About Us: Helping people connect with parks around the world

Guhonda, silverback mountain gorilla at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda by Rick LoBello.

This website was founded by Rick LoBello during the summer of 2000.  Early in 2008 Rick started to organize an Advisory Council to further the work of ILoveParks.com and to make sure that others were involved in helping to recommend both website improvements and content.  Rick hopes to eventually have Advisory Council members involved from around the world so if you are interested in being a part of this effort or know of someone please contact Rick by clicking the "Contact Us" link above.

For over 37 years Rick has dedicated his life to conservation education.  After working and living in national parks as a park ranger, research scientist and administrator, Rick developed a vision for an educational effort that would allow him to use his talents to promote the conservation of endangered species and related habitats in third world countries.  His dream has been in the making for over a decade and has been inspired by his travels to national parks and related protected areas in the United States, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, France, Kenya, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Rwanda and Singapore. 

The highlight of Rick's journey around the world was a 1989 trip to see the endangered mountain gorillas of Virunga Mountains National Park in Rwanda.  It was on a rainy day in February, when Rick came  face to face with one of the rarest creatures on earth, that his dream became a lifelong commitment. 

In demonstrating his commitment to international conservation, in 1994 Rick sponsored an environmental education project in Zambia at North Luangwa National Park.  Working closely with the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Owens Foundation, Rick designed and published a 40 page environmental education guide for school children living near the park.   In the years that followed his leadership skills have resulted in a number of noteworthy projects including ongoing efforts to help create a binational US/Mexico International Peace Park, directing an award winning multi-media education program at Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks and the establishment of a annual International Bat Festival at Carlsbad Caverns.

As an environmental advocate Rick is the co-founder of the Mexican Wolf Coalition of Texas and the founder of the first Student Environmental Council and Earth Week at William Jewell College.  He has been a spokesperson for the establishment of the Tallgrass Prairie National Park in Kansas and most recently worked with a coalition of environmental organizations in promoting the establishment of a Capitan Reef National Monument in Southern New Mexico.  The monument has yet to be created, but the dream is still alive.

As a research scientist his work helped to influence legislation that resulted in the creation of Texas's largest state park at the Big Bend Ranch in the Solitario and Bofecillos Mountains.  While working on his Master’s degree he conducted the first vertebrate survey for the newly established Lake Amistad National Recreation Area. 

Rick’s writings have been published in park brochures and newspapers,  trade journals and in nationally distributed magazines like Defenders of Wildlife and Texas Parks and Wildlife.  During his tenure at Big Bend National Park his writings and other advocacy efforts helped to call attention to the status of rare mammals in the park including the endangered Mexican black bear population that began to re-colonize the park in 1988. As a result of his unrelenting efforts Rick’s accomplishments have been recognized and honored by high-level government officials in the Department of the Interior and by Rotary International.

In helping parks prepare for the 21st Century Rick played a major role as a cooperating association executive director in helping to lead nation wide efforts to bring modern technology to the parks.  His leadership at Carlsbad resulted in the design and development of the Cavern Bookstore, acclaimed by many park advocates as one of the best national park bookstores in the country.  Also while at Carlsbad, Rick established one of the first point of purchase retail programs in the Southwest Region including an online interactive bookstore website.  His leadership in the field of technology resulted in the first interactive CD-Rom Audio Tour for a national park at Carlsbad Caverns and the production of an award winning CD-ROM (1998).  In 2001 this same Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains CD-ROM was repackaged and released by National Geographic.

In 2002 Rick became the Education Curator of the El Paso Zoo where he works on a wide variety of conservation projects both locally and regionally.

Join Us

Advisory Council

Brandon Thiessen
Burundi

Jeta Fawoh
Pan African Sanctuary Alliance
Cameroon

Carol S.K. Liu
Ocean Park, Hong Kong
China

Chris Senga
Global South Entertainment
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Fabiola Riva Melofiro
Pava Aliblanca
Peru

Felix Ndagijimana
Rwanda

Judy Ackerman
Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition
Texas, USA

Laura Erickson
Texas, USA

Jim Tolbert
Texas, USA

Stephanie Seay
Bison Field Campaign
United States

Silverback mountain gorilla in Rwanda

With his latest book, Guide to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Home to Critically Endangered Mountain Gorillas, former National Park Service ranger, naturalist, Conservation Education Speaker and Author Rick LoBello provides a comprehensive look at one of Africa’s most important wildlife conservation areas with detailed information on how to plan for a trek to see the mountain gorillas, made world famous by the late Dian Fossey and National Geographic.   

The 248 page travel guide with color pictures throughout includes an overview of the region's human and natural history, the story of Dian Fossey, information on how to observe mountain gorillas in the wild and other ecotourism points of interest in Rwanda.

It’s the book every traveler on safari to see mountain gorillas wishes they had when they were starting out.  LoBello, the Education Curator at the El Paso Zoo and former Executive Director of the Big Bend and Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Associations, developed the overall approach for the guidebook after spending twenty-five years helping national park visitors connect with and understand some of the country’s most outstanding natural treasures at Big Bend, Yellowstone, Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks.  

“Over the past 15 years the people of Rwanda have come an incredibly long way in rebuilding their country after the terrible genocide of 1994.  As was the case during the 1980s ecotourism is once again becoming an important part of the country’s economy and under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, Rwanda may now be one of the safest countries to visit on the African continent. The country truly can be described as a “new Rwanda” and it is my hope that this book will encourage its readers to take an interest in helping Rwandans move towards a brighter future.” says LoBello. “Over 100,000 people from around the world have now visited the park and more are on their way.  Don’t let the expense and effort that is required in getting there keep you from adding the location to your travel plans.  A trip to Volcanoes National Park is one of the most amazing wildlife adventures to be found anywhere in the world.” 

Order Your Copy from CreateSpace.com and Rick will be able to donate $5 to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.
Books are also available from Amazon.com. 

Website founder Rick LoBello with a baby giant panda in China

Contact Us