2023 Field Guide – Zion Forever Project

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER

Continuing the Effort to Improve the Zion Experience in Sustainable Ways

As we begin a new year, with 2022 being the second busiest year in the history of Zion National Park, it was also a banner year for the partnership between our parks and the Zion Forever Project. Thanks to our combined efforts, we continue to initiate and complete exciting and important projects that sustain our parks. Together with your support in 2023, we will recognize the 100th anniversary of Pipe Spring National Monument, open the new Visitor Contact Station at Cedar Breaks this summer, and break ground for new facilities with our East Zion Initiative partners – All while providing exemplary operational services to visitors and providing for critical needs including search-and-rescue training to park staff. The Zion National Park Forever Project is enabling great work for great parks serving our enthusiastic visitors. Side-by-side, our two organizations are working to improve these special places so that the landscapes, soundscapes, nightscapes, plants, animals, and the history that defines them continue to wow the millions who visit our parks each year.

It’s obvious why so many of our visitors share a love for these places, but parks cannot care for themselves, and we hope you will join us in saluting the interns, sales associates, field rangers, maintenance staff, bus drivers, and administrators who keep the parks operating smoothly day-in and day-out. We are thankful for their patient dedication to caring for our parks, and we are grateful to supporters like you who share in our work.

In this Field Guide, you will find the projects we have prioritized in 2023 and beyond to continue conserving these extraordinary landscapes and provide the best experience possible for our visitors. We look forward to another year of strong collaboration to make Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks, and Pipe Spring National Monuments even better together – Because of you!

Natalie Britt President & CEO Zion Forever Project

Jeff Bradybaugh Superintendent Zion National Park

“WE MUST BECOME NATURALIZED TO PLACE . . . TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAND AS IF OUR LIVES, AND THE LIVES OF ALL OUR RELATIVES DEPEND ON IT — BECAUSE THEY DO.”

RobinWallKimerer,Author,BraidingSweetgrass

Sunset at Kolob Terrace.

Zion National Park

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Pipe Spring National Monument

2023 FIELD GUIDE

This Field Guide is a “book of solutions“ for the Zion Regional Landscape. Each year, our park partners submit projects in need of funding. These are the projects identified as highest priority.

Individual projects are listed under headings which reflect our 3-fold mission of Improving Today, Informing Tomorrow, and Protecting Forever.

As you search through the guide, we invite you to find projects which matter most to you, and to embrace the challenge with us to be responsible stewards of our precious natural resources.

ZION FOREVER PROJECT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Julie Saemisch, Chair

Scott Gubler

Shain Manuele

Dirk Clayson

SIGNIFICANT DONORS

Scott & Jesselie Anderson

Kem & Carolyn Gardner

Gail Miller

Tom & Jamie Love

Dave & Teri Petersen

Brian Donnell & Carla Sanda

Edith & Robert Carlson & Family

Brian & Detgen Greeff

PARTNERS

Parks Project

Zion Cycles

Bumbleberry Gift Shop

Wild Tribute

AutoCamp

DOMA Coffee Roasting Company

FOUNDATIONS

Anschutz Foundation

Beesley Family Foundation

George S. and Dolores

Doré Eccles Foundation

Gimble Foundation

IronMan Foundation

Billie Rayford

Kyle Wells

Jeff Carlson

Gertrude Corwin –

(In Memory of John Donnell, Longtime Supporter of Zion National Park)

Richard & Jill Spitz

Zeke Dumke III & Angela Dumke

Mitt & Ann Romney

Anonymous

Deep Creek Coffee Company

CSAA Insurance Group

Mystery Ranch Backpacks

Zion National Park Lodge

Cliffrose

Zion Mountain Ranch

Thomas O. Brown Foundation

National Park Foundation

National Park Trust

National Trust for

Historic Preservation

Raintree Foundation

KEY SUPPORTERS

Alsco

Brigham Young University

Cedar City-Brian Head Tourism Office

Concept 360

Dixie Technology College

Greater Zion Convention & Tourism

Hampton Inn, Springdale

HintonBurdick CPA‘s and Advisors

Holiday Inn Express, Springdale

Impact Photographics

Iron County Restaurant Tax Program

Kane County Office of Tourism

LeRay McAllister Critical Lands Fund

National Park Geek

Peregrine Fund

Southern Utah University

Springhill Suites Marriott, Springdale

Stephen Wade Auto Center

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Conservation Fund

University of Utah

Utah Clean Cities

Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation

Utah Office of Tourism

Utah Tech University

Zion Ponderosa Ranch

The new Visitor Contact Station at Cedar Breaks National Monument is scheduledtoopenbyAugust2023.

ZION

REGIONAL LANDSCAPE

Fish Research

RESTORE • ENHANCE • SUSTAIN

“OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE IS RICHER THAN JUST SCENIC FEATURES; THE REALIZATION IS COMING THAT PERHAPS OUR GREATEST NATIONAL HERITAGE IS NATURE ITSELF, WITH ALL ITS COMPLEXITY AND ITS ABUNDANCE OF LIFE, WHICH, WHEN COMBINED WITH GREAT SCENIC BEAUTY AS IT IS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS, BECOMES OF UNLIMITED VALUE. THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD ATTAIN IN THE NATIONAL PARKS.”

GeorgeM.Wright,JosephS.Dixon,andBenH.Thompson,earlypark naturalists,1933

FROM THE INSIDE OUT Interpretive Planning for Zion‘s East Side | $45,000 Needed

The completion of the park’s East Zion Visitor Center will create a new contact point between Zion’s interpretive staff and its visitors and allow the park to create new opportunities to educate visitors. The question now facing park interpreters is: “What is the future of education in East Zion?”

The National Park Service and its dedicated rangers offer some of the best classrooms in the nation, enlightening visitors on topics ranging from geology to history to ecology. National parks are an outdoor classroom for all ages, and a key ingredient of these classes is to highlight the messages the park and its partners feel are most important to get across to its visitors, as well as what will be most interesting and engaging to visitors.

Thanks to a generous donation from the Miller Family Foundation, and supporters like you, discussions on this East Zion Experience have already begun, bringing representatives from the Southern Paiute Tribe and academia as well as nearby landowners and political leaders to provide input on what they’d like to see happen, essentially creating what they like to call “The East Zion Experience.”

“The long-range interpretive planning process is critical to the success of the visitor center project,” said Zion National Park’s Interpretation and Visitor Services Manager Amanda Rowland. “This process provides the opportunity to gather stakeholders to share their compelling stories, brainstorm themes, and for the group to understand how important the land is to people. The actions that we take now are critical to recognizing the traditions of the land and how we will celebrate and connect to those traditions in the future. The next generation will have the opportunity to learn how to protect this place. It is exciting to be with such passionate people who want to connect the visitors to the land in such a unique and authentic way.”

The East Zion Experience planning effort will decide what rangers talk about in their programming with visitors and how the story of East Zion will be told through both indoor and outdoor displays. Coupled with sustainable building practices, East Zion interpretation will send a message about sustainability while also covering many other key topics, including: geology, ecology, tribal history, water, and others.

The new activities and programs introduced by the East Zion Experience will complement the already-established interpretive programming at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, sending visitors the message of their shared stewardship with public lands such as national parks.

More than simple dioramas, they will feature innovation in the design and use of the visitor center. The goal is to make this site a must-visit precursor to entering the park, creating an “experience corridor” for visitors before even entering the park gates. The Zion Forever Project is already working with EDX, a leading firm that creates cutting-edge interpretive displays, to present East Zion’s story. EDX’s engaging exhibits create multi-sensory experiences that connect to audiences of all ages. EDX’s website touts creating “experiences that engage the intellect, stimulate the senses, spark dialogue, build relationships, and inspire action.”

“The interpretive signage we design through the collaboration with our stakeholders is very intentional,” Rowland said. “We truly have an opportunity to impact the visitor experience, how individuals connect to the resource, and build memories. What type of experience they have here locally on their visit will impact what they bring back with them to their community and even globally.”

Funding for this project will cement the story told to visitors at East Zion, finalize how it will be implemented, and pay for the engaging exhibits that will share the region‘s story.

Planningforinterpretiveexhibitsinvolvedtribal leaders,nationalparkpersonel,locallandowners, stateandlocalagencies,donors,andotherkey stake holders.

