Parks and WNP stores are open across the West: A big message from a small mammal

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- I didn't set out to work in marketing. I set out to eat. 

Yet here I am: Pika Pip Squeak, Western National Parks' Micro-Marketing Manager, freshly installed in the world of brand strategy, key messaging and the mysterious phrase "content calendar." 

For years, my professional focus was simple: harvest as much alpine vegetation as possible before the snow buried it, then cram it all under rocks and hope for the best. I specialized in soil health, micro-greens and what humans call "ecosystem services." Now I apparently specialize in "audience engagement."

Same mountains. Different job.

Life on the micro-marketing team

When people hear my title, they assume "micro" refers to my size. That's only partly true. I am, in fact, roughly the size of a baked potato. But in marketing terms, "micro" means attention to the tiny moments that add up to big impact. 

• A family picking up a Junior Ranger booklet 
• A hiker buying a field guide "just in case they see something cool" 
• Someone grabbing a mug because "I had such a good day here, I want to remember it"    

Tiny choices. Big impact.   

Brief choices may seem inconsequential in the moment. But just like a haypile built one leaf at a time, they stack up into something that can get you through a long winter—or in this case, help support the parks for the long haul. 

Behind the scenes, Western National Parks (WNP) runs stores in more than 70 national parks across the western United States. Every product is chosen not just because it looks nice on a shelf, but because it helps visitors connect more deeply with the place they're in. 

Books that explain the geology under your boots.  

Maps that show you where the trail actually goes.  

Kids' activities that turn "Are we done yet?" into "Can we stay longer?"  

Why a pika in marketing?

You may reasonably ask: why is a small lagomorph with no opposable thumbs working in marketing? 

The short answer: I have the perfect skill set. 

I am very good at short, distinctive calls. My natural communication style is high-pitched, urgent and concise—ideal for both predator alerts and email subject lines. 

I understand long-term thinking. When you spend your life storing plants for a winter you can't see yet, you develop an appreciation for investments whose payoff isn't immediate. That's what park support is: planting benefits now so future visitors can enjoy these places later. 

I have extensive experience in remote work.  Extremely remote. Miles-from-the-nearest-signal remote. "If you dropped your phone here, you'd never see it again" remote. This, I'm told, makes me "relatable content." 

So, when WNP needed someone to help explain how shopping at their park stores supports national parks, someone apparently said, "We should ask the small, shouting rock rabbit." And here we are.

Meet the team

I'm not handling this alone, thankfully. We're assembling what our Chief Marketing Officer calls the "Micro-Marketing Team." I call it "the group chat I never asked for but now secretly enjoy."

• Island fox: Creative director. An endemic species and one of a kind. Strong opinions about logos. Lives on an island and reminds the rest of us of this frequently.  
• Ground squirrel: Field ops. Constantly traveling for work. Claims it's "field research." Has never met a camera they did not immediately pose for. Does actually remember where all of the acorns are. 
• Desert tortoise: Digital marketing specialist with expertise in slow-growth campaigns.
• Owl: Content strategist with keen attention to detail and ability to pivot (their gaze) on a moment's notice.
• Humpback whale: Seasonal hire. Short-term teammate making a big splash.

We also work with a bison with a penchant for big-picture thinking, a marmot who is overly concerned about grammar, and a few other national park denizens.

I'm the one with the smallest footprint and the loudest warning system, which makes me, apparently, the spokesperson. 

How shopping supports parks (from someone who knows small things add up)

In my previous career, I harvested about 65 pounds of vegetation each season, one leaf at a time. I'm very familiar with the math of "tiny action, big result."

So when I say that your "just one little purchase" helps support parks, I mean it. 

When you buy something at a WNP-operated park store—or from their online shop—you're not just going home with a nice keepsake of your visit.  You're helping fund 

• Research, so scientists can understand everything from changing ecosystems to wildlife behavior. 
• Park programs, including ranger talks, education programs, Junior Ranger activities, and more.
• Visitor experiences, including signage, exhibits, and ways to learn about the cultural and natural stories these places protect. 

Every purchase—book, magnet, patch, plush, or trail guide—sends funds back to the park to support this work. You might not see the impact on that particular day, but it's there, like roots under the soil or a well-stocked haypile under a rock.

How you can help in a big way (according to a very small manager)

Shop where it counts  

When you're visiting a national park that partners with Western National Parks, choose the WNP-operated store. Those purchases directly support that park. If you're at home, you can still shop their online store and support parks from your couch, which I'm told is a favored human habitat. 

Listen, learn and ask questions  

Go to ranger programs. Read the signs. Pick up that book about the park's Indigenous history or ecology. The more people understand these landscapes and the communities connected to them, the more likely they are to care enough to protect them.

Stay on the trail  

I know it's tempting to wander "just a little bit" off. Please don't. Trails protect fragile plants (many of which I was planning to eat later) and delicate soils. Your support doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes it's as simple as keeping your boots where they're supposed to be. 

Bring your excitement home  

Talk about your visit. Post your photos (including those of me). Share the stories you learned. You never know who might be inspired to plan a trip, volunteer, or support a park. 

Treat parks like the rare privilege they are  

Pack it in, pack it out. Respect wildlife. Give everyone—two-legged, four-legged, winged and whiskered—the space they need. 

A few ground rules for meeting me

Since I am now, perplexingly, "on brand," a few quick notes:

• You are very welcome to say hello if you see me on the trail. We are small, round and photogenic. I am told we test well with audiences. 
• I am not available for lunch or dinner meetings. Please do not offer snacks, even if you think they're "healthy." I have a nutrition plan. It involves very specific alpine plants and no granola bars.
• If you see me perched on a rock, calling loudly, I'm not rehearsing a press statement. I'm likely warning everyone about a raptor. You're welcome.

Final thoughts from atop a rock

I've worked my whole life in high, harsh, beautiful places—where winter is long, the air is thin, and survival depends on preparation, cooperation, and knowing where your food is stored. 

Parks are like that, too. They don't take care of themselves. It takes people—rangers, scientists, educators, community partners and yes, even marketing teams—to keep them thriving. 

Your role might feel small. Mine certainly does. But small things add up. One visitor. One trail walked respectfully. One book purchased. One kid who leaves the park a little more curious than when they arrived. 

From where I sit, on a sun-warmed rock, that looks like a future worth squeaking about.

About WNP

WNP helps make the national park experience possible for everyone. As a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service, WNP supports parks across the West, developing products, services, and programs that enhance visitor experience, understanding, and appreciation of national parks. Since 1938, WNP has worked to connect new generations to parks in meaningful ways, all with one simple goal: create advocates who want to preserve and protect these special places for everyone, for all time. Learn more about the organization and career opportunities at wnp.org.

SOURCE Western National Parks