Page 1

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013

N e w s w i r e

APPL NEWS APPL’s Board of Directors welcomed two new members and a new slate of officers at its March 10 meeting. Starting their board service are Laurel Rematore of Mesa Verde Museum Association (MVMA) and Charley Money of Rocky Mountain Nature Association (RMNA). Laurel has been MVMA’s Executive Director since 2008, previously serving as Yosemite Association’s Membership/Development Director from 2001-08. Other work experience includes 20 years working in defense/aerospace and commercial enterprises primarily in program/project management and human resources. Laurel has been a member of the APPL Training Corps for nine years. Charley joined RMNA as its executive director last year, previously serving as executive director of Alaska Geographic for thirteen years. Other work with APPL member associations includes positions with Southwest Parks and Monuments Association (now Western National Parks Association) and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. Charley was previously an APPL board member from 2000-2008 and has also served as a member of APPL’s Training Corps. APPL’s new president is Lyman Hafen, executive director of Zion Natural History Association and an APPL board member since 2010. He is joined in leadership of the association’s board by continuing vice president Blaine Benedict, secretary Audrey Peterman, and treasurer Ellis Bacon. APPL’s executive director Donna Asbury was recognized and extended her thanks to APPL’s members and partners during the 2013 convention in Portland last month. Following the closing general session on March 13, a video tribute captured photos from Donna’s work (and play) on the job and across the country. Five former APPL board presidents highlighted their tenures with Donna and presented her with the APPL Presidents Award. An album filled with public lands postcards from APPL members and colleagues provided personal messages, and a reminder of all the terrific people and places APPL represents. Donna notes that “I want to thank everyone in the APPL community for their support, friendship, and dedication to this organization. I have been honored to work with all of you these past twelve plus years. As I approach my retirement at the end of this month, I look forward to enjoying more time in these great public lands and hope to connect with you all on future travels.” If you would like to send Donna a postcard for her album, and have not yet had the opportunity to do so, you may send it directly to her attention at the APPL office. Donna’s last day of work is April 30. Congratulations to the 2013 APPL Media & Partnership award recipients. Twenty three organizations submitted 101 entries this year for a very successful program. Awards were presented in all 12 categories by renowned American forester and politician Gifford Pinchot on March 13 in Portland, OR. Of special note were the following: • APPL Excellence Award – Children of Manzanar, Manzanar History Association • APPL Agency Partner of the Year – Dale Ditmanson, Superintendent and Kevin

Fitzgerald, former Deputy Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park • APPL Outstanding Vendor Award – Concept 360 View this year’s Winners Bulletin at www.appl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3286.

Supporting Education

and

Stewardship

2401 Blueridge Avenue

Suite 303

Wheaton, MD 20902

Phone:

301 946

9475

Fax 301 946 9478

Newswire is a monthly publication dedicated to news and information on issues important to the public lands community. Deadline for submissions is the third Thursday of each month. Items may be submitted for review and publication to appl@appl.org. To subscribe to Newswire, please send an e-mail with your complete contact information to appl@appl.org. We also encourage you to add your board members to Newswire’s electronic distribution list. Support APPL through the Combined Federal Campaign. Use identification #12051 on your CFC designation form. Interact with APPL and continue the dialogue at:

www.facebook.com/appl.fb

http://twitter.com/goappl

http://linkd.in/vqVDOH

www.goappl.wordpress.com

www.youtube.com/goappl

Supporting Education

and

Stewardship

2401 Blueridge Avenue

Suite 303

Wheaton, MD 20902

Phone:

301 946

9475

Fax 301 946 9478

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 2

APPL was well represented at the fall meeting of the National Park Friends Alliance. Staff who attended the meeting included Executive Director, Donna Asbury and Member Services Coordinator Nancy Kotz. APPL’s member organizations were represented by staff and board members from the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Yosemite Conservancy, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, The National Park Foundation, The National Parks Conservation Association, Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society, Friends of Big Bend National Park, Friends of Acadia, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Student Conservation Association, Grand Canyon Association, and Western National Parks Association. Topics of discussion included preparation for the National Park Service Centennial including the establishment of a Centennial Committee of the NPS Advisory Board; a presentation by The Grey Group regarding Centennial marketing; and a pending review of Director’s Order #21. Participants also visited Capitol Hill to speak with members of Congress regarding issues important to National Park partners involved in philanthropy. If your organization would like more information on future Friends Alliance meetings, visit www.nationalparks.org/our-work/programs/national-park-friends-alliance.

Online Forums News APPL’s Online Forums are available exclusively to staff, board members and volunteers of APPL Member organizations. A full list of the forums may be found at http://lists.appl.org/lists/lists. To join a forum please contact us at appl@appl.org. March Member Forum postings: • Fossil Replica Casts and Petroglyph Replica scaled casts

for sale • Do you hold art contests in your park? • Recommendations for Book distributors • Board Manual examples • DO21 Lite and Partner Guide • Shipping options • Job Descriptions • Will you share your investment policy? • Shipping rates for your e-stores • NPS Cooperating Association Annual Report of Aid and

Revenue • Potential funding or a scam? • ARTICLE: With GSA Cancelling Trainings, How Can

Feds Develop New Skills?

