“Focus on common objectives and goals, you can get to where you want to be without being divisive.” When people first enter the world of park management, they don’t expect to be involved in politics. Yet, as time goes on it’s not uncommon to find yourself at the center of political discussions on issues like […]
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Dealing with Park Visitors Who Misbehave
“The customer is rarely right, but they’re always the customer.” Phil Gaines joins to discuss the surge in misbehavior among park visitors after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are a number of factors that could have caused this increase. One is the increase in new visitors who were not familiar with the park’s […]
Conversations for Park Professionals
In this episode of the Park Leaders Show I am joined by Donald Forgione, retired director of Florida state parks. Now I also get to welcome him as the host of the podcast, Tailgate Talks, which offers more conversations for park professionals. Donald’s diverse skillset made him a valuable asset among park professionals. As he […]
Get Your Park Ready for Summer
“If you educate and train your employees on the very front end, it makes for so much better summer season.” Spring is here and the parks are already starting to get busy with visitors. That is why it is important that you get your park ready for summer well in advance of their arrival. Part […]
Maintaining View Sheds in Parks
“Leadership is hard because it’s a gray decision. It’s not a black and white decision. You have to take a breath, take two steps back, and figure out what the objective is and why the resource is being protected in order to make the right decision.” – Phil Gaines Phil Gaines recently attended the California […]
How to Deal with a Shortage of Seasonal Staff
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, guest co-host, Phil Gaines, returns to discuss the ways parks can manage seasonal staff shortages. While park careers have their perks, the challenge of filling them is increasing in today’s climate. As Phil explains, recruiters are not only struggling to compete with other industry compensations but also […]
The Rise of Environmental Law
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Jody welcomes guest Daniel Selmi to discuss the rise of environmental law. Dan is a retired Professor at Loyola Law School and joins the show to discuss his new book, “Dawn at Mineral King Valley”. A Disney aficionado, Selmi discusses the inspiration behind the book and unpacks […]
The Biggest Issues for Parks in 2023
On this episode of Park Leaders Show Donald Forgione joins to discuss some of the biggest issues for parks in 2023. Resources www.parkleaders.com https://parkleaders.com/about/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theparkleaders/
Balancing Tourism and Local Communities
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Lori Modde, Founder & Managing Director of Lorick Management, joins the show discuss balancing tourism and local communities. As a community and economic development expert with over 25 years of experience, Lori has long been an advocate for national parks in Australia. Having started out as a […]
Be a Champion for Public Lands
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, co-host, Phil Gaines, returns to discuss ways to be a champion for public lands. Jody and Phil are joined by special guest and nationally recognized historian, Clay Jenkinson. Clay Jenkinson is a nationally recognized historian, author, and public humanities scholar. Specifically, he has a special interest in […]