NORTH CAROLINA — As the pandemic continues, more people are seeking safe space outside at North Carolina State Parks. Now, park advocates are working to get educators in every park.

David Pearson is the executive director of N.C. Friends of State Parks. The nonprofit aims to serve the state park system by providing support at the local level.

Pearson is on a mission to educate parkgoers on nature. He says right now, out of the more than 40 state parks across North Carolina, there are only a handful of educators.

"It's like anything else, if we don't know it and appreciate it, we are not going to preserve it," Pearson said.

In 2020, 19.8 million people visited state parks across North Carolina - 400,000 more people than any other year on record. With this increase in visitors, Pearson says there is an extra need for volunteers, donations and educators.

"Everybody should be able to appreciate this. And part of our mission should be to offer it to them," Pearson said. "The mission of North Carolina State Parks is conservation, recreation and education and those three things kind of go together and they are very important," he added.

With increased visitation, park staff faces challenges like overflowing parking lots, litter and damage to the trails. Staff asks you to stay on marked trails and pick up after yourself when you leave.

North Carolina State Parks are free and open to everyone.