EXTENDING THE ZION EXPERIENCE

Multi-Use Trail to Sinawava | $750,000 Needed

“A man on foot, on horseback, or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”

– EdwardAbbey,DesertSolitaire

Many visitors who have ridden a bike up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive will agree with Abbey. You can appreciate the canyon’s grandeur more fully traveling through at a slower pace than if you were riding the shuttle or driving a car. Riding bikes up canyon allows visitors the peace and solitude that many seek during their visit to Zion, but on the existing road, cyclists are required to pull over to allow visitor-filled shuttles to go-around them. Currently, the only paved path for those who’d prefer to bike or walk the entire canyon is on the sometimes-

-non-existent shoulder of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which can create some tense and precarious situations for both the trained shuttle drivers and hikers and bikers attempting to pass them on all sides.

The park would like to change that with the construction of the Floor of the Valley Trail, a route that would run alongside the path of the Virgin River up its entire 6.5-mile span from Canyon Junction to the Temple of Sinawava, the trailhead of the Riverside Walk, aka “Gateway to the Narrows.” This new route would provide an alternate path up the canyon for pedestrians and bicyclists away from the traffic and safety risks of the scenic drive.

The proposed Floor of the Valley Trail would be the continuation of the Pa’rus Trail, a threemile paved path from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to Canyon Junction. This 10-foot-wide, accessible concrete path improved visitor safety and provided an alternate route for cyclists and hikers looking to avoid traffic on the park’s main access road. The Floor of the Valley trail will extend the existing Pa’rus trail making it an ideal route for an unhurried, leisurely stroll to admire Zion’s monoliths and spires such as The Watchman and Towers of the Virgin, allowing visitors the very slow-pace concept Abbey advocated.

The Pa’rus Trail was built in an environmentally-friendly way that enhanced the beauty of the park and used existing unpaved access roads to minimize environmental impacts on Zion’s many sensitive natural areas. Just as was done in the creation of the Pa’rus Trail, the construction of the Floor of the Valley trail will be carried out to minimize impacts to the environment and will undergo a rigorous environmental impact assessment before construction can even begin.

Moreover, the new trail would also oversee the installation of a much-needed sewer line from Temple of Sinawava to Canyon Junction. This sewer line is essential for future plans to install modern restroom facilities throughout the canyon. Building the trail will be the first stage of the modernization of facilities in the canyon.

“This project provides a perpetual solution to waste management challenges and eliminates the need to continue to impact the Park’s natural resources at two highly visited locations.” said Bry Carter, Chief of Facilities Management, Architecture & Engineering.

The proposal will take a phased approach. This five-year project will see the first year dedicated to study and assessment. With your generosity, this legacy initiative will improve visitor safety, modernize facilities, and ultimately re-establish a direct and accessible hiking path from each end of the canyon, providing an opportunity to experience the park just as Edward Abbey prescribed.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Supporting Zion Search and Rescue | $26,500 Needed

Zion National Park’s annual visitation has doubled over the past decade, increasing from approximately 2.5 million in 2010 to just over 5 million in 2021. This increase in visitation has led to more visitors exploring the park’s backcountry and an increase in the need for search and rescue resources. In 2021, Zion National Park responded to 134 search and rescue (SAR) incidents, 15 of which involved aviation and 14 were classified as technical rescues.

The park currently employs a relatively small team of commissioned law enforcement rangers who, among many other responsibilities, lead search and rescue operations. In order to meet the demand in SAR services, Zion‘s Law Enforcement Rangers have reached out to their peers in the park as well as local guiding and climbing outfitters. Many capable new recruits are volunteering to join the team, but they lack basic search and rescue and risk management training.

In its efforts to increase its capacity to respond to search and rescue calls, Zion National Park hopes to provide basic training to these volunteers as well as to other qualified law enforcement rangers, and NPS staff. This increase in qualified SAR-trained individuals is vital to sustaining search and rescue operations in the park. With your support, we propose to engage a combination of National Park Service rangers and subject matter experts to provide three-day training sessions, which will include introductions to common SAR operations in Zion, demonstration of SAR techniques, hands-on training with SAR equipment, development of SAR technical skill sets, and physical assessment tests.

WithmorevisitationthroughouttheZion region,theneedforwell-equipedSearch andRescueopperationshasincreased dramatically.

Donations through the Zion Forever Project will allow for an increase in the number of responders that are trained to address hundreds of critical incidents that occur in the canyon every year. Zion also hopes to increase advocacy and stewardship within the local guiding community who assist with rescues by spreading the message to visitors to recreate responsibly and sharing that information with locals and visitors while guiding on their excursions.

WINTER RESCUES AT HIGH ELEVATIONS Search and Rescue Equipment for Snow | $21,860 Needed

The need for search and rescue is a yearround demand in Zion National Park. Recently, the park has seen an increase in search and rescue missions in winter months. Many of those rescues require the use of snowmobiles, particularly in the higher elevation and snowcovered Kolob Terrace sections of the park. To accommodate this need, Zion is seeking funding to replace the aging snowmobiles ensuring that the park can continue to meet the increasing demand winter weather has on the SAR team.

Measures have been taken to reduce the risk of a SAR incident, with large portions of the Kolob Terrace Road closed to wheeled vehicles after significant snowfall. Despite this, the number of visitors who utilize this section of the park in the winter is increasing. Moreover, winter search and rescue operations that occur in the park’s higher elevation regions on the east side as well as in the Alpine areas of Cedar Breaks National Monument have also seen an increase in incidents.

Zion’s current fleet is inadequate to meet the increased SAR demands. For safety, two snowmobiles are needed for search and rescue operations that require the use of snowmobiles. The park has one operational machine purchased by the Zion Forever

Project in 2019. The other snowmobiles are much older, need massive repairs, and are destined for the scrap yard. Acquiring two new machines would ensure Zion’s staff can maintain the two-rescuer response and allow for continued safety should one of the snowmobiles require maintenance.

The SAR team has done extensive research on which snowmobile will be most cost -effective and suitable for the terrain to best meet its search-and-rescue needs. They are seeking funding for two Ski-Doo Backcountry Sport model snowmobiles, which are exceptionally lightweight relative to their power output. This model‘s swappable seats and adjustable handles make it optimal to fit any situation, including attaching rescue sleds to haul both people and gear, ensuring the operations are safer for both the rangers and injured hikers.

Zion Visitor and Resource Protection have already budgeted for upkeep and scheduled maintenance for its snowmobile fleet. Once acquired, the snowmobiles will be well maintained.

With your help, the park will use this equipment to enhance visitor safety and improve the Zion experience.

AlthoughpartsofZionremainsnow-free throughoutmostofthewinter,northernand eastern sections of Zion are often covered with snow for several months.

CARING FOR CEDAR BREAKS VIPS

Campsites For Volunteers | $130,000

For parks working with limited federal budgets, the hard work of dedicated volunteers and the financial support of generous donors are essential to ensuring the margin of excellence in educational programs. Cedar Breaks National Monument is no exception. At this accessible high-alpine site, volunteers play a significant role in assisting park staff with the park’s signature events each season, including the popular summer Wildflower Festival, the annual BioBlast (wildlife event), and its many night sky focused presentations.

With the ever-increasing need for Volunteers in Parks (VIPs), Cedar Breaks requires funding to provide more housing solutions for its VIPs. Cedar Breaks is seeking support to increase the number of RV sites with full hookups from two to six as well as for the construction of a new restroom facility with full sinks and showers to enhance the VIP loop. Additionally, the project is looking to add two group campsites to provide even more capacity for volunteers during Cedar’s busy summer season.

Each new RV site will be designed for long-term use, and will include access to electricity, water, and sewer, as well as a concrete pad on which to park the RV, a picnic table, and a fire ring. To accommodate the new sewer needs, the project will require extending the existing sewer line to service the new RV sites. Each new group campsite will accommodate up to 12 campers and include tent pads, fire rings, picnic tables, and parking for up to five vehicles. This

initiative will also provide quality high-speed internet access to the RV sites, something that is currently lacking. The new sites will match the park’s existing RV pads and be angled to complement the flow of traffic around the loop.

Cedar Break’s new housing solutions will triple the number of spaces in the VIP loop. This will allow it to increase its VIP team to meet the increased demand over the last decade, and further meet demand in the years to come. Moreover, by tripling the number of spaces in the VIP loop, Cedar Breaks will have facilities to both recruit more volunteers and keep them in the park longer, allowing for the expansion to programming and services.

