“Sometimes steady leadership, or keeping the park on course, is the most important thing we can offer.”
When Jon Jarvis returns to the show, it always feels like catching up with an old friend who has walked the trails of history and still sees the path ahead. Jon, former Director of the National Park Service, has dedicated his life to parks, people, and the promise of conservation. Even in retirement, he has not stepped away from that mission. From launching the Parks Institute at Berkeley to consulting with countries around the globe, his impact continues to ripple outward.
Our conversation reminded me that leadership in parks isn’t always about bold moves or loud voices. Sometimes it’s about staying steady through storms, holding true to the mission, and protecting the people who do the work every day. Jon reminded me of the resilience baked into the very fabric of the National Park Service. From the struggles after World War II to times of political transition, the Service has endured, and it has always been people, rangers, partners, communities, who kept the spark alive.
Jon also offered a vision of the future: parks as part of larger landscapes, deeper partnerships with communities, reforms in concessions, and stronger relationships with Indigenous people. It’s both a call for renewal and a reminder of what’s at stake. Jon said parks may be one of the last places we can come together as a nation. That thought lingers with me. It makes me hopeful. And it makes me certain this is a conversation worth revisiting.
Resources
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Episode Highlights
[00:01:00] Jon’s work with the Parks Institute at UC Berkeley
[00:02:20] International consulting and training park managers abroad
[00:04:15] Encouragement for park leaders during uncertain times
[00:08:30] Lessons from history and why tough times lead to renewal
[00:13:28] The balance between risk-taking and steady leadership
[00:17:40] Revisiting the idea of a standalone National Park Service
[00:21:54] Jon’s vision for the future of national parks
[00:28:53] Reforming concessions and improving visitor experience
[00:30:39] Lessons from international park systems
[00:33:27] The role of parks in healing and uniting a divided nation