The importance of ‘friends groups’ in national parks
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Scattered throughout the country are hundreds of national parks, dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural beauty and wonders of the United States. But one key factor is the only thing that allows them to operate the way they do: friends groups.
What is a friend group, and just what purpose do they serve when it comes to something huge like a national park? WesternSlopeNow’s Dalen Brazelton sat down with partners at the Colorado National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park to find out.
“A friends group is a philanthropic partner to a national park unit. So we actually have two agreements with the park service, and one is a cooperating association,” says Johanna Van Waveren, executive director of the Colorado National Monument Association. “That agreement is tied to the bookstore. So essentially, all the proceeds at the Colorado National Monument bookstore or gift shop can go right back to the park because of this agreement that we have.”
Van Waveren also added, “We also have the philanthropic agreement, or the ‘friends group’ agreement, and that allows us to fundraise through different avenues, like fundraising events, membership, donations, grants… things like that.”
The tight-knit relationship between a national park and its friends group allows a unique opportunity to interact with its surrounding community and visitors.
Sarah Rank, business manager with the Mesa Verde Association, tells WesternSlopeNow, “It’s incredibly powerful. We’re a part of something that’s much bigger than we are, and that has been around for much longer than we’ve been around as individuals. I think we have this desire to continue and improve upon that.”
Friends groups work directly with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of the National Park Service.
“Part of my job is actually managing grants secured on behalf of Mesa Verde National Park, and a lot of those grants are from the National Park Foundation,” Rank added.
Whether they obtain the money through grants or fundraising, the money goes back into developing programs like Mesa Verde’s indigenous ranger intern program or Colorado National Monument’s new mental health advocacy ranger and their new amphitheater project.
Friends groups often have a rich history, like the Mesa Verde Association, which has been around for nearly a century.
“To be the second oldest cooperating association supporting this park that not a lot of people may be aware of even exists. For us, internally as a staff, we take a lot of pride in that,” remarks Rank, reflecting on almost 100 years of support.
The Grand Valley’s very own friends group is also celebrating a milestone this year, hitting its 60th anniversary. Van Waveren says, “Six decades of support is pretty tremendous. We’ve been able to accomplish so many things for the Colorado National Monument that wouldn’t be possible without this friends group.”
No matter your favorite national park, remember the friends groups that helped it along the way.
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