May 29th, 2018 | RESEARCH
The USA has set aside over 400 national parks and other protected areas to be managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Collectively, these sites attract over 300 million visits per year which makes the NPS one of the largest informal education institutions in the country. Because the NPS supports and facilitates scientific studies in parks, the national park system provides abundant opportunity for biologists and other scientists to engage global audiences in learning, exploring, and even conducting science. Those opportunities are best pursued through collaborations among scientists and the professional communication staff (interpreters, educators, media specialists, etc.) of parks and their partner organizations. This article describes unique opportunities and rationale for such collaborations, presents several examples that highlight the range of activities and lessons drawn from them, and invites scientists to conduct studies in parks and bring their science into the public eye.
Document
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Team Members
Tim Watkins, Author, National Park ServiceAbraham Miller-Rushing, Author, National Park Service
Sarah Nelson, Author, University of Maine Orono
Citation
Identifier Type: DOI
Identifier: 10.1093/icb/icy025
Publication: Integrative and Comparative Biology
Volume: 58
Number: 1
Page(s): 67–76
Funders
Funding Source: DOI
Related URLs
Tags
Audience: Administration | Leadership | Policymakers | General Public | Museum | ISE Professionals | Scientists
Discipline: General STEM
Resource Type: Peer-reviewed article | Research Products
Environment Type: Park | Outdoor | Garden Programs | Public Programs