoned lots originally held by a railroad company. In the first phase, we collaborated with a local attorney, the national park service (nps), and the city of gary to secure nine parcels in lake county; tax deeds were obtained and quiet title actions completed for most parcels, with transfers of seven properties to the nps now underway. Two parcels were ineligible but did not impact trail construction. Phase two, covering nine additional parcels, began in early 2024, and once completed, these acquisitions will finalize the nps contribution to the greenway. The project is ongoing. Maryland monocacy national battlefield (2018-present) two civil war monuments and their surrounding land remain owned by the states where the respective military units were raised: new jersey and vermont. The park trust located the deeds and key state contacts and worked with the park superintendent and the national park service (nps) to develop a transfer strategy. We engaged new jersey state parks and the vermont state preservation office, both of which agreed to collaborate. Vermont has passed legislation authorizing its monument transfer, and the nps is actively completing the process. In new jersey, title research and initial discussions with state officials are underway. Both projects are ongoing, highlighting the park trust's role in facilitating the preservation and consolidation of these historic monuments. The project is ongoing. Chesapeake and ohio canal national historical park, md (2017-present) the c&o canal superintendent identified a 2-acre property adjacent to nps land containing the ruins of the seneca stone mill. Although a deed to the state of maryland indicated the land was to be transferred to the nps, the transfer never occurred. Board member ray sherbill helped obtain a title report confirming state ownership. After initially questioning ownership, the assistant attorney general reviewed the report and deeds and agreed the state owned the property and was willing to transfer it directly to the nps. The state completed its preparations, and the nps has finished environmental clearance and continues working to finalize the transfer. The project remains ongoing. Julius rosenwald and rosenwald schools national historic site (2022-present) in 2022, the park trust began collaborating with the rosenwald park campaign to support the proposed creation of a park honoring julius rosenwald and booker t. Washington, who together facilitated and funded the construction of over 5,000 schools to educate black children in the segregated south. We provided letters of support and conducted due diligence on a potential national historical site, the san domingo school in sharptown, md, including contracting an environmental site assessment to identify any recognized environmental conditions. The park trust will continue to support the campaign as needed in 2026. Texas lyndon b johnson national historical park”

“Connecticut coltsville national historical park (2023) in 2023, we celebrated a major milestone in our partnership with the national park service (nps), congressman john b. Larson (ct, 1st district), chevron corporation, and other stakeholders to advance the establishment of coltsville national historical park in hartford, ct. Originally authorized by legislation in 2014, the park's creation depended on meeting specific conditions related to the land and structures involved, including formal agreements among the nps, the city of hartford, the private landowner colt gateway, llc, and its investment partner, chevron. Negotiating the donation of property and an easement within the colt factory complex proved unexpectedly complex, resulting in years of detailed discussions. In early 2023, the nps enlisted our support to elevate and reframe these talks, and our expertise in land protection and collaboration among public, nonprofit, and private entities helped facilitate focused, productive dialogue. These efforts, combined with the good faith of all parties, led to an agreement that cleared the final hurdle for establishing the new national park. This agreement now enables the nps to acquire the historic 1850s forge and foundry brownstone buildings, preserving the legacy of the original colt complex. These time-honored structures will serve as the park's visitor center and become its central hub. The transfer of the brownstones marks the last major step in creating coltsville national historical park, opening the door to telling the story of samuel and elizabeth colt and their enduring impact on our nation. Missouri missouri national recreational river (2024-present) the national park service (nps) contacted the national park trust, asking for help to acquire a 676-acre parcel of land on james river island inside the missouri national recreational river near yankton, sd. The property, the largest land holding on the 730-acre island, would be one of the most significant additions to the park. It is for sale by private owners who prefer selling to the national park service. However, they are interested in making the sale in less time than the extended time. There were other interested buyers, such as hunting and fishing outfitters. Previous government appraisals have not met the owners' expectations of value. The last approved offer was about 60% of a prior government offer, so they rejected it. The acreage is undeveloped, but any commercial facilities added to serve hunters and fishermen could have reduced the old-growth cottonwood forest and native prairie, which are vanishing habitats. At least turn and piping plover, federally designated endangered species, nest on the island, and changes to the landscape could affect their nesting. The project remains ongoing. Ohio cuyahoga valley national park (2023-present) the national park service (nps) contacted the national park trust for assistance in acquiring a 22-acre parcel adjacent to the park. The land is largely undeveloped, aside from the owner's house, and is the park's top priority for protection. Because the nps could not meet the owner's timeline, the park trust planned to purchase and hold the property until the nps could take title, contracting for environmental clearance and title research in the process. However, the nps later determined that, due to legal restrictions, it could only acquire a scenic easement rather than full ownership. The owners are interested in selling the easement, and the park trust continues to work with both the owners and the nps to implement it. The project is expected to be completed in 2026. New mexico pecos national historical park (2024) the national park service (nps) asked the park trust to assist in acquiring a 2.18-acre developed parcel located on land that was part of the site of the battle of glorieta pass during the civil war. Incorporating this property into pecos national historical park will allow the nps to protect any remaining hi”

