Park Leaders

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. […]

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. […]

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, […]

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 […]

Barrie Gilbert, a bear biologist and author of ‘One of Us: A Biologist’s Walk Among Bears’, joins the show to discuss his research and resources. Having survived a near-fatal attack by a bear in 1977 In Yellowstone Park, Gilbert has devoted his career to wildlife discovery. For over four decades, Gilbert’s scientific inquiries have inspired […]

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, returns to discuss how parks can maximize their winter seasons. For most parks, tourism is high in the summer, low in the winter. As visitation decreases during the cold months, the opportunities for special projects increase. The question […]

Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, returns to discuss strong park culture. While some say culture is how you do things, the truth is discovering culture goes much deeper. For instance, when a new park ranger obtains a new role, they instantly inherit a culture. In some cases, the culture may be […]

Rick Bass, an acclaimed author, and resident of the beautiful Yaak Valley in Montana discuss challenges affecting national parks and the importance of sharing experiences. From climate change to conservation conflicts, Rick explains why we should pass stories of environmental struggles to future generations. In his mind, the obligation to preserve history and raise awareness […]

Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, returns to discuss what it means to be a well-rounded ranger. As Phil explains, the expectations for rangers have evolved considerably in recent decades. During the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, the idea was a ranger should know how to build homes and service plumbing and electrical […]

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, returns to discuss the funnier side of visitor reviews. While some low-star reviews are unwarranted, as Jody and Phil explain, they can also provide a unique perspective. Sometimes, a new visitor question or a trite online review can […]