$100,000 has already been granted from Iron County for the project, meaning your dollars will be matched and counted double for this important project. Securing funding through the Zion Forever Project means an improved visitor experience as well as more capacity and better infrastructure at the monument’s campground making sure that everyone has a VIP experience.

VolunteersatCedarBreaksassistwithmanytasks throughoutthesummermonths,increasinglearning opportunitiesforvisitorssuchasthisoneatthe NorthPointviewingarea.

Withcampgroundsinhighdemand,CedarBreaksvolunteersneedsitesreservedexclusivelyforthem, eliminatingtheneedformorecostlyhousingoptions.

ManyroomsatWinsorCastleallowvisitorsto stepinsidetoseedisplaysfromadistance,but fewopportunitiesexistforhands-onlearning andexploration.

WINSOR CASTLE ACTIVITY ROOM

Interacting with the Past $4,000 Needed

As a Mormon pioneer tithing ranch, a guest house for travelers along the Honeymoon Trail, and a refuge for women and children in families who practiced polygamy in the late 1800s, the Northern Arizona national monument’s history is replete with titillating tales of the Western frontier. A cornerstone of the Pipe Spring experience has been the hands-on provided to visitors. However, since the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, few of the hands-on experiences that had once successfully connected visitors to this compelling history continue to do so.

To rectify this, Pipe Spring National Monument is seeking funding to create an interactive space within Winsor Castle, the monument’s cornerstone fort, to demonstrate both indigenous and pioneer crafts such as cross stitch, weaving, leatherwork, cordage, and quilting as well as period games and children’s toys like Jacob’s Ladders and Jacks. Additionally, the interactive space will also feature period telegraph equipment, historic school supplies, and examples of period-appropriate literature.

“It will be a room where you’re actually able to touch stuff,” said Krystal Glass, Pipe Spring Interpretive Ranger.

The interactive space is proposed to be located within the upper level of the south building of Winsor Castle between the Honeymoon Suite and Telegraph Room. It improves the visitor experience by providing tangible encounters for visitors, inviting them to experience glimpses of what everyday life was like during the fort’s heyday in the last half of the 19th century.

Your support for this hands-on project will be used to not only replenish materials needed for the crafts, games, and toys, but also to install period-appropriate floor coverings and textiles as well as replica furnishings. It will also help fund the opening of a space for demonstrations that recreate early Native American life at the site, including indigenous skills, such as cross stitch, weaving, leatherwork, cordage making, and quilting. This activity room will be incorporated into Pipe Spring‘s new open house tour format, where guests will be allowed to stop in the room for a while to enjoy an activity and interact with pieces of history.

Funding for this project will lead to the creation of Pipe Spring’s first interactive space, one that can be used year-round and become a key attraction during the colder months and inclement weather. Moreover, the space will be adaptive so that it can meet the monument’s needs and goals. The goal is for the space to become a mainstay of Pipe Spring’s education program, housing enriching experiences for local school and youth groups, as well as creating an attractive environment to record social media content and film short clips of educational demonstrations inspiring repeat visitation from the local community.

EDUCATE • INSPIRE • CONNECT

“THE NATIONAL PARK IDEA HAS BEEN NURTURED BY EACH SUCCEEDING GENERATION OF AMERICANS. TODAY, ACROSS OUR LAND, THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM REPRESENTS AMERICA AT ITS BEST. EACH PARK CONTRIBUTES TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES AND OUR WAY OF LIFE; OF THE NATURAL PROCESSES WHICH HAVE GIVEN FORM TO OUR LAND, AND TO THE ENRICHMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE LIVE.“

GeorgeB.Hartzog,Jr.,NPSDirector,1964-1972

DEPUTIZING THE FUTURE

Supporting Our Junior Rangers | $100,508 Needed

The program name is labeled “junior,” but in reality, it’s all-inclusive. Visitors of all ages can participate. In fact, to date, the oldest Junior Ranger was sworn in at 103 years old. The National Park Service‘s Junior Ranger program inspires excitement in visitors of any age.

The Junior Ranger program engages visitors through activities such as scavenger hunts, puzzles, and critical-thinking activities that focus on conservation, preservation, and stewardship as well as ranger-led demonstrations and presentations. Geared toward children, a booklet of wide-ranging park activities helps gear prospective junior rangers to learn about the park’s natural resources. The booklet offers Junior Rangers more than a walk or ride through spectacular scenery. The activities make the park a more rewarding experience for youth.

To be sworn in as a Junior Ranger and receive their Junior Ranger badge, visitors must complete the completed activity booklet and return it to a ranger at the Visitor Center or park museum. The tasks are varied and fun, from identifying a variety of animal tracks, including a coyote, deer, and lizard, to learning about the symbiotic relationship between the park’s many organisms. They play games like “I Spy” in which they must find and identify park landmarks like animal sculptures at the visitor center, the large tree in front of Zion Lodge, and the park’s first museum site in the Grotto area.

Completing the activities and earning a Junior Ranger badge connects visitors to the park, inspires future stewardship, and provides a source of reflection and reminiscence as visitors return home.

Last year, Zion inspired thousands of new Junior Rangers, distributing more than 40,000 Junior Ranger booklets and badges. Each booklet costs 60 cents to produce and each badge costs 85 cents, meaning for $1.45, even your small donations can equip the next junior ranger with an engaging experience and a memento to remember for a lifetime.

TheNatureCenterisafavoriteplaceforchildrenofall agestolearnaboutthenaturalworld.

CLOSE-UP ENCOUNTERS WITH ZION‘S WILDLIFE

Repairing and Replacing Zion’s Taxidermy Collection | $26,000 Needed

Many of Zion National Park’s most compelling wildlife are elusive. Some only come out at night and others are very good at hiding. Zion Nature Center offers a “safe” chance to come face to face with a mountain lion and other local wildlife. Full size professional taxidermy displays make this possible. These specimens make wonderful educational tools to show visitors there is more to the park than its breathtaking scenery.

Today, the park’s taxidermy specimens are not in the best of shape. They need to be cleaned and restored so they’re looking their best for future visitors. The park also wants to ensure that the effects of any hazardous chemicals that may have been used in their initial preservation are mitigated, ensuring these effective educational resources are preserved for future generations.

Zion currently has more than a dozen specimens in need of cleaning, repair, and even full restoration. The collection includes numerous birds (including various hawks and other birds of prey

like the Bald Eagle) as well as some of the parks iconic animals like the mountain lion. Based on inspections from the museum curator, the specimen of a Mexican Spotted Owl is severely damaged and might be beyond repair. The average cost of cleaning and restoring a taxidermy specimen is between $750 and $1,500. The park will find a professional taxidermist who will manage the project and leverage their knowledge of local wildlife. The taxidermy specialist will determine whether it needs to be replaced. The park will work with museum collection staff and the taxidermy specialist to determine the next steps for the Mexican Spotted Owl and other specimens which may be unsalvageable.

“This project is looking forward to establishing protocols to preserve the specimens that have been repaired and ensure the education specimen collection is monitored and cared for with the best resources available,” said Jorge Hernandez, Supervisory Park Ranger for Education.

Funding for this project will provide visitors with safe wildlife close encounters and sustain these invaluable educational tools long into the future.

CREATING CAREERS IN PUBLIC LANDS

Providing Student Internships | $100,000 Needed

The IIC program supports interns as they navigate the job-search process by proactively putting them in a position to seek and find jobs working in public lands. Students benefit from a mentorship program that offers professional development opportunities, goal setting, and feedback on their resume and interviewing skills. The IIC program boasts higher rates of placement into public lands jobs than most other programs in the country. Numerous former IIC interns now work for Zion, Cedar Breaks Pipe Spring, and the Zion Forever Project.

Despite explosions in visitation, many parks, including Zion, Cedar Breaks, and Pipe Spring, continue to work with the same, or lower staffing and funding levels as they did a decade ago. As parks grapple with the need for expanded programming and to keep current programs accessible, paid internships programs have become vital to park operations.

Internships and Youth programs are key recruitment tools for parks. One program is the Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative (IIC), administered by Southern Utah University (SUU). The IIC recruits students from SUU, Utah Tech, and other Utah colleges and high schools for a career-driven pipeline that arranges paid internships at public land agencies. These interns work side-by-side with permanent park staff to assist in park management, operations, and research.

