Building friends groups and partnerships is essential for a modern park. Krista Muddle from the National Park Service joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss partnerships. 

Krista Muddle is a Regional Partnership Coordinator at Intermountain Region Office with the National Park Service. 

Krista divides her time between a program working in partnership with Mexico on border-related issues and working with parks developing partnerships in their community. Broder related issues range from animals that are found in both countries, vegetation management, and sand dune studies. 

Whether your park has already formed local partnerships, or are just getting started, Krista shares information of what makes a successful partnership. This episode will give you ideas of why you need partnerships and way friends groups can help your park get more done. 

Friends Groups serve as an Ambassador for the park and a direct link to connect the park to the community and connect the community to the park. 

Audrey Peterman helps parks people discover parks. Many people who have taken park tours with Audrey are visiting parks for the first time.

Audrey is a consistent voice to help get people of all backgrounds into parks.

When asked what conversation we should be having people in parks, she said we need to change the perception that non-white people are not interested in parks.

Audrey has seen it happen over and over, when people are informed about parks and invited to parks they become passionate after their first experience.

With help from people like Audrey, we can make everyone feel like welcome, wanted, and included in parks. The Next 100 Coalition is a great place to find partners to help parks reach out to people. 

Audrey on Twitter - @AudreyPete

Audrey on the web - legacyontheland.com

Audrey's Book - Our True Nature

Christen Miller's path towards becoming an interpreter began with a terrified toad. Seeing an interpretive program in a State Park, which included the toad, pushed Christen towards a life in parks. 

Now, Christen is the Visitor Experience Director for Virginia State Parks. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Christen talks about interpretation, living history, creating a great visitor experience, and interpreting for visitors who may not be face to face with a park ranger. 

Brennan McAuley returns to the Park Leaders Show to share what he learned after another summer with the National Park Service. 

Brennan is a student in the Temple Pro Ranger Program. Brennan has been on the Park Leaders Show to tell us about the Pro Ranger Program and again to talk about his first summer with the National Park Service. 

This episode, Brennan returns to discuss his second summer with the National Park Service, learning from the leaders around him, and attending the Ranger Rendezvous. 

After a career in the military, Christina Ryan-Miller joined the National Park Service. In her role as a Zone Safety Manager, she makes sure park employees and visitors are safe. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, we talk all about safety. But we also talk about so much more. 

Christina talks about her transition from the military, being an introvert in parks, and how to work with introverts. 

By the way, if you have an introvert on your staff (and you do), check out the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. 

Most parks work with volunteers. Some parks treat volunteers like stars. When this happens, word spreads in the volunteer community. 

But not all parks do well working with volunteers. 

This episode of The Park Leaders Episode, we have the opportunity to hear words directly from a volunteer. This volunteer offers tips and advice on how to get the most working with volunteers. How often do we take time to listen to what volunteers have to say? 

Today, we are going to listen to volunteers and consider how we can do better. 

If there are some key things a volunteer would love for you to know:

• If you have a volunteer program, make sure you value them.
• Get the input from the volunteers. 
• Your Volunteer Coordinator shouldn’t be the only person who cares about volunteers. 
• Train your volunteers just like you train your staff. 

Park Leaders T-Shirts are now available on Amazon. You can pick a shirt in three colors in Men's, Women's, and Youth sizes. Get your shirt here. 

Roy Sullivan is a one of a kind park ranger. His story is so unique, we are still talking about him today. 

This episode of the Park Leaders Show, we share Roy's story. 

All Park Leaders are servant leaders. We serve guests, employees, and the resources we vow to protect. 

Servant leaders recognize leadership is a stewardship responsibility. This style of leadership fits perfectly with people of parks. We serve the public and we serve resources. 

Kevin Monroe joins the Park Leaders Show to explain servant leadership and how it applies to parks. 

You can find Kevin Monroe at kevindmonroe.com, on Twitter @kevindmonroe, or his podcast here. 

Commander Bill Overby joins the Park Leaders Show to 

Commander Overby discusses his new consulting business, and how technology has changed the park experience for visitors and park rangers. 

After so many years in parks, first, as a park ranger followed by training over one thousand park rangers at the Parks Law Enforcement Academy, the Commander offers his observation on what Rangers face today they did not face 20 years ago. 

Also, we discuss how you can build a reputation as a leader. 

Domenic Bravo, Director of Wyoming State Parks joins the Park Leaders Show to share his experience

Domenic also discusses the National Association of State Parks Directors and why it is important to connect with our peers, no matter what our job in parks is. 

Wyoming State Parks is also contending for the National Recreation and Park Association Gold Medal Award. Director Bravo offers insight into the hard work and dedication it takes to become a Gold Medal finalist. 

