National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Northeast Region

Keeping National Parks 

Relevant in the 21stCentury

A Report on a Conference Convened 

by the National Park Service Northeast Region 

and the National Parks Mid-Atlantic Council
This report is the eighth in the Conservation and 

Stewardship Publication Series produced by the 

Conservation Study Institute. This series includes a 

variety of publications designed to provide information 

on conservation history and current practice for 

professionals and the public. The series editor is Nora J. 

Mitchell, director of the Institute.

The Conservation Study Institute was established by the 

National Park Service in 1998 to enhance leadership in 

the field of conservation. A partnership with academic, 

government, and nonprofit organizations, the institute 

helps the National Park Service and its partners stay in 

touch with the evolving field of conservation and to 

develop more sophisticated partnerships, new tools for 

community engagement, and new strategies for the 

21st century. The Institute is based at Marsh-BillingsRockefeller National Historical Park within the Northeast 

Region of the National Park Service.

We encourage you to share the information in this 

report, and request only that you give appropriate 

citations and bibliographic credits. 

Recommended citation: Nora Mitchell, Tara Morrison, 

Virginia Farley, and Chrysandra Walter, editors. Keeping 

National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century. Woodstock, 

Vermont: Conservation Study Institute, 2006.

For additional copies, contact:

Conservation Study Institute

54 Elm Street

Woodstock, VT 05091

Tel: (802) 457-3368 / Fax: (802) 457-3405

www.nps.gov/csi

Publications in the Conservation 

and Stewardship Series:

No. 1 – Landscape Conservation: An 

International Working Session on the 

Stewardship of Protected Landscapes, 2001

No. 2 – International Concepts in Protected 

Landscapes: Exploring Their Values for 

Communities in the Northeast, 2001

No. 3 – Collaboration and Conservation: 

Lessons Learned in Areas Managed through 

National Park Service Partnerships, 2001

No. 4 – Speaking of the Future: A Dialogue 

on Conservation, 2003

No. 5 – A Handbook for Managers of Cultural 

Landscapes with Natural Resource Values, 

2003 (web-based)

No. 6 – Collaboration and Conservation: 

Lessons Learned from National Park Service 

Partnership Areas in the Western United 

States, 2004

No. 7 – Reflecting on the Past, Looking 

to the Future: Sustainability Study Report. 

A Technical Assistance Report to the John 

H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National 

Heritage Corridor Commission, 2005

All publications are available in PDF format at 

ww.nps.gov/csi
Keeping National Parks 

Relevant in the 21stCentury

A Report on a Conference Convened 

by the National Park Service Northeast Region 

and the National Parks Mid-Atlantic Council

at

Independence National Historical Park

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October 14–15, 2005

National Park Service Northeast Region

Report edited by Nora Mitchell, Virginia Farley, Tara Morrison, and Chrysandra Walter 

Compiled from meeting notes by facilitators Tammy Bormann and David Campt
21st-Century 

Relevancy: 



The NPS mission will be relevant to

contemporary America through 

engaging the public, developing 

a seamless network of parks, and 

protecting America’s cultural heritage.
Foreword Northeast Regional Director Mary Bomar v

I. Designing the Conference and Preparing This Report 1

II. Articulating a Vision for the National Park Service in the 21st Century 5

III. Leading Change: Identifying Opportunities and Barriers in National Park 

Service Organizational Culture 9

IV. Charting a Way Forward: A Strategic Framework for Keeping National Parks 

Relevant in the 21st Century 15

Epilogue: Next Steps 

Northeast Regional Director Mary Bomar

 Working Together to Lead Change through Accomplishing Actions, 

Assessing Progress, and Continually Renewing Our Strategy 18

Bibliography and Resource List 20

Appendices

A. Conference Agenda 21

B. Conference Participants 22

C. Personal Commitment and Action Plan 24

D. Reports and Programs with Related Strategies and Action Plans 24

E. Potential Ideas for Actions Identified at the Conference 25

CO N T E N T S
iv Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

FACING PAGE: (center) Mary Bomar, NPS Northeast Regional Director; 

(right) Robert G. Stanton, Senior Fellow, Texas A & M University, Former Director, NPS; and

(left) Jeffrey Leath, Pastor, Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church.

Sharing ideas 

is critical for us to be an effective, efficient, learning organization. Times have changed in

the National Park Service’s almost 90 years, and we must change the way we work to keep us 

flexible, relevant, and successful. As you work with partners and seek new relationships, please 

reinforce these goals both in the ways you work together and the projects on which you embark. 

These broad goals will also be helpful in guiding your public message—so the communities of 

which we are a part know where we are headed and feel invited and encouraged to join us. 

– Fran P. Mainella, Director

National Park Service

National Park Service Legacy Initiative 

“Doing Business in the 21st Century”

Management Excellence

The National Park Service promotes management 

excellence and will epitomize government 

accountability. We will be a highly transparent 

organization whose productive, safe workforce 

reflects the diversity of our country and uses 

effective business practices to fulfill our core 

work.

Sustainability

The National Park Service will pursue sustainable 

facilities, operations, business practices, and 

resources through conservation, design, 

fiscal responsibility, information technology, 

partnerships, philanthropic support, and positive 

relationships with Congress.

Conservation

The National Park Service will continue to 

be a leader in natural and cultural resource 

conservation, protection, restoration, and 

stewardship. We will accomplish our work 

through partnerships with educational 

institutions, intergovernmental organizations at 

the local, state, and federal levels, and interest 

groups.

Outdoor Recreation

People’s enjoyment of and appreciation for 

the National Park System are essential to its 

conservation. The National Park Service embraces 

its critical responsibility to provide appropriate 

outdoor recreation and to contribute to the 

physical and mental well-being of all Americans. 

We will provide these opportunities both through 

the National Park System itself, and through our 

role in a seamless network of parks.

21st-Century Relevancy

The mission will be relevant to contemporary 

America through engaging the public, developing 

a seamless network of parks, and protecting 

America’s cultural heritage.

Source: http://inside.nps.gov/blankReports/

Legacy4YearGoalsJULY2005.pdf
Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century v

As the National Park Service approaches its 90th

anniversary, we look ahead to a new legacy for 

the 21st century. “Relevancy in the 21st century” 

is a cornerstone of the National Park Service 

Legacy Initiative, “Doing Business in the 21st Century” 

(see box on facing page). This initiative creates a common 

national framework and encourages us to share our successes 

and learn from one another. In pursuing these goals, our 

agency will create enduring connections with the American 

people; become increasingly effective, innovative, and 

entrepreneurial; and expand our partnerships with others 

in order to fulfill the National Park Service purpose and 

mission (see below). 

National Park Service Purpose 

(from the Organic Act of 1916)

To conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and 

the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same 

in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

National Park Service Mission Statement

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural 

and cultural resources and values of the National Park System 

for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future 

generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend 

the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and 

outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

NPS Director Fran Mainella has asked the Northeast Region 

to provide national leadership on 21st-century relevancy. 

Accepting this challenge, we need to think carefully about 

ways to reach diverse communities more effectively both 

here in the region and across the United States. We must 

think not only about the stories we tell through our parks 

and programs but also about the faces we present to our 

visitors and neighbors, the ways we respond to changing 

demographics, and how we forge new partnerships. Being 

relevant requires exceptional skills––listening, understanding, 

and meeting the evolving needs of the American public––and 

engaging people who do not yet have a relationship with 

their National Park System or for whom visiting national 

parks is a distant dream. “Doing Business in the 21st Century” 

will demand exceptional creativity—seeking out new ways to 

communicate and new ways to build commitment from the 

next generation of stewards.

In a recent message to all NPS employees, Director Mainella 

reminded us that parks are “places that affirm cherished 

ideas, ideals, and stories, and that also provoke questions 

and expose visitors to unfamiliar perspectives” and that the 

National Park Service is “an institution with a unique and 

vital role to play in telling America’s story and nurturing an 

informed citizenry—a mission of high national purpose.”

With this high purpose in mind, the Northeast Region 

and the National Parks Mid-Atlantic Council convened 

a conference, “Making National Parks Relevant in the 

21st Century” to bring people together to have a serious 

conversation on relevancy and engaging an increasingly 

Northeast Regional Director Mary Bomar

F O R E W O R D
vi Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

diverse population. This conference was clearly the 

beginning of a much longer conversation. While this meeting 

emphasized African American life and culture, I foresee 

further conversations with other populations that can be 

better served by the National Park Service—through our 

parks, our programs, and our partnerships. To build the 

National Park Service of the 21st century we must strive to 

make these conversations as inclusive as we possibly can. 

This meeting was an important milestone along this road—

the journey will take time and will require us to sustain a 

steadfast commitment to change. 

This is, of course, not the first time that individuals have 

worked to increase the relevancy of the National Park 

Service. The past, it is said, is the key to the future. In 1991, 

the National Park Service’s 75th Anniversary Symposium 

looked at ways to diversify our workforce of 20,000, to 

broaden our stories, and to reach new groups of visitors, at a 

time when nearly 350 million people were visiting America’s 

national parks. Looking to the not-too-distant future, the 

symposium predicted:

Everyone will belong to a minority group. Whites will no longer be 

a majority group in several states (such as California); Asian and 

Hispanic populations will dramatically increase, with Hispanics 

outnumbering African Americans by 2010. Politics will be altered; 

by 2000, most mayors in the nation’s big cities will be people of 

color; racial-crossover voting will be common.

The symposium’s report recommended that the National 

Park Service review its thematic framework and undertake 

studies for new additions that would better reflect the 

heritage, stories, and cultures of an increasingly diverse 

population. 

During NPS Director Bob Stanton’s tenure, I had the 

privilege of working with him on a national committee on 

institutionalizing diversity and had the opportunity to better 

understand the agency’s challenges. Many of the issues I saw 

then are still with us today. Our workforce diversity is not all 

that it could be and there is still an imbalance between the 

NPS workforce today and the “face of America.”

In 2001, the National Park System Advisory Board’s report, 

Rethinking the National Parks for the 21st Century, also focused 

on this growing challenge. The advisory board was then 

chaired by historian John Hope Franklin—a great thinker 

and a most humble man despite his many accomplishments. 

And while the report was the work of many, I like to think 

that it was he who penned these words:

The public looks upon national parks almost as a metaphor for 

America itself. But there is another image emerging here, a picture 

of the National Park Service as a sleeping giant—beloved and 

respected, yes; but perhaps too cautious, too resistant to change, too 

reluctant to engage the challenges that must be addressed in the 21st

century. The Park Service must ensure that the American story is 

told faithfully, completely, and accurately. The story is often noble, 

but sometimes shameful and sad. In an age of growing cultural 

diversity, the Service must continually ask whether the way in 

which it tells these stories has meaning for all our citizens.

I want to thank our conference co-sponsor, the National 

Parks Mid-Atlantic Council, and its members for their 

leadership and hard work in convening this dialogue. This 

conference would never have been planned nor organized 

the way it was without their guidance. For the fruition of 

this effort, credit is due to a number of people, including 

Patricia Conway, Lauranett Lee, and Bill Withuhn of the 

Mid-Atlantic Council, and NPS Northeast Deputy Regional 

Director Sandy Walter and Superintendents Edie SheanHammond, Cynthia MacLeod, and Gay Vietzke.

We also thank our partner, Eastern National, for its 

continuing support and for assistance with preparation of 

this conference report. All of the conference participants are 

grateful for the excellent guidance in planning the meeting 

and the skill in facilitating the dialogue provided by Tammy 

Bormann and David Campt. I offer sincere gratitude to all of 

our speakers who contributed so much wisdom and advice 

to enhance our collective understanding. In particular, I 

want to express my deep appreciation and admiration for 

former NPS Director Robert Stanton, John Franklin of 

the Smithsonian Institution, and Reverend Jeffrey Leath 

of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church for their personal and 

professional commitment. I also recognize the commitment 

of the participants and look forward to working with them 

as we follow up on the ideas generated by this conference. 

Finally, I want to thank the Conservation Study Institute and 

the editors of this report who successfully summarized this 

meeting so that we may build our future conversations and 

actions upon this dialogue. 

This is an exciting time in the National Park Service and we 

look ahead to enormous opportunities as we help shape 

the NPS of the future. The park superintendents and our 

partners who participated in this conference have created 

a vision for the National Park Service in the 21st century. To 

make this vision a reality will require all of us to lead change 

not only at our parks and in our communities, but with our 

peers in the region and the nation. We must all work together 

so that all Americans can experience their heritage. 
Section I. 

Designing the Conference 

and Preparing This Report

Conference 

participants at 

“Making 

National Parks 

Relevant in the 

21st Century,”

October 14-15, 

2005 in 

Philadelphia.
2 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

A. Meeting Goals 

If a journey begins with a single step, this quest for 

21st-century relevancy began with a conversation. The 

conference, “Making National Parks Relevant in the 21st

Century,” was designed to be a “foundational conversation” 

for an ongoing dialogue on the relevancy of national parks 

and programs in the Northeast Region. Developed in 

cooperation with the National Parks Mid-Atlantic Council, 

the two-day gathering provided a forum to reflect on and 

discuss issues of relevancy and diversity, from demographics 

to first-person accounts of affecting change (see conference 

agenda in appendix A).

In her opening remarks, Northeast Regional Director Mary 

Bomar described this forum as an opportunity for leaders 

from the Northeast Region of the National Park Service 

and their many partners to work together to create a road 

map toward relevancy in the 21st century. Conference 

participants included NPS managers, nonprofit partners, 

scholars, museum professionals, and others (see participant 

list in appendix B). This conversation intentionally surveyed 

the contemporary American landscape, with a particular 

emphasis on African American life and culture. The 

meeting was designed to create and sustain a commitment 

to change through individual and collective actions, future 

conversations, and the monitoring of progress over time. 

The outcomes described in this report express a collective 

vision for the National Park Service in the 21st century, an 

understanding of the current opportunities and challenges, 

and a strategic framework to guide actions that will enhance 

the connections between NPS and an increasingly diverse 

American public. 

B. A Guide to This Report

To accomplish the meeting goals, facilitators Tammy 

Bormann and David Campt led participants through a 

series of sessions that included personal reflection, small 

group and plenary discussions, and presentations (see the 

meeting agenda in appendix A). The table on the facing page 

describes the flow of the meeting and the corresponding 

sections in this report.

D E S I G N I N G T H E CO N F E R E N C E

Conference participants at “Making National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century,” October 14-15, 2005.
Secion I. Designing the Conference 3

Table 1

Agenda Topic Presentation or Question Posed by Facilitators Report Section

Overarching questions 

of the conference

1. What are the key strategic priorities that the NPS in the Northeast Region must 

address in order to achieve its vision of organizational relevance in the 21st century, 

particularly to communities of color?

2. What are the key priorities for action that NPS sites in the Northeast Region 

must embrace in order to become more relevant to diverse communities in the 21st

century?

3. What are the key priorities for professional and individual growth of NPS 

leaders and employees in the Northeast Region that must be addressed in order to 

build capacity to achieve the organization’s vision of 21st-century relevancy?

All

Setting the stage Remarks of Northeast Regional Director Mary Bomar Foreword

Remarks by Bill Withuhn and Lauranett Lee All

Articulating the vision When the NPS achieves its vision of 21st-century relevancy, how will the general 

public describe the NPS? What will the NPS be known for?

Section II

Panel Presentation: John W. Franklin, Robert Stanton, Reverend Jeffrey Leath, and 

Cynthia MacLeod

All

Lessons learned:

experience from the 

field

Harvey Bakari and Larry Earl, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Panel Discussion: Gay Vietzke, Tara Morrison, Vidal Martinez

Panel Discussion: Dennis Reidenbach, Gillian Bowser, Alan Spears, George Price

All

Leading change: 

identifying 

opportunities and 

barriers

What are ways the NPS organizational culture supports our progress on 21stcentury relevancy? What are ways the NPS organizational culture inhibits our 

progress?

What can my organization and I do to support the NPS as it seeks to move through 

an organizational change process to achieve 21st-century relevancy? What do we 

need from NPS leadership at regional and national levels to support our personal 

growth in order to become more effective NPS leaders in the 21st century?

Section III

Section IV, 

Epiloque

Charting a way 

forward

Identifying strategic areas for action and next steps in the Northeast Region Section IV,

Epilogue

The voices in this report are primarily those of conference 

participants. The meeting facilitators recorded some 

direct quotes and short phrases of key ideas and provided 

summaries of the discussions throughout the meeting, and 

this report draws from those notes. The editors have strived 

to reflect and summarize the dialogue, insights, and “group 

wisdom” with minimal alteration. 

Since this was an open and honest dialogue, the reader 

will find both optimism and pessimism, and laudatory 

praise and harsh criticism. These contrasting perspectives 

emerged in the discussion and are retained in this report. 

Many participants expressed the belief that a commitment 

to continuing this conversation will ultimately produce a 

realistic road map to guide the quest for relevancy in the 21st

century by the National Park Service and its partners in the 

Northeast Region. 
4 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

FACING PAGE: 

A. Conference participant at “Making 

National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century,” 

October 14-15, 2005, in Philadelphia.

B. Preserving Memory Seminar participants 

at Richmond National Battlefield Park 

discussing race and civic dialogue with 

Paige L. Chargois from Hope in the City.

C. NPS Northeast Regional Director 

Mary Bomar addresses a dedication 

ceremony for a permanent exhibit at the 

National Constitution Center providing an 

introduction to the diverse mix of people 

who lived and worked on the site around the 

time of the American Revolution. 

D. Community expressions of loss at the 

Oklahoma City National Memorial.

E. Former World War II Tuskegee Airman 

pilot cadet Ernest Haywood (on right) at his 

home in Detroit, Michigan during an oral 

history interview by NPS historian Worth 

Long (Bill Mansfield, NPS photograph).
Section II. 

Articulating a Vision for 

the National Park Service 

in the 21st Century

A B

C D

E

B
6 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

When the NPS achieves its vision of 

21st-century relevancy, how will the 

general public describe the NPS? 

What will the NPS be known for?

A vision for the National Park Service in the 21st century 

was created by conference participants when asked the above 

questions. 

In this description of the 21st century vision, present tense 

is used to directly state future intentions and to provide 

encouragement to achieve them.

In the 21st century, the National Park Service 

works in partnership with others to tell inclusive 

stories relevant to all members of society and 

encourages others to tell their own stories.

A relevant NPS includes all the stories of heritage that define 

this country. These stories are interwoven—not isolated from 

each other—to create a bold, truthful narrative, and many 

people and many cultural groups tell their own stories. 

The NPS creates an atmosphere of trust so that complex 

and challenging stories can be shared and understood. Many 

communities that did not find meaning in the national parks 

during 2006 are now actively engaged as a result of new 

avenues of communication created by the NPS. The message 

and meaning of national parks is transformed, as is the 

workforce.

The National Park System encompasses many places that 

reflect the country’s diversity. Alan Spears of the National 

Parks Conservation Association noted that “the NPS is one 

of the largest ‘custodians’ of African American history in the 

country.” Parks serve as venues for articulating many more 

narratives, and create a variety of opportunities for people 

to forge meaningful connections. By developing knowledge 

and awareness that span racial and cultural boundaries, 

new stories are created, forgotten ones rediscovered, and 

society strengthened. Bob Stanton observed, “The future 

of the organization is fully dependent on the National 

Park Service’s validity and relevance to all people and its 

ability to articulate the entire story.” Reverend Jeffrey Leath 

added, “There is a difference between information and interpretation. Relevancy does not alter information (facts); but it 

may inform interpretation (the meaning we give facts). ...Reinterpreting to cater to a changing demographic or political 

environment will destroy credibility. ...Relevancy cannot 

replace truth as the primary core value.”

Conference Participant Quotes: 

The NPS presents a diverse continuum of the nation’s story in 

landscape, heritage, and culture and serves as a partner and 

facilitator to engage people in telling their own stories.

The NPS engages in dialogue about the complete story of 

American history.

In the 21st century, 

the National Park Service:

• works in partnership with others 

to tell inclusive stories relevant to all 

members of society and encourages 

others to tell their own stories;

• engages in ongoing dialogue with 

openness, sensitivity, and honesty;

• sustains community relationships; 

and 

• creates a workforce reflective of 

society.

A R T I C U L AT I N G A V I S I O N
Secion II. Articulating a Vision 7

A tension between the “big story” and the supporting stories 

remains. The challenge is how to get the big message across 

and to be prepared to share the supporting nuances which 

will be of most interest to diverse audiences.

Visitors see park stories and park events through the eyes of 

all who were a part of history.

The NPS is a living encyclopedia of America’s heritage. 

The NPS is known for its depth of knowledge and its ability 

to talk about controversial parts of our history and our 

compelling stories.

The NPS is known for its sound, reasonable scholarship and 

acknowledges the “power of place” by providing hands-on, 

multi-sensory, learning opportunities.

Our national park system is for all, forever.

In the 21st century, the National Park Service 

engages in ongoing dialogue with openness, 

sensitivity, and honesty. 

A National Park Service relevant to diverse groups of people 

is trusted to tell stories faithfully, completely, and accurately. 

Credibility and flexibility are part of achieving this vision. 

Recognizing that many challenging topics may still cause 

discomfort and that this is part of the process of openness 

and honesty, it is critical to create safe environments 

for dialogue. Richmond National Battlefield Park Superintendent Cynthia MacLeod noted that “...the fear that kept 

the slave system in place is similar to the fear that keeps us 

from talking about race and its impacts today.”

Conference Participant Quotes:

NPS is a welcoming and trustworthy guardian of national 

treasures and a storyteller that is inspiring to all people.

Americans look to the NPS to tell the story of heritage and 

know that the NPS will be honest about that heritage.

NPS is both comfortable—everyone feels welcome—and 

uncomfortable, as many stories are challenging to discuss.

NPS is seen as an agency that does not buckle under political 

pressure but remains truthful to the facts and open to 

reinterpretation of those facts.

NPS is known for facilitating and provoking thoughtful 

discussions on sensitive issues.

NPS units are sought out and recognized by all as safe, 

relevant places to visit for recreation and inspiration.

NPS provides creative and innovative approaches for 

engaging all.

In the 21st century, the National Park Service 

sustains community relationships.

The NPS mission itself as well as many resources under NPS 

stewardship transcend political and ownership boundaries, 

creating opportunities for close relationships with many 

communities nearby and across the country. Many natural 

and cultural resources and related stories are inextricably 

linked with neighboring communities and the vitality of 

storytelling depends on sustaining these connections. In 

addition, there are communities across the country that are 

invested in the narratives and the natural and cultural history 

of national parks, and that derive knowledge and enjoyment 

from and feel close connections to these parks—even some 

they may never visit.

For genuine relationship-building to occur, community 

engagement requires the investment of intellectual as well as 

emotional energy. The result of these investments leads to 

many intended and unintended positive outcomes.

Conference Participant Quotes:

The NPS is a catalyst for involvement, community 

engagement, and stewardship.

The NPS is known for celebrating stories of all citizens and 

being a welcoming presence in the community.

The NPS is known to be an integral part of the community, 

particularly in urban settings.

NPS staff facilitates a broad community dialogue about 

values without clouding the process with their own values.
8 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

NPS programs and staff are visible in many communities, 

and this visibility includes our own interwoven stories.

Members of the general public feel accepted, acknowledged, 

connected, respected, and valued when they visit NPS sites.

The NPS functions as a dynamic, interconnected whole 

rather than as a series of disconnected sites.

The NPS has moved beyond the narrow path of the agency 

and has partnerships with other organizations whose 

missions are similar and aligned, and also have complementary expertise.

In the 21st century, the National Park Service 

creates a workforce reflective of society.

As demographics change, the NPS workforce changes, and 

the agency continually strives to attract the best and brightest 

of each generation. There are, of course, challenges to 

achieving workforce diversity. As John W. Franklin noted, 

“Changing the NPS institution will require direct engagement 

with others to fuel personal learning....The resistance the 

NPS experiences from ‘within’ will be as significant as 

the resistance it experiences from ‘without.’” Bob Stanton 

agreed: “Without the will, the change is not possible.” To 

create the will and overcome the fear and discomfort that 

are necessary for real change to occur, the NPS provides 

professional development opportunities, offering individuals 

the knowledge and support to make change. The NPS is a 

learning organization that is consistently evaluating programs 

and adapting to changing needs in society.

Conference Participant Quotes:

The NPS workforce is welcoming and representative of the 

population of the U.S.

Young people see NPS as a career goal and a place that 

welcomes all faces.

The NPS is an employer-of-choice for diverse, high-caliber 

individuals.

NPS s serves as a caretaker and a learning organization 

for all people by being inclusive, open to change, accurate, 

truthful, responsive, respectful, and innovative.

FACING PAGE:

A. Visitors to Independence National Historical 

Park at the archeological site of the home of 

James Dexter, an 18th century African American 

leader, discussing his role as a prominent member 

of the Free African Society and a founding 

officer of St. Thomas’ African Episcopal Church, 

two of the first black organizations in 18th

century Philadelphia. 

B. Community members participate in a dialogue 

on “Without Sanctuary,” a powerful exhibit on 

lynching in America hosted by Martin Luther 

King National Historic Site. 

C. Historic photograph of Japanese brides 

walking across a bridge at Angel Island 

(now a California state park) when it served as 

an 19th century immigration center.

D. Fort Wadsworth—part of Gateway National 

Recreation Area and National Parks of New York 

Harbor—at the base of the Verrizano Narrows 

Bridge was the starting point of the New York 

City Marathon, creating an opportunity to build 

community connections to the NPS.

E. Freedom songs by Reanae McNeal that reveal 

bridges to the past during the “African Americans 

and the Civil War” conference convened by 

Petersburg National Battlefield in May 2005.
Section III. 

Leading Change: Identifying 

Opportunities and Barriers in National

Park Service Organizational Culture

A B

C

D

E 
10 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

What are ways the NPS organizational culture supports our progress 

on 21st-century relevancy? Where are 

the opportunities for change?

What are ways the NPS organizational culture inhibits our progress? 

Where are the barriers to change?

The primary themes for opportunities and barriers identified 

within NPS culture are closely related to the key elements of 

the vision for the National Park Service in the 21st century. 

These themes are as follows:

• Agency Traditions 

• Workforce Diversity

• Community Connections and Partnerships

• Leadership and Professionalism

For each of these themes, the discussion below explores 

both opportunities and barriers. These two categories are 

juxtaposed since, in most cases, progress that has been 

accomplished to date by capitalizing on opportunities 

is balanced by progress that is still needed to overcome 

barriers. For example, community engagement and 

workforce diversity are areas in which the NPS has made 

great strides in recent years, but additional work is still 

needed to achieve the vision.

Agency Traditions

“There is no risk to becoming relevant. 

Our risk is not becoming relevant.”

Opportunities are created by positive perceptions of the 

agency and its traditional roles:

The NPS is a mission-driven organization with a 

commitment to public service. Employees are generally 

dedicated and intent on doing the right thing. NPS 

stewardship of a diversity of places and resources across 

the country speaks to many people and cultures, and 

provides opportunities for engagement. Interpretation 

and the sharing of stories are integral to preservation 

and enjoyment of the resources entrusted to the NPS. 

The NPS is committed to seeking, interpreting, and 

sharing authentic and inclusive stories.

The organization is committed to continually integrating 

current scholarship, exploring innovation in interpretation, and recognizing additional places of heritage. 

The NPS fosters mutually beneficial relationships with 

universities and professional societies and stays current 

on research. Congress continues to identify new sites 

associated with nationally important stories that reflect 

the diversity of the public, and addition of these sites 

continually renews and enhances the relevance of the 

National Park System.

Conference Participant Quotes:

Leadership supports relevance and the organization is 

making clear steps—education, new sites, and expanded 

interpretation—to embrace new ways of operating.

Our culture is to preserve and protect our “sacred” places 

for future generations to enjoy unimpaired.

Even so, perceived barriers inhibit progress:

The NPS and its professional rangers generally 

present a positive image for people, but some people 

have a negative perception associated with uniformed 

personnel and can be intimidated.

L E A D I N G C H A N G E
Secion III. Leading Change 11

The NPS adheres to agency traditions, sometimes 

excluding or appearing to exclude new interpretations, 

meanings, programs, and scholarship. At other times 

the emphasis is on telling “special” new stories rather 

than telling a more complete story. There can be a 

perception of elitism in conservation and in the work of 

the National Park Service.

Conference Participant Quotes:

NPS often insists on a level and type of scholarship that’s 

biased toward telling the stories of the dominant culture. 

For example, we think we can’t interpret the slave quarters 

if we don’t know the exact dimensions of the building.

We don’t meet minorities on their ground—we expect 

them to meet us on ours. We need to understand their 

cultures better.

Often the interpretation of a park’s enabling legislation or 

the “core mission” is so specific that parks don’t or can’t 

think outside of the box to talk about other topics related to 

the park.

Unfortunately, the Park Service has an image problem 

because it places too much focus on the “crown jewels” 

rather than on the many historic sites.

Principal interpretive themes rarely address cross-cultural 

events or issues.

Workforce Diversity

“We need to open the dialogue on other levels and be 

inclusive of all aspects of our workforce and the 

communities where they live.”

Opportunities are created by pursuing workforce change 

through partnerships and through NPS personnel initiatives:

Positive changes in recruiting, hiring, training, mentoring, and promoting have taken place in recent years. 

Successful partnerships with organizations such as 

the Student Conservation Association, and personnel 

programs such as the Student Temporary Employment 

Program and the Student Career Experience Program, 

are bringing diversity and youth into the workforce.

Conference Participant Quotes:

The organization does provide training opportunities 

throughout our careers that, if managed better, could help to 

prepare employees to change our messages and our diversity. 

At least there is a critical mass of good people trying to do the 

right thing.

Even so, perceived barriers inhibit progress:

Although workforce diversity has increased in recent 

years, there are still opportunities for improvement. 

A lack of funding for new staff and for professional 

development is a hindrance to diversifying the workforce. While workforce diversity is a critical step, it 

does not automatically create relevancy of places and 

programs. As Reverend Jeffrey Leath reminds us, “Don’t 

assume that putting an ethnic face at your door makes 

your message relevant.”

The NPS can more actively engage the younger 

generation and encourage intergenerational dialogue 

and mentoring so that people who have important 

institutional knowledge have opportunities to share it. 

Conference Participant Quotes:

Traditionally we have not been diverse enough—we have 

certain park areas that do not have a diverse staff and 

are not located near diverse communities; consequently, 

NPS employees of color may feel isolated and choose 

to leave the NPS.

We tend to promote from within and so there aren’t many 

opportunities for people of color to enter management 

positions. Also, with budget limitations, we’re not hiring 

many new people and therefore our organization is slow to 

change its own demographics.

Intergenerational dialogue is important since we need to 

understand where we came from if we’re going to understand where we are going—or we’re doomed to repeat the 

same mistakes.

We need to overcome the fear of leaving “comfort zones.”
12 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

Community Connections and Partnerships

“The National Park Service has begun listening to groups who 

are connected to the resource—this allows the parks to become 

more inclusive.”

Opportunities are created by increased outreach and 

partnerships:

In recent years the NPS has increased outreach 

to communities and initiated partnerships with 

other organizations and academia. A variety of new 

approaches such as “kitchen table conversations” are 

being used to assist in solving problems. Some parks 

are seen as venues for public forums. There is dialogue 

on public planning issues and some funding to support 

research, civic engagement, educational programming, 

and heritage celebrations.

Many partners are willing to assist with community 

education, volunteerism, bridge-building with local 

communities, and fundraising.

The term “community” is used to include the public in 

all its diversity, as visitors to and students at NPS sites; 

the pool of potential employees of the NPS; and the 

present NPS employees.

Conference Participant Quotes:

New community outreach techniques and attitudes are 

emerging.

The NPS has the opportunity—some say an obligation—

to involve youth in natural and cultural resource 

management —and find ways to train young people for 

employment.

There is new [emphasis] on inclusive public involvement.

Even so, perceived barriers inhibit progress:

There is a sense that authentic community engagement is not yet a consistent approach throughout the 

National Park System.

Communities of interest, stakeholders, and neighbors 

are not always included to the extent possible in 

decision-making processes.

There can be a sense of separateness from the 

community––that the NPS is “us” and the surrounding 

community is “them.”

Conference Participant Quotes:

The community often doesn’t see the NPS as an integral 

part of their sense of place, not like they do with the public 

library and other public institutions. Our standoffishness 

helps perpetuate that.

NPS speaks a lot about partnerships but at too many parks 

it doesn’t happen—it’s a closed shop.

Most of the time, it is an inadvertent, unintended action 

that is offensive or misses the point with communities of 

color. This occurs since the communities of color are not 

the ones traditionally writing or reviewing the “script.”

We have a lack of vision beyond park boundaries. We 

evaluate success by visitation, not by how we are relevant 

to all people—not just visitors.

Leadership and Professionalism

“We need to make these conversations a priority.”

Opportunities are created by leadership and the agency’s 

openness to change: 

There is support within NPS leadership for increasing 

relevancy. The NPS is focused on diversity as a key to 

remaining relevant and playing an important role in the 

social fabric of American society.

The NPS has the capacity to be self-critical and to open 

doors to new ways of doing things. As expressed by one 

participant, “At least we are having the conversation!” 

The decentralized nature of the organization provides 

flexibility and enhances the agency’s ability to change.
Secion III. Leading Change 13

Conference Participant Quotes:

When we set on a course and commit to a cause, 

things get done.

There is a genuine desire to do better.

The NPS has recognized there is still a problem and is 

willing to ask the question and try for solutions.

This learning work is part of our jobs, not apart from our 

jobs—for example, listening sessions with community 

leaders, and asking questions that help departing employees 

discuss tough issues in exit interviews.

Even so, perceived barriers inhibit progress:

The NPS needs additional dialogue and professional 

and personal development to support organizational 

change related to diversity. There is a need for training on cultural competency, including cross-cultural 

perspectives, demographics, and methodologies to 

effectively engage new audiences. Because of existing staff responsibilities, there is a tendency to rely on 

standard behaviors and strategies rather than to explore 

new ways of doing business. With additional professional development, staff can learn to assess projects 

through a richer framework and to create innovations.

To strategically address the barriers to change, the 

NPS needs additional opportunities for reviewing and 

assessing effectiveness of experience to date, reaching 

consensus on priorities for next steps, and sustaining the effort to change over time. There is a current 

concern with lack of follow-through on dialogue. 

Certainly, some lack of focus over time can be attributed to factors such as limits on funding and shifts 

of emphasis to other initiatives. There is often a lack 

of awareness of the time and commitment required to 

build a collective sense of strategic direction as well as 

the relationships and trust that are needed for successful implementation.

There is also a lack of agreement on meaningful 

benchmarks and systematic evaluation of impacts. 

Development of good indicators is needed—for 

example, developing measures of success that relate to 

the impacts on visitors to national parks, not just on the 

numbers of visitors. 

Conference Participant Quotes:

We want desperately to be relevant and diverse—we just 

don’t have the tools and rewards.

We need a mechanism to share resources (for example, the 

documentary Race: The Power of an Illusion) for learning 

and training.

We don’t encourage an environment of risk at any level—

either superintendent or interpreter—in fact, it’s just the 

opposite. We see criticism as bad, not as the starting point 

for a conversation on the issue.

There is a growing atmosphere of negative consequences 

for new, innovative, and sometimes opposing thoughts and 

points of view.

We have not had the organizational stamina to maintain effective efforts. There’s always another initiative to 

undertake.

We hold workshops such as this one, but we rarely follow 

through and don’t evaluate how we actually change what 

we do....There are limited examples of good indicators of 

progress.

We don’t seem to have the ability to prioritize a short list of 

actions and remain focused on their achievement over time.

We rush to action plans—rather than nurture the 

conversation and confront the barriers realistically and 

constructively.

We need accountability from the leadership to follow 

through with the strategies and the learning.
14 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

FACING PAGE:

A.Observance at the African American 

Patriots’ Monument at Valley Forge National 

Historical Park sponsored by the Delta Sigma 

Theta sorority every year in June.

B. Gift of baleen being presented to 

the mayor of Barrow, Alaska by the director 

of Inupiat Heritage Center, a partner of 

New Bedford Whaling National Historical 

Park commemorating the more than 

2,000 whaling voyages from New Bedford 

(Massachusetts) to the Western Arctic.

C. Interpretive program at Independence 

National Historical Park.

D. Madeiran Portuguese dance group 

performing at New Bedford Whaling National 

Historical Park, celebrating the international 

connections of 19th century whaling.
Section IV. 

Charting a Way Forward: A Strategic 

Framework for Keeping National Parks 

 Relevant in the 21st Century

A B

C

D
16 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

Shared reflections on experience

• We all have a racial identity;

• We need to acknowledge that issues of race 

permeate our society;

• We need to deepen our understanding about the 

role of race in contemporary society;

• We need to engage in 

active learning about 

race as it affects us, our 

communities, 

and our workplace; and

• It is our collective 

personal and professional 

responsibility to understand the nuances of these 

issues.

“Diversity work takes time. It’s longterm work, so be prepared for the long 

haul. It’s not about the destination, 

but the journey that matters.”

Guided by the vision, informed by the existing barriers to 

progress, and motivated by the opportunities, a strategic 

framework for action emerged from working sessions at 

the conference.

Creating a Strategic Framework for Action

The framework that emerged from the conference can serve 

as a guide for identifying actions that will help realize the 

vision of making national parks relevant in the 21st century. 

In addition to this framework for collective action, there was 

an emphasis on individual commitment and action.

A. Personal Commitment and Action Plan

Although the framework is focused on collective action, 

individual commitment and action are also critical. 

Former NPS director Bob Stanton emphasized that “the 

responsibility for achieving this vision rests solely with the 

individual commitment.” Consequently, cultivating individual 

reflection is encouraged, and several ideas were shared by 

participants based on their own experiences (see box below). 

As part of this strategy, an outline for developing a personal 

action plan is offered (appendix C).

C H A R T I N G A W AY F O R W A R D

John W. Franklin 

and Superintendent 

Cynthia MacLeod 

in conversation at 

“Making National 

Parks Relevant in the 

21st Century.”
Secion IV. Charting a Way Forward 17

Strategic Framework for Action

1. Identify and engage new audiences and communities; and

2. Support change in the workforce (such as providing professional development 

for existing staff and recruiting diversity into the NPS).

In addition, three ways to accomplish these actions:

• Cultivate existing and develop new 

strategic partnerships to reach diverse populations;

• Apply knowledge of current demographic trends

near parks and within the region; and

• Sustain the conversation, evaluate progress, 

and continually renew the strategy.

B. Identifying Strategic Investments 

and Next Steps 

The framework has two primary strategic areas for action 

that emerged from reviewing the ideas that were generated 

and reflecting on the dialogue. This framework was also 

informed by several related and parallel efforts currently 

underway, as described in Northeast Regional Office Business 

Plan, Doing Business in the 21st Century (2006), Connecting 

People to Parks: A Visitor Services Strategy for the Northeast 

Region, National Park Service (December 2004), National 

Park Service Diversity Initiatives: A Report to Congress 

(October 2005), and Renewing Our Education Mission

(June 2004) a service-wide strategy being carried out by 

the NPS Education Council (see appendix D for additional 

information).

Over time, this framework will evolve as the Northeast 

Region evaluates progress, learns from experience, and 

further refines a strategy. Future discusions are anticipated 

which will also improve the framework. 

Conference participants indicated the importance of 

creating a realistic strategy coupled with a system for tracking 

progress. In her epilogue to this report, Regional Director 

Mary Bomar establishes two task groups, one for each of the 

primary strategic areas: (1) identify and engage new audiences 

and communities, and (2) support change in the workforce.

These task groups will gather additional information and 

identify top priorities for action drawing on the ideas 

generated at the conference (recorded in appendix E). 

The creation of these groups is a response to the participants’ 

desire to keep the vision in focus over time, build upon 

existing accomplishments and successes, deliberately and 

collaboratively choose critical next steps for investment, and 

evaluate new initiatives to learn from collective experience.
18 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

“The process is not linear—it’s more 

like a waltz—forward, sideways, 

backward, forward. Continue dancing 

toward the end objective!”

This foundational conversation made significant progress in 

charting a strategy and identifying the next steps on the road 

to 21st-century relevancy. The key priorities were identified 

and many ideas were generated at our October meeting 

(as described in section IV and appendix E of this report). 

However, to be effective and strategic, we must select our 

next steps carefully. We are beginning a journey and, as we 

will be on this road for awhile, we want to plan carefully 

to make the best investments of our time and resources. 

In making these choices, we need to consider the most 

immediate actions to take, but we also need to create an 

approach that allows us to chart progress toward our goals.

Designing a Collaborative, Adaptive Approach

The design of our approach is particularly important, since 

I heard conference participants express their will to change 

and to lead change but I also heard their concern that this 

will be another discussion without adequate follow-through. 

We all agree that this work will take time and we need to 

make a collective commitment to stay the course this year 

and over the coming years. For both of these reasons, 

designing a collaborative and adaptive management approach 

makes sense. Together we can set goals, identify actions and 

related benchmarks, measure our accomplishments, and 

celebrate our success.

Leveraging Other Investments and Initiatives

There are tremendous opportunities to take full advantage 

of related programs and initiatives (see appendix D), for 

example:

Within the Northeast Region:

• The recently published Northeast Regional Office Business 

Plan, Doing Business in the 21st Century identifies several 

priorities and strategies for future investment that advance 

21st Century Relevancy including increasing diversity of 

regional office staff and encouraging a more diverse user 

base.

• The Northeast Region interpretation and education 

programs have a strategic plan, Connecting People to Parks: 

A Visitor Services Strategy for the Northeast Region, and 

each year they track accomplishments related to this plan.

• The Northeast Region’s Civic Engagement Program (now 

housed in the Operations Directorate) continues to share 

case studies and provide training for staff.

• The Northeast Region provides national leadership for the 

Legacy Initiative goal on 21st-century relevancy through 

active participation on the NPS Education Council as well 

as by chairing a national task force on civic engagement 

under the Legacy Initiative goal on sustainability.

At the national level:

• The NPS Washington Office prepared a report, NPS 

Diversity Initiatives: A Report to Congress, summarizing 

progress and identifying opportunities for additional 

change.

• The National Park System Advisory Board’s Education 

Committee and the NPS Education Council recently 

hosted a “Scholars Forum” on the future role of the NPS 

in civil society; the Board’s Education Committee is also 

actively working with the NPS Education Council on a 

Servicewide Education Evaluation Strategy. 

• The NPS Washington Office is leading a task force related 

to the 2016 NPS centennial under the Legacy Initiative goal 

on 21st-century relevancy.

E P I L O G U E : N E X T S T E P S 

Working Together to Lead Change though Accomplishing Actions, 

Assessing Progress, and Continually Renewing Our Strategy

Northeast Regional Director Mary Bomar
Making the Right Investments

“It’s not about how much we do—

but what we accomplish.”

At the October gathering, I heard a sincere interest in 

change––and I also heard and understand the challenges and 

barriers we face. We must candidly confront these challenges. 

I agree with Former Director Stanton when he notes, “that 

one of the major challenges facing the NPS is to identify 

the means to engage everyone—employees, volunteers, 

and partners––to further the concept of relevancy in daily 

work.” I also acknowledge that certain effective programs are 

already in place, while other approaches have been tried, and 

that some have worked well and others have not. To move 

forward, it is important that we learn from both positive and 

negative experiences, gather new information, and build on 

our successes. 

At the conference, we began an exploration of the barriers 

and opportunities and generated a number of actions we 

could take (see Section III and appendix E). Even so, there 

was not adequate time to thoroughly identify our current 

work or to assess past experiences. 

To take the next step, I have decided to establish 

two task groups to focus on the primary strategic 

areas for action identified at the conference: 

• Engaging new audiences and communities, and

• Supporting change in the workforce 

Both of these areas will be informed by demographic 

information, enhanced by partnerships, and improved by 

evaluation and additional dialogue.

I have asked the associate regional director for operations, 

Linda Canzanelli, and a superintendent (to be named) to 

co-chair the group on audiences and communities, and the 

incoming associate regional director for administration and 

a superintendent (to be named) to co-chair the workforce 

group.

I ask these task groups to:

1. re-examine the barriers, opportunities, and action items 

identified in this report,

2. look at our accomplishments, what is already in place, 

what we have tried, and assess what has worked well and 

what has not,

3. review the Northeast Regional Office Business Plan and 

other regional and national strategies and initiatives and 

identify how to leverage those investments, 

4. engage our partners and other participants from relevant 

communities to incorporate their ideas and explore their 

future roles; and

5. based on this work, 

a. identify next steps and where the opportunities are to 

integrate these changes into our core operations, and 

b. assess the resources required from the NPS and from 

other organizations.

I pledge to work with these two groups, review their 

recommendations for specific actions, and work together 

to make progress toward our collective vision. In one year, 

we will assess how far we have come, share our experiences 

so we can learn together, renew our strategy, and commit 

ourselves to another specific set of actions.

Today, it is more important than ever before to leverage our 

actions––to collectively work on a strategy toward a common 

purpose. Therefore, I ask parks, the regional office, and our 

partners to work in concert. Together, we can raise the bar 

and provide the leadership for change.

Epilogue: Next Steps 19

Northeast Regional Director Mary Bomar and 

Northeast Deputy Regional Director Sandy Walter.
20 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

This list includes both references cited in the 

text and resources suggested by conference 

participants.

Franklin, John Hope. “Cultural Resource 

Stewardship” Keynote address, Discovery 

2000: The National Park Service General 

Conference, St Louis, Missouri, September 

11–15, 2000.

Korza, Pam, and Barbara Schaffer Bacon. 

History as Catalyst for Civic Dialogue: 

Case Studies from Animating Democracy.

Washington, D.C.: Americans for the Arts, 2005.

National Park Service. National Park Service 

Diversity Initiatives: A Report to Congress.

Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 

November 2005.

National Park Service. National Parks for 

the 21st Century: The Vail Agenda, Report and 

Recommendations to the Director of the National 

Park Service. Washington, D.C.: National Park 

Service Document Number D-726, 9-16, 1992.

National Park Service Northeast Region. 

Northeast Regional Office Business Plan, Doing 

Business in the 21st Century. Philadelphia, PA: 

National Park Service Northeast Region, 2006.

National Park Service Northeast Region. 

Connecting People to Parks: A Visitor Services 

Strategy for the Northeast Region National Park 

Service, December 2004. 

National Park System Advisory Board, 

Rethinking the National Parks for the 21st

Century. Washington, D.C.: National Park 

Service/National Geographic Society, July 2001.

Rosenzweig, Roy, and David Thelen. The 

Presence of the Past: Popular Uses of History in 

American Life. New York: Columbia University 

Press, 1998.

Stanton, Robert. “Cultural Values in the 

U.S. National Park System: Their Values and 

Influences on Intergroup Relations in a MultiEthnic Society.” The First World Conference 

on Cultural Parks, Mesa Verde National Park, 

Colorado, September 19, 1984.

Demographic Data

Child Trends DataBank. www.childtrends

databank.org

Leisure Trends Group. Outdoor Recreation 

Participation Study, Seventh Edition, for Year 

2004, Trend Analysis for the United States.

Outdoor Industry Foundation, June 2005. 

http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/2005_

Participation_Study.pdf

Population Reference Bureau. 

http://www.prb.org/

Rand California: An Online Source for 

California and U.S. Statistics. “Population 

Projections for U.S. States,” July 27, 2000, to be 

updated in 2006. ca.rand.org/stats/popdemo/

popprojUS.html

Roper ASW, for The Recreation Roundtable. 

“Outdoor Recreation in America 2003: 

Recreation’s Benefits to Society Challenged 

by Trends.” Washington, D.C.: The 

Recreation Roundtable, January 2004. 

http://www.funoutdoors.com/files/

ROPER%20REPORT%202004_0.pdf

Schmidt, Annalisa. “Executive Summary: A 

Population Perspective of the United States.” 

Population Resource Center: Washington, D.C., 

May 2000. http://www.prcdc.org/summaries/

uspopperspec/uspopperspec.html

Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and 

the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. Emerging Markets 

for Outdoor Recreation: Participation, Trends, 

Profiles. Athens, Georgia: Sporting Goods 

Manufacturers Association and the USDA 

Forest Service, April 1997. www.srs.fs.usda.

gov/trends/sgma/html. Includes data on trends 

in African Americans’ participation in outdoor 

recreation.

U.S. Census Bureau. “Population Projections.” 

April 25, 2005. www.census.gov/population/

www/projections/popproj.html

USDA Forest Service. “Outdoor Recreation in 

the United States: Results from the National 

Survey on Recreation and the Environment” 

USDA Forest Service, August 1997. http://www.

srs.fs.usda.gov/trends/fsoutrec.html

U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics 

and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the 

Census. “Population Projections of the United 

States by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 

1995 to 2050,” U.S. Department of Commerce, 

Economics and Statistics Administration, 

Bureau of the Census, Current Population 

Reports, P25-1130, February 1996. http://www.

census.gov/prod/1/pop/p25-1130/p251130a.pdf

U.S. Department of State, International 

Information Programs. “Increasing Diversity 

Predicted in the U.S. Population.” March 18, 

2004. http://usinfo.state.gov/scv/Archive/2005/

May/17-40125.html

U.S. Newswire. “Gay Buying Power Projected 

at $641 Billion in 2006,” February 14, 2006. 

releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.

asp?id=61007

Wessel, David. “As Rich-Poor Gap Widens 

in U.S., Class Mobility Stalls,” The Wall Street 

Journal, May 13, 2005. www.post-gazette.com/

pg/05133/504149.stm

Other Useful Websites and 

Online Publications

http://www.nps.gov/civic/

The National Park Service is committed to 

using the principles and practices of civic 

engagement as its foundation for doing 

business. Creating and implementing a strong 

training program that reaches all park and 

program staff has been a key to ensuring that 

civic engagement is well understood and 

embraced by all staff across all functions of the 

organization.

http://www.citylore.org/

City Lore was founded in 1986 to produce 

programs and publications that convey the 

richness of New York City’s cultural heritage. 

The staff includes folklorists, historians, 

anthropologists, and ethnomusicologists, 

all of whom specialize in the creation of 

programs and materials for public education 

and enjoyment. City Lore staff can provide 

valuable information on reaching out to various 

communities through programming.

http://www.cultureshapescommunity.org

“Shifting Sand Communities: Art, Culture, 

and Neighborhood Change,” is a Ford 

Foundation-sponsored initiative with a focus 

on economically disadvantaged neighborhoods 

where changing demographics and market 

forces are affecting long-time residents. Within 

these settings, neighborhood-based arts and 

cultural institutions are developing programs 

for new and long-time residents. These projects 

demonstrate the vital role that arts and culture 

can play in community development, including 

addressing the tensions that arise between 

different racial, ethnic, and income groups in 

transitioning communities.

http://www.placematters.net/

flash/home.htm

Place Matters is a New York City project 

founded by City Lore and the Municipal Art 

Society that works with diverse communities to 

identify the historic and cultural sites that are 

important to them.

B I B L I O G R A P H Y A N D R E S O U R C E L I S T
Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century 21

Conference Agenda: Making National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

A P P E N D I X A . 

Friday, October 14

8:00 Welcome: A foundational conversation starts 

with more than just “Hello”

Bill Withuhn, Conference Co-chair for National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council and Curator, Work and Industry, 

National Museum of American History, 

Smithsonian Institution

Lauranett Lee, Conference Co-chair for National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council and Virginia Historical Society

 A shared vision of 21st-century parks

Mary Bomar, Conference Co-chair for NPS 

and Northeast Regional Director 

 

8:30 Changing visitors, changing stories: 

Past, present, and future 

Mary Bomar, Moderator and NPS Northeast 

Regional Director

John W. Franklin, Special Assistant to the Director, 

National Museum of African American History and Culture, 

Smithsonian Institution

Robert Stanton, Senior Fellow, Texas A&M University 

and Former Director, National Park Service

Reverend Jeffrey N. Leath, Pastor, 

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church

Cynthia MacLeod, Superintendent, 

Richmond National Battlefield Park and 

Maggie L. Walker National Historical Site

10:45 Leading change

Tammy Bormann and David Campt, Facilitators

1:15 Changing an institution at Williamsburg: 

The little 18th-century town that could (and did)

Bill Withuhn, Moderator

Harvey Bakari, Manager of African American History 

Interpretation, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Larry Earl, Manager of Planning and Administration, 

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 

3:15 Panel: Challenges, opportunities, and pitfalls: 

Learning from experience 

Gay Vietzke, Moderator and Superintendent, 

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and 

Hampton National Historic Site

Tara Morrison Acting Assistant Superintendent, 

Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area

Vidal Martinez, Superintendent, George Washington 

Birthplace National Monument 

and Thomas Stone National Historic Site

Saturday, October 15

8:30 Panel: A little change is good for the soul

George Price, Moderator and Superintendent, 

Cape Cod National Seashore 

 “Relevancy by the numbers: you don’t need 

a weatherman to tell you which way the wind blows”

Gillian Bowser, Coordinator, Gulf Coast Cooperative 

Ecosystem Studies Unit, Texas A&M University

 “From research to results: the NPCA plan” 

Alan Spears, Associate Director, Diversity, 

National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) 

 “From protest to interpretation: meaning for African 

Americans at Independence National Historical Park”

Dennis Reidenbach, Superintendent, 

Independence National Historical Park

 “On the beach: What if all the people were gone?”

George Price, Superintendent, Cape Cod National Seashore

 

10:30 Can we develop an action plan for change?

Breakout groups

12:00 What are the next steps?

Sandy Walter, NPS Northeast Deputy Regional Director

 

1:00 ConferenceTour: Dexter site archeology: 

the worm’s eye view 

Dennis Reidenbach, Superintendent, 

Independence National Historical Park 

 
22 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

National Park Service 

Co-Sponsors

MARY BOMAR 

Conference Co-Chair

Northeast Regional Director

NPS Northeast Region

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215-597-7013

mary_bomar@nps.gov

EDIE SHEAN-HAMMOND

Superintendent

Hopewell Furnace 

National Historic Site

2 Mark Bird Lane 

Elverson, PA 19520

610-582-8773

edie_sheanhammond@nps.gov 

GAY VIETZKE

Mason-Dixon Subcluster Chair 

Superintendent, Fort McHenry 

National Monument and 

Historic Shrine and Hampton 

National Historic Site

2400 East Fort Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21230-5393 

410-962-4290 x 223 

gay_vietzke@nps.gov

CHRYSANDRA WALTER

Northeast Deputy 

Regional Director 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215 597-7059

chrysandra_walter@nps.gov 

National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council 

Co-Sponsors

LAURANETT LEE

Conference Co-Chair

Virginia Historical Society

2533 Blenheim Drive

Richmond,VA 23224

804-342-9698

llee@vahistorical.org

BILL WITHUHN

Conference Co-Chair

Curator, Work and Industry

National Museum of 

American History

Mailcode 628

Smithsonian Institution 

P.O. Box 37012

Washington, DC 20013

202-633-1919

withuhnw@si.edu

PATRICIA CONWAY

Chair, National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council

8015 Navajo Street

Philadelphia, PA 19118

215-248-1721

pconway@design.upenn.edu

ELLEN DAYHOFF

Member, National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council 

670 Old Harrisburg Road

Suite 100

Gettysburg, PA 17325 

717-334-0378

edayhoff@adamscounty.us

NELLIE LONGSWORTH

Member, National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council

5202 Carlton Street

Bethesda, MD 20816 

301-320-4824 

nellbabe@aol.com 

JANE YERKES

Member, National Parks 

Mid-Atlantic Council

116 Berkeley Lane

Williamsburg, VA 23185

757-220-1046

c.j.yerkes@verizon.net

Participants

ONNTERNOR BLOUNT

Equal Employment Specialist 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-3946

onnternor_blount@nps.gov

DEBORAH BURNETT

Employee Development Specialist 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-9153

deborah _bumett@nps.gov

LINDA CANZANELLI

Associate Regional Director

Park Operations and Education 

NPS Northeast Region

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-1788

linda_canzanelli@nps.gov

SANDY CORBETT

Deputy Superintendent, Boston 

National Historical Park

Charlestown Navy Yard 

Boston, MA 02129-4543

617-242-5642

sandy_corbett@nps.gov

MICHAEL CREASEY

Granite Subcluster Chair 

Superintendent, Lowell 

National Historical Park

67 Kirk Street 

Lowell, MA 01852 

978-275-1700

Michael_Creasy@nps.gov

DAN DATTILIO

Upstate New York 

Subcluster Chair

Superintendent, Martin Van Buren 

National Historic Site

1013 Old Post Road 

Kinderhook, NY 12106 

518-758-9689 

dan_dattilio@nps.gov 

FRANK DEAN

New England Cluster Chair 

Executive Director

Erie Canalway National 

Historic Corridor and

Superintendent, Saratoga 

National Historical Park 

P.O. Box 219 

Waterford, NY 12188

518-237-7000x201 

frank_dean@nps.gov

KATHY DILONARDO

Interpretation

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

KEITH EVERETT

Associate Regional Director

Resource Stewardship and Science 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-0625 

keith _everett@nps.gov

JOEL FRANK

Program Specialist, Tourism

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Third Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

KIP HAGEN

Delaware Valley Subcluster Chair

Superintendent, Steamtown 

National Historic Site

150 South Washington Avenue

Scranton, PA 18503-2018 

570-340-5183 

kip_hagen@nps.gov 

BONNIE HALDA

Manager, Preservation 

Assistance Programs

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Third Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Tel:215-597-5028

bonnie_halda@nps.gov

CAROL HARVELL

Management Assistant 

NPS Northeast Region

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215 597-4939

carol_ harvell@nps.gov

DAVID HOLLENBERG

Associate Regional Director

National Heritage Partnerships 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-1788 

david_hollenberg@nps.gov

A P P E N D I X B . 

Conference Participants
Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century 23

CYNTHIA MACLEOD 

Chesapeake Cluster Chair

Superintendent, Richmond 

National Battlefield Park and 

Maggie L. Walker National 

Historical Site

3215 East Broad Street 

Richmond, VA 23223 

804-226-1981 x 25

cynthia_macleod@nps.gov

JOHN MAOUNIS

Director, Chesapeake Bay 

Program Office

410 Severn Avenue

Annapolis, MD 21403

410-267-5778

john_maounis@nps.gov

VIDAL MARTINEZ

Virginia Subcluster Chair 

Superintendent, George 

Washington Birthplace National 

Monument and Thomas Stone 

National Historic Site

1732 Popes Creek Road 

Colonial Beach, VA 22443-5115 

804-224-1732x221 

vidal_martinez@nps.gov 

BOB MCINTOSH

Associate Regional DirectorPlanning and Partnerships 

NPS Northeast Region 

15 State Street

Boston, MA 02109 

617-223-5122

bob_ mcintosh@nps.gov

NORA MITCHELL

Assistant Regional Director 

for Conservation Studies and

Director, Conservation 

Study Institute

NPS Northeast Region

54 Elm Street

Woodstock, VT 05091

802-457-3368x17 

nora _mitchell@nps.gov

TARA MORRISON

Acting Assistant Superintendent

Sandy Hook Unit Gateway 

National Recreation Area

P.O. Box 530

Fort Hancock, NJ 07732

732- 872-5970

tara_morrison@nps.gov

KEITH NEWLIN

Allegheny Subcluster Chair 

Superintendent, Allegheny 

Portage Railroad National 

Historic Site and Johnstown 

Flood National Memorial

110 Federal Park Road 

Gallitzin, PA 16641 

814-886-6121 

keith_newlin@nps.gov 

MARIANNE PEAK

Granite Subcluster Co-Chair 

Superintendent, Adams 

National Historical Park

135 Adams Street 

Quincy, MA 02169-1749 

617-773-1177

marianne_peak@nps.gov 

GEORGE PRICE

Superintendent, Cape Cod 

National Seashore

99 Marconi Station Site Road

South Wellfleet, MA 02667

508-349-3785

george_price@nps.gov

DENNIS REIDENBACH

Superintendent, Independence 

National Historical Park

143 South Third Street 

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-7114 

dennis_reidenbach@nps.gov

PATTI REILLY

Director, Northeast Center 

for Education Services 

NPS Northeast Region

210 New York Avenue

Staten Island, NY 10305 

718-354-4534 

patti_reilly@nps.gov

MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Mountains to the Sea 

Subcluster Chair

Superintendent, Fire Island 

National Seashore

120 Laurel Street

Patchogue, NY 11772

631-687-4752

michael_reynolds@nps.gov

ANNETTE SASSO

FOIA Coordinator 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-7384

annette_sasso@nps.gov

PHIL SHERIDAN

Assistant Regional Director 

for Communications 

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Fifth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-0865

phil_sheridan@nps.gov

BARRY SULLIVAN

Representing New York Harbor 

Subcluster Chair 

Superintendent, Gateway 

National Recreation Area

210 New York Avenue

Staten Island, NY 10305 

718-354-4665

barry_sullivan@nps.gov

CATHERINE TURTON

Architectural Historian

NPS Northeast Region 

200 Chestnut Street, Third Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106 

215-597-1726

catherine_ turton@nps.gov

EILEEN WOODFORD

Civic Engagement Coordinator 

NPS Northeast Region

15 State Street

Boston, MA 02109

617-223-5149

eileen_woodford@nps.gov

Speakers

 

HARVEY BAKARI

Manager of African American 

History Interpretation

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 

P.O. Box 1776

Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776 

757-565-8471 

hbakari@cwf.org

GILLIAN BOWSER

Coordinator, Gulf Coast 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies 

Unit, NPS

Department of Recreation, 

Park, and Tourism Sciences

Texas A&M University

2261 TAMU 

College Station, TX 77843-2261

979-845-9787 

gbowser@tamu.edu

LARRY EARL, JR.

Manager of Planning and 

Administration

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 

P.O. Box 1776

Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776 

757-220-7212 

learl@cwf.org

JOHN W. FRANKLIN

Special Assistant to the Director 

National Museum of African 

American History and Culture

Smithsonian Institution

Victor Building, Mailcode 953 

P.O. Box 37012

Washington, DC 20013-7012

202-633-4752 

franklinj@si.edu

JEFFREY N. LEATH

Pastor, Mother Bethel 

A.M.E. Church 

419 South Sixth Street

Philadelphia, PA 19147 

215-925-0616

motherbethel@aol.com

ALAN SPEARS

Associate Director, Diversity 

National Parks Conservation 

Association 

1300 19th Street, NW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20036 

202-223-6722 

aspears@npca.org

ROBERT G. STANTON

Senior Fellow 

Texas A&M University

Former Director, 

National Park Service

5608 Dogue Run Drive

Fairfax Station, VA 22039

rgs617@aol.com

Facilitators

DAVID CAMPT 

Campt Consulting

1238 Irving Street, NE

Washington, DC 20017

202-777-6040

theracedoctor@yahoo.com

TAMMY BORMANNN

Tammy Bormann Consultants

114 Middle Valley Road

Long Valley, NJ 07853

908-832-9781

tlbormann@comcast.net
24 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

Reports and Programs with Related 

Strategies and Action Plans

Northeast Regional Office Business Plan, Doing Business in 

the 21st Century (2006) identifies several investment and 

strategies that advance 21st Century Relevancy including:

• increase diversity of Northeast Regional Office staff,

• expand regional and national civic engagement efforts, and

• encourage a more diverse user base of parks in the 

Northeast Region.

Primary Goals from Connecting People to Parks: 

A Visitor Services Strategy for the Northeast Region, 

National Park Service (December 2004)

Goal 1: Connect people to America’s stories

Goal 2: Use a business approach to enhance financial means and 

capacity

Goal 3: Evaluate and identify best practices

Goal 4: Collaborate with others

Goal 5: Connect people to places through technology

Goal 6: Open new doors to learning

Goal 7: Invest in students and educators

Goal 8: Foster America’s best interpreters and educators

Framework from National Park Service Diversity 

Initiatives: A Report to Congress (October 2005)

1. Diversify visitor base

• new park units that tell stories previously overlooked

• new education programs that relate to previously 

underserved communities 

• civic engagement 

• tourism initiatives

• National Park Foundation African American 

Experience Fund

2. Develop NPS expertise in diversity programs and initiatives

• share with other agencies

3. Diversify workforce

National Park Service’s Education Council

The NPS Education Council, created by the NPS Director, to carry 

out the strategy in Renewing Our Education Mission. The Council 

is currently developing a business plan and related action plan 

for NPS interpretation and education programs. The Education 

Council’s work group on civic engagement recently supported a 

Scholars Forum convened by the National Park System Advisory 

Board for the purpose of exploring the role of national parks in the 

21st century. The Education Council’s work group on evaluation is 

developing a service-wide strategy. 