The relationship between the parks and the interns is not a one way street — parks are helping interns by providing important work experience and networking opportunities, and interns are helping the parks towards a better future by increasing capacity and offering a fresh perspective.

“In an IIC internship, we create pathways to National Park careers by turning bosses into mentors and asking students to tie their academic careers to their internships. It‘s an honor to work with Zion Forever to create these amazing learning opportunities for youth in our region.” Briget Eastep, Executive Director of Pathways & IIC, Southern Utah University.

Parks are also working to increase the participation of tribal youth in the internship program through the newly-established Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC), which offers tribes and partner organizations the opportunity to formalize service agreements with the Department of the Interior. The program hires tribal members to serve as recruitment coordinators to reach out to tribal youth, ages 16-30, who are interested in the program. The IIC remains actively engaged in conversations to ensure that the IYSC will be a part of its program.

The Zion Forever Project has been a vital source of support in building and sustaining the youth and internship programs including the IIC program, Indian Youth Services Corps (IYSC), and others. In fact, SUU inducted Zion Forever into its Hall of Fame in 2022 for its contributions to the program. Your donations provide much-needed support to enhance park programs, build future careers, and recruit the next generation of staff.

INSPIRING LOCAL YOUTH

Field Trips to Zion | $20,167 Needed

Zion National Park has a long tradition of inspiring and working with local and national elementary schools to develop learning in young children. For many, Zion National Park is synonymous with “sanctuary” and “refuge.” The park staff hope to continue inspiring future generations to feel the same way about the park.

The park‘s goal is to promote a deeper connection to nature among the younger generation and to inspire them to enjoy and take better care of public lands when they are older. To accomplish this, the park hosts 40 full-day field trips for underserved fourth graders in Washington, Iron, and Kane counties in southern Utah. These students come from Title I schools, where at least 40 percent of the student population live in federally-defined low-income households. This program provides the opportunity for many students who would otherwise not visit the park to have their first Zion experience. Polling during previous field trips shows that approximately half of the students participating in these experiences have never visited Zion despite the park being right in their backyard.

During these full-day field trips, rangers focus on park stewardship and educating principles like leave-no-trace that encourage responsible recreation in the outdoors. Rangers also work to integrate elements of social and emotional learning into these guided experiences by introducing the concept of nature and the outdoors as a place for reflection and inspiration. Rangers educate visitors on the value that Zion and its fellow National Park Service sites have for stress reduction and resiliency building. This proactive social-emotional learning aligns with the Utah State Board of Education goals of implementing techniques to help students cope with the pandemic and other future challenges. Local schools, in line with the park, have identified social-emotional learning as a top priority.

Your contributions will help ensure that these formative, foundational forays into nature can continue to inspire participants to become better public lands stewards as they assume leadership roles in the future.

FieldtripstoPipeSpringarea chance for students to learn about Nativeplantingpractices,the importanceofwaterinthedesert, pioneerlifestyles,andchallenges facedbypeopleofdifferingcultures on the frontier.

COMING TO A SCHOOL NEAR YOU

Bringing the Canyon to the Classroom | $24,000 Needed

Zion National Park has built strong partnerships with schools and teachers within the local community, with rangers regularly visiting classrooms to educate and connect students to the resources available at the park. By instructing local students, rangers are planting the seeds of reverence for the natural world as well as inspiring today’s students to become park stewards.

Washington, Kane, and Iron counties in the southwest corner of Utah all contain a part of Zion National Park and have more than 35 Title I elementary schools among them. For many years, education rangers have visited these schools’ 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classrooms and taught their students about the park’s animals, plants, and rocks in an engaging, interactive way. With your generosity, Zion hopes to continue this program to deepen its relationship with nearby

communities. This year, Zion aims to expand outreach to connect with schools rangers have not previously visited.

During these classroom visits, rangers introduce students and their parents to the ‘Every Kid Outdoors’ parks pass, which allows students and their families to enjoy visiting national parks free of charge for an entire year. These efforts invite a new population of visitors to enjoy the park and, equipped with their ranger lessons, make deeper connections with the land.

Funding for this program will pique students’ interest in topics such as geology, ecology, and wilderness ethics, and educate the younger generation on the value of protecting and managing these breathtaking landscapes, not only in Zion, but across the country.

A STEP CLOSER TO THE PARK

Virtual Classroom Visits

$57,982 Needed

The National Park Service (NPS) is a significant educational institution, teaching visitors about the history, geology, ecology, and other aspects of the sacred landscapes under its management. The NPS also provides trusted educational resources to teachers and students so that they can continue to connect to parks from their own homes.

Patterned after the successful “Every Fourth Grader in the Park” program, the Distance Learning Program Expansion will develop the park’s distance learning program into a fully digital course where Zion rangers will be able to interact with students of all ages from across the country who may not otherwise be able to visit or learn about the desert park in person. Zion rangers will curate a new curriculum for higher grades, including middle school and high school students. This curriculum will connect directly to ongoing park science, such as night sky monitoring, paleontology, and water monitoring in the park. Curriculum aims to connect students to the natural environment as they learn about the history, biology, wildlife, and wilderness values of Zion, and demonstrate to them the

importance of what they are learning. The expansion will also introduce students to the internships and career paths available in public land management.

In 2022, Zion rangers connected with over 8,000 students across 33 states and in three countries. Teachers across the globe have complimented the park’s current programs for their inventiveness and versatility, and complimented the program for presenting key information in a fun game show style that makes it engaging for a distracted younger audience. Many of these students have no experience with the outdoors and, for many, the distance learning program is their first time meeting a ranger. The larger goal of expanding this curriculum is to create excellent future stewards of park lands and to inspire the next generation to take better care of these national treasures.

Funding for this project will create a foundation of conservation and interest in public lands that Zion believes will pay dividends in the future and ensure the Zion Distance Learning studio remains an educational leader within the NPS, advising other park sites as they create their own virtual learning studios.

NoteverystudentcanvisitZioninperson,but children around the world can learn about the parkwithoutleavingtheclassroom.

CONCRETE-TO-CANYONS A First Zion Experience | $59,798 Needed

Many students in underserved urban areas, like nearby Las Vegas, have never enjoyed transformative experiences in nature that others might take for granted. Many of these students have never seen a night sky without light pollution or marveled at the innumerable constellations or even seen the Milky Way. They’ve never pitched a tent and slept the night in it or enjoyed an evening around a campfire. They’ve never taken a hike in a wondrous landscape like Zion National Park.

Concrete-to-Canyons is the park’s most ambitious and longest-running outreach program that grants underserved students across Nevada the opportunity to experience all these life-changing experiences and more. Through this award-winning program, Zion invites students from nearby Clark County, Nevada to enjoy a three-day, two-night hiking and camping experience in the park with rangers, learning about the park’s spectacular landscape, plants, animals, and history while becoming more comfortable and confident in the outdoors. The approximately 300 students who participate in the program come from Title 1 schools, where a majority of the student population are from underserved households.

This year, Zion is working to expand the program to more than just Title 1 schools, and is hoping to invite students from rural and tribal lands to the park. To make this transformational trip a reality, with your donations the Zion Forever Project covers the

costs of the students’ transportation to and from the park, camping supplies, and food. The initiative also provides the resources for two seasonal education rangers who curate and lead the experiences.

The camping trip in the park is only one highlight of the experience. Zion rangers meet with the classes in advance to help them pack and to teach them about park resources and safety. Rangers also lead a skill-building workshop for teachers, parents, and chaperones. For many chaperones, it is their first time in a national park as well.

Participating students share their experiences with their families and community. Zion invites past participants of the program to a family camping day in the park and encourages them to bring family members with them to enjoy ranger-led activities. This after-the-trip component strives to instill a connection to national parks that will last a lifetime. Because of your continued support, the park kept the program going with virtual field trips in 2020 and one-day immersive experiences in 2021 and 2022. With your continued support, the park looks forward to once again offering the full three-day experience to better connect these youth to the outdoors thanks to Zion Forever Project funding.

CAMP KWIYAMUNTSI A Unique Experience for Paiute Youth | $15,000 Needed

In the past, government programs have not always honored Native American traditions and have even sought to stifle indigenous voices. Today, collaborative programs are seeking to correct past wrongs by focusing on supporting cultural traditions.