Tom Heenan, a ranger at BelhusWoods Country Park, joins the Park Leaders Show to talk about the European Ranger Federation. 

During our conversation, we talk about the issues Rangers face all over the world. Nature is the same and people are people, no matter if you are in Australia or the United Kingdom. 

Tom also discusses the importance of being involved in a Ranger Association, and European Ranger Congress.

Appropriate use of a park ensures sustainability for that park. This is how Jeff Hallo explains they balance between the balance between parks role in serving customers and conserving natural resources. 

Jeff is a social scientist and professor at Clemson University. The research Jeff does help parks create remarkable experiences for visitors while still being able to maintain the natural environment. 

On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Jeff discusses how and why people use parks and how scientific data can help us better manage parks. 

Have you ever stopped to wonder what kids want when they visit your park?

Tigran Nahabedian, known as Junior Ranger Tigran, joins the Park Leaders Show to give you an insight of how kids see your park. 

Junior Ranger Tigran is no ordinary kid, though. He tours National Parks collecting Junior Ranger badges. He knows more about parks, wildlife, and plants than most people three times his age. He volunteers at parks. 

Junior Ranger Tigran has even given a personal tour of a National Park to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. 

Tigran wants to be Director of the National Park Service. This kid is serious about parks.

Follow Tigran on Twitter.

We are all interpreters. Whether it is in your title or not, if you work in parks, you are an interpreter.

Margot Carlock, Executive Director of National Association for Interpretation, joins the Park Leaders Show to talk about what makes a great interpreter.

The National Association for Interpretation represents individuals from parks, zoos, aquariums, theme parks, museums, and more. What is similar to interpreters in all of these fields?

Margot explains it is  "A sincere interest and passion for working with the public" and "A commitment to provoke action."

In this episode, you will find out what the National Association for Interpretation does, what interpretation is, and what makes a great interpreter. 

Margot also explains how park visitors are changing and what that means for interpretation. 

In October 2016 we did an episode of the Park Leaders Show about the ProRanger Program at Temple University. In that episode, Brennan McAuley gave us a look at the program from a student's point of view. 

Brennan returns to the Park Leaders Show to give us an update on what has happened with him and the ProRanger program since October. 

Brennan also gives leaders insight into how you can help a new ranger coming into a new park or the park system. 

You can follow along with Brennan on his ProRanger blog here.

It is important leaders keep talking to young rangers like Brennan. We need to invest in young rangers so they will be strong leaders. 

Recently, I had lunch in Seattle with Alan Spears in Seattle. We talked about the great work the National Parks Conservation Association is doing. 

We also talked about the work we have done with Park Leaders. 

Then I had a chance meeting with Eric Watilo from Washington State Parks in downtown Seattle. 

Being around leaders in parks and conservation reminded me of the important work we are doing together. 

In this episode, I discuss the three years of Park Leaders and what might be coming in the next year. 

Back when I was at the Inspiring a New Generation Summit, I met Steve Jones. At the time, Steve was the President of Antioch University New England.

He is now has a consulting and speaking firm and recently wrote a book called Nature Based Leadership. Well, since this show is about leadership in Parks, the idea of the book caught me right away.

Steve Jones joins the Park Leaders Show explain Nature Based Leadership, and discuss examples of leadership lessons found in nature. 

The idea of drawing leadership lessons from nature is a perfect fit for park professionals. Nature is all around us. Leadership lessons are hidden in our sight and we just have to draw them out. 

You can find out more about Nature Based Leadership and the great work Steve Jones is doing at Great Blue Heron. 

Get a copy of the book Nature Based Leadership here. 

Connect with the Park Leaders Show on Twitter or Facebook.

Park visitors on active on social media. Is your park or agency using social media to engage and connect? Or are you just posting bulletins and the new hours your visitor center is open?

Many parks and park agencies wonder what the proper way to use social media. In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, KC Procter talks about best practices for using social media to engage with park visitors.

KC Procter works in social media in two ways. First, he manages social media accounts for businesses or people with personal brands. Among others, KC does social media for a well-known author and a celebrity photographer. KC also does social media consulting for businesses. 

Today, KC is going to talk to you about how your agency or your park can do better with social media. He will also do a walk through on the Park Leaders Facebook page so you can understand what makes a Facebook post more appealing. 

You can visit KC on Twitter or his website.  

KC put together a bonus for listeners of the Park Leaders Show. CLICK HERE to see what KC has for you.

Follow Park Leaders on Facebook or Twitter.

Sue Black, Director of Arizona State Parks, returns to the Park Leaders Show to talk about culture, visitation and the impact of parks on a state. 

You can hear her first interview HERE.

