On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, new director of Indiana State Parks, Terry Coleman, joins the show to discuss his story and the importance of long-term resource decisions. Having served as deputy director of state parks since 2014, Terry has been operating as interim state parks director since August. With skills in long-term […]
The Truth About Multi-Tasking in Park Management
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, guest cohost, Phil Gaines, returns to discuss his philosophy on multi-tasking. While most assume multi-tasking is a strength, as Jody and Phil explain, there are better ways to be productive. For instance, with park management, the focus for a ranger should not be to execute multiple responsibilities […]
The Power of Interpretation
Milward Simpson, Executor Director for the National Association of Interpretation and former park ranger, joins the show to discuss the power of interpretation. With a diverse career portfolio, Milward shares how his park ranger experience helped prepare him for his current job at NAI. As he explains, while each role, from the artistic director of […]
Save the Yellowstone Grizzly
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Doug Peacock joins the show to discuss his latest project, Save The Yellowstone Grizzly. A long-time naturalist, Doug founded STYG in 2016 to advocate safety and recovery of grizzlies south of Canada. As he explains, the removal of grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park should be a […]
Devoting a Career to One Park
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, David Van Cleve, joins the show to discuss locational stability in a park ranger career. As David shares in his book, ‘A Greatness of Spirit: Tales of Extraordinary Rangers at the Heart of California’s State Park System’, few rangers stay the course within one state park; however, […]
Working with Friends Groups
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Francis joins Jody and Phil Gaines to discuss working with support groups. A retired superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Francis explains how friends groups can help maintain accountability among park rangers and leaders. For instance, through networking, advocacy, and project development, friends groups can call […]
Saving the Black-Footed Ferret
Ben Novak, the lead scientist of the biotechnology nonprofit Revive & Restore, joins the show to discuss his historic breakthrough. A conservation activist, Ben shares the story of Elizabeth Ann, a black-footed ferret, recently cloned as part of a project with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Revive & Restore, and the San Diego Zoo. […]
The Incredible 11-Year-Old Who Walked 160 Miles to Save Grizzly Bears
In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Matt Holloway, a former ranger at Glacier National park, and his 11-year-old daughter, Harper, joins the show to discuss their epic hiking adventure. After hiking 160 miles of the Pacific Northwest Trail Reroute in 19 days, Matt and Harper share their motivations and takeaways from the experience. […]
Park Visitation and User Groups
Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, returns to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting park visitation and user groups. While the pandemic has reduced the number of new visitors in national parks, there are still some encouraging trends for park rangers. For instance, while bottom-line attendance may be down, certain demographics like women, […]
Reviewing Annual Performance Reviews
Phil Gaines, the semi-regular guest host, returns to discuss annual performance reviews. While some employers view annual reviews as obligations, the truth is these evaluations are critical to an organization’s success. As Phil explains, the best annual performance reviews involve checkmarks throughout the year to maintain consistency. To evaluate performance correctly, supervisors should gauge progress […]