March 29, 2007

Philadelphia, PA

National Constitution Center

Co-keynotes: Dennis Reidenbach and Mike Caldwell

NPS Staff Assisting: INDE, VAFO, HOFU, UPDE, DEWA, EDIS, NERO

76 public participants

Used both open house format with small discussion tables, and provided
for video taped statements

Good set-up and format for meeting (6 tables; 2 tables per Question)

Noisy; Could have had better acoustics due to many different ongoing
discussions

Participants stayed focused on questions

People did move from table to table after an initial stationary period

People very happy with the opportunity to participate and be heard

**A few comments and commonly occurring themes from the table
conversations**

**(from our end of session close-out):**

-   Focus on education, partnerships, and investing in kids

-   \"This is not your grandmother\'s Park Service\" (heard at one
    table).

-   Appeal from partners to the NPS to make partnerships work more
    easily; instruments and money easier to transact

-   Need to involve Department solicitors in these sessions to show them
    what we do and issues we face, to make partnerships easier and more
    efficient

-   Need more local ability to make choices

-   Must be better at marketing ourselves and promoting what we do

-   NPS service in exchange for tuition

-   Pursue as many of these ideas as possible, regardless of Centennial
    Challenge or additional support

-   Have listening sessions in individual or groups of parks on a more
    regular basis

**Compiled Comments -- *Imagine you, your children, or future
generations enjoying national parks in 2016 and beyond. What are your
hopes and expectations?***

-   Thanks for the opportunity.

-   Thanks to the rangers.

-   More time to visit INDE -- timed entrance ticket.

-   Consider visitors' needs when it comes to the time they have to
    visit.

-   Rangers communicating with visitors.

-   Don't change/Preserve.

-   Threat of development.

-   Keep national resources.

-   What will children know of the natural environment in 2016?

-   Are we making our concerns known to legislators?

-   Don't let parks become corporate naming opportunities.

-   Naming OK upon death, when a genuine contribution has been made.

-   More period interpretation.

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-   e.g. - Two dozen colonial dresses at Deshler-Morris.

    -   Question of authenticity (re: zippers).

    -   Also Salem Maritime -- suffrage interpretation.

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-   Technology can be a benefit to interpretation.

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-   e.g. -- VAFO.

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-   By 2016: NPS doing "more with more".

-   Styrofoam and plastics not in use in 2016 "green" parks --
    recycling.

-   Parks are not run down.

-   Keeping up with maintenance backlog.

-   Funding is ample.

-   Buildings are open and maintained.

-   Schools are better connected to parks.

-   Outreach.

-   Families are involved in education.

-   NPS involved with schools and families.

-   Parents are educated.

-   Stronger public relations.

-   Better job publicizing events (currently "lousy").

-   More autonomy for VIP's.

-   Public knows the history of Deshler-Morris.

-   Expanded knowledge of the history of Germantown.

-   Visitors recognize that NPS property is theirs.

-   Recreation does not overtake natural scene.

-   Parks will still be there -- No "Redwood Zoo".

-   You can still "Go home again" in national parks.

-   Kids in the natural world in natural parks, like Glacier.

-   Technology related to parks exists in home.

-   Rangers are still key to parks.

-   Videotaped rangers are "nauseating".

-   Citizens are tired of cutbacks to parks.

-   Senators and the President are seen hiking in parks.

-   Reliance on retirees to inform.

-   Duties are not contracted out.

-   Lower number of vehicles in parks; more mass transport.

-   Politicians are smart enough to capitalize on popularity of parks.

-   Continued adequate funding.

-   Volunteerism thrives.

-   More national parks, especially in wilderness areas.

-   Policy about naming opportunities is changed.

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-   e.g. - If visitor center is funded, go ahead and use name of donor.

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-   Small ways to recognizes donors exist.

-   Fraud when it comes to presenting funded projects is eliminated.

-   Donors receive credit.

-   More listening sessions.

-   All funding sources are tapped.

-   More wildlife.

-   Inexpensive means for young city dwellers to learn about parks.

-   Public use areas are actually [used]{.underline}, not tied up in
    rules and regulations.

-   Improved access to the river at DEWA.

-   More canoeing.

-   Community groups.

-   Parks are still there and there are even more.

-   More public use area exists; less restrictions in effect.

-   Better harmony between national and cultural resources and
    recreation and heritage areas.

-   NPS attitude toward partners is improved.

-   Public feels an improved sense of ownership.

-   Partnership might come thru fees or membership in a group.

-   Less takers, more givers.

-   Greater infrastructure.

-   Improved access.

-   Parks need to educate the visitor on nature (geophysics), critical
    water resources, emergency preparedness (hurricanes) and impact of
    global warming.

-   Parks need to honor history through more interpretive
    demonstrations, archeology resources, and create climate where
    people want to be a part of (in parks).

-   Need to emphasize the importance of our water resources, also need
    to protect natural resources -- NPS core mission.

-   Need to protect more lands within congressional districts and around
    existing park. In many cases, this is our last chance.

-   Ensure that parks are fully funded. Parks need to define what is
    critical.

-   Need to more effectively communicate with visitors of all ages.

-   Need to better coordinate and share resources between local, state
    and NPS sites (need to emphasize).

-   Create or maintain green links between parks.

-   Want to inspire children, grandchildren about NPS and role of
    rangers.

-   Appeal to more young visitors because they are our future.

-   Create a good employee working environment, provide more
    opportunities for young staff and pay them enough to make a decent
    living (also provide incentives). Seasonal staff funded under this
    initiative won't get benefits.

-   Baby Boomer double whammy- as many staff leave NPS, they become
    visitors.

-   Parks needs to provide more opportunities for families to connect
    with parks, especially younger visitors.

-   Offer more park info through the Internet, including orientation,
    virtual tours and other special programs.

-   Need to better maintain and update modern technology in
    museums/exhibits.

-   Internet can also offer special services (e.g. genealogy of
    Hopewell).

-   Too much NPS attention/visitation ends up at just a few parks (e.g.
    Yellowstone).

-   Don't apply one solution to all parks -- they are all different.

-   Need to thematically link related sites/parks, so visitors can make
    informed choices and learn about lesser known parks.

-   Need to get the parks into more schools. Use slow visitation periods
    to go off site.

-   Use natural park settings for inspiration while providing access to
    recreational users. Provide visitors with alternative instead of
    just saying no. Access should be balanced but preference given to
    inspiration. For example, if you ban ski mobiles, allow visitors to
    cross country ski.

-   Control/manage special uses to help conserve natural resources and
    maintain the desired visitor experiences.

-   Bio prospecting issues in NPS sites. Need to monitor closely the
    harvesting of native plants and minerals for medical use. NPS needs
    to use extreme caution.

-   Park partner frustration with more restrictive short term
    agreements. Counter productive and doesn't match intent of
    Centennial Challenge. NPS needs to enable long term agreements and
    its partners. Doesn't make good business sense.

-   Enable more local control so parks can offer alternate solutions
    (one size doesn't fit all parks).

-   Promote NPS sites that serve as good models for all parks (share
    experiences, expertise). Golden Gate is a good example for community
    outreach.

-   Too many fundraising restrictions prevent partners from assisting
    NPS, especially with major initiatives/projects envisioned under the
    Centennial Challenge.

-   NPS needs to be a conservation leader, set standards with
    environmental issues. Parks should recycle and use green energy.
    This will appeal to younger visitors.

-   Need to provide more staff uniform presence in parks (to promote
    conservation messages and tell park stories).

-   How will new volunteers be protected in parks? Need to better match
    VIP experience/skills with park needs. Provide volunteers with a
    better work experience and get them from behind the desk to enhance
    visitor experience.

-   Visitors look for a uniform to get park information, and we need
    more of them.

-   Look to make better use of existing park infrastructure vs. just
    rebuilding.

-   Need to reexamine the role of visitor centers to better serve all
    park users (small % actually use VC).

-   Need to base decisions on park uses and visitor patters (analyze
    current audience).

**Complied Comments -- *What role do you think national parks should
play in the lives of Americans and visitors from around the world?***

-   Additional funds for sites.

-   Parks cooperate with partners for maintenance.

-   NPS image on Gloria Dei grounds is not good; need additional staff
    for maintenance.

-   Christ Church parking lot needs better maintenance.

-   More community volunteers.

-   More partner coordination.

-   NPS presence in the community should be stronger.

-   Parks should retain revenue raised in parks. It should not go to a
    general fund.

-   Convey historical past of parks to visitors.

-   Seamless connection among parks and neighboring sites of interest.

-   Parks should offer visitors an American experience.

-   Make parks easier for individual tourists who aren't on a group
    tour.

-   More interaction with community.

-   Appreciate ranger led tours. They are unsurpassed.

-   Parks should teach natural world

-   Add natural world element to history parks (example- Williamsburg).

-   Cape Hatteras areas closing due to environmental concerns - bad for
    economy.

-   Closure of beach areas by federal agencies is wrong. Community
    member wants to drive vehicles on beach.

-   More communication with local community. Sessions like this are
    needed.

-   Why are parks changing from enabling legislation?

-   Explain change. Clarify decisions. Natural protection is understood,
    but limit it.

-   Definition of roles - NPS/community -- needed.

-   DEWA - work on open space with community.

-   Growth management beyond borders to protect parks. Parks becoming
    small, isolated spaces in overly-developed areas.

-   Parallel goals with community.

-   Rangers as leaders and models for our youth.

-   Parks as Classrooms expand.

-   All parks have education role.

-   Parks need more operating funds.

-   Connect to students in class of 2016.

-   VAFO - recreation is hook to get into history.

-   Affordable outdoor vacations.

-   Heritage areas should be integrated in the community (like Europe).

-   NPS staff should be more available in non traditional spots.

-   Custodians of flora and fauna.

-   Preserve parks so other people can enjoy them as much as we have.

-   Improve interpretation of the sites.

-   Offer trips to parks for local city schools (offer scholarships or
    lotteries for schools to be able to go).

-   Outreach to the community. Parks should be going to the community.

-   Opportunities to pull people/students into park (ie. Summer camps).

-   Involve local (city) citizens.

-   Promote programs/develop awareness of what the National Park Service
    does.

-   Better image, more outreach. Less of a "law enforcement" image.

-   Real/honest education. Include cultural and ethnic diversity.

-   Continue to do research (newest scholarship).

-   Educate people as to "What was a national park then, what is it
    now".

-   Orientation videos. Better then they are and more of them.

-   Preserving the landscape by removing invasive species (both plants
    and animals).

-   Tell the stories, protect the memories.

-   Openness, self fulfillment. Parks should immerse you.

-   Protect the environment (endangered species).

-   Better education for use of parks (how we can combine protecting and
    recreating).

-   NPS should not forget their role to protect and preserve.

-   Emphasize to foreign visitors our "lesser known" sites.

-   Better promotion of lesser known and/or smaller sites.

-   Improve websites, make them easier to use and translate them into
    foreign languages (maybe better search engines).

-   Take the lead in telling the "whole story" (don't follow other
    institutions, lead).

-   Host forums to exchange ideas.

-   Diversify staff so they better represent visitors.

-   Promote education for park staff (so they have the most current
    scholarship).

-   Stronger effort to enlist guides for smaller/lesser known sites.

-   Program for students to get credits for volunteering.

-   Balancing the needs of the visitors.

-   Less restrictive about naming rights (ie. Gift to America by
    Coca-Cola).

-   Reach out to people who don't normally go to parks (maybe can't
    afford to).

-   Less restrictive about what "Friends" groups can fund (ie. Education
    positions).

-   Connect legislators/celebrities to parks (Tom Hanks=WWII memorial).

-   Make it about the kids, make it a piece of them.

-   Make it about their (the kids) history. People who look like
    me/sound like me.

-   There should be a greater degree of creativity on how the mission
    (of the NPS) is interpreted.

-   Broadly interpret park themes.

-   Congress should establish an affiliate program.

-   Parks should research how all groups want to use parks.

-   Less anchored in "white man" history.

-   Outreach/educate (so people don't rely on the excuse "it's not my
    history").

-   Establish partnerships within the community.

-   Incorporate the community -- activities in the park for
    neighbors-NPS as hosts for the community.

-   More "hands on" exhibits.

-   More visitor oriented.

-   Fostering a sense of sustainability.

-   Building a better pre and post visit activities/orientation.

-   Integrated into the education system. Part of the curriculum.

-   Extended hours (throughout the year, maybe 1 night per week) for
    conventioneers.

-   Internships.

-   Summer camps or just regular camps at national parks.

-   A program like ROTC or Peace Corp for college credit.

-   Programs for physical fitness.

-   Integrate hiking trails with other trails (bikes/rivers).

-   More programs that connect parks together.

**Compiled Comments -- *What are the signature projects and programs
that you think should be highlighted for completion over the next 10
years?***

-   Parks should look at more public/private partnerships. Model:
    National Constitution Center or the Masons' Union Restoration of the
    arch at Valley Forge NHP.

-   Congress should provide the means to encourage the care of the
    national parks.

-   The NPS needs to change its attitude. The agency should connect with
    industries and businesses. The agency must outreach to volunteers.
    The agency should change its mindset toward partners. This will
    require a cultural change.

-   National parks should stress the benefits of physical fitness. They
    are only overused on 1% of the land. Health and fitness should be a
    priority. NPS should get people out to hike.

-   Funds are needed to fix infrastructure, education and animal
    control. This should be a bi-partisan effort in Congress.

-   The national parks should market, promote Laura Bush visiting parks,
    move the people from cars to park trails, more park-led hikes, more
    ranger-led programs and hikes.

-   Hopewell Furnace film is an example of outdated interpretive media.
    The NPS should get private support to redo interpretive media.

-   Loosen restrictions on naming gifts. If the Mellon family can have
    their name on a gift in the National Mall, why shouldn't
    corporations have their names on gifts at national parks?

-   Restrictions need to fit reality. Parks need to help.

-   Increase affiliations with cultural institutions. The NPS name
    brings credibility. Embrace the national historic landmarks.
    Congress should give the NPS authority to establish an affiliate
    program similar to the program of the National Trust for Historic
    Preservation.

-   Increase ties with universities. Science should drive management.
    Establish teaching facilities directly within parks.

-   The NPS needs to make a commitment to outreach. The NPS should use
    the recreation groups to reach schools. The dynamic needs to change.
    There should be a position to liaison directly to groups.

-   Marry recreation and history; e.g., Valley Forge is connecting
    history to recreation in its trails. Trails should be tied into
    communities.

-   Expand cell phone program. Valley Forge program should serve as a
    model. Increase the use of pod casts.

-   Education is prime. PBS is doing an hour-long documentary on
    heritage areas. NPS needs to show how people fit into heritage
    areas. The National Heritage Program is totally dependent on
    community and tourism. Signature projects should include educational
    components as to why parks and heritage areas exist.

-   Parks reflect American values. NPS needs to get the next generation
    on board. Mission needs to be translated. Next generation must
    understand why these areas are worth protection. Put the mission on
    water bottles. Be creative. Find new ways for outreach. Increase
    public involvement.

-   Change the mentality of the NPS. It's hard to help the NPS. The
    private sector cannot pay park salaries. Create a 5-year program
    underwritten by the private sector to cover all costs. Be
    innovative.

-   Share transportation resources. Use school buses.

-   Use maintenance as teachable moments for the public.

-   Make the highly interactive computer generation part of the NPS.
    Hire more young kids to reach out to young kids. Think about the
    future of the constituency. Apply sustainability principles to human
    resource management.

-   The NPS needs to contribute to partner projects and programs.
    Improve its outreach out of parks. Use all the liberal arts to
    educate: history, art and science. Use non-traditional ways to
    engage the public.

-   Programming should be fresh and revitalized regularly. The local
    audiences then will return again and again.

-   Invest in the volunteer program. Consider exchanging international
    volunteers to create a wide level of experience. Promote exchange of
    ideas and technology within the volunteer community.

-   Use existing art organizations to extend the reach and educational
    potential of the national parks.

-   Increase Global Positioning Systems and cell phone technology to
    communicate NPS values.

-   Promote Old City Hall; Supreme Court needs repair. This should be a
    signature project.

-   Preserve surrounding areas of national parks. Hopewell Big Woods is
    an excellent example. Invest in that project to preserve Hopewell
    Furnace National Historic Site and its landscape.

-   Provide assistance to local community. Be America's heritage agency.
    Recognize that the NPS Centennial coincides with the 50^th^
    anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. Improve NPS
    ability to influence local zoning. Give the NPS authority to
    transfer funds to municipalities. Walk the walk of local
    municipalities.

-   NPS should invest in the internet. NPS should more aggressively work
    the system. Example: Create a genealogical program for Hopewell
    Furnace National Historic Site similar to the program that is
    available for Ellis Island immigrants. Use the internet for access
    to park records. Must embrace the digital world.

-   Celebrate the centennial. Engage celebrities. Put the national parks
    on the voting ballot. Engage writers to promote national park
    values.

-   Invite park users back to the park - at least 40 representative
    groups per park.

-   Do something more meaningful than firecrackers and bands.

-   Preserve foundational documents and connect them with the
    representative groups; for instance, the protesters on Independence
    Mall.

-   Design programming around individual park history and meaning.

-   Set priorities. Insure key values are preserved. Use this
    preparation time to identify what needs attention. If there are
    historical artifacts that are deteriorating, take care of them
    first. Take care of why the parks were established.

-   Earmark taxes to improve national parks.

-   Define the national parks more clearly to the public. Ensure
    stewardship takes place. Create programs to ensure stewardship.

-   More community outreach. People need to know the national parks.
    Ensure projects to increase awareness of national parks.

-   Increase school involvement. Get them when they are young. Rent
    school buses. Get them to parks.

-   Obligation to congress to maintain the national parks and make them
    available to the public.

-   Improve web infrastructure. Focus on local communities. Work with
    them.

-   Create an ad campaign with the national advertising council.
    Consider a Super Bowl commercial. Make parks relevant.

-   Historical parks should diversify their stories. Ensure the story
    and the resources are relevant to all the public. This approach
    should include both cultural and natural parks.

-   NPS needs to do more demographic studies. Find out who is using the
    parks. Apply best business marketing principles. Analyze your
    customer base. Find out what motivates them. Where are your people
    coming from?

-   Make GPRA useful.

-   Be creative. Think about connecting with commercial food facilities.
    Fast food joints should promote parks.

-   The length of agreements with partner organizations is so short - 5
    to 10 years - that it is hard to raise funds. Recommend a longer
    term for such agreements to make it easier to go for challenge
    grants. Perhaps use leases with 25-60 year terms instead. Simplify
    the procedures for such agreements.

-   The rules for raising money (DO 21) make it hard and potential
    donors are turned off by the complicated procedures and conditions.
    Make procedures simpler.

-   There should be a way that parks can contribute money to partnership
    activities such as programming for artists, performances or
    exhibits, besides just contributing capital improvements.

-   Maximize and enhance the use of the NPS trail system by people who
    need accommodations. Parks have trails that are ADA accessible and
    these are mentioned in the Visitor Center, however, these are often
    crowded. The parks may have trails that can accommodate \[wheelchair
    users or people needing other accommodation\] with a few
    improvements, widening the path a little or removing a log or two.
    They might not meet strict ADA requirements, but are still useable.
    The VC should have a system of categorizing the trails based upon
    mobility characteristics, maybe with color codes for degree of
    accessibility \[like ski slopes\].

-   Make sure parks have funding for at least 10 years.

-   There is a need to focus on natural landscape restoration to
    encourage natural \[native\] plants and animals to discourage
    exotics. This is expensive, funds are needed. It is necessary to
    remove invasive species and even native animals that are now pests
    \[deer\].

-   Outdoor recreation and the public use of existing national parks
    especially those that are large or hard to access point up the need
    to balance recreation and other uses with preservation. There needs
    to be a study to identify the needs and opportunities for outdoor
    use by the public.

-   Set up a fund for partners to use to improve facilities to be ADA
    compliant and improve access. There needs to be a dedicated ADA fund
    to meet unfunded ADA mandates and other accessibility needs.

-   The NPS needs to be mindful of the need for authenticity and to make
    sure commercial interests and intrusions are kept to a minimum.

-   NPS should consider following the European model of partnering with
    non NPS organizations to preserve landscapes, historic or industrial
    areas for possible future inclusion in the NPS system. Landscapes
    are important and should be considered for restoration projects. It
    is important to interpret the landscapes through an NPS presence.

-   There is a need to find sources for funds to maintain parks.
    Volunteers are outstanding, but are not enough to rely on. We need
    to be able to acquire new areas and keep them staffed. We need to
    fund current responsibilities before adding new ones.

-   We need to connect urban residents with parks. Partnerships are a
    good way to do this especially with local and state park systems.

-   Develop formal partnerships with organizations that can get things
    done, bring people to the parks and move projects forward. One
    example is marketing which can be done by the local convention and
    visitor bureau or other local tourism organizations. Independence
    and Valley Forge are models of this kind of formal partnership.

-   These formal partnerships can add special programming which provides
    expanded activities and fun, entertaining programs \[that complement
    NPS programs\].

-   Make sure that modern technology is up to date and that we make use
    of the latest technology. Keep acquisitions fresh, websites are key
    and current research and information keeps it \[website\] fresh and
    exciting.

-   Keep programs lively for kids especially using things like
    re-enactments or participatory activities. Keep the kids in mind and
    involved, like having them attend meetings like this. Teach the
    teachers and make sure we have enough Park Rangers to do this, to
    point out the natural and historical wonders of a national park.

-   Permit NPS staff to be more entrepreneurial, lessen the bureaucracy.
    Current procedures take a long time and time is money.

-   Parks need long range plans to be able to protect surrounding lands
    from the pressures of encroaching developments. One example is the
    need for environmental restoration of the Valley Forge Grand Parade
    Grounds \[asbestos abatement\].

-   Valley Forge needs a pedestrian bridge to connect the two sides of
    the park. There needs to be better connections between local
    national parks such as Independence, Valley Forge and Germantown.
    Produce a combined brochure of the three areas; link the websites
    for VAFO, INDE and Deshler Morris. Highlight not only events at the
    3 sites but also the historical connections.

-   Make more of a connection between parks and the local schools and
    educational institutions. The parks should be part of their local
    school programs and a key part of national education programs. Local
    schools should visit their local national parks.

-   Use pod casts to reach out to today's kids. Have students produce
    these pod casts. Partnerships are key- between parks and schools,
    businesses, hospitals and places or foundations with funds.

-   It is important to make connections between parks and students and
    between sites and the historical context. Parks must be willing to
    be flexible.