• WNPA seeking a Director of Philanthropy • Web sales as a % of total sales • Survey regarding point of sale and inventory costs • State of the Industry: How Your Small Business Can

Tackle "Showrooming” • Recycled vs. paper/plastic Merchandise Bags • Does anyone make their own interpretive tags for items? • Does your organization have a member only website? Subscribers may read full discussion threads of all Member Forum postings at http://lists.appl.org/lists/arc/applnews/2013-03/thrd1.html. Recent Buyers Forum postings: • Staff training protocol for retail clerks • Scope of Sales samples Subscribers may read full discussion threads of all Members Forum postings at http://lists.appl.org/lists/arc/applbuyers/2013-03/.

Training News Learn how the APPL Training Corps can assist your organization at www.appl.org. Last month APPL Executive Director Donna Asbury facilitated the development of a strategic plan with Rocky Mountain Nature Association to guide RMNA’s operations for the next three to five years. Through the process, APPL worked with RMNA’s staff, board, key stakeholders, and partners to develop a succinct plan that summarizes why the Association exists, what it is trying to accomplish, and how it will go about doing so - with a focus on what the Association has determined are its most important decisions and actions over the next few years. For further information about training for your organization, please contact APPL Education Coordinator Chuck Benjamin at cbenjamin@appl.org. APPL will once again travel to the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, CA April 10-13 to conduct partnership and fundraising training for representatives of the state park cooperating associations and their agency partners. Reprising a similar training from March 2012, the sessions will focus on building strong partnerships, strategic thinking in tandem, governance of non-profits, revenue development, and fundraising. The four-day training will be conducted by members of the APPL staff, Training Corps, and California State Parks consultants.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 3

Bridge To Tomorrow News APPL’s Bridge to Tomorrow (B2T) program provides young leaders an opportunity to develop their professional network and learn more about public land partnerships.

Fifteen energetic and enthusiastic young leaders represented the Bridge to Tomorrow (BT2) Class of 2013 during the convention, enabling them to develop their professional network and learn more about public land partnerships. This diverse group of young professionals from across the country enjoyed a team building hike in Portland’s Washington Park, actively participated in sharing their perspectives and ideas with convention participants, volunteered as session monitors and greeters throughout the week, and worked together to present a session on engaging young people in the public lands arena.

NEWSBITS Author and APPL Board Member Audrey Peterman is seeking submissions for her new initiative, 365 Parks in 365 Days, launched January 1. Each day she has published an online story spotlighting a unit of the public lands system, talking about its special features and its place in our country’s history. The stories are posted to Twitter and Facebook as well. If you’d like your location included, please send her a note at Audrey@legacyontheland.com. View the Archives of all locations featured so far at http://conta.cc/Yf3QSv. On March 19 the Bipartisan Policy Center together with the National Parks Conservation Association and the National Park Hospitality Association held a forum entitled Building a More Sustainable Future for America's National Parks. The dialogue’s purpose was to begin to identify potential funding strategies that can tap into the deep bipartisan appreciation for America's treasured national parks and draw on bipartisan support. Video from the forum as well as individual white papers can be found at http://bipartisanpolicy.org/events/2013/03/building-more-sustainable-future-americas-national-parks

The 50th Anniversary National Wilderness Planning Team (Wilderness50) is pleased to announce the launch of www.wilderness50th.org, a new website dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. The website honors 50 years of preservation, use and enjoyment of wilderness by: • Cataloging all local, regional, and national 50th

anniversary events, meetings, programs, and projects occurring between now and 2014 and dedicated to raising awareness of wilderness. As event planning escalates this year, event hosts and organizers are encouraged to enter their events onto the map and calendar.

• Providing resources and materials for people and organizations interested in hosting or organizing 50th anniversary local community events. Possible events can include Walks for Wilderness; outings and service trips; museum, airport, or visitor center exhibits; speakers; interpretive programs; trainings or workshops; photography or writing contests; art shows; music or dance programs; book or poetry readings; stewardship projects and more.

• Providing information about the National Wilderness Conference, to be held October 15-19, 2014 in Albuquerque, NM. This event will be Wilderness50’s premier forum for discussing the growing challenges of perpetuating the values of wilderness in a time of unprecedented environmental and social change.

Please join Wilderness50 in celebrating 50 Years of American Wilderness by visiting www.wilderness50th.org. Enter your email address on the home page to sign up for future key 50th updates. The locations for the 2013 Outdoor Nation Summits have been announced. Signature Summits are planned for Raleigh/Durham, Chicago and Seattle. Smaller and more focused Intensive Training (ON-IT) Summits will be held in Boston, Austin and Los Angeles. And young leaders are encouraged to host their own (OWN-IT) Summits across the U.S. Outdoor Nation Summits are free for anyone to attend. Signature Summits: • Raleigh/Durham Summit: June 29-30 • Chicago Summit: July 13-14 • Seattle Summit: July 20-21 ON-Its: • Boston Summit: September 14-15 • Austin Summit: October 5-6 • Los Angeles Summit: October 19-20 Registration is now open. Complete Details on Outdoor Nation Summits are available at http://outdoornation.org/page/2013-summits.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 4

Twenty-eight nonprofit friends groups received grants of up to $5,000 as part of the Every Day Capacity Building Grants from the National Environmental Education Foundation. The grants assist with projects including communications, fundraising, technology updates, website development and more. The Every Day Capacity Building Grants are part of the National Environmental Education Foundation's Public Lands Every Day Program and are made possible with the generous support of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. View all 28 grantees at www.publiclandseveryday.org/grants/every-day-capacity-building-grantees?utm_source=March+2013+PLED+Newsletter&utm_campaign=PLED+March+Newsletter&utm_medium=email. According to data from Independent Sector (IS), the 2012 value of volunteer time is $22.14/hour, a 35-cent increase from 2011. State-by-state figures for the value of volunteer time are also available on the IS website at www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time. The value of volunteer time provides one way to measure the impact millions of individuals make with each hour they dedicate to make a difference. The release of this important figure comes before National Volunteer Week, which takes place April 21-27. According to Urban Institute, nonprofits employ approximately 13.7 million workers – about 10 percent of the American work force – and account for about 5.5 percent of GDP. According to the Corporation for National Community Service, about 64.3 million Americans, or 26.8 percent of the adult population gave 7.9 billion hours of volunteer service worth $171 billion in 2011; estimates for 2012 will be released this summer. Please use this figure to calculate the immense value of your own volunteers and share it with others in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. On June 5 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. the National Park Trust (NPT) will honor Congressman Mike Simpson with the 13th Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award. Since 2001, NPT has given this award to honor the memory and legacy of Bruce F. Vento, a twelve-term Congressman from Minnesota, dedicated environmentalist and a champion of legislation for America's parks. NPT will recognize Congressman Simpson for his outstanding record in park preservation and environmental stewardship. He currently serves as Chair of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. All proceeds from the event will be used to support NPT’s programs including their park preservation

projects, Kids to Parks National Scholarship Fund and National Kids to Parks Day. Read the full press release on the 2013 Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award at www.buddybison.org/news/press-release-and-media/598-simpson.

AGENCY NEWS Last month President Obama signed proclamations establishing five new national monuments, using his authority under the Antiquities Act, which celebrate our nation’s rich history and natural heritage. The designations were made with bi-partisan support from congressional, state and local officials, local businesses and other stakeholders and are expected to promote economic growth in the local communities through tourism and outdoor recreation. The monuments are: • Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in

Ohio. The monument, located in Wilberforce, OH, will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. Visit www.nps.gov/prsf/historyculture/charles-young-buffalo-soldier.htm for additional information.

• First State National Monument in Delaware is comprised of three historic areas related to Delaware’s rich history: the Dover Green, the New Castle Court House complex (including the courthouse, Green and Sheriff’s House), and the Woodlawn property in the Brandywine Valley. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. For more information and to follow plans for the development of the site, visit www.nps.gov/frst/index.htm.

• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland includes Stewart’s Canal, dug by hand by free and enslaved people between 1810 and the 1830s and where Tubman learned important outdoor skills when she worked in the nearby timbering operations with her father. Lands that are part of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, although part of the new national monument, will continue to be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument also includes the home site of Jacob Jackson, a free black man who used coded letters to help Tubman communicate with family and others. The monument will also partner with the State of Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park Visitor Center when it opens in 2015. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 5

Park Service. For additional information about the park visit www.nps.gov/hatu/index.htm.

• Río Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico. Located northwest of Taos, the Río Grande del Norte contains stretches of the Río Grande Gorge and extinct volcanoes that rise from the Taos Plateau. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, which currently manages the more than 240,000 acres of the monument. More information about this new BLM site may be found at www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/national_monuments/rio_grande_del_norte.html.

• San Juan Islands National Monument in Washington. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management. Visit www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/sanjuans/ for additional information about this suite.

President Obama has previously designated four monuments using the Antiquities Act. These include the César E. Chávez National Monument in California; Fort Monroe National Monument in Virginia; Fort Ord National Monument in California; and Chimney Rock, which is located in the San Juan National Forest in southwestern Colorado. First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Colorado's Canyons of the Ancients. For a more in depth look at Antiquities Act, visit www.cr.nps.gov/archeology/sites/antiquities/.

National Park Service Monique VanLandingham, NPS Cooperating Associations and Partnerships Coordinator has asked APPL to publish the following open letter: Dear Cooperating Association Partners, Although National Park Service employees did not have an opportunity to attend the 2013 Association of Partners for Public Lands Convention in March, we wish to assure you that NPS continues to strongly support its cooperating association partners, and is very grateful for your hard work. While we have always highly valued the special relationship between national parks and cooperating associations dating back to 1923, it is clear that this long-standing collaboration will be even more important going forward. We will need to work shoulder-to-shoulder to provide the best possible experiences and products for our visitors in this time of restricted budgets.

