Departure of Preserve Director, Introduction of NPT-KS Board of Trustees Announced

National Park Trust
Tuesday, 23 May 2000

The National Park Trust (NPT) will announce at an open house at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve on June 11, 2000 at 1:30 p.m. the departure and promotion of Preserve Director, Barbara Zurhellen, as well as introduce the Board of Trustees for the newly created National Park Trust of Kansas, Inc. (NPT-KS) The public is encouraged to attend this event at the Preserve.

This will be a great opportunity for the public to learn more about NPT, to meet NPT President, Paul Pritchard, trustee and former congressman Robert Lagomarsino and Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Superintendent, Steve Miller.

"Barbara has done an outstanding job," said Paul Duffendack, chairman of the newly formed National Park Trust of Kansas and vice chair of the National Park Trust, which owns the national park unit. "Preserve Director Barbara Zurhellen was previously the Director of Interpretation for the former Z Bar/Spring Hill Ranch. Barbara was appointed as the Preserve Director by the National Park Trust in 1996 when the ranch became a unit of the National Park System. Through her grassroots efforts and involvement in the local community, Barbara was able to build community support for the creation of the Preserve and address years of controversy over the creation of a national preserve. Barbara is being promoted to establish a Western Regional office for NPT. However, she will continue to serve on the Board of Trustees of NPT-KS, " noted Duffendack.

The National Park Trust of Kansas, Inc. was formed in November of 1999 as a subsidiary of the National Park Trust, Inc. The mission of NPT-KS is to assist NPT and the National Park Service with the improvement, management, operation administration, preservation and protection of the Preserve. Stephen C. Miller, Chairman of the NPT Board of Trustees, described the State and National members of the NPT-KS board as exhibiting, "an outstanding array of dedication and knowledge. They have shown their commitment to all Americans in their concern for the Preserve. We are honored that they have agreed to continue to watch over this unique national park endeavor."

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the only unit of the National Park System dedicated to protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural history of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.

Founded in 1983, the National Park Trust is the only private land conservancy dedicated exclusively to saving America's parklands. The Trust works closely with the National Park Service and state park directors to purchase lands from willing sellers in order to protect the integrity of our nation's natural, historical, and cultural resources. The Trust has been involved in more than 100 park projects in states ranging from Hawaii to Florida. The Trust has completed four national park units and is the only private land conservancy recognized and entrusted by the U.S. Congress with a national park unit, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas.

For more information, or to contact National Park Trust, see their website at: www.parktrust.org