In the summer of 1920, Robert Sterling Yard published The Nation's
Parks, a richly illustrated 16-page booklet. It was, as Yard wrote, "issued
by an association of citizens which seeks the finest possible upbuilding of a
system destined to become one of our most valuable economic assets, and to
promote the widest possible uses of the parks by all the people."
During the course of the next two decades, Yard irregularly published the
National Parks Bulletin (click on link to access
an electronic archive of selected issues).
Yard's successor was Devereux Butcher a writer,
photographer and conservationist. In 1942, Butcher began publishing the
National Parks Magazine on a quarterly basis, becoming a monthly
publication in January 1959.
Starting with the April 1970 issue the name was changed to
National Parks & Conservation Magazine: The Environmental Journal, in
part to reflect the organization's subsequent name change from the National
Parks Association to the National Parks and Conservation Association (in the
summer of that year). Starting with the January 1981 issue, the magazine was
renamed once again simply as National Parks, becoming a bi-monthly
publication in July 1981 and quarterly starting in 2004.
Over the years, the aim of National Parks has always
been the same to educate and inspire park supporters.
Here's a list of editors who have created the National Parks
magazine.
Editor(s) | First Issue | Last Issue |
Devereux Butcher | July-September 1942 | July-September 1957 |
Bruce M. Kilgore | October-December 1957 | June 1960 |
Paul M. Tilden | August 1960 | June 1969 |
James G. Deane | July 1969 | July 1969 |
Eugenia Horstman Connally | August 1969 | November-December 1983 |
Marjorie Corbett/Michele Strutin | January-February 1984 | November-December 1984 |
Michele Strutin | January-February 1985 | September-October 1990 |
Sue E. Dodge | November-December 1990 | September-October 1996 |
Leslie Happ | November-December 1996 | September-October 1997 |
Linda M. Rancourt | November-December 1997 | Fall 2006 |
Scott Kirkwood | Winter 2007 | Summer 2015 |
Rona Marech | Fall 2015 | |
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Below is an archive of back issues; to view, simply
click on the magazine cover. An index of the Table of Contents for each
issue can also be viewed by clicking on the Table of Contents
listing (above each decade), as well as on the year (at left). The most
current issue is also available on NPCA's Website.