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A12.2: #ParkChat Book Club is finishing Sea of Grass by Dave Hage & Josephine Marcotty. It covers everything from mechanized agriculture to pesticides to wetlands and policy/law. You'll learn a lot and enjoy reading about tall grass prairies. We discuss the book on Tues., July 21st at 7 PM Pacific.

The 2026 #ParkChat Book Club List. Feb/Mar Eager, Apr/May Ranger in Skirts, Jun/Jul Sea of Grass, Aug/Sep The Story of my Boyhood, Oct/Nov Our National Forests, Dec/Jan Wild Girls.

A book cover with two thirds covered in tall grasses with the title: Sea of Grass (The Conquest, Ruin, and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie) by Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty.

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A12.1: If you have an ESRI online account, please vote for @coastalcorridor.bsky.social ... our Story Map about the Randall Preserve is up for an award. Voting ends: July 17th. Go to: bit.ly/Vote-CCA

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Pam Portland, novelist and blogger @pamportland.org · 09/07/2026

A10: Remote enough that I've gone for days without cell service! On the regular, though, I'm accessible by phone when I camp. #ParkChat

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Q10: The most remote campground on the right side of the country is Lake Richie Canoe Campground, but ya gotta really wanna get there. How remote do you like to get when camping? #ParkChat #ISRO

Inland Lake Paddling Campgrounds - Isle Royale National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Isle Royale National Park Inland Lake Paddling Campgrounds

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Pam Portland, novelist and blogger @pamportland.org · 09/07/2026

A9: Great Smoky Mountains is a stunning one! #ParkChat

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Q9: Of the 20 states without a national park, 16 are east of the Mississippi. What is an eastern NP you visited – or a NPS not-a-park site you visited – that you’d recommend? #ParkChat #AL

Alabama (U.S. National Park Service)

Alabama

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A8: Yosemite National Park is always crowded. Just back from Yellowstone and that was a crowded destination too! #ParkChat

Pam Portland, novelist and blogger @pamportland.org · 09/07/2026

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Q8: With 433 designated sites to explore, the NPS site with the highest visitation in 2025 lies on the eastern side of the country, with more than 16.5M visitors. What’s a nature excursion you shared with a lot of others? #ParkChat #BLRI

Blue Ridge Parkway (U.S. National Park Service)

A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appa...

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Pam Portland, novelist and blogger @pamportland.org · 09/07/2026

A7: Gosh, could it be the CDT? For a while there I was segment hiking the John Muir Trail. #ParkChat

A photo of a woman with a green hat looking at a lake with blue skies above.

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Q7: What’s the longest NPS trail east of the Mississippi? Hint: It’s more than 2x as long as the Appalachian Trail. (Yes, technically a little is west of the Mississippi, but only bc it doesn’t cross it.) Share picks from a LONG hike (or long for you) that you took. #ParkChat #NOCO

North Country National Scenic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)

Come to the North Country. Trek the hills and valleys. Stand on the shores of lakes & streams from glaciers 10,000 years before. Clear-flowing water, red/gold of autumn, a fairyland of snow, open prai...

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Pam Portland, novelist and blogger @pamportland.org · 09/07/2026

A4: For me it was going to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and seeing the transfer of the guards. It was moving--even as a kid. #ParkChat

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Q4: The oldest battlefield-related NPS site was transferred from the War Department in 1933. Describe a poignant moment you experienced in a Battlefield, Military Park, National Battlefield, or Battlefield Site. #ParkChat #CHCH

Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Pam Portland, novelist and blogger @pamportland.org · 09/07/2026

A3: I've not spent much time in NY parks... so I'll skip this one! #ParkChat

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Q3: The state with the third most NPS sites is east of the Mississippi. What is a site you have visited there – or want to visit? (Trivia: It also does NOT have a National Park.) #ParkChat #NY

New York (U.S. National Park Service)

New York

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A1: I LOVED Acadia NP. It was stunning. I need to go back, but it isn't high on the list just yet. My favorite moment was explaining to my niece that Bah Hahbah was actually Bar Harbor -- she was soooo confused. #ParKChat

59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I'm finally ready -- computer issues! #ParkChat

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Tonight #ParkChat welcomes @pamportland.org as our special guest host. She’ll be looking at “go East” as our topic. Who is ready? @naturetechfam.bsky.social

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A5: The tallest mountain I ever climbed was Mt. San Jacinto at 10,834'. It was the one and only peak that I bagged! #ParkChat

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A6: I enjoy a pocket park in the middle of my community. It is probably an acre, but it has grass, trees, benches, and a playground with a water feature for the kids (or adults?). #ParkChat

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A2: Recommendations from friends on #ParkChat and my second runner-up would be a company that does guided tours.

