Latino Conservation Week

Join us for Latino Conservation Week July 18-26, 2020! This annual celebration seeks to engage the Latino community (and others) in activities within their national parks and other public lands and provide opportunities for Latino youth and families to join conservation efforts that benefit their communities and local parks. Join the National Park Service community in strengthening opportunities for the Latino community to discover our nation’s public lands and creating the next generation of stewards.

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Duration:

1 minute, 54 seconds

Everyone is invited to celebrate Latino Conservation Week with national parks. Join us to learn about Latino heritage, explore recreational opportunities, and reflect on what we all can do to conserve these special places for future generations to also enjoy.

A park ranger shares part of her cultural heritage with children visiting the park.

NPS / Kirke Wrench

Background

Started in 2014, Latino Conservation Week is an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation to support the Latino community getting outdoors and participating in activities that protect our natural resources. Since its start, there have been hundreds of programs and special events nationwide to celebrate Latino heritage. In 2019, more than 36 Latino Heritage Internship Program interns worked in more than 33 national parks across the country on their own Latino Conservation Week projects.

The Hispanic Access Foundation can help you find a Latino Conservation Week event nationwide.

NPS / Whitney Bronson & Matt Turner

NPS / Whitney Bronson & Matt Turner

  Alternative Text for the Graphics

Two graphics highlighting five ways to celebrate Latino Conservation Week with an English-language (left image) and Spanish-language version (right image). A slider arrow that moves left and right allows people to see both images in their entireties.

Title and text reads "Five Ways to Celebrate. Latino Conservation Week. go.nps.gov/latinoconservationweek. #EncuentraTuParque". Spanish language version reads "Cinco Formas Para Celebrar. Latino Conservation Week. go.nps.gov/latinoconservationweek. #EncuentraTuParque".

First way to celebrate includes an illustration of a rock climber celebrating reaching the top of a cliff. Text reads "Find a park to explore while recreating responsibly." Spanish language version reads "Encuentre tu parque para explorar y recree responsablemente". 

Second way to celebrate includes an illustration of a sunset on a cell phone screen. Text reads "Inspire others on social media". Spanish language version reads "Inspire a ostros por las redes sociale".

Third way to celebrate includes an illustration of two people talking. Text reads "Share the importance of conservation". Spanish language version reads "Comparta la importancia de conservacion".

Fourth way to celebrate includes an illustration of a person standing next to a display board. Text reads "Work with the Latino community on outreach and service projects". Spanish language version reads "Trabaje con la comunidad latina en proyectos de divulgacion ye servicio".

Fifth way to celebrate includes an illustration of a computer screen showing hanging decorations. Text reads "Research a park with Latino history and heritage". Spanish language version reads "Encuentre un parque con historia y herencia Latina".

Five Ways to Celebrate

1. Find a national park or your local park and learn more about the outdoors and how to recreate responsibly to keep these special places and each other healthy.

2. Research a park or place with Latino heritage to learn more about Latino relationships with public lands. 

3. Share the importance of Latino Conservation Week with family and friends and help inspire others to participate in conservation efforts. 

4. Work with other Latinos in your community to help national parks and other public lands through volunteer programs or individual volunteer projects. 

5. Go on your park’s official social media platforms and share Latino Conservation Week posts for everyone to see and get inspired! Use #LCW2020, #LatinoConservationWeek, and #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque. 

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Ways to Get Involved All Year

Meet Latino Conservationists

NPS Photo

Latino Heritage Internship Program

The Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) is a partnership with Environment for the Americas, Hispanic Access Foundation, and National Park Service to provide young adults hands-on experience in a variety of career fields related to conservation. The program helps raise awareness of our public lands and their accessibility to all Americans while also supporting the next generation of their stewards.

This year, there are 26 LHIP interns working in person or virtually at 25 national parks and programs across the country. Even with the unique challenges of 2020, LHIP interns are making valuable contributions as they are teleworking or joining in the #RecreateResponsibly movement while working in parks to promote health and safety.

Visit the official LHIP website for more information about the program and how you can get involved.

NPS / Whitney Bronson

Alternative Text for the Infographic

Infographic intended to show the locations of where Latino Heritage Internship Program interns are working in 2020.

Title reads "Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP). Interns In Your Naitonal Parks".

Additional text reads "LHIP is a partnership by the Environment for the Americas, Hispanic Access Foundation, and National Park Service to support the next generation of stewards by providing hands-on experience in diverse career fields. In 2020, there are 27 interns working in 26 national parks and programs across the country. go.nps.gov/lhip".

The infographic illustration shows the general location of the following National Park Service parks and offices where interns are working in 2020:
Chamizal National Memorial (Texas)
Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network (Maryland coast)
Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science and NPS Citizen Science Steering Committee (District of Columbia)
Dinosaur National Monument (Colorado)
Everglades Park (Florida)
Fire Island National Seashore (New York)
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (Colorado)
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (North Carolina)
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (Pennsylvania)
Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (California)
Minute Man National Historical Park (Massachusetts)
National Parks of Boston (Massachusetts)
Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site (Massachusetts)
Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation (Massachusetts)
Point Reyes National Seashore (California)
Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Texas)
San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Program (California)
Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
Salem Maritime
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites (Massachusetts)
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (California)
Southeast Archeology Center (Florida)
Wupatki National Monument (Arizona)

Videos

Duration:

7 minutes, 7 seconds

Join Jhulian Gutierrez, a Latino Heritage Internship Program intern at Fire Island National Seashore, for a conversation with NPS Deputy Director David Vela and Superintendent Alexcy Romero.

Duration:

1 minute

You're invited to go out and explore the great outdoors during Latino Conservation Week!

Kids Activities

Children of all ages are welcome to participate in these activities specifically designed for them! Learn about Latino and Hispanic history, such as early Spanish settlers, how natural and man-made resources affected the culture of New Mexico, become a virtual ranger, and more!

20/20 Vision for 2020