Director Black offers compelling reasons why parks are important as whole to a state and individual parks to communities. It is not about the park, it is about what happens in the park. 

You can't listen to this interview with Director Black and not be proud to be involved in parks. 

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Sue Black, Director of Arizona State Parks, joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss creating a Gold Medal culture in parks. 

Arizona State Parks is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Director Black has a goal to win the National Parks and Recreation Association Gold Medal award this year. Throughout her career, Director Black has set high goals and then found a way to achieve it.  

Sue Black has been a director of two State Park systems, Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as Director of a County Park system. She brings a unique perspective to any parks conversation. Customers don't care about jurisdiction. Customers want to recreate. If different park systems are willing to work together, we can serve people better. 

As a previous Gold Medal winner with Milwaukee Country Parks, and a finalist with Wisconsin State Parks, Director Black is working with her team to develop the culture to make Arizona State Parks a Gold Medal winner. 

Sue also shares the tragic story that led to Granite Mountain Hotshot Memorial State Park. 

Follow Park Leaders on Twitter and Facebook. 

When the Director of Texas State Parks was a guest on the Park Leaders Show, he mentioned the Ambassador Program as one of the great things they were doing in Texas.

Tyler Priest, the coordinator of the Ambassador Program, joins the Park Leaders Show to tell us more about the program Director Leisure is so proud of.

An Ambassador Program is a way for a park system to introduce younger people to parks. Even if an Ambassador alumni does not end up working for parks, they will be a lifelong supporter and user of parks.

During this interview, you will find out the structure of the Program, the commitment from parks to each Ambassador, and what parks can expect from an Ambassador Program.

If you want to receive an information sheet about the Texas State Parks Ambassador Program, click here. 

In addition to Tyler Priest, we also talk to Program alumni. Jenise Zuidema gives insight to the program from the inside as an Ambassador going through the training and working with a park.

Listen to the interview with Brent Leisure Part 1 and Part 2.

James Slade grew up in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. Now, he is on the front line in Africa working as Operations Manager and ranger with the Zimbabwe International Anti-Poaching Foundation.

James will give us an inside look at what it is like to be an anti-poaching ranger, and what the poaching situation is like in Zimbabwe. 

Although in a management role, James spends as much time as possible shoulder to shoulder. This leadership trait will allow managers to get to know field staff better and get a feel for the pulse of what is happening in the field. 

James also speaks about the impact of his time at the World Ranger Congress.  Rangers gathered together helps build a brotherhood, or sisterhood, and recharge and reinspire us to keep working on the important work we do. 

Park Leaders on Facebook - Park Leaders

Park Leaders on Twitter - @ParkLeaders

Robert Ingram, Cheif of Visitor Protection and Law Enforcement for Washington State Parks, joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss bike patrol in parks. 

Cheif Ingram was the driving force behind Washington State Parks bike patrol program. In this interview, he will share how the bike program was formed, how the agency chose the bikes and the decision to keep training in house. 

Washington State Parks used three of their own rangers, trained by the International Police Mountain Bike Association, to help maintain the bike program and train ranger on bike skills. 

Park Leaders on Twitter - @ParkLeaders

Park Leaders on Facebook - Park Leaders

The National Park Service is faced with a $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog.  How did we get here and what can we do about it?

John Garder from the National Parks Conservation Association joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss how the maintenance backlog grew so large and what we can do about it. 

The maintenance backlog in the National Park Service is a reflection of what is happening with most park system throughout the United States. The discussion on the impact of a maintenance backlog is relevant for any park and any park system that struggles with deferred maintenance. 

To find out more about the deferred maintenance backlog, please visit NPCA.org. 

You can connect to Park Leaders on Twitter and Facebook. 

One of the things I learned at the World Ranger Congress is that parks all over the world have the same problems. 

Teemu Laine and Vesa-Matti Hillberg, both park rangers from Finland, join the Park Leaders Show to share their experience at the World Ranger Congress and what they have learned as park rangers. 

This is the first episode of the show where "Reindeer herders" were mentioned as a problem for a park ranger. Even when the details are different, most of the problems we face are similar. This is why it is valuable for park professionals to be exposed to other rangers from around the country and world. 

You can find out more about Finland National Parks HERE. 

Brent Leisure, Director of Texas State Parks, returns for another episode of the Park Leaders Show. 

This episode is short enough it could have easily been included on the first episode with Director Leisure. This conversation is a separate episode because it needs to be a separate conversation. 

We need to support parks at all levels. City and County Parks are an important gateway for exposure to greenspace and the outdoors. For most of us, our first encounters with the outdoors are with an urban park. Parks enhance neighborhoods and lead people to visit larger State and National Parks. 