Zion National Park and the Zion Forever Project have teamed up to fund an annual camp that helps Southern Paiute youth better connect to their ancestral homelands and traditional knowledge. The camp, Camp Kwiyamuntsi, or commonly known as “K-Camp,” provides opportunities for youths to learn from tribal elders as well as get exposure to land agency partnerships such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service, and the NPS. This experience provides a blended learning of traditional ecological knowledge with land agency practices to acquire knowledge about ancestral homelands and explore future careers in land management and leadership.

Youths attend evening campfires to learn traditional tribal songs and share personal struggles with their elders and are paired with tribal elders and land agency specialists to receive both Paiute traditional ecological knowledge and land management practices in areas such as geology, plants, wildlife, and water across Southern Paiute ancestral homelands.

“A lot of the kids’ parents didn’t learn a lot about their culture and traditions growing up, so when they come to camp it is often their first time hearing a lot of this stuff,” one Paiute tribal elder said. “Coming to these camps, they get a chance to learn a part of their culture, and their history and their ancestry. They learn they are related to each other . . . they are like a sponge and must soak it all up, and it’s something that they’ll always remember.”

In addition to learning about their tribe’s history and cultural traditions, Southern Paiute youth also take part in activities that are staples at other summer camps, including guided hikes, rock climbing, and river rafting. Each year, camp locations rotate to a different region of the Southern Paiute ancestral lands.

“K-Camp is a sacred place to me,” one past participant said. “K-Camp makes me feel proud of who I am, no matter what.”

Donations from supporters help keep this valuable camp going from year to year. Zion Forever remains a committed supporter of this top-priority project. With your help, these camps will continue to be unforgettable, transformative experiences for native youths.

Paiuteyouthenjoyconnectingwithnature,each other,andtheirtraditionalculturewhileattendingCampKwiyamuntisinearZionNationalPark.

CONSERVE • PROTECT • ENSURE

“THE PRIMARY DUTY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS TO PROTECT THE NATIONAL PARKS AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS UNDER ITS JURISDICTION AND KEEP THEM AS NEARLY IN THEIR NATURAL STATE AS THIS CAN BE DONE IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT ACCESS TO THEM MUST BE PROVIDED IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY BE USED AND ENJOYED. ALL OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE BUREAU MUST BE SECONDARY (BUT NOT INCIDENTAL)

TO THIS FUNDAMENTAL FUNCTION RELATING TO CARE AND PROTECTION OF ALL AREAS SUBJECT TO ITS CONTROL.“

Stephen Mather, Nation’s first NPS Director, 1917-1929

COMMEMORATING A CENTENNIAL

100th Anniversary of Pipe Spring | $19,250 Needed

In 1920, while traveling between Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, Stephen Mather took a fancy to Pipe Spring and thought it would be a great link between the two parks, especially because, at the time, the road passing by it was the only way between the two.

Mather, who had made a fortune in Borax mining, soon bought the old fort and the 40 acres surrounding it that once belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for $5,000 and on May 31, 1923, President Warren G. Harding signed the document that turned it into a national monument to serve as “a memorial to western pioneer life”— a bastion of historical preservation in a barren, remote landscape.

If the Stephen Mather hadn’t taken notice of Pipe Spring in the early 20th century, it could have faded into obscurity.

This year marks Pipe Spring National Monument’s centennial and as such, the park will hold events both on and off-site to commemorate this milestone. The cornerstones of the commemoration will be two gatherings on May 28 and June 3 At these events, visitors will be welcome to enjoy free food

as well as historical demonstrations, guided tours of the Monument’s fort, Winsor Castle, and to hear remarks from Monument administration personnel and Kaibab Paiute tribal leadership.

The Monument would especially like to teach the public that the history of the monument extends well before the date it received National Monument status. For centuries, it has been the home to the Kaibab Paiute and their ancestors, the Ancestral Puebloans. Over the last 30 years, the Monument has been working steadily to ensure that the Paiute perspective is at the forefront of its historical preservation, interpretation, and demonstration. Pipe Spring is proud to share a visitor center with the tribe and to have tribal members on its staff. Some of the planned special guests this summer include Kaibab Paiute singers, drummers, and dancers as well as the Kanab-based Symphony of the Canyons along with other relevant subject-matter experts.

In addition to the centennial commemoration, as part of its 100th anniversary, the Monument, through your donations to the Forever Project, will supply educational materials and park-related giveaways and merchandise to participants of various special events. It will also host an all-former

Thelongtraditionofbasket-makingcontinues asanimportantartformwithmembersofthe local Kaibab Band of Paiutes.

staff and volunteer luncheon to share stories and successes from those who have helped mold Pipe Spring into what it is today, as well as revamp outreach materials to better engage local communities. Funding will also help towards creating period-accurate decorations for a variety of special events, including Pioneer Day (July 24) and their annual winter holiday event.

In this centennial year, park staff will also engage in a wide variety of community events, from Cedar City to Colorado City, to inform local communities about the events going on at Pipe Spring to recognize this special occasion. Funding for this event ensures Pipe Spring commemorates this historic event in a fitting fashion.

WagonslikethiswereusedbyMormon settlersfromArizonaastheytraveled the“HoneymoonTrail“tobemarriedinthe templelocatedinSt.George,Utah.

CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION

A Zion Tribal Gathering | $92,000 Needed

In a concerted effort to widen its representation, the National Park Service is working on increasing relationships with tribal partners to better include Native American input on park management. Zion’s Cultural Resource Division is seeking to build better relationships with tribal partners by hosting annual multi-day gatherings to provide space for open discussion and communication with tribal members about a variety of topics and concerns, and to ask for tribal input on future park initiatives.

The National Park Service feels it is imperative to ask for tribal perspectives in order to better manage resources and to increase communication that strengthens relationships as they move to the future. In 2004, the park hosted a tribal retreat and cultural exchange with positive results and has sought to continue the tradition to build stronger relationships with tribal partners ever since. In November 2022, the park hosted a smaller-scale gathering attended by Southern Paiute tribal bands as well as two representatives each from the Pueblo of Acoma and Hopi tribes, all of whom are consulting parties with the park.

The funding being sought will cover everything needed to plan the meetings, facilitate logistics, and host subject matter experts. The three- day gathering will include a ride-with-a- ranger shuttle tour as well as presentations about park wildlife and vegetation. Zion Cultural Resources Specialist Courtney Mackay said the gathering is an ideal occasion for the tribes to build relationships with each other as well as to communicate their insight and concerns with park staff.

The contributions from tribal partners are immeasurable in historic and cultural significance. Mackay mentioned one instance, in which a rock slab containing petroglyphs naturally broke and fell to the ground. The Park Service initially wanted to remove it from the site to preserve it, but tribal partners advised

NPS staff to leave it where it fell as relocating it would cause even more damage.

Zion firmly believes that inviting tribal members to visit the park provides the best format for park staff to hear, understand, and communicate with tribal partners. These gatherings foster growing relationships with tribes whose ancestral homelands the NPS manages. Building relationships will help support future resource protection, management strategies, and address future concerns. The park hopes to continue to hold these gatherings in future years to promote ongoing communication and collaboration. The National Park Service plans to continue growing the program and include all tribes who view Zion as their ancestral homelands.

Tribalmembersrideinparkshuttles,experiencingthemajestyofZionCanyonduringananual gathering.

Numeroustribesandbandsthroughoutthe regionconsiderZiontobeholygroundand fundamentaltotheircultureandlifestyle. Theirvoiceplaysanimportantroleinmanagingtheselandswithloveandcare.

DARK SKIES AT CEDAR BREAKS

Preserving the Night

$45,000 Needed

From ancient mariners to modern-day physicists, the night sky has inspired star gazers for generations. Today, astronomy ranger programs are some of the most popular programs in the National Park system. Cedar Breaks National Monument, one of the first Utah national park units to receive International Dark Sky designation, is one of the best places in the state to enjoy the night sky and learn about it from specially trained rangers and scientists.

However, artificial light use is rapidly growing throughout Southern Utah and is threatening the unspoiled view of the stars, even in high-elevation locations like Cedar Breaks. Monitoring the effects of this light on the monument’s night skies is key for park and community leaders to make informed decisions for the future. Your support will help fund the research and resources needed to monitor this ongoing issue. With your support, a Dark Sky Coordinator will complete light readings at different points within the monument to acquire baseline data, as well as take a reading from a stationary unit at the visitor information center every night. The National

Park Service staff will use these readings to consider options to reduce their artificial light use in Cedar Breaks itself and share actionable information with park neighbors. Additionally, these light readings will help park rangers teach the public how small changes can have big effects on the night sky in the park and at home.

