Road Map to the Future in This Issue

The Journal of the Association of National Park Rangers

Stewards for parks, visitors & each other Vol. 36, No. 2 | Spring 2020

Road map to the future In this issue

CONTENTS Spring 2020 President’s message...... 3 ANPR Strategic Plan: Road map to the future...... 4 ANPR serves rangers and the ranger profession...... 6 Wrestling with the paradox: Social science in the national parks...... 8 9th World Ranger Congress was fulfilling for all...... 10 9th World Ranger Congress keynote reflections...... 11 SAMO youth personify the rangers of the future...... 12 Changes and challenges A highway for the parks...... 14 Ranger Rendezvous 43...... 16 aul Anderson employs an Ben Walsh writes about proposed infographic to illustrate changes in the Federal Employees Professional Ranger...... 17 Pimportant plans and priorities Retirement System that have the Welcome to the ANPR family...... 21 for the Association of National Park potential to impact a large number of Rangers. NPS veterans. Life Century Club...... 23 Rebecca Harriett shares inspiring Alan Spears makes the case for a ways the International Ranger comprehensive, concerted effort Federation and World Ranger that focuses on cultural resources Congress delegates work on behalf initiatives, staffing, training, funding of rangers’ changing needs with and expertise. regard to safety, training, resources These articles in this Ranger issue and recognition. point out aspects of an extraordinary Will Rice outlines ways in which period of change and some of the social science is used to balance change agents who are helping to visitor use with resource protection drive positive change. and visitor experience. As you read the issue, think Ana Beatriz Cholo tells readers about how you can participate in how a special program gives young transformative efforts to make the adults access to jobs and a potential National Park Service and National future in the work of preserving and Park System better, now and for protecting natural resources. future NPS employees, visitors and Mark Maciha discusses the citizen “owners.” need for shifts in the approach to seasonal law enforcement training — Ann Dee Allen and funding. Ranger editor

On the cover: A research technician administers a survey to evaluate the impacts of road noise on hikers’ experiences in Death Valley National Park, California. Photo by Will Rice LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Paul Anderson, President ANPR

The Journal of the Association of National Park Rangers Vol. 36, No. 2 Spring 2020

Ranger (ISSN 1074-0678) is a quarterly publication of the Association of National Park Rangers, an organization ANPR 2020 plans and created to communicate for, about and with National Park Service employees of all disciplines; to promote and enhance the professions, spirit and mission of National Park Service programs gain momentum employees; to support management and the perpetuation of the National Park Service and the National Park System; and to provide a forum for professional enrichment. elcome to Spring! It is an ex- visiting with our partners, NPS leader- In meeting these purposes, the Association provides citing time of year in our na- ship and the assistant secretary for fish education and other training to develop and/or improve tional parks, as many people and wildlife and parks about ANPR’s the knowledge and skills of park professionals and those W interested in the stewardship of national parks; provides a gear up for the busy season. Of course, priority issues. forum for discussion of common concerns of all employees; people in some parks are already in the These issues include: and provides information to the public. middle of their busy seasons. The membership of ANPR is comprised of individuals Your ANPR Board is busy as well. • Improving the seasonal and perma- who are entrusted with and committed to the care, study, nent employee hiring process. explanation and/or protection of those natural, cultural Since we finished the new Strategic Plan and recreational resources included in the National Park in January, the Board has developed an • The NPS effort to reclassify GS/GL System, and persons who support these efforts. annual work plan to help us address and 0025 park ranger law enforcement ANPR business address P.O. Box 151432, Alexandria, positions into the GS 1801 Inspec- VA 22315-9998, anpr.org. Members receive Ranger as part achieve our strategic goals for this year. of their membership dues. See the website or Ranger for The work plan lays out the actions, tion, Investigation, Enforcement and Compliance job series and the membership/subscription details. deadlines and commitments each Board Final Deadlines potential impacts on rangers’ careers member has made to accomplishing our and the NPS mission. Spring issue...... Jan. 31 strategic goals, and it is an impressive Summer issue...... April 30 commitment. As you read through our • How ANPR can work cooperatively Fall issue...... July 31 with NPS Learning and Develop- Winter issue...... Nov. 15 Strategic Plan goals, think about how ment to provide high-quality train- you might want to help us accomplish ing not currently provided by NPS. them, and then contact Jonathan Shafer, [email protected], to sign up for A side benefit of the trip is that a committee that will work on the goal everyone we talked to – including the of your choice. We need your help! assistant secretary, acting director and As you will read in this issue of WASO program managers – expressed Ranger, ANPR was well represented their support for the upcoming Ranger Board of Directors at the 9th World Ranger Congress in Rendezvous 43 in Florida. We also re- Officers President Paul Anderson, RETI Nepal. It was the largest World Ranger ceived enthusiastic responses from those Past President Jan Lemons, NCRO Congress ever and attendees report that we invited to speak at Rendezvous. Secretary Lauren Koplin, DINO it was a truly exciting, motivating and We also spoke with Acting NPS Treasurer Bill Wade, RETI memorable experience. Director David Vela about his desire to Board Members engage with ANPR. All agreed that em- Education & Training Kayla Sanders, EVER ANPR was a founding member of Fundraising Activities Jeanette Meleen, WIHO the International Ranger Federation, ployees’ well-being deserves to be a top Internal Communications elsa Hansen, SEUG and our members have served in the priority for both NPS and ANPR. Membership Services Reghan Tank, XNPS Going forward, we will work to help Professional Issues tim Moore, NAMA roles of president and other leadership Seasonal Perspectives Lauren DeGennaro, MISS positions through the years. We intend implement the recently announced Strategic Planning Jonathan Shafer, NCRO to continue our active involvement in NPSNext initiative. We will share more Government Affairs Rebecca Harriett, RETI international ranger programs, with information about ANPR’s role and Staff Meg Weesner at the helm of the ANPR the actions we are taking in support of Membership Services Chris Reinhardt International Programs Committee. NPSNext in the months ahead. Ranger Magazine I hope you enjoy the Spring issue of Editor/Publisher Ann Dee Allen While the next World Ranger Graphic Design sherry Albrecht Congress will not occur until 2022, Ranger magazine. I wish you the very Professional Ranger section there will still be plenty of opportunities best for a wonderful, safe and successful Cultural resources Alan Spears, NPCA to get involved. If you would like to Spring and Summer in the parks! Harry Yount Award JT Townsend, RETI volunteer, please contact Meg Weesner. Focus Curt Dimmick, MORA — Paul Law enforcement Mark Maciha, NAU ANPR’s Bill Wade and I spent a ANPR President Government affairs Ben Walsh, XNPS week in January in Washington, D.C.

Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved. Articles and images in this publication are the sole property of ANPR and Ranger magazine, except where otherwise indicated. Republication in whole or part is not allowed without written permission. RANGER • Spring 2020 u 3 ANPR Strategic Plan

Board members organized our findings and ideas into an 18-page Strategic Plan. The plan lays out all of the things we are Road map to the now working to accomplish. The most important concepts members identified are all reflected in the plan. We know ANPR needs to advocate for better ranger housing, improvements in seasonal and permanent hiring, and high-quality training for all NPS employees. Now we future have a plan to work toward making those By Paul Anderson things happen. Join us in this effort To help define the mile markers that will show our progress during Strategic Plan implementation, I held hour-long calls with every member of the Board and the ANPR business manager. We talked about how each of us will take the lead to accomplish our parts of the plan in 2020. Check the monthly ANPR e-newsletter for an online link to the work plan we produced as a result of these meetings. Please take the opportunity to look at what