“Since 1983, the national park trust has completed 87 land acquisition, restoration, and mitigation projects to protect more than 26,000 acres in 32 states, one u.s. Territory, and washington, d.c. Seventy-three of these projects have benefited 56 units of the national park service. While our earlier work included preserving various federal, state, and local public lands, our current work focuses solely on national park sites. The park trust selects land projects in response to direct requests from the national park service (nps) for real estate assistance to acquire privately owned parcels from willing sellers. The acquired lands are located within, or in certain cases adjacent to, national park boundaries. All lands acquired are sold or donated to the national park service for permanent protection. The park trust often works as the sole non-profit partner with the nps on a particular project. We also work with other partners to complete park preservation projects, including national and local land trusts and friend groups. Create park stewards for tomorrow: to ensure the preservation of our parks, public lands, and waters in perpetuity, the national park trust gets kids and families to parks to cultivate future park stewards and outdoor enthusiasts. The park trust has four national initiatives to engage youth and families: 1) buddy bison programs, 2) national kids to parks day, 3) military family program, and 4) college ambassador program. These initiatives provide park experiences for underserved youth, teachers, military families, college/university communities, and the general public. All park trust youth and family programs aim to 1) use parks as outdoor classrooms, 2) promote health and wellness through outdoor recreation, and 3) foster park stewardship through career awareness and volunteer opportunities. To date, since 2009, the park trust's youth and family programs have impacted more than 3,227,000 children and families in collaboration with the white house, department of the interior, national park service, u.s. Forest service, national oceanic and atmospheric administration, and numerous education and conservation partners. Since the pandemic, when programs evolved to virtual/digital formats, the park trust has responded to educators' requests and now employs a hybrid educational approach to connect kids to parks. This blends the best local park trips and virtual programs with rangers to connect children with public lands and waters in their community and country. In the coming years, the park trust will work to expand and further integrate its land conservation and youth educational programs, creating meaningful experiences in nature that enable children to develop important academic and interpersonal skills, as well as explore new outdoor recreation opportunities. These programs also teach critical lessons in conservation, history, and social justice, emphasizing the role of individuals in protecting our nation's parklands. With a potential federal workforce retirement rate of 40% over the next decade, the park trust has a tremendous opportunity to provide young people with hands-on experiences in nature and expose them to green career pathways, including those in technician, scientist, engineer, land manager, and educator roles, among others. Another way the park trust works towards creating park stewards of tomorrow is through grant management services. National park trust provides turnkey services that enable brands to realize the benefits of a robust giving program-minimizing administrative expenses while maximizing program efficiency. Grant management directly supports the park trust in achieving its mission. The park trust currently manages five grant-making programs and, to date, has awarded more than $3.4 million to schools and nonprofits that connect people with the outdoors. Youth and family programs from exploring the channel islands to canoeing along the anacostia river, the national park trust is mak”

“The process has not changed from the prior year.”