National Park Foundation Awards $10 Million to Modernize Park Systems

The initiative seeks to move beyond traditional preservation by empowering local partners to implement scalable tech solutions. At Acadia National Park, for instance, the Schoodic Institute will deploy predictive analytics to manage visitor congestion in real time. Similarly, the Grand Canyon Conservancy is integrating digital interpretation tools to deepen visitor engagement with the landscape, while the Virgin Islands National Park will leverage Starlink satellite systems to bridge critical gaps in emergency communications at remote land and marine sites.

Operational efficiency remains a core pillar of the program. Projects at Big Cypress, the National Mall, and other open-boundary sites involve a collaboration with Pennsylvania State University to utilize anonymized cell phone data for improved resource management and staffing decisions. Additionally, Channel Islands National Park is moving toward on-site waste incineration to protect its fragile island ecosystem. NPF President Jeff Reinbold noted that while innovation has long been central to the park concept, philanthropic support is now necessary to transition these experimental ideas into long-term, scalable operations.