SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

Rangers in the Classroom teaches young people about the natural world and what it takes to preserve it.  Students handle skulls and pelts to learn about the animals in the Parks.  They join hands to make a big circle the size of a giant sequoia tree’s base.  And they trace the path of a snowflake from the tops of the mountains to the water it becomes to feed the rivers and lakes that irrigate valley crops.
Since its inception in 2007, Rangers in the Classroom has reached more than 63,000 children from kindergarten through the 6th grade.  Students and teachers alike love the program – so much that the Parks cannot meet the demand for ranger visits to schools.  The Foundation is currently seeking additional funding to expand the program

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks receive 1.5 million visitors annually, resulting in a large number of search and rescue calls each year. The Parks’ Search and Rescue Team members specialize in challenging and technical missions, involving remote, steep, and mountainous terrain. In addition to locating lost and injured visitors, Park Rangers provide emergency medical services and advanced life support, often in wilderness areas. The Sequoia Parks Foundation supports these critical activities through donations to a special SAR Fund The Sequoia Parks Foundation gives special thanks the individuals and families who have donated generously to the SAR Fund in honor or in memory of loved ones aided by this program—and to the dedicated Park Rangers who serve the Parks’ visitors.

Beginning in 2005 Sequoia Parks Conservancy has hosted groups of exceptional artists for week-long retreats in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  The partnership between the Sequoia Parks Conservancy and the fine arts community seeks to develop new ways of communicating the value of the parks to the public.
Through these programs the Foundation hopes to facilitate the creation of new bodies of art based on park landscapes and features, encourage artists to involve themselves in wilderness, and assist both artists and the public in rediscovering the High Sierra.  This program seeks to inspire the artists to create work based on Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and encourage collaboration and dialogue with one another and with Park Service personnel regarding the protection and support of these parks.

Wildlife protection and habitat protection and restoration. Removing non-native plant species and replacing with native plants.

The night sky in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is nationally recognized. Our darkness not only adds to the aesthetic qualities of the wilderness, but is important to the health of our wildlife. As most of the world is faced with the effects of artificial light pollution, the Dark Sky Festival aims to educate visitors about the importance of this park resource and inspire them to take action in their own community.