Educational programs at the park not only teach visitors interesting facts about astronomy, but also inspire visitors to treat our night sky as a sensitive resource that deserves the same protection as the plants and wildlife. The program also provides an opportunity to interpret the constellations from multiple perspectives allowing park rangers and tribal members to share the many different cultural stories associated with the stars.

Your gift to the Forever Project will mean funding to sustain and enhance the highquality dark sky experiences at Cedar Breaks National Monument, helping them hold their place as a leader in night sky preservation and education throughout the region.

Rangersandvolunteers prepareearlyeachevening forvisitorstoexperience thenightskyastheynever have before.

A GLIMPSE OF NIGHT

Zion‘s Dark Sky Program Development | $20,075 Needed

High elevation parks like Cedar Breaks National Monument aren’t the only places that the rangers take the night sky seriously. Even in Zion Canyon, the night sky is a big deal. In fact, the International Dark Sky Association granted Zion certification as an International Dark Sky Park in 2021, earning their certification due to the exceptional quality of its night skies and their massive efforts to reduce light pollution in and around park buildings and facilities.

Not surprisingly, astronomy programs are becoming more popular among national park visitors. The popularity of these programs has helped educate visitors of the value of dark night skies.

Continued funding for the Dark Sky project ensures that dark sky interns have the tools to develop and lead on-site programs alongside rangers and scientists. Interns collaborate with park scientists to establish the future directions of astronomy activities and research within the park, as well as including the night sky perspective of Zion‘s ancestral tribe, the Southern Paiute.

Dark sky monitoring is another task headed by VIP interns. The intern will use monitoring information to write Zion’s annual dark sky status report to submit to the International Dark-Sky Association. Additionally, the intern will serve as a national park liaison to Springdale, Zion’s gateway community, helping the town administration understand the need for artificial light management in protecting the region‘s dark sky. The intern will also assist in creating scientific content for the park’s social media channels and updating the park’s website with data and outstanding photos of the park’s night sky.

Zion takes its dark sky seriously. Its inclusion as an International Dark Sky Park was no easy feat and it remains committed to modernizing infrastructure through the park to better protect the night sky. Your funding will provide the resources required for a dark sky interpretive scientist intern to help lead monitoring and programming efforts that will benefit park administration and visitors alike.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK YOUR BOOTS

Only YOU Can Prevent Invasive Species | $3,500 Needed

Second only to wildfires, the encroachment of invasive, non-native plant species is the greatest major threat to the health of Zion’s ecosystems. It is imperative that Zion mitigate the spread of these unwanted and harmful plants. With your help, the vegetation program seeks to implement preventative practices to reduce the chances of these species gaining a foothold and to couple these with education and outreach to visitors to teach them about the impact of these unwanted plants on park ecology and what they can do to help prevent their spread.

Little do visitors know that cleaning their footwear helps prevent the spread of unwanted plants in Zion National Park. Most visitors are unaware of the plants in the park that are not native to the area. The Zion Vegetation Program wants to change that. The Zion Vegetation Program plans to install boot scrubbers and informative signage about the spread of non-native species at trailheads and other high-visitor use areas such as visitor centers, bike parking, and parking lots near wilderness areas. These installations will both educate visitors on best practices for mitigation and encourage action to do their part by scrubbing their boots or shoes. This prevents seeds that could be on their footwear from finding their way into the park’s scenic areas.

Zion Vegetation Program Manager Rebecca Leiberg hopes visitors will have fun in these prevention efforts and realize it‘s another great way to care for these sensitive landscapes.

“A lot of people think it’s cool to clean their boots,” she said.

With your support vegetation program staff would work with youth corps staff interns and have the resources needed to install boot scrubbers, signage, and to engage visitors in outreach and education making them aware of the importance of vegetation management in the park.

Funding for this project will make visitors aware that their actions can impact park ecology and the intern hired in conjunction with this project will help visitors recognize that even one person’s action of scrubbing his or her footwear can make a difference in preserving the park’s ecosystem. This will further promote a sense of shared stewardship for national parks among visitors. These actions will help develop a mindset to protect park resources.

SEED SCIENCE IN ZION NATIONAL PARK

Using Innovative Vegetation Techniques | $1,750 Needed

Non-native, invasive plant species are a major threat to Zion National Park’s ecosystem. The park’s vegetation program would like to initiate research by way of experimental “seed coating” to find the best way to reintroduce native species where they once were, or to augment them where they already live.

The vegetation team collects native seeds to replant with the goal of improving habitat conditions in the park. Unfortunately, many of these seeds do not germinate due to several factors, such as climate and being eaten by birds, insects, and rodents. Additionally, non-native species such as cheatgrass also impedes germination, and herbicides used to clear non-native species for regrowth of native species sometimes create more difficult growing conditions for the native species, lengthening the period before an area is successfully rewilded with native vegetation.

The seed-coating program will include three main steps. First, the vegetation team will apply pre-emergent herbicide in locations where non-native plant species have become a monoculture. Next, the vegetation program will decide what native plant species should be planted where the non-native species once were. Lastly, the vegetation team coats the seeds of the

native species to protect them from the lingering effects of the herbicide and to promote a better chance of germination.

The vegetation program envisions seed coating as a way to avoid those herbicide challenges and be able to plant native species sooner. The seed coating provides a protective layer that minimizes the effects of the herbicide, encouraging germination. Staff will employ a scientific approach, testing germination on a batch of seed before coating it. Some species they plan to test are a variety of penstemon species, ricegrass, Zion and rattle milkvetch, yellow bee plant, Virgin encelia, blue flax, showy Colorado four o‘clock, Dorr’s sage, globemallow, yucca, and several species of primrose.

With your funding, the vegetation program would like to research and test different types of seed coating, storage conditions, and application rates to hopefully help native species flourish. This type of seed coating is a new emerging science. A major part of the research will be finding what seed-coating ingredients work the best, which will

most likely include a psyllium seed husk, an ingredient commonly used in Metamucil, and activated carbon, which have seen anecdotal success in other applications. Funding for this grant will allow vegetation program staff to acquire equipment and supplies for testing as well as perform literature reviews and attend training workshops to experiment with and store coated seeds in designated park areas.

“This technique could effectively change vegetation management across public lands in the West,” said Rebecca Lieberg, Vegetation Program Manager. “Successful germination of coated species on a large scale would allow for less labor and disturbance in restoration areas by allowing for herbicide applications and seed sowing to take place simultaneously, higher seed viability because seed can be sown more quickly after collection than current practices allow, and the early emergence of desired plant species in sprayed areas reduces bare ground as well as the need for subsequent herbicide applications.”

Vegetation program staff are eager to test these seed-coating techniques on a small scale to inform the future — to see what might be the most effective on a large scale in order to protect vulnerable landscapes. Funding for this grant will be a giant leap forward in that understanding.

Moderntechnologyandequipmentarehelpful inpromotingnativeplantstothrivein-spiteof threatsfrominvasivespeciesandhigh-traffic.

NO PICNICS FOR BEARS

Lava Point Boxes | $13,144 Needed

When thinking about bear populations in national parks, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Alaskan parks top the list. People might perceive Zion as being at the bottom of the “bear-el”. However, Zion is home to bears, and bear sightings and evidence of bear activity are on the rise, especially in the park’s higher elevations. In fact, a few years ago, a black bear almost found its way into a ranger cabin near Lava Point. Zion Wildlife Program Manager, Janice Stroud-Settles, says that when visitors reach higher elevations where the principal vegetation is made up of aspen and fir trees, there is a possibility of encountering a bear.

To prevent bear-human encounters, Zion is seeking, with your help, to provide bear boxes for food storage at the Lava Point Campground, located at nearly 8,000 feet of elevation along the Kolob Terrace in the northern part of the park. These boxes will be both a safety and educational measure. The boxes will help prevent bears from obtaining human food, which in turn would encourage the bears’ natural inclination to hunt on their own and lessen the chance of the bears becoming more comfortable around humans. The boxes will also send a clear message to park-goers to keep their food inaccessible and not feed wildlife or do anything that would encourage the park’s fauna to search for human food.

Funding for this project will pay for the boxes as well as informational signage on or near the boxes to communicate to visitors that preventing wildlife from accessing human food is the cornerstone of Zion’s strategy for reducing humanwildlife conflicts.

