Reserve time on your personal calendar — this December — for the 31st annual Rendezvous. It should be an excellent time to get away from work, and the pre-holiday break will refresh you!

ANPR are meeting in the historic Southwest from Dec. 10-14 at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This property, on a corner and diagonal from the historic plaza, will be an amazing venue to join friends, colleagues and fellow ANPR members.

The atmosphere during the holiday times in the Southwest is unique, the cuisine is exquisite, and the shopping is legendary. Of course, there also are the customary opportunities to mingle with old friends, make new ones, perhaps advance your career, personally talk with top National Park Service officials, and learn new things at the Rendezvous workshops.

The ANPR board has chosen an environmental theme of “Being Green Means More than Wearing Green.” A tentative program agenda is now available, but check back periodically for updates. > > >

ANPR has issued a CALL FOR PAPERS to address topics pertaining to green park operations models in national parks and similar lands. Details are posted here. > >

TWO TRAINING COURSES are planned — Situational Leadership and Introduction to Resource Stewardship. Registration is now underway for the first course; registration details still are being worked out for the second one. Read more about the courses and register here:

Here are more details about the Rendezvous.

Location and Hotel: The Ranger Rendezvous will be held at the La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza, 100 E. San Francisco St., Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. The conference room rate is $89 plus tax for single/double standard guestroom, from three days before until three days after the conference closing date. The Santa Fe room tax rate is 14.625 percent. Our room block is being held until Nov. 8, 2008. After that date rooms will be on a space-available basis at the conference rate. Our room block will fill quickly so please make your reservations early. If your plans change and you have to cancel your reservation it can be done 48 hours prior to the first night's occupancy without penalty. Make reservations by calling 1-800-523-5002 then selection #2 and give the reservation desk the conference name: ANPR Ranger Rendezvous, or fax a reservation to 505-954-3599. To make an online reservation go to this link..

The La Fonda Hotel’s historic location, at the end of the Santa Fe Trail, has welcomed travelers for almost 400 years. Normally room rates range from $159–$549 a night, but ANPR has secured a substantial discount rate during the holiday season. Christmas decorations will adorn the plaza, and ANPR will limit evening sessions to allow attendees to enjoy the downtown. For more information on the La Fonda go to www.lafondasantafe.com

Transportation and Travel: Most major airlines serve Albuquerque International Airport about 58 miles southwest of Santa Fe. Limited air service also is available to Santa Fe Municipal Airport. Hotel parking currently is $10 a day, but it is subject to increase during the summer of 2008.

Agenda and Program: A tentative program agenda is now available; check back periodically for updates. > > >

Newcomers Welcome: A special continental breakfast with the Board of Directors will be held for "newcomers," those attending their first Rendezvous, on Friday morning, Dec. 12.

Raffle Prizes and Auction Items: Daily raffles and silent auctions will be held so be sure to bring items to donate. If you can't attend the Rendezvous you may mail raffle items to Rick Smith. Contact him at rsmith0921@earthlink.net for mailing address. Please include ANPR Ranger Rendezvous on your mailing label.

Tradeshow and Receptions: Numerous exhibitors are expected to display products, equipment and services of interest to NPS employees. The Exhibit Hall will be open on Thursday morning, Dec. 11, and will close after the morning break on Friday, Dec, 12. A reception hosted by VF Solutions is planned on Thursday evening. If you know of a potential exhibitor, please contact Warren Bielenberg at web9272@msn.com (865-681-7884) or Rick Jones at icsinstructor57@yahoo.com.

• Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., chair of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands (subject to change due to business in the U.S. House of Representatives)
• Stewart Udall, Secretary of the Interior, 1961-69
• Julie Dunfey, Co-Producer, Florentine Films, with a preview of the Ken Burns' six-part PBS series, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea"
• Shawn Norton, Environmental Leadership Coordinator, Climate Friendly Parks Program, WASO

Also invited but not yet committed are NPS Director Mary Bomar and Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

Attention, Photographers: ANPR's annual photo contest will be sponsored this year by Canon. Watch for more details soon.

Hospitality: The hotel will provide a suite (open each evening of the Rendezvous) to serve as our hospitality room. Various refreshments and munchies will be provided by ANPR for attendees.

Additional Activities Scheduled:

• Wednesday evening - Greeting and social with light refreshments sponsored by ANPR.
• Thursday evening - Reception with the exhibitors sponsored by VF Solutions.
• Friday and Saturday evening - Rendezvous programmers are looking at options for additional activities. Sign-ups and any additional fees will be collected during onsite check-in/registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Otherwise, these evenings will provide free time for attendees to enjoy the shopping and sites of the Santa Fe holiday season.

Miscellaneous: Rendezvous T-shirts and sweatshirts (both regular and hoodies) with the official Rendezvous logo will be available. Please assist ANPR program planners by pre-ordering your shirts. Only pre-ordered shirts will be available at the Rendezvous. Any additional shirts requested after the pre-order cutoff date will incur handling and shipping charges. Other ANPR promotional and sales items will be available at the Rendezvous.

Top photo courtesy of Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau