Over the last decade, the relationship between many parks and their visitors has become out of balance. Layers of challenges are adding up, beginning with the fact that many of our parks, especially national parks, are particularly fragile landscapes. COVID shutdown and visitor surges, decreasing staff and deferred maintenance, and climate change impacts are all putting pressure on these landscapes. Climate change awareness and the pandemic experience are reminding us how vulnerable and interconnected people and landscapes are.
So, how can we manage these challenges and rebalance the relationship between people and parks? Here are some strategies that have shown success.
Adapt
- Implementing special management plans and designating a Peak Operations (Peak Ops) team during peak visitation.
- Adding support staff so park naturalists and other specialists can be in the park, engaging with visitors during busy times.
Collaborate
- Maximizing collaboration with external partners, including volunteers, climate scientists, environmental educators, interpretive planners, exhibit developers, and Indigenous ecologists and other knowledge keepers.
- Bringing in specialized partners who can help visitors better understand how parks and their landscapes are changing.
Connect
- Promoting lesser-known areas of a park and encouraging visitors to plan their trip during non-peak time through intentional communication and social media posts.
- Engaging new park visitors and stewards by cooperating with organizations whose mission is to connect marginalized communities with the outdoors and nature.
Interpret
- Educating new visitors about park etiquette and encouraging resource protection.
- Recognizing Indigenous people as the original stewards of park landscapes and urging visitors to practice stewardship.
- Honoring Indigenous ecological knowledge and relationships.
Click on the video below to watch our full presentation:
Regine Kennedy
Regine Kennedy is a resourceful planner, facilitator, and project manager whose award-winning work can be found in parks across the country, from Alaska to Florida.
Julie Davis
Julie Davis has worked extensively in interpretation, exhibit development, and strategic planning for museums, parks, and historic sites. Throughout all her work, Julie remains committed to creating engaging experiences that connect people with the past.
Jennie Albrinck
Jennie Albrinck is Chief of Interpretation, Resource Education, and Volunteers at Joshua Tree National Park where she has worked for nearly a decade.
Jo Lombard
Jo Lombard is a Visual Information Specialist (Exhibits Manager) for Joshua Tree National Park. She manages the park’s exhibits program for four visitor centers, 250 wayside exhibits, and temporary exhibits.