PRESERVING PIONEER HISTORY

Conserving Brigham Young’s Chair | $10,000 Needed

Like humans, objects can also have their 15 minutes of fame. Pipe Spring has one such object used for a seminal event in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Brigham Young, second president of the LDS church, was the major impetus behind the settlement of the Utah Territory and beyond. Pipe Spring, which served as an LDS tithing ranch and a stop along the Honeymoon Trail, played a part in that settlement story.

In the twilight of his life, Brigham Young was able to witness the dedication of the SaintGeorge Temple in April 1877, the first LDS temple finished west of the Mississippi River. Afflicted with gout at the time of the dedication, Young could hardly walk and was carried in a chair into the temple for the dedication proceedings.

Zion National Park received the chair in 1929, and in 1962 transferred it to Pipe Spring due to its historical connection to the monument. The short, pine wood chair features gold paint accents, four decorative balls carved between the narrowest back slats, and a wide, deep seat. The seat, made of woven rush, is what needs the most work and will require the attention of a skilled conservator to stabilize and repair nearly 100 years of natural deterioration. Pipe Spring staff remarked that the chair reflects a style Young would have been familiar with as a cabinet maker in Vermont, and speculate that local cabinet maker Thomas Cotton most likely made the chair specifically for the St. George Temple.

Pipe Spring National Monument’s staff will send the chair to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, where National Park Service furniture conservation specialists will complete the stabilization process. The process will not restore the chair back to mint condition, as this would be

EarlyMormonleaderBrighamYoungreliedon sturdychairsinhislateryears,includingthose spentwinteringinnearbySt.George,Utah. Authenticrelicsfromthisperiod,especiallythose usedbykeyhistoricalfiguressuchasYoung,are cherished additions to Park collections.

impossible, but it will stabilize the chair so it can be safely put on display. Conservators will thoroughly assess the chair and use specialized materials to repair and replace damaged areas.

Funding for this project will enhance efforts to bring to restore Pipe Spring’s old artifacts and stories, and bring them to life. Pipe Spring National Monument hopes to have the chair stabilized and put it on display in time for the monument’s centennial commemoration this year. Going hand in hand with the Brigham Young chair, Pipe Spring National Monument also hopes to soon restore a table and stool once owned by James Whitmore, the first Mormon settler to reside in what is now called Pipe Spring.

THE LAST UNPROTECTED GATEWAY Conservation Easements | With Your Support

National Parks do not operate in a vacuum. Factors outside park boundaries affect parks in big ways, impacting everything from ecosystems to the visitor experience. As such, collaborative donor-funded projects enhance experiences both inside and beyond the park gates.

For instance, in 1924, the National Park Service helped pay for the construction of the now-historic Rockville Bridge to shorten the distance between Zion and Grand Canyon by 33 miles, which was a crucial benefit to the Utah Parks Company and the buses that transported tourists to the two national parks. When the Zion shuttle network was implemented in 2000, the park established a partnership with Springdale to initiate the Springdale town shuttle, which in turn alleviated parking within the park. More recently, Zion expended its resources to help achieve Wild and Scenic River designation for the upper portion of the Virgin River, preventing any upstream impoundments outside the park to protect fish and wildlife habitats as well as preserving the river for the recreational enjoyment of visitors in the park.

Today, the Zion Forever Project is expending its resources outside the park to East Zion.

The idea of conservation and development to improve the visitor experience on Zion’s east side is nothing new. More than two decades ago, the park’s management plan acknowledged the need for such development in anticipation of rising visitation. Back then, however, the park did not know how it would accommodate such development. Today, thankfully, it does.

Zion Forever is working to acquire conservation easements on over 900 acres just outside the park’s eastern boundary to protect the viewshed, the watershed, and habitats for the park’s animals on behalf of Zion National Park. Fortunately, many East Zion landowners share the vision and have been cooperative and willing to allow conservation easements to

be placed on these critical parcels, helping to ensure that traditional development does not happen.

One such example is the McLaws family, owners of Zion Mountain Ranch. Their threehundred twenty-four-acre property adjacent to the ranch now features a conservation easement, meaning that development rights have been purchased and the land won‘t be developed. Currently, a herd of bison graze on this land parcel, adding to the view and experience of visitors entering and exiting Zion’s east entrance.

“So many small towns near national parks are overcooked and overcrowded,” says McLaws, “That’s not something we want to replicate over here.”

The McLaws have also donated 18 acres of land for the proposed East Zion Visitor Center, which, if not for the easement, would have become a strip mall and gas station. Additionally, other landowners have donated hundreds of acres near Zion National Park to ensure they remain free from commercial development.

The State of Utah has also been a valuable partner in stopping local development, granting $300,000 from LeRay McAllister Critical Lands Conservation funds to help buy out development rights on a 37.7-acre parcel along the park’s east boundary.

TheopportunitytoprotecttheruralnatureofZion‘sEastEntranceisverylimited.Increasedvisitation bringsastrongdemandfordevelopmentthroughouttheregion,andthissensitiveareaisnoexception.

“For more than two decades, the McLaws family and its partners have kept this gateway corridor pristine and free of commercial development. Today, it is one of the last remaining undeveloped gateways to a National Park in the lower 48 states,” said Stephani Lyon, Zion Forever’s Director of Philanthropy. “The nation owes much to the McLaws family for maintaining this corridor in keeping their family principles. Their conservation vision, balanced with compatible contributive commerce, is a shared vision that will protect the park’s resources while extending the visitor experience and economic opportunities beyond the park‘s traditional borders.”

Through these combined efforts, East Zion’s future includes more recreation opportunities that are free and open to the public with a new visitor center and more trails to accommodate visitors. This will ease the pressure off the main Zion Canyon that continues to see millions of visitors each year. This initiative will be a part of Zion’s legacy investment by being much less impactful on the environment than the traditional development visitors expect immediately outside park boundaries.

Funding is still needed to secure further development rights and land in this corridor. Securing these rights will ensure that East Zion visitors are greeted by land untouched by commercial development and preserve the viewshed, watershed, wildlife habitat, and the recreation value of this pristine land. There have been great strides in these conservative actions, but more financial support is needed to ensure more land is protected from commercial development.

NaturalbeautyisplentifulthroughouttheyearintheZionRegionalLandscape.Regardlessoftheseason orlocalweatherconditions,stunningviewsareabundant.Populationgrowth,unprecedentedvisitation andothermodernthreatsmakeitcrucialtotakeanactiveroleincaringforthesenaturaltreasuresto protecttheuniqueviewsforever...

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Caring For Our Parks is a Group Effort

Zion Forever Project believes our parks must have advocates reflecting all walks of life, experience, and circumstance who care deeply for their future. We are lucky to have a community of corporate and local business partners to help take care of these sacred and significant landscapes. This season, we are spotlighting two of our great company partners who each bring unique resources and expertise to the table.

BUMBLEBERRY GIFT SHOP – SPRINGDALE, UTAH

Bumbleberry Gift Shop, located in the gateway to Zion National Park, has served visitors for over 50 years and has deep roots in the local community. Not only is Bumbleberry famous for its well-stocked gift shop, but it is also world-renowned for its delicious bumbleberry pie.

Beyond their generational connection to the community, Bumbleberry has also been the longest contributor to Zion Forever‘s “Round-Up“ program. Their commitment to this program encourages customers to round-up their purchase for the park, and with Bumbleberry‘s help, the program has grown every season. Their contributions have helped fund dozens of park programs and initiatives over the years, significantly impacting the visitor experience in Zion National Park.

Bumbleberry‘s commitment to preserving Zion National Park is evident in its efforts to encourage others to give back to the park. Since their participation, others in the local community have joined in donating.

“For our family, Zion National Park is more than just a beautiful place to visit. It‘s where we call home. That‘s why it‘s so important to us that we do our part in taking care of this special place so others can experience it for themselves. For us, Zion is a deeply personal place, and we hope everyone has a chance to share in that feeling.“

– Trisha Clark Owner, Bumbleberry Gift Shop

The Zion National Park Forever Project is honored to have a partner like the Bumbleberry, who shares our local commitment and passion for preserving the unique beauty of a place that is more than a park, it‘s home. Their contributions continue to inspire a band of participation toward the park‘s most critical needs.