The experience of visiting a National Park lead us to support our local parks as well. All parks are connected. It is a natural progression to begin with your local park and then move up to something bigger and perhaps more adventurous. 

Director Leisure explains what Texas State Parks is doing to work with local communities and local parks. 

In this episode, Director Leisure recommends the books Sand County Almanac and Leadership on the Line. 

Texas is big. If you haven't been to Texas you have seen it on a map. No matter how you look at the state, it is big.

The enormous geographic size creates a challenge when it comes to communicating to staff if they are spread across the state. Brent Leisure, Director of Texas State Parks

Brent Leisure, Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife, joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss how to communicate when parks and staff are spread out. Communicating with a large staff in difficult. It becomes more delicate when the large staff is spread out in such a large state.

Director Leisure also discusses the challenge of inviting more diverse users to parks. 

It is not enough to open the gates and say everyone is welcome to come. You have to reach out. Texas State Parks has implemented programs to engage a diverse population. They make an effort to attract urban visitors, visitors with little outdoor experience, visitors from diverse racial backgrounds. The lands and water the state has set aside are places where all demographics can  come together to share experiences.

Joseph Mayambo wants you to know about the National Parks of Gabon. Joseph wants everyone to know about Gabon National Parks. 

Gabon has one of the newest National Park Systems in the world.  The World Ranger Congress was a perfect place for Rangers from Gabon to interact and exchange ideas with other Rangers from around the world. Joseph Mayambo and his comrades from Gabon State Parks  spread a message of hope and enthusiasm about their parks. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Joseph Mayambo discusses the challenges and opportunities of having such a young National Park Service. 

Adrian Fernandez has an influence on young up and coming leaders in the National Park Service. Adrian is the Manager of the ProRanger Program at Temple University. 

The ProRanger Program offers a unique opportunity to 12 candidates each year to gain park ranger experience before they become a ranger. In the classroom, they learn the knowledge they need to know, but the program gets them valued experience in the parks as well. 

Each summer, the students work as an intern in a National Park. Internships at parks where they get to learn all aspects of park operations. They get experience in urban and rural parks. When their experience with the ProRanger program is complete, they are not only ready to be a park ranger, they are ready to step up as a leader. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Adrian discusses the ProRanger Program. We also hear from Brennan McAuley. 

Brennan McAuley is a student in the ProRanger program. Brennan shares his experience in the program and gives us an inside look to being a student working towards becoming a Park Ranger. 

Students in the program keep a blog to share their experience. You can find it here.  You can follow Brennan on Instagram at brennan_proranger. 

Historic means something entirely different in the United Kingdom than it does in the United States. Historic in the states is still fairly new compared to some of the historic buildings and landscapes found in the United Kingdom. 

Historic Landscape management in the United Kingdom can help parks in other countries understand how to manage landscape with historical significance. 

Janine Conner is a park ranger with the National Trust in the United Kingdom. She works at Tyntesfield, where she cares for a historic landscape.

In this episode of The Park Leaders Show, Janine talks about historic landscape management. Janine also discusses her shadow assignment at Bryce Canyon National Park, her impression of park rangers in the United States, and her experience at the World Ranger Congress. 

At the World Ranger Congress, Ravis Henry gave a program about the Navajo culture. Rangers from around the world took in his stories and songs about his culture and experience as a ranger. 

Ravis has a story that is unique, even among park rangers. Ravis is a ranger at Canyon De Shelly National Monument. Canyo De Shelly is within the Navajo Nation and Ravis grew up in the park. 

Ravis joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss the World Ranger Congress, his unique way to tell stories, growing up where he works, and how parks can try to connect to local tribes. 

Are we facing a dangerous conservation crisis? When the Director of US Fish & Wildlife Service says we are facing a conservation crisis, you can believe we have a problem. An article in Field & Stream discussed a speech Director Dan Ashe gave about three issues we are facing in parks and conservation that are moving us towards a crisis. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Director Ashen discusses the problems that are moving parks and conservation agencies towards irrelevancy. 

We talk about diversity, young people in the outdoors, disruptive innovations in parks and conservation and the partnership between US Fish & Wildlife and the National Park Service that led to delisting the Island Fox as an endangered species.

Daisy Martinez founded Trash Free Earth so her neighborhood park would look better. The idea spread and Trash Free Earth now hosts regular cleanups where a diverse collection of volunteers come together to make  a park look beautiful. 

Trash Free Earth has created a patch challenge. People who accomplish all five elements of the challenge receive an exclusive patch. 

If a park hosts a cleanup, it will reinforce the idea that the park is responsible for cleaning up. If a community organization organizes and hosts a cleanup, it will spread the idea that the community is responsible for keeping their parks clean. 