Personal Commitment and Action Plan 

— to encourage personal reflection, 

commitment, and action

This outline for developing a personal action plan is offered as part 

of the strategic framework for action developed at the conference.

 “The responsibility for achieving this vision rests solely 

with individual commitment.”

–former NPS Director Robert Stanton 

What can I do as an individual basis to make the 

National Park Service relevant in the 21st century?

What can I do with the assistance of my park, 

program, or office?

How I can support NPS and, in particular, the Northeast 

Region, in becoming relevant in the 21st century?

A P P E N D I X C . A P P E N D I X D . 
Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century 25

Many ideas emerged during conference 

plenary sessions and small group discussions, 

as well as subsequently during preparation 

and review of this report. The following list 

is intended to capture the major ideas, but 

is not intended to indicate any priorities. 

Rather, this list serves as a library of ideas for 

future actions. 

1. Ideas on identifying and engaging 

new audiences and communities:

A. Identify existing and new audiences and 

communities.

• Explore and identify opportunities 

for reaching out to diverse urban 

populations. Seek assistance from 

other organizations that specialize in 

this.

• Identify an array of techniques to 

reach and engage new audiences and 

communities. 

• Provide training in cultural 

competency for all employees to 

enhance educational programming, 

workforce diversity, and the ability of 

employees to select the appropriate 

tools for 

the job.

B. Re-examine and develop messages to 

engage new audiences and communities.

• Introduce new interpretation and 

education programs that relate to 

previously underserved communities. 

Seek assistance from other 

organizations that specialize in this.

• Cooperate with tourism and 

marketing partners to ensure that the 

NPS image clearly indicates that parks 

provide diverse stories.

C. Use technology creatively to reach new 

audiences and communities.

• Explore using TV networks as well 

as foreign language newspapers to 

reach audiences in their native 

languages.

• Create a web-based ranger program 

that is designed to engage new 

audiences, and evaluate its impact.

D. Continue research to reveal unknown or 

untold stories and share findings.

• Utilize cooperative agreements to 

start/continue relationships with 

universities and other high-caliber 

research institutions to conduct 

research from primary sources 

and to sponsor lectures, dialogues, 

and graduate work to disseminate 

information related to NPS resources.

• Reach out to communities to learn 

how their stories relate to NPS 

resources, and help these stories be 

shared.

• Continue to cooperate with the 

Organization of American Historians 

and other professional organizations 

to obtain advice on particular issues 

and encourage additional research.

• Identify new ways for park and 

regional office staff to facilitate 

sharing findings of original research 

among historians and interpreters.

• Encourage NPS staff and partners to 

present at professional conferences 

and meetings and to publish new 

research findings. 

E. Obtain demographic data and associated 

information for units and other areas of 

interest within the Northeast Region (see 

Section 3 below). Learn new strategies 

for using demographic data to improve 

programming and recruitment.

• Gather existing demographic and 

visitor survey data into a useable 

format (such as maps) that can 

be applied easily to management 

strategies. 

F. Coordinate closely with the NPS 

Education Council and capitalize on 

initiatives at the regional level.

• Identify pilot projects for evaluation 

that use the draft Servicewide Education Evaluation Strategy for guidance, 

and share what is learned with the 

NPS Education Council’s work group 

on evaluation. Coordinate with the 

Northeast Center for Education 

Services and the Conservation Study 

Institute.

2. Ideas on supporting change in the 

workforce:

A. Provide professional development for 

the existing workforce. This includes 

supporting employee understanding 

and practice of civic engagement 

and developing expertise in diversity 

programs and initiatives.

• Support additional discussions similar 

to this one within the Northeast 

Region at the regional and park level.

• Convene at least one civic engagement 

dialogue each year.

• Encourage managers to allow for 

alternate schedules to enable staff to 

attend community events.

• Offer specific training courses on 

human resources strategies and on 

tools for recruitment and retention of 

employees.

• Provide training in cultural 

competency for all employees to 

enhance workforce diversity as well as 

educational programming.

• Inventory existing training 

opportunities and identify gaps. 

Provide quality training for all 

supervisors that includes current 

information (i.e., demographic 

statistics from census data).

• Offer creative approaches to learning 

(e.g., brown bag lunches, films, and 

facilitated discussions.

B. Recruit diversity into the workforce. 

This includes providing professional 

development opportunities (e.g., 

working with partners, managing diverse 

work groups) and identifying and 

creating strategic partnerships that can 

enhance these efforts.

• Identify existing barriers to 

diversifying the Northeast Region 

workforce and develop strategies to 

reduce or eliminate them.

• Develop and implement a mentoring 

program.

• Continue to use details for training 

through vacancy announcements.

A P P E N D I X E . 

Potential Ideas for Actions Identified at the Conference
26 Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century

• Identify and share transferable 

models for Northeast Region youth 

programs (e.g. Boston Environmental 

Ambassadors to National Parks/

Public Land Corps developed at 

Boston Harbor Islands National Park).

• Explore recruitment strategies 

utilized by other federal agencies and 

organizations such as Environmental 

Careers.

• Inform managers throughout the 

Northeast Region about youth and 

student hiring opportunities. 

• Identify organizations that can assist 

in mentoring, engaging, and recruiting 

a diverse workforce. Create formal 

partnerships with organizations 

that have networks with diverse 

communities and can help to identify 

candidates for NPS opportunities 

(e.g., the Hispanic Environmental 

Council). 

• Work with students and student 

interns from Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities as well 

as community colleges and other 

institutions that can be a source of 

diversity through the student hire 

authority.

3. Ideas on applying knowledge of 

current demographic trends near parks 

and within the region:

A. Obtain demographic data and associated 

information to create an “atlas” for units 

and other areas of interest within the 

Northeast Region.

• Identify funding for pilot 

demographic studies to create an 

“atlas” for two parks to demonstrate 

applied use of this information and 

assess applicability for other units. 

• Explore a formal partnership with one 

or more universities to provide data.

B. Create a toolbox to support practical use 

of demographic data. 

• Identify models by studying other 

organizations’ methods for collection 

and application of demographic 

data and the application of this 

information to more effectively reach 

out to new audiences. 

4. Ideas on cultivating existing and 

developing new strategic partnerships:

This cross-cutting area can contribute to 

both primary strategic areas since working 

with partners provides an opportunity for 

NPS to learn from and share with others. In 

addition, there may be opportunities for ways 

to leverage additional funding for initiatives.

• Explore funding opportunities within 

and outside the National Park Service; 

for example, contact the National Park 

Foundation to discuss its African American 

Experience Fund.

• Develop partnerships with organizations 

that already reach out to diverse 

communities through cultural and 

educational programming. 

5. Ideas on sustaining the conversation, 

evaluating progress, and continually 

renewing the strategy:

• Review previous efforts to move the NPS 

toward 21st-century relevancy: assess what 

has worked, what has not worked, and 

why.

• Convene additional dialogue to further 

develop this strategy for 21st-century 

relevancy. 

• Review the Scholars Forum findings 

and share them throughout the region 

to stimulate dialogue. Create forums for 

continuing this discussion, document the 

dialogue, and generate ideas for the 

lead-up to and commemoration of the 

NPS centennial in 2016.

• Identify a few parks and/or programs that 

would like to pilot and evaluate projects 

that contribute to high-priority areas 

within the strategy. 

• Create an evaluation framework for 

the strategy including identification of 

realistic goals and associated actions 

and benchmarks for progress. Use the 

application of this evaluation framework 

to inform periodic review and renewal 

of the Northeast Region strategy. Obtain 

expert advice on developing an evaluation 

framework, such as working with 

universities.
CONFERENCE CO-SPONSORS

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, NORTHEAST REGION 

proudly carries out the National Park Service’s mission in thirteen 

northeastern states. The Region is composed of complex and 

varied natural and cultural resources, ranging from the rockbound shores of Maine to the eastern deciduous forests of the 

Appalachian Mountains, and from the coastal barrier islands 

to the subalpine summits. Home to a third of all National Park 

Service museum collections, a quarter of all historic structures, 

and almost 50 percent of the country’s National Historic 

Landmarks, the region reflects an extraordinarily rich American 

heritage. In this highly urbanized and ethnically diverse area, the 

National Park Service offers experiences to 55 million people at 

seventy-five park units representing more than 20 percent of the 

entire National Park System. 

NATIONAL PARKS MID-ATLANTIC COUNCIL (NPMAC) 

is a volunteer citizens group established in 1982 in cooperation 

with the National Park Service. The purpose of the council is to 

undertake strategic tasks for the National Park Service and to 

promote the interests of the national parks located in the MidAtlantic states of the National Park Service Northeast Region. The 

council has 17 members and each member works cooperatively 

with at least one national park superintendent. NPMAC’s most 

recent product is The Four-Tour Guide: Exploring National Parks 

in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and 

West Virginia. 

EASTERN NATIONAL, chartered in 1948, is an association 

operating in more than 130 national parks and other public trusts. 

The mission of Eastern National is to provide quality educational 

products and services to the visitors to America’s national parks 

and to aid the National Park Service with the income derived from 

these activities. Since 1947, Eastern National has donated over $77 

million to the National Park Service. Eastern National’s policies 

and programs are guided by an elected board of directors. The 

board, the members and the staff are dedicated to the preservation 

and use of the parks for the benefit of all Americans, visitors from 

all nations, and future generations.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Northeast Region

Conservation Study Institute

54 Elm Street / Woodstock, Vermont 05091

Tel: (802) 457-3368 / Fax: (802) 457-3405

Web: www.nps.gov/csi