MYSTERY RANCH – BOZEMAN, MONTANA

Zion Forever Project since the park‘s centennial in 2019. As a signature donor, they played a pivotal role in making the official park film “We the Keepers“ a reality. The film highlights the stunning beauty of the park and the crucial role that the Zion Forever Project and its donors play in maintaining it.

Mystery Ranch is recognized globally for their industry-leading backpack design and manufacturing, but their relationship with nature extends beyond their business. As outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of the land, they understand the significance of special places like Zion and the importance of preserving them for future generations.

Their support for our mission is deeper than their fiscal commitments. Mystery Ranch, and their President, Alex Kutches, have been pivotal in sharing our message and mission with others in the outdoor retail world, and in providing backpacks, like the Coulee 20. With their help, Zion Forever is working to let Zion’s visitors know how they can be a part of the park.

“At Mystery Ranch, we believe that special places like Zion National Park hold a profound significance for generations of families. They represent a connection to nature, a source of inspiration, and a shared experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. That is what makes our commitment to these places so important. They do not care for themselves, and with the Zion Forever Project, we are able to do the important work of ensuring their preservationfor the future.” - Alex Kutches, President & CEO of Mystery Ranch Backpacks.

Zion National Park Forever Project is proud to have a partner like Mystery Ranch. Their support embodies the passion and dedication we strive for in bettering Zion National Park for everyone. Their national-level support is invaluable, and we are grateful for their commitment.

If you can’t see it in the park, watch “We The Keepers” online zionpark.org/wethekeepers or search “We The Keepers” to watch on youtube.

To learn more about Mystery Ranch Backpacks and see their commitment to the outdoors visit mysteryranch.com

RETAIL FOR A CAUSE

Your Purchases Support Our Park‘s Highest Priority Projects

Our mission starts in the parks, and our park stores are the frontline in giving back.

Did you know that all purchases made in our Zion Forever Project Park Stores contribute to the conservation, protection, and education efforts inside these natural wonders while providing you with great products that you will cherish forever?

Each of our Zion Forever Park Stores is dedicated to supporting our National Parks by providing high-quality, memorable, and oneof-a-kind products designed to showcase the beauty and diversity of our National Parks and Monuments, with designs inspired by the flora, fauna, landscapes, and cultural history of these unique places. From t-shirts and hats to maps, books, water bottles, and tote bags, we offer many items perfect for your park adventure as a thoughtful gift and a memory of your visit for all your nature-loving friends and family.

Many of our gifts and apparel use sustainable materials and ethical production practices to minimize our environmental impact and ensure our products are of the highest quality.

When you visit our park stores, you can feel good knowing that your purchase positively impacts the places you love. With a 90+ year history of serving the parks, you can be confident that your contribution makes a real difference.

So why wait? Visit one of our Zion Forever Project Park Stores on your next trip or online and start shopping for a cause. Together, we can help protect and preserve the natural wonders of Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Pipe Spring National Monument, one purchase at a time. Thank you for making a difference now and forever.

THE WORTH OF A WORD

Former ZFP President‘s Parting Thoughts

For more than 40 years I’ve collaborated with the artist Roland Lee on several projects intent on sharing the story of Zion in words and images. I’ve provided the words, and Roland, the images. We’ve had an ongoing debate about which medium is more powerful. Roland’s watercolors of Zion have become iconic works of art, and he usually wins the debate by reminding me that, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Yet Zion sparks a desire in many to paint in words, even when words can fail us. In forty years of trying, I’ve never quite been able to translate to words what I see and feel in this canyon. So, I’ve often turned to others who have done it for me.

Frederick Dellenbaugh, who accompanied John Wesley Powell on his second expedition of the Colorado River in the early 1870s, returned to southern Utah three decades later as a freelance journalist and painter. He spent a couple of weeks in the canyon in the summer of 1903, working on a series of oil paintings he would exhibit in the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, and researching the article he would publish in the January 1904 edition of Scribner’s Magazine.

In 2007, thanks to supporters like you, Zion Forever was able to obtain one of those long-lost paintings and bring it back to Zion where it is now part of the park’s collection. That collection also contains an original copy of Scribner’s Magazine in which Dellenbaugh expressed the impact of his first encounter with the canyon in words like these:

“Away below, sage-covered slopes extend to the distant green of Virgin City, overshadowed by the towering magnificence of the Great Temple, standing unique, sublime, adamantine . . . There is almost nothing to compare to it. Niagara has the beauty of energy; the Grand Canyon, of immensity; the Yellowstone, of singularity; the Yosemite, of altitude; the ocean, of power; this Great Temple, of eternity . . .”

Each time I come to the end of that soliloquy, I’m convinced there are times when a word is worth a thousand pictures. That word, “eternity,” captures the essence of what you and I, and all of us who support the Zion Forever Project, are doing as we work together to make a difference for Zion, now and forever.

Lyman Hafen Former President & CEO Zion Forever Project

WAYS TO GIVE

ZION FOREVER FOUNDERS CIRCLE

Join the Zion Forever Project Founders Circle with Scott Anderson, President and CEO of Zions Bank, and Kem Gardner, Chairman of Gardner Company. Gifts of $100,000 or more bring access to numerous benefits.

MAJOR GIFTS

Champion a specific project in the Field Guide by directing your gift to a project that matters to you.

AFFILIATE PROGRAMS

Your business can be recognized as an active force in preserving the Zion experience for future generations. Frontline training, collateral and more can be made available to your organization.

WORKING PARTNERS

Join our group of dedicated business partners in helping to address Zion’s biggest issues.

ANNUAL GIVING

Supporters with an annual gift of $50 or more will receive special gifts, including 15% discount at our park stores and discounts at cooperating association park stores located throughout the country.

GIFTS IN MEMORY OF

The impact Zion has on us can resonate throughout a lifetime. You can highlight the legacy of a loved one with a gift to the Zion Forever Project. Gifts received in memory will go directly to fund the park’s highest priority projects.

ESTATE PLANNING

For many Zion is a sanctuary that will last for eternity, and it is your gifts that make it possible. As you plan your estate, bequests and donations can be assigned to the Zion Forever Project in either you wills or living trusts. Contact our offices for more information in planning these legacy gifts.

EMPLOYER MATCHING GIFTS

Ask your employer if they will match your charitable contribution to the Zion Forever Project. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and can provide you with a form to submit online or by mail. It’s an easy way to help your gift go twice as far.

GIFTS OF SECURITIES

Gifts of stock and other appreciated securities are an easy way to help Zion, while also receiving a number of tax benefits.

ADD UP FOR ZION

Keep an eye out for the Zion Forever logo at local businesses. Many of our local participating business partners give you the option to Add Up for Zion, so your loose change can help change Zion’s future.

SOCIAL MEDIA

In addition to raising funds, you can make a difference by simply liking the Zion Forever Instagram page and following us on Facebook. We offer engaging information through our social media channels which you can share with others and bring attention to our mission of stewardship.

#zionforever | @zionforeverproject

CONTACT US

For more information:

Stephani Lyon Director of Philanthropy

702.556.1596

stephani.lyon@zionpark.org

ZIONPARK.ORG

Zion Forever Project

1 Zion National Park Springdale, UT 84767

THANK YOU

Thanks to the following contributors for their efforts in this year’s guide:

Wade Wixom - Design

Wyatt Larsen - Digital Strategy

Taylor Snyder - Working Partners

Tiffany Stouffer - Grants and Grassroots

Michelle Temiquel - Coordination

Zachary Almaguer - Communications

Jill Burt - Retail

Savannah Dunn - Retail

Lyman Hafen - Former ZFP President

The Zion Forever Project Staff

The National Park Service

And a special thanks to local historian, author, and teacher, Reuben Wadsworth. He wrote this year’s articles and this guide would not have been possible without him.

CREDITS

PHOTOS:

Joe Braun: Front Cover

Wade Wixom: 2-3, 4, 6-7, 9, 10, 15, 16-17, 20-21, 22-23, 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 50, 54, 57

Wyatt Larsen: 1, 10, 14, 26, 27, 29, 31, 35, 38, 39, 44, 45, 46, 52, 55

Mike Saemisch: 41

Avery Sloss: 42

Maya Akpinar: 50

Michael Andrew Just: 50

RJ Hooper: 51

David Wallace: 53

Jeanette Matovich: 33

NPS: 4, 18, 21, 23, 30, 31, 33, 36, 39, 41, 43, 46

Southern Utah University 28

LDS Church Archives: 47