Thank you for your dedication. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of help. Responses may be sent to Monique_VanLandingham@nps.gov The National Park Service has designated 13 new national historic landmarks. National historic landmarks are nationally significant historic places that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. The program, established in 1935, is administered by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. Currently there are 2,540 designated national historic landmarks. The new national historic landmarks include the following sites: • Camden Amphitheatre and Public Library, Camden, ME • Camp Nelson Historic and Archeological District,

Jessamine County, KY • Casa Dra. Concha Meléndez Ramírez, San Juan, PR • Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, AL • The Epic of American Civilization Murals, Dartmouth

College, Hanover, NH • George T. Stagg Distillery, Franklin County, KY • Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Hartford, CT • Hinchliffe Stadium, Paterson, NJ • Honey Springs Battlefield, McIntosh and Muskogee

Counties, OK • Old San Juan Historic District/Distrito Histórico del

Viejo San Juan, San Juan, PR • Pear Valley, Eastville, VA • Second Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL • Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY Salazar also announced the acceptance of updated documentation and a boundary revision for the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg, PA. Additional information on the designations can be found at www.nps.gov/history/nhl. The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation invite everyone to get to know their national parks during National Park Week. This year’s dates are April 20 – 28, with free admission to all national parks April 22 – 26. This year’s theme is Did you know…? The annual celebration includes special events such as Junior Ranger Day on April 20 and Earth Day on April 22. Find a list of ranger-led programs and plan your adventures at www.nationalparkweek.org. You can also use the website to share your park experiences and photos and help support parks.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 6

Icelandic park rangers and park partners visiting U.S. national parks last month learned a great deal to apply at home and discovered more than a few similarities with their American counterparts. Icelandic park rangers and partners spent two weeks in the United States last month learning about American-style national park management, development and conservation at national parks in Washington and Oregon. They are the second group of Icelanders visiting; the first was based at the National Park Service’s Stephen Mather Training Center in Harpers Ferry, WV, last fall. The training fellows include three park rangers from Thingvellir National Park near the capital of Reykjavik and seven from the vast Vatnajokull National Park in eastern Iceland. Other fellows represent a mixture of agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the Friends of Vatnjokull, the Icelandic Search and Rescue Association, the Icelandic Tourist Board, the Iceland Touring Association and the Northeast Iceland Nature Center. The latest group of Icelanders trained with National Park Service staff on topics such as managing natural resources, building partnerships, and developing interpretive programs. They also attended the national conference of the Association of Partners for Public Lands in Portland, OR, and visited and observed National Park Service staff at Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier National Park, both in Washington. During training, rangers and park partners were able to explore topics from dams to resource management to concessions to backcountry search and rescue. The Icelanders’ experiences will help them as they further develop Vatnajokuyll National Park and improve Thingvellir and Snaefellsjokull national parks. Linda Bennett of the National Park Service Office of International Affairs said the Icelandic guests learned management skills and started to build international peer networks for conservation and park development and provided their American counterparts with a new perspective on current challenges in U.S. national parks. The Icelandic National Park Training Program was launched through a joint effort of the National Park Service’s Office of International Affairs, the Alcoa Foundation, the American-Scandinavian Foundation and Friends of the Smokies. The results of a National Park Service review to expand the use of the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program have been announced. The program promotes the rehabilitation of historic buildings, especially in urban and economically depressed areas, as a way both to preserve the past and to create jobs and promote economic revitalization in the present.

The eight actions recommended by the National Park Service were identified through an internal review of the program a January 25 forum. The full review to the Secretary is available at www.nps.gov/pub_aff/prpics/HTC-Final-Recommendations-and-Action-Plan-3-1-2013.pdf. For additional information about the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, visit www.nps.gov/tps.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) is soliciting public review and comment on interpretation goals and objectives to be undertaken as part of a 10-year vision/planning effort. Interpretation is a priority public use of the NWRS, designed to facilitate meaningful and memorable visitor experiences, and encourage stewardship of wildlife and habitat. The public is invited to comment on the Refuge System’s draft interpretation strategy, which is posted on the Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation website at http://americaswildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/group-documents/71/1364401525-DraftInterpretationStrategicPlan.pdf. The agency will consider all comments in efforts to release a comprehensive strategic document in the fall of 2013. Comments must be received by May 9. With iPhones in hand, visitors to national wildlife refuges in the Chesapeake Bay region can now take photographs and share sightings with a worldwide community of wildlife watchers. The free National Wildlife Refuges Chesapeake Bay app is available for download from Apple’s App Store. App users can collect patches for completing discovery missions in one of the 11 Chesapeake Bay wildlife refuges. The app was developed through a partnership between the Chesapeake Conservancy and National Geographic Society with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It incorporates the popular Project Noah wildlife photo-sharing service.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 7

CONVENTION NEWS 2014 APPL Partnership Convention & Trade Show, February 23-27, Albuquerque, NM. Details coming soon to www.appl.org.