You can Follow Trash Free Earth on Twitter and Facebook.

Shelton Johnson returns to the Park Leaders Show for episode 101. If you missed part 1 of his interview, you can listen to it here.

In this episode, Shelton talks about the importance of telling stories. Shelton's Buffalo Soldiers program at Yosemite National Park has brought a story back to life that the world nearly forgot.

Shelton also discusses making meaningful connections with people.

"The surest way to change the future is to change today." - Shelton Johnson

Shelton is the author of the novel Gloryland. 

Being a park ranger is not usually a job that puts you in the spotlight. But every once in a while, a story gets discovered that needs to be shared with the world. That is what happened to Yosemite National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson. 

When he began telling the story of the Buffalo Soldiers experience in Yosemite, people began to notice. The story of theBuffalo Soldiers led to a pivotal role in Ken Burns' film series about the National Parks. Shelton got to meet Oprah. Shelton got to meet President Obama. Eventually, Shelton got to meet Jody Maberry, host of the Park Leaders Show. No big deal, I know, but it did lead to this interview on the Park Leaders Show. 

Shelton discusses the path that lead him from inner city Detroit to being a park ranger in a wilderness park. He also explains why access to the outdoors is a civil rights issue. 

Shelton Johnson has also written a novel about Buffalo Soldiers called Gloryland.

If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch the Ken Burns' National Parks film for free. Just click here.

Our parks and Disney World share many commonalities. Often, people save money and vacation time to visit both places. When guests hold a place in such high regard, what obligation do we have to them?

Jeff Noel joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss how to create excellence.

Jeff Noel spent 30 years at Disney World. The last 15 years at Disney, he taught at the Disney Institue. Over 15 years, Jeff spoke to over 1 Million people about how the Disney Way. 

If you want to make a park excellence, there are three area to focus;

1. People
2. Physical resources
3. Processes

Jeff recommends making everyone a VIP - Very Individual Person, even if you can only give them attention for 30 seconds. 

You can find out more about Jeff Noel on his website, Twitter, or Facebook. 

Recently, at the World Ranger Congress, a group of female delegates gathered to discuss issues woman face. This led me to consider how the female ranger experience is different than the male ranger experience, especially when it comes to leadership.

When it comes to women's leadership, Ann Vertel is someone you want to know. Ann is a 20 year Naval officer, Motivational Psychologist, and leadership expert who helps individuals and organizations develop confident women leaders. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Ann talks about being a leader in a male-dominated profession, the importance of working with a woman mentor, and the importance of developing women leaders. Ann also talks about handling sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, and other issues women might face in the workplace. 

To find the resources Ann has created for this show, Click Here. 

Ann Vertel's website - www.annvertel.com
Ann Vertel on Twitter - @AnnVertel
Ann Vertel on Facebook - Ann Vertel

Gary Ananian is the founder of the Kern River Conservancy. He is a volunteer who pours his own time and money into protecting a river he loves. 

Vandalism and trash got so bad on the Kern River that Gary started camping elsewhere. The lure of the river brought him back, but he was again faced with trash and vandalism. When he discovered there was not a single conservation group dedicated to protecting the Kern River, he founded a group to begin to clean up the river. 

The Kern River was designated as a Leave No Trace Hot Spot and Gary worked with Sam Ovett and Jenna Hanger. Together, they helped transform the Kern River and work with the public and land management agencies to give the river a promising future. 

Gary explains how volunteers can work with and educate the public in a way uniformed staff can not. 

Through his work on the Kern River, Gary has shown one person can have an impact. 

After a backpacking trip to Glacier National Park, I passed through the Yaak Valley. I was intrigued by the beauty of the valley. It just felt different than most other places I had visited. 

Shortly after my short visit to the Yaak Valley, I discovered a book called The Book of Yaak by Rick Bass. I began devouring Rick Bass' books, and I returned to the Yaak. 

Over the years, I hiked many miles and spent many nights in the Yaak Valley. And read many Rick Bass books. Rick used his words to bring awareness to the Yaak Valley and the issues this unique place in Montana faced. 

In this episode of The Park Leaders Show, Rick Bass talks about the Yaak Valley, the importance of parks, and the biggest issues facing parks today. 

Here are some of Rick Bass' books you will enjoy;

The Lost Grizzlies

The Ninemile Wolves

The Wild Marsh

Rick Bass recommends The Grizzly Years by Doug Peacock. Rick Bass gave us a list of suggested books people in parks should read. Check out the Suggested Reading List from Rick Bass. 

Even in an urban setting, there is wilderness all around. Birds, bugs, plants are not just getting by, but thriving living in a city. 

