November 4, 2009
Contact: Oliver Bernstein (512) 477-2152
Sierra Club Promotes Our National Parks -- En Español
Ken Burns Documentary Premieres in Spanish Tonight on V-me
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- The Sierra Club is proud to partner with V-me, the nation’s fastest-growing Spanish-language TV network, to promote the Spanish-language airings of the Ken Burns documentary, "The National Parks: America’s Best Idea," beginning tonight.
"The national parks belong to all of us," said Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope, who appears frequently in the film. "We hope the Spanish-language broadcast of this breathtaking documentary will inspire a new generation of parks enthusiasts."
The new Spanish-language website www.sierraclub.org/parques offers information about the film and also helpful resources, such as tips for first-time national park visitors, special Sierra Club Outings trips to national parks and information about some our country’s most beloved parks -- all in Spanish.
The Sierra Club is committed to helping people from all backgrounds enjoy outdoor experiences and learn about the history of America's national parks. A groundbreaking 2008 Sierra Club poll found that outdoor activities, including visiting the national parks, are "very important" or "somewhat important" for 88% of Hispanic, Latino, and Chicano families; 31% of survey respondents indicated exploring national parks as one of the top two outdoor activities they most enjoyed.
In September, the Sierra Club organized more than 700 "Party for Parks" screening parties for the English-language debut of the film. More than 100,000 people signed up during the screenings as champions for America's National Parks, urging the Obama administration to protect our parks from global warming.
Founded in 1892 and with a long history of protecting public lands, Sierra Club is featured prominently in the Ken Burns series. For more about the documentary and the national parks, visit www.sierraclub.org/parks/.
Between November 4 and January 20, the documentary series will air in one-hour segments for twelve consecutive Wednesdays on V-me. For local times and channel information visit www.vmetv.com/estaciones
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