With its wealth of nearby public lands and environmentally friendly atmosphere, Portland, Oregon was the perfect backdrop for APPL’s 2013 Partnership Convention and Trade Show. Over 500 nonprofit public land professionals, board members, land management agency

representatives, exhibitors, speakers, and volunteers gathered in the City of Bridges for three days of shared learning, networking, and purchasing. The theme of the convention was Crossing Bridges, Blazing Trails. Programming focused on overcoming challenges in the public lands community with an eye on sustainability - the future - by going new places, examining fresh ideas, and exploring innovative practices. Keynote speakers, roundtable discussions, educational sessions, agency partnership forums, networking events, and a trade show provided participants with opportunities to develop and enhance their skills. The APPL Partnership Convention & Trade Show was proudly supported by more than 20 companies and member organizations. Read more recaps from the convention at www.appl.org. A huge thank you to the program committee members, speakers, volunteers, donors, attendees and exhibitors whose collective contributions made the 2013 Partnership Convention & Trade Show an exceptional learning and networking experience for all who participated. We share the success of this event with everyone who contributed and participated. Your feedback about the 2013 Partnership Convention & Trade Show could win you a FREE 2014 convention registration. Convention attendees who have not already taken the convention evaluation survey may do so at www.surveymonkey.com/s/2013AttendeeEvaluation. Please submit only one survey per person by Friday, April 19. As a thank you for completing the survey, we'll be drawing a name from those who have responded for a FREE attendee registration for the 2014 APPL Convention & Trade Show in Albuquerque, NM. Please note exhibitors have been sent a separate evaluation survey link by email to complete by April 9 (if you did not receive it please contact Amy Matthews at amatthews@appl.org).

2013 convention resources are available to all, even if you couldn’t attend, at www.appl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3422. • Review convention session presentations and materials.

Many speakers have provides their presentations and handouts with us and we encourage you to download these resources and pass the information on to others you think might benefit.*

• Read highlights from the NPS, USACE, BLM, and FS agency partnership forums that APPL has shared with agency leadership.

• See what Executive Directors had to say about the evolving role of nonprofit public land partner organizations and how to fuel their capacity as partners.

• Use the 2013 APPL Trade Show Directory as a resource for vendors and suppliers of educational and theme related products. APPL exhibitors understand your business and are eager to work with you throughout the year to find educational products and services that align with your scope of sales goals.

*Note - If you were a convention speaker and your presentation and/or handouts are not posted on our website and you would like them to be added please forward pdf files by email to Chuck Benjamin at cbenjamin@appl.org. Just over $6,500 was raised by the 2013 Education & Scholarship Fund Silent Auction at the convention. These funds provide valuable support to develop APPL’s educational programs and enable APPL member organizations to participate fully in them. Thanks to the contributors who donated items, to the volunteers who helped on-site and most importantly to all the bidders and winners! It’s not too early to start planning for next year’s convention. Save the dates for the 2014 APPL Partnership Convention & Trade Show, February 23-27, in Albuquerque, NM. And don’t forget to include convention attendance in your budget requests for next year.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 8

FEDERAL UPDATES The Internal Revenue Service has made a number of changes to their 990 form that will go into effect for the 2012 filing year. See a complete list at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/2012_Form990_Significant%20Changes.pdf. Under a new bill called the Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act volunteers who drive their own cars to perform charity work would get the same tax benefits for mileage reimbursements as people who drive as part of their paid jobs at a business. The bill would also reduce paperwork for charities by eliminating the requirement that they report mileage reimbursements to the Internal Revenue Service. The proposed legislation, introduced by Rep. Tom Petri, a Wisconsin Republican, seeks to change the tax code governing what volunteers can deduct for car costs related to charitable work. Under current law, volunteers may deduct 14 cents per mile for car costs or be reimbursed by a charity at that rate without the payment being counted as federal taxable income. Any reimbursements above that rate are subject to federal income tax. But for employees who drive for businesses, the rate is 56.5 cents. In 2008, the House passed similar legislation, but the measure did not pass the Senate. More information on this proposed legislation may be found at www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1212.

Legislative Update APPL is tracking the following legislation relevant to the nonprofit public land partner community. H.R.627 National Park Service 100th Anniversary

Commemorative Coin Act S. 336: Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 H.R. 684- Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 H.R. 1212 Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act of 2013 Track the progress of these bills by visiting www.govtrack.us. To let your congressional representatives know your views on these pieces of legislation visit www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt.

MEMBER NEWS Eastern National is pleased to announce the following news items: • An Android version of the Passport To Your National

Parks® mobile phone application is now available for free in the Google Play store. It was funded in part by a generous grant from the Motorola Mobility Foundation. The application for Android devices is a digital companion to the original Passport To Your National Parks® book. The application identifies the locations of Passport Cancellation Stations within each park, and includes information about each park, maps, and access to park websites. Users will have the ability to record their memories and photographs in the application and can build a list of parks visited and parks they would like to visit.

• A March for All: Selma’s Voting Rights Movement by Theresa L. Hall chronicles the struggle for civil rights and the impact of the marches from Selma, Alabama in 1965, is now available. This insightful book takes the reader beyond the headlines of the day and inside the marches that drew national attention to the issues of segregation and unimpeded voting rights for African Americans. It is available now for $5.95 at www.eParks.com. For more information about this publication and other Eastern National products, visit www.eParks.com or call 877-NAT-PARK (877-628-7275). Wholesale opportunities are also available.