Most people never notice. Most people quickly move from one place to another without looking up or down to see the life around them. Or, wildlife is so common it goes unnoticed. When was the last time you thought about a pigeon? Or a snail? So much life in a city goes unseen. 

Nathanael Johnson not only noticed the urban wilderness around him, he wrote a book about it. Unseen City takes a look at the majesty of pigeons, the discreet charm of snails and other wonders of the urban wilderness. 

Unseen City combines great writing, deep research with the curiosity of Johnson's young daughter, Josephine. The curiosity of Josephine helps us all learn more about the wildlife around us but usually goes unseen. 

This is a book is a must for any park bookstore in an urban area. 

Armando Quintero spent 22 years with the National Park Service. Now, Armando is the Executive Director of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute at The University of California, Merced. 

When Armando left his career as parks, he knew his background would allow him to be an advocate for parks from the outside. 

Experience from the inside and the outside of parks has given Armando a unique perspective of our parks and their place in our society. Armando discusses the importance of adaptive leadership in parks. 

Armando recommends The Forest Ranger by Herbert Kaufman. 

Matt Carroll did not follow a typical path to becoming a Superintendent with the National Park Service. 

During a full career with the Air Force, Matt picked up all the skills he would need to be a Park Superintendent; management, budgets, leadership, operations and more. He also volunteered with the National Park Service for many years before he retired from the Air Force. 

Typically, by the time a ranger becomes a superintendent, he or she has been immersed in the culture of the park service for years. Matt came in from the outside to the role of Superintendent of Greenbelt Park and Baltimore-Washington Parkway. 

Shortly after joining the Greenbelt Parkway, Matt developed a list of 2016 Superintendent Priorities. Matt posted the priorities at Park Headquarters so park staff, volunteers, and visitors could see them. 

Here are the 2016 Superintendent Priorities for the Greenbelt Park and Baltimore-Washington Parkway;

1. Improve Visitor Experience, Customer Support & Partnerships
2. Institute Sound Business Practices
3. Foster a Culture of Safety in Daily Operations
4. Ensure Good Stewardship of Park Resources and Facilities
5. Develop and Support a Professional Workforce

Sam Ovett and Jenna Hanger are living a life that will make you jealous. It makes me jealous. Sam and Jenna are Traveling Trainers for Leave No Trace. They travel the western United States teaching the principals of Leave No Trace to students, communities, volunteers, and government agencies.

As Traveling Trainers, they visit some of our most beautiful places and spend over 250 nights per year camping. Spending so much time together worked out well for Sam and Jenna. They are engaged to be married and plan on launching their own business later this year.

One interesting aspect of being a traveling trainer is the Leave No Trace Hot Spot program. This unique program focuses on areas that have been negatively impacted by recreational use. Traveling Trainers work with the community and stakeholders of a Hot Spot to help recover and protect the area for future generations.

You can follow Sam & Jenna on Instagram  to keep up to date on their adventures.

Brandon Kramer joins the Park Leaders Show to talk about the new documentary film, City of Trees. 

City of Trees follows Washington Parks and People as the organization uses a grant to plant trees in parks Washington DC.  The story plays out with struggle and triumph as the organization as you get to know people who are hired to plant trees.

During the film, you will learn about a community, learn about the men who are hired to plant trees, and learn about the organization trying to make it all work. 

Click here for opportunities to see the National Broadcast of City of Trees. PBS will be broadcasting City of Trees on April 19th. 

Many park agencies face budget struggles. Michigan State Parks faced the issues head-on by exploring new ways to add value to what parks offer.

Ron Olson, Chief of Michigan State Parks, joins the Park Leaders Show to explain the innovative ideas Michigan explored and implemented to survive budget cuts and offer more to park visitors. 

In this episode, Mr. Olson will explain the programs and services Michigan State Parks offered to guests to enhance recreational opportunities and increase funding. 

Here is an article from 2009 that outlines some of the challenges Michigan State Parks faced when Ron Olson become Chief. 

Caroline Blizzard is the Director of the Deep Creek Lake State Park Discovery Center. Caroline has created a successful education program about monarch butterflies. 

In this episode, you will learn how an education program in a park in Maryland has had an impact on the local community as well as a community in Mexico. 

Caroline will also share tips on how you can create a powerful educational program at your park. 

Private sector involvement in public parks is an issue most people are not indifferent on. Usually, people either see it as a solution to many of the problems parks face, or they are against any private involvement. You may not realize how involved the private sector is already involved in parks. 

John joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss the benefit of private sector involvement in parks. 

John Koeberer is the president of the California Parks Company. The California Parks Company has a presence in parks throughout California, providing services ranging from concessions, wedding services, and campground operations. 