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No... it is Aug/Sept. I missed this month's meeting too! #ParkChat

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59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A12: #ParkChat Book Club is on Sea of Grass by Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty. It covers everything from mechanized agriculture to pesticides to wetlands and policy/law. You'll learn a lot and enjoy reading about tall grass prairies. We discuss the book on Tuesday, July 21st at 7 PM Pacific.

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Q12 #ParkChat Who has a comment or a question?

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59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Q11 #ParkChat Lets have a Sunday chat that will drive some interest and participation. When I enter the upcoming chat on Sunday, interact with me. Like the tweet, repost it, write a few words, post a pic. These help!

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Nature Tech Family @naturetechfam.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A8: #ParkChat on IG... I'd be willing to help!

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Q8 #ParkChat Are there other social channels or other platforms where you think adding a #ParkChat presence could help build the BSKY community in tandem? Could you commit to volunteer in those spaces? @59nationalparks.bsky.social

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A7, part 2: I'm wondering if BlueSky Parks Chat channel may be confusing for people to find on this app. Is there a way to delete the "s", # it and combine ParkChat like we do in our tags? #ParkChat

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Nature Tech Family @naturetechfam.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A10: See my answer about IG and other nonprofit hosts. #ParkChat

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Q10 #ParkChat Our chat is a labor of love by both hosts and participants. No money is exchanged, nor would we want there to be. What are some ways you personally can help with visibility of the chat, finding hosts, or otherwise promoting the chat? @59nationalparks.bsky.social

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59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Q9 #ParkChat We now have a private DM on BSKY that holds 50 with 18 spots taken. I’m thrilled about this-it encourages participants. Will you participate in and invite people to join the private #ParkChat group DM? I’d like to see a 50 spots taken.

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Nature Tech Family @naturetechfam.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A7: Could we feature #ParkChat questions on IG like once a day?? Like set up a #ParkChat account that a few people manage that could gain interest/a following that encourages them to to come to BSKY to participate?

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Q7 #ParkChat Let’s brainstorm. Shout out some ideas that could help us find more willing, consistent hosts and/or weekly participants - no matter how crazy. That’s what brainstorming is about… no critiquing, just idea creation. @59nationalparks.bsky.social

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59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A6: I'd try: National Parks and Conservation Association Mojave Desert Land Trust The Trust for Public Land Sierra Club "Friends" of Parks Groups And, other social media influencers (Jason Journeyman, Teal Lehto, Thor Bradley, Jessie Dickson)... if they are also on BSKY. #ParkChat

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Q6 #ParkChat Speaking of I have recruited @trpl.bsky.social to guest host sometime soon after their grand opening on 7/04. Are there other public land orgs you’d like me to reach out to? Hand ‘em over. I’ll do it if they’re on BSKY.

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59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A5: I try with every author we have for the #ParkChat Book Club. Some seem more willing than others. I'll keep at it!

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Q5 #ParkChat On the other channel we had a Hall of Famer we called Bink. (He won’t come to BSKY-Stubborn) We would recruit “name” people-usually authors to host. He would direct the chat too-dang good. Does anyone want to recruit known entities to guest host #ParkChat

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A4: Yes, I'd consider images that push out a few times a week with the benefits of National Parks and/or a banner image that features the #ParkChat host. Happy to help on this front if you need a design program like Canva to make "image creation and swapping" easier!

Nature Tech Family @naturetechfam.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

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Q4 #ParkChat Do you know of any tools we could make use of that might help us “publicly” organize the chat better (Example: a shared Google form, doc, or sheet that anyone can add a host to, an app that can push out info on upcoming chats/meetups to others, etc.)? @59nationalparks.bsky.social

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A3: I would think there could be a way to bring kids back through conservation or through other introductory "environment" days (i.e., Earth Day, Public Lands Day, Biodiversity Week, etc.) #ParkChat

59nationalparks @59nationalparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

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Q3 #ParkChat Our chat trends routinely. It’s a great thing! Or is it? Given the other words that trend with us, parents a likely objecting to their children in the chat as they have in the part. Is there away to bring kids back to #ParkChat?

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