• Shutterfly, Inc. is launching a new pilot program with Eastern National to help you create and preserve your vacation memories. The program, running for a year beginning this month, offers a voucher for a free 20-page, 8x8, National Parks StoryTelling™ style photo book from Shutterfly with a purchase of $10 or more at participating Eastern National bookstores or www.eParks.com. For more information on Shutterfly, Inc. visit www.shutterfly.com.

SmartBank President and CEO, Billy Carroll, recently presented donation checks to Friends of the Smokies President, Jim Hart and Great Smoky Mountains Association Executive Director, Terry Maddox from funds generated through SmartBank’s SmartGreen Account. The SmartGreen account is designed so that a donation is made to both organizations every time a SmartBank account holder uses their debit card for signature-based transactions. In addition to the donations accumulated through debit card usage, SmartBank clients have the option to make additional contributions to Friends of the Smokies and GSMA through automatic deduction from their SmartGreen account. This year’s

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 9

combined donations for both organizations totaled $18,568.90. Since its launch in May of 2009 the SmartGreen program has netted over $49,750 to benefit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. SmartBank opened in January 2007 and currently has 8 offices in East Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle with assets of $435 million. For more information, please call 865-453-2650 or www.smartbank.net. On May 22 an exhibition of eight large-scale steel sculptures by renowned artist Mark di Suvero will open at Crissy Field, in the hart of the Golden Gate National Parks. Presented through a novel partnership of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Park Service, this installation represents a sensational new way to experience a national park and world-class art. The exhibition also represents the crowning community tribute to the Golden Gate Bridge, closing a 75th Anniversary year full of spectacle and celebration. Free and open to the public, the exhibit runs through May 26, 2014. The new Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center (VRC) has received the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, the Council’s highest rating for sustainable buildings. The 23,620 square foot VRC consists of two components: a 16,256 square foot research and collection facility and a 7,364 square foot visitor information center. The VRC houses the park’s collection of over 3 million artifacts as well as its archives. It also offers an orientation to the park for visitors, has a tour ticket sales area, an exhibit area and a bookstore run by the Mesa Verde Museum Association. The visitor information center was completed in November 2012 and opened to the public in December 2012. A grand opening celebration is planned for May 23, 2013. The Legacy Projects is an exciting new initiative from The National Park Foundation and national park Friends Groups. The Legacy Projects is a portfolio of eleven priority projects within the parks that will deliver direct and immediate impact. Projects like, stabilizing the world's largest Puebloan dwelling, Cliff Palace, at Mesa Verde, restoring native plant communities in the Grand Canyon, rehabilitating and building new trails in the mountains of Yosemite and constructing a new facility for youth education at Mount Rushmore. Every dollar raised by NPF will be matched by the local Friends Groups and put towards projects this year. More information on this pilot program can be found at www.nationalparks.org/legacy-projects.

Fact Pack Collector Cards coloring kits, previously sold by Peabody’s Toys that Teach, are now produced by the Sequoia Natural History Association. Fifteen themed sets including a new one, Jr. Ranger, will be available mid-April. Custom kits for your park also available. For a complete catalog and custom info contact Heidi_Crouch@sequoiahistory.org or 559-565-4256. National Park Discover Dice, www.sequoiahistory.org/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=816&idcategory=0, honorable mention in the APPL Media Awards, is on sale for a limited time for $5/kit minimum 24. Contact Heidi for details. Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods was honored with the State Park Director's prestigious Dewitt Award for Partnership, which recognizes commitment above and beyond the call of duty in protecting public lands over a substantial time period. State Parks presents this award to those who have served as irreplaceable partners in the accomplishment of its mission. Executive Director Michelle Luna will be accepting the Dewitt award on behalf of Stewards on April 24th. On March 9 Western National Parks Association (WNPA) presented its annual awards to honor four individuals for their outstanding work on behalf of our national parks. The awards were presented during WNPA's 75th anniversary celebration. With special guest Ted Danson, the event commemorated WNPA's long history and partnership with the National Park Service. Stewart L. Udall Awards were presented to novelist Nevada Barr and National Park Service interpretive ranger Shelton Johnson. Barr is a New York Times best-selling author who drew on her own experience as a seasoned park ranger to author the Anna Pigeon Mystery series, which includes 17 titles to date. Johnson, a celebrated and revered park service ranger, has dedicated his career to helping park visitors understand and appreciate our national parks and has worked to expand opportunities for all Americans to enjoy them. Johnson is nationally known for his research about the role of the Buffalo Soldiers. He tells their stories through his living history performance Yosemite Through the Eyes of a Buffalo Soldier, 1904, and through his historical novel, Gloryland. Ted Danson presented U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) with the Edward B. Danson Award. Representative Grijalva has played a key role in Congress advocating for protection and preservation of our national parks. Among many other successes, he fought to protect the Grand Canyon from the threat of expanded uranium mining and advanced the National Parks Centennial Initiative.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 10

Accomplished marine biologist, author, and retired national park service ranger Gary Davis received the Emil W. Haury Award. For more than four decades, he worked to restore and sustain the ecological integrity, stability, and beauty of national parks. He is a charter member of the U.S. Department of Interior's National Biological Survey; and has guided development of ecological monitoring programs for the National Park System.