John explains how private sector involvement can help parks with better marketing and business expertise. Better business operation will ensure parks do not become irrelevant. 

You can find Park Leaders on Facebook here. 

On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, John Griffith shares the story of creating the Bioblitz Dance with the encouragement and support of Rue Mapp of Outdoor Afro. 

John explains the reason for the Bioblitz Dance and the steps of the Bioblitz Dance. 

John Griffith challenges you and your park to do a Bioblitz Dance. If you do a Bioblitz Dance and let us know you are doing the dance because of the show, we will send you Park Leaders stickers for everyone who participates in the dance. You just have to let us know by letting us know on Facebook or include Bioblitz Dance and Park Leaders in the title of your video on YouTube.

You can find the Bioblitz Tutorial Here. 

Fort McHenry National Monument is one of Steve Clark's favorite National Parks. It is not for the obvious reasons either. It is because of baseball.

Steve got his connection to the outdoors through baseball. Of course, the national anthem is sung before every baseball game. The Star Spangled Banner was birthed at Fort McHenry.

Steve's story is an example of how many people are connected to parks in different ways to different parks for different reasons. Now, Steve is the Superintendent of the National Parks of Western Pennsylvania, including the Flight 93 Memorial. 

In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Steve talks about his career in the National Park Service and the delicate balance of interpreting the story of Flight 93. 

In recent episodes of the Park Leaders Show, both Alan Spears and Jon Jarvis mentioned the Greening Youth Foundation. When two people I respect both mention the same organization, I know I have to look deeper. 

Angelou Ezeilo joins the Park Leaders Show to share her story and explain the work of Greening Youth Foundation. Greening Youth Foundation has had tremendous success engaging underrepresented youth and diverse youth to nature. 

Greening Youth Foundation connects parks to diverse workers who are newly introduced to potential careers in conservation and outdoor recreation. Angelou points out that parks and organizations can longer say there are not diverse people interested in conservation and recreation jobs. Any park or organization can connect with Greening Youth Foundation to find candidates. 

Alan Latourelle served as CEO of Parks Canada from 2002 to 2015. Alan joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss Parks Canada. 

In this episode, Latourelle talks about his experience as CEO. He also discusses Parks Canada Centennial, the growth of Parks Canada, and getting more Canadian youth into parks. 

We also explore the relationship between Parks Canada and First Nations. Indigenous people are 8% of Parks Canada staff and 12% of Parks Canada Executives.

Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service, join the Park Leaders Show. Director Jarvis discusses his career, the National Parks Centennial, and the one thing National Parks offers you can find nowhere else. 

I was at a conference with Director Jarvis, and we were able to sit down for a face to face interview. During our conversation, Jon outlines his career path with the National Park Service and some of his milestones along the way. We talk about the preparation and planning for the National Park Service Centennial. Director Jarvis also explains the sense of place parks add to history that can be found nowhere else. 

Whether you work with the National Park Service or are a fan of parks, you do not want to miss this inside look at our National Park System. 

Music for the Park Leaders Show is created by Jason Harrod. 

Dawn Carr is the Executive Director of the Canadian Parks Council.  The Canadian Parks Council is an organization that unites national and provincial parks all across the country. 

Canadian Parks Council offers a Park System Leadership Course focused on developing excellent leaders in parks. Dawn offers that humility is the one common trait of leaders who participate in the Park Leadership Course. 

I had the pleasure to meet Dawn in person at the Inspiring a New Generation Summit. In this episode Dawn discusses what  Canada and the Canadian Parks Council is doing to connect youth to nature. 

Episode 80 of the Park Leaders Show is ten random park related ideas. Individually, the ideas did not make a full episode. Collectively, the ideas create an episode of 10 ideas in 10 minutes (11 minutes, actually, but 10 in 10 sounds better).

I recently attended the Ranger Rendezvous and the Inspiring a New Generation Summit. Next on my list is the CA Parks Training Conference, where I will give two presentations and be part of a panel discussion.

If you would like Park Leaders founder, Jody Maberry, to speak to your organization or at your event, please reach out.

At the Ranger Rendezvous, I was reminded how important it is to belong to a Ranger Association. The Rendezvous is the annual conference for the Association of National Park Rangers. A Ranger Association will introduce you to other Rangers. And you never know who could be your next supervisor, co-worker, or potential employee. 

Also at the Rendezvous, I met former Park Leader Show guests Bob Krumenaker and Cassius Cash. Anytime you have the opportunity to converse with a veteran park ranger; you should do it. 

If you are a Park Manager, and there is turnover at your park, it is because of you. You don't listen. That is why people leave. 

