Capacity is a big challenge for this generation, especially post-pandemic. We need to rethink how we get people into these special places while preserving their natural beauty and ensuring a meaningful and enjoyable experience. – Phil Gaines As national park attendance continues to increase, managing visitor numbers has become crucial. The pressure is on park […]
National Park Service
Should Parks be Self-Sufficient
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, guest co-host, Phil Gaines, returns to discuss why parks should be financially sufficient. While a complex topic in execution, the bottom line for a park’s financial structure is simple: Each state park should be sufficient to maintain operating expenses including maintenance and personnel. As Phil explains, this […]
Interpreting the Flight 93 Memorial with Steve Clark
Fort McHenry National Monument is one of Steve Clark’s favorite National Parks. It is not for the obvious reasons either. It is because of baseball. Steve got his connection to the outdoors through baseball. Of course, the national anthem is sung before every baseball game. The Star Spangled Banner was birthed at Fort McHenry. Steve’s […]
Cultural Resources in Parks with Alan Spears
Alan Spears is the Cultural Resources Director for the National Parks Conservation Association. Alan Spears and I had the opportunity to sit down together and talk about cultural resources at the Ranger Rendezvous, the annual conference of the Association of National Park Rangers. Alan got his start in the outdoors chasing frogs at Fort Dupont […]
Parks First with Cam Sholly
Cam Sholly joins the Park Leaders Show to offer a look at the National Park Service from a Region perspective. Cam is the Region Director for the Midwest Region of the National Park Service. In this episode, Cam explains how the Region offices offer support to parks throughout the region by putting Parks First. Cam […]
Why We Need Parks with Theodore Roosevelt
President Theodore Roosevelt was a pivotal figure in the early days of the National Park Service. The National Park Service as we know it would not exist without Theodore Roosevelt. Clay Jenkinson portrays President Roosevelt in this episode of the Park Leaders Show. Clay allows us to step back into time and talk with the […]
Urban National Parks with Philip Selleck
Have you noticed the National Park Service Find Your Park campaign? There is a park for everyone, is what the National Park Service wants you to know with the Find Your Park campaign. But don’t assume parks are only wilderness or wooded parks. If that were the case, not everyone would find their park. Many […]
Wisdom From the Oldest Park Ranger in America with Betty Soskin
This episode of the Park Leaders Show felt like I was talking to history. Betty Soskin is the oldest park ranger in the United States. Betty is 93 years old. Yes, that is impressive. But even more impressive is Betty did not become a park ranger until she was 85 years old. Talking with Betty, […]
Connecting Parks to Communities
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular National Park in the United States. People come from all over the eastern half of the country to visit the Smoky Mountains and drive visitation higher than park service icons such as Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. The key to operating Great Smoky Mountains is […]
Being a Seasonal Law Enforcement Ranger with Amanda Llanes
Amanda Llanes returns to the Park Leaders Show to talk about her first season as a seasonal law enforcement ranger with the National Park Service. At the time of her first interview, Amanda was a cadet in the law enforcement academy. Now, she has been a seasonal ranger for one year. Amanda talks about her experience, […]