VENDOR SUPPORT NEWS Thank you to our Vendor Support Program (VSP) donors for all their generosity this year. Your donations accounted for close to $40,000 which will help support our efforts to enhance the public service mission of our members and their agency partners by providing training and networking opportunities for our members to strengthen their efforts in building public appreciation and support for America’s treasured spaces and places. We encourage our members to avail themselves of your products and services as a “thank you” for your support. APPL members may find a directory of all the 2013 VSP donors at www.appl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3423. At this year’s APPL Trade Show 46% of the exhibitors were VSP donors. Donate now to the Vendor Support Program for 2014 so your company will be eligible for early trade show registration and discounts for Albuquerque next year. Download information and a 2014 VSP donation form at www.appl.org/files/VSP%20Form_2014.pdf.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Outdoor Nation is partnering with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) as well as leaders in the conservation community and entertainment gaming industry to launch Game ON! Challenge Grants. This pilot program is investing in youth-inspired projects that leverage entertainment gaming technologies and principles to get a new generation outdoors, active and engaged in conservation challenges. Individuals and teams - beginners and experts alike - are tasked to create a new app/mobile game or promote an existing game to inspire youth to get outdoors and active. Grants of $5,000 will be given to the top four projects that are judged to have greatest likelihood of successfully increasing outdoor participation among America's youth. Proposals must be submitted by April 15. For more information, visit the Outdoor Nation website at http://outdoornation.org/grants.

The North Face's 2013 Explore Fund™ grant-giving program is now accepting applications. The Explore Fund aims to inspire and enable the next generation of explorers by supporting organizations that connect children with nature. In 2013, The Explore Fund will award 40 grants totaling $250,000. Grants ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 will be awarded to non-profit organizations that focus primarily on: • creating more connections of children to nature • increasing access to both front and backcountry

recreation • providing experiential education for both personal and

environmental health The deadline for applications is May 1. For more information about grant guidelines and selection criteria, please visit the Explore Fund website at www.explorefund.org.

EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

May 2013 National Travel and Tourism Week, May 4-12, Nationwide. More information is available at www.ustravel.org. 2013 CALPA Conference - Moving Forward from Angst to Awesome: Striving for Excellence in Partnership, May 16-19, Sacramento, CA. Additional information is available at www.calparksleague.org. Book Expo America, May 30 - June 1, Javits Center, New York, NY. More information is available at www.bookexpoamerica.com.

June 2013 National Trails Day, June 1. Details may be found at www.americantrails.org. 13th Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award honoring Congressman Mike Simpson, June 5, Newseum, Washington, DC. Hosted by the National Park Trust. Read the full press release at www.buddybison.org/news/press-release-and-media/598-simpson. National Get Outdoors Day (GO Day) 2013, June 8. To learn more visit www.funoutdoors.com. International PowWow, June 8-12, Las Vegas, NV. Visit www.ustravel.org for more information.

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 11

APPL Board Meeting, June 15-16, Tally Ho Inn, Townsend, TN. Email appl@appl.org for additional information. Volunteering and Service Conference, June 19-22, Washington, DC. More information may be found at www.pointsoflight.org.

September 2013 National Wildlife Refuge Week, September 14-20. More information is forthcoming at www.fws.gov/refuges. National Public Lands Day, September 28. Details are available at www.publiclandsday.org. LEAD ON: 2013 Independent Sector National Conference, September 29-October 1, New York, NY. Conference registration is now open. Details are available at www.independentsector.org.

October 2013 Peaks, Plateaus, and Canyons Association Fall Meeting, October 22-24, Grand Junction, CO. hosted by Colorado National Monument Association.

November 2013 National Association for Interpretation Workshop, November 6-9, Reno, NV. More information may be found at www.interpnet.com. Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, November 7-9, College Park, MD. Details on this event at www.aore.org. 2013 BoardSource Leadership Forum, November 7 – 8, Century Plaza Hyatt Regency, Los Angeles, CA. Details are available at www.boardsource.org/blf/. To preregister visit www.boardsource.org/Workshops.asp?mode=events&ID=443.

MARKETPLACE Featuring donors to APPL’s Vendor Support Program (VSP). View a directory of all our VSP donors at www.appl.org.

VSP Benefactors Safari Ltd® thanks everyone who came out to see them at APPL! Executive Account Developers Idelim Bostrom and Juliette Pinedo had a fabulous time with you all. In case you weren’t able to stop by, here’s what you missed:

• The star of their booth was their 2013 Wolverine replica. Visit http://safariltd.com to check him out.