Visible tattoos on a park ranger are a bad idea. Tattoos should be concealed behind your uniform. 

Performance reviews are not very useful. But what if people were held accountable for other staff members attaining goals? Wouldn't that promote the teamwork we are looking for?

If you are a Park Manager or Superintendent, one of the best things you can do for your agency is to invest in an up and comer. You don't need a formal mentorship program to help someone out. 

The John Wayne Pioneer Trail is at risk. The state of Washington wants to give the trail to adjacent land owners. The threat to the trail is a prime example of why parks need to focus on diversity. If there were a diversity of voices from all backgrounds causing a ruckus, there would be no question about the future of the trail. 

The Park Leaders Show is due for another panel episode. In the past, there have been panel episodes about Diversity and Communication. What should come next?

Forget about adding more policies and procedures. New policies may show exactly how you want things done, but it gets in the way of creativity and job satisfaction. 

Want Park Leaders Stickers? You can get those here. 

Alan Spears is the Cultural Resources Director for the National Parks Conservation Association. Alan Spears and I had the opportunity to sit down together and talk about cultural resources at the Ranger Rendezvous, the annual conference of the Association of National Park Rangers. 

Alan got his start in the outdoors chasing frogs at Fort Dupont in Washington DC. Alan's presentation at the Ranger Rendezvous was about Urban Parks. His story shows the impact urban parks can have a child. And in this case, the child who played in nearby woods grew up to help the National Park Service protect and interpret cultural resources. 

In this episode, we also talk about Harpers Ferry, Fort Monroe and the National Park Service's role in interpreting slavery as a root cause of the Civil War. 

We also talk about why it is important for the National Park Service to tell stories that don't always have a storybook ending, like the Manhatten Project. 

Alan reminds us; the National Park Service should be proud of the work they do and what they have collectively accomplished. 

While discussing the challenge of enhancing cultural diversity in park staff and visitation, Alan mentions the Greening Youth Foundation as an example of an organization having an impact. 

Find Park Leaders on Facebook. 

Cam Sholly joins the Park Leaders Show to offer a look at the National Park Service from a Region perspective.

Cam is the Region Director for the Midwest Region of the National Park Service. In this episode, Cam explains how the Region offices offer support to parks throughout the region by putting Parks First. 

Cam discusses his experience as a ranger in the field as a Chief Ranger and Park Superintendent and moving into positions in Washington DC and a Region office. 

This episode will give you an understanding how the National Park Service operates from a Region level to a Park level. You will also gain insight on how a seasonal National Park Service can work towards a permanent position. 

We also discuss the impact parks can have on local economies and how parks can work with community partners to protect and enhance a park while boosting local tourism. 

Geocaching has been a popular outdoor activity for 15 years. It is in your park, or near your park. People will travel for miles to find a Geocache. 

Now, GeoTours can help parks create a deliberate, curated experience for visitors. A GeoTour is a collection of geocaches that take people on a tour of a specific area. Each stop can highlight a natural feature, a historical fact, a cultural resource, and tell a story. 

GeoTours have been used to highlight entire park systems, like this GeoTour with Kentucky State Parks, or an individual park, like this GeoTour at Mount Ranier. 

The friendly folks at Geocaching will help your park create a GeoTour and even work with you to create a GeoTour passport so participants can keep track of their progress. 

To find out more about GeoTour go here. 

To get your hands on elusive Park Leaders stickers go here. 

The Park Leaders Show goes international. In this episode, I talk with Pete Cleary, a park ranger at Philip Island Nature Parks in Australia. 

We examine the unique characteristics about Philip Island, as well as the common traits of parks and park rangers in different countries throughout the world. 

Ranger Cleary explains the concept of parks offering and Ultimate Experience to park visitors willing to pay for more access and experience at a park. 

In this episode, we also talk about the World Ranger Congress, the International Ranger Federation, and the Thin Green Line. 

Find more park resources at parkleaders.com.

After a tremendous performance as Theodore Roosevelt, Clay Jenkinson returns to the  Park Leaders Show to talk about Theodore Roosevelt and parks.

If you haven't yet listened to the episode with Clay in character as Theodore Roosevelt, Click here to listen. You will want to hear that episode first.

In this episode, Clay discusses Theodore Roosevelt's role in National Parks and the impact he still has today on our park system. We also discuss Ken Burn's National Park and Roosevelt films, the upcoming National Parks Centennial, the threat of vanishing viewsheds

Clay urges everyone to do two things to reconnect with parks;

1. Spend at least 4 days in a National Park with as few amenities as possible.
2. Read Walden and Mountains without Handrail

Clay Jenkinson is the creator of the Thomas Jefferson Hour and author of The Character of Meriwether Lewis.