- A number of organizations are finding ways to celebrate national and state parks for "Earth Month."
- Dark Sky events, charitable giving opportunities and corporate partnerships are ways to participate.
- For social media users, the National Park Foundation put together an "All for Parks" support day.
This month is Earth Month. In advance of Earth Day, which is celebrated April 22, the National Park Service, affiliated nonprofits and state parks are rolling out creative ways to celebrate and support some of America’s best ideas.
There are many ways to get involved including volunteer opportunities at Arches National Park, dark sky celebrations in southern Utah state parks, donation matching and star-studded public service announcements.
“From stunning landscapes to iconic wildlife, our national parks are home to many natural wonders, and Earth Month is a time to honor them,” the National Park Foundation, the Congress-named, official nonprofit of the park service since 1967, wrote in a statement. “It’s also a time to recommit to protecting these wild and beautiful places so they can be enjoyed by visitors now and in the future.”
All for Parks April
For those interested in national parks, the National Park Foundation kicked off a month of activities and opportunities, calling it All for Parks April.
To spread the word, actors Diane Lane and Luke Grimes spoke on their behalf.
“Spending time in our national parks has brought some life-changing experiences for me,” Grimes, the musician and star of the TV show “Yellowstone,” said in a public service announcement. “You learn pretty quickly that these special places were cared for by people who had the foresight to see they were worth protecting, and that’s not something we can take for granted.”
Through an anonymous donor, the foundation secured $750,000 that it will use to triple donations made from April 18 to April 26. Those funds will go directly to supporting national parks through creating opportunities for kids to explore the parks, habitat and species restoration, fund scientific research, maintain trails and address the billions of dollars in backlogged maintenance.
The Jim Henson Company is also getting involved. It created a new puppet show that introduces children to national parks called “Wowsabout.” The show, which stars a tree-loving pig and a musical hedgehog, will air May 1 on PBS Kids and its YouTube channel.
For those who’d like some national park inspired merchandise, the foundation collaborated with a few retail brands. The sunglasses brand Goodr, L.L.Bean, Sierra Nevada Brewing and Kleenex have all created national park-themed collections. In the case of the tissues, Kleenex is donating 25 cents for every themed pack purchased at Costco this month.
On April 20 — two days before Earth Day — the foundation planned a social media takeover where 100 parks will produce and distribute content to engage with.
“There’s something unforgettable about stepping into our national parks, from the scent of pine on a quiet trail to the sky opening wide above you. These treasured places are gifts that teach us firsthand, the value of our natural world and why protecting it matters,” Lane said in a PSA. “I’m collaborating with the National Park Foundation to honor the trailblazers who came before us, so future generations can experience the same timeless inspiration, appreciation and communion with our national parks that we enjoy today.”
Dark Sky month
Utah has the highest concentration of Dark Sky designations in the world, with 34 state and national parks as well as several entire towns boasting the accreditation.
For the first time, the Utah State Parks are celebrating Earth Month by hosting a month-long scavenger hunt. By visiting four different dark sky locations, in two different regions, participants will have to solve night sky riddles that will be provided by park rangers.
For those who are hunting, they can enter for a chance for a free one night stay in one of Utah’s state parks.
https://www.deseret.com/lifestyle/2025/04/01/utah-national-parks-dark-sky-astrotourism-space/
There’s also the Central Utah Astronomy Festival, which is taking place April 17-19. Across three parks in three counties, there will be a variety of speakers, daytime astronomy activities — for all ages, the organizers stress — as well as telescope viewing, constellation touring and star parties each evening.
That same weekend, there is also the Snow Canyon State Park Urban Night Sky Celebration. Utah’s newest Dark Sky park has organized a series of astronomy and star gazing chances.
Help clean up Arches
The National Park Service offers a variety of volunteer opportunities across the country on Earth Day.
In Utah, Arches National Park organized a Service Saturday event on April 25. It welcomes volunteers of all ages to help clean up litter in one of the country’s busiest national parks.
The service, however, has its own week of celebration in August called National Park Week. This year it will be celebrated from August 22-30 and, in line with the semiquincentennial, the theme this year is ”Celebrate America’s Story."