• The rest of their new 2013 North American wildlife figures were a big hit, including the Elk Bull, Black Fox and three new Life Cycle Sets – Chicken, Luna Moth and Ladybug

• Everyone received their new tote bag, which included their new 2013 Safari Ltd® Calendar among other fun goodies

Safari Ltd® is the only American family-owned manufacturer and worldwide distributor of museum-quality wildlife replicas. For three generations, Safari Ltd® has supported the APPL’s mission to foster stewardship and appreciation of public lands by creating lifelike figures that cultivate a love of nature. Discover Safari Ltd® North American wildlife replicas and more online at www.safariltd.com. For more information, email sales@safariltd.com or call them at 800-554-5414.

VSP Contributors The Chandler Company now offers a restocking program to any current APPL customer store that has incurred loss or damage of inventory due to a natural disaster. One dozen normally ordered items will be shipped free of any charge, freight included (kits excluded). For information, contact them regarding their ReStart Program at 800-516-9756. Fulcrum Publishing is pleased to announce the winners of their APPL Trade Show Drawing. Laurie Gadwa, Sawtooth Interpretive & Historical Association, won a box of Flathead Cherry Chocolates and Barbara Liau, Glen Canyon Natural History Association, won a box of Huckleberry Chocolates in a drawing held by Fulcrum Publishing during the APPL Tradeshow. Fulcrum thanks everyone who participated in the drawing and to everyone who stopped by their booth in Portland! Mountain Press Publishing Company is pleased to announce the publication of Arizona Rocks! Arizona Rocks! is the second book in the state-by-state Geology Rocks! series, which introduces readers to some of the most compelling and accessible geologic sites in each state. This volume tells the stories of 44 of the best geologic sites in the state. Not only will you learn about well-known places, such as Barringer Meteorite Crater and Petrified Forest National Park, you’ll also discover lesser-known sites, including Hopi Buttes, which formed from steam-driven explosions; Peridot Mesa, where gemstones from the Earth’s interior are found; and Montezuma Well, a limestone sinkhole with a perennial supply of water. Ample color photographs compliment the

Association of Partners for Public Lands News and Notes April 2013 page 12

text, and maps help get you where you need to be. Learn more about this new publication at http://mountain-press.com/item_detail.php?item_key=621. Rosen Publishing will offer six more titles in its popular American Animals series for Fall 2013. In addition to available titles on American Bison, Bald Eagles, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Mustangs, and Prairie Dogs, Rosen will publish titles on Black Bears, Mountain Goats, Raccoons, Mountain Lions, White-tailed Deer, and Wild Turkeys. For review copies, please contact Tricia Bauer at triciab@rosenpub.com. Books will be available in mid-August; $7.00 suggested retail. Xplorer Maps enjoyed an amazing few days in Portland. They presented the original artwork of Olympic National Park to Executive Director Laurie Ward of Washington’s National Park Fund and also enjoyed preliminary discussions with other organizations for custom map projects of their National Parks and public lands. The response was incredibly encouraging as they xplored their new model of collaborative partnerships to help create something truly unique for the park visitors. The result? It looks like they will be releasing four new and original, custom hand-drawn illustrated maps for the APPL show next year in Albuquerque. Xplorer Maps will formally announce their upcoming projects in the May issue of Newswire.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE Additional position listings may be found at www.appl.org. Grand Canyon Association is seeking candidates for the following positions: • Accounting Assistant • Director of Retail • Park Store Manager The position descriptions can be found on GCA’s website at www.grandcanyon.org/about-grand-canyon-association/association/jobs-and-opportunities. Western National Parks Association (WNPA) is seeking a Director of Philanthropy to plan, organize and execute strategies to raise philanthropic funds from a variety of sources for WNPA and its beneficiaries. Reporting directly to their Deputy Director, s/he will develop a compelling case for support and use it to raise awareness and visibility of WNPA locally, regionally and nationally. Activities will include cultivating donor relationships, representing WNPA in the

community and creating new opportunities to expand the base of support. The Director of Philanthropy will also function as the program lead for expanding and diversifying the organization's funder base. Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Master’s degree is a plus. A minimum of 5 years of experience as the lead fund-raising professional in a non-profit organization, with demonstrated results in raising funds and managing projects. Certified Fund Raising Executive preferred. Salary: DOQ. 40 hours per week. Please send a cover letter with salary requirements, resume and a complete employment application (available on-line at www.wnpa.org) to jobs@wnpa.org; FAX to 520-623-9519; or mail to WNPA-HR, 12880 N. Vistoso Village Dr., Tucson, AZ 85755. For more information, send an e-mail to jobs@wnpa.org. The application deadline is April 15. Yellowstone Association is seeking a dynamic individual to serve as their Director of Education. Details on the position may be found at https://apply.coolworks.com/ya/institute/job-details.asp?JobID=24674&DivID=653.

RESOURCES Suggest a resource by e-mailing appl@appl.org. Oregon State University provides two professional certificates designed for those who engage the public in cultural, natural and educational resources. Learn more about their The Master Interpretive Guide and Free-Choice Learning certificates at https://pne.oregonstate.edu/guide.

Association of Partners for Public Lands 2401 Blueridge Avenue Suite 303 Wheaton, MD 20902 Phone: 301-946-9475 Fax: 301-946-9478 www.appl.org