Save the Dinosaurs

Feb 27, 2025

Cody Perry, a passionate advocate for Dinosaur National Monument, and Kristen Brengel, a veteran of national park advocacy, delve into the unique wonders of the monument, which houses over 1,500 dinosaur fossils. They address alarming threats from new government policies pushing for resource extraction. The duo emphasizes the immense ecological and cultural significance of this landmark, while urging public engagement in conservation efforts to protect not just Dinosaur National Monument, but all vulnerable national treasures.

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ANECDOTE

Cody Perry's Dinosaur Connection

Cody Perry, a former NPCA consultant, shares his deep connection with Dinosaur National Monument.
He highlights its unique landscape, where mountains and the Colorado Plateau merge, and the thrill of floating through its canyons.

INSIGHT

Beyond the Quarry

Dinosaur National Monument offers more than just dinosaur fossils.
Its diverse landscape includes wild rivers, canyons, and significant cultural sites.

INSIGHT

Scientific and Cultural Significance

Dinosaur National Monument holds scientific and cultural significance beyond paleontology.
It provides opportunities to study river ecosystems, endangered species, and the prehistoric Fremont culture.

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Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah is the original Jurassic Park, created 110 years ago to protect a trove of more than 1,500 fossils, including the Allosaurus, the Diplodocus, the Stegosaurus and many others. Visitors can even touch real dinosaur bones from 149 million years ago.

This area has long been a target for oil and gas development, but earlier this month, incoming Interior Secretary Doug Burgum raised the threat level when he issued a new secretarial order directing his assistant secretaries to review all public lands for potential new resource extraction, specifically targeting national monuments. NPCA released a list of 13 national monuments our organization believes are most vulnerable to new development threats, including Dinosaur National Monument.

This episode host Jennifer Errick speaks with Cody Perry, a longtime advocate for Dinosaur National Monument and assistant director of Living Rivers and Colorado Riverkeeper, and Kristen Brengel, senior vice president for Government Affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, on what makes Dinosaur so special, why it and other national monuments are under attack, and how public outrage isn’t just normal — it’s also useful.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 39, Save the Dinosaurs, was produced by Jennifer Errick with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton, and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Cory MacNulty, Daniel Hart, Beau Kiklis, Katelynn Shea, Michaela Pavlat, Caitlyn Burford, Michael Jamison, and Betsy Buffington.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

See NPCA’s list of 13 threatened national monuments at npca.org/13monuments

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

Podcast listeners can get a 10% discount at npca.org/store through March 31, 2025, by using code PARKSPOD at checkout. Check out our “I stand with park rangers” T-shirts and other gear, and make sure Dana knows we sent you!

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, NPCA is the nation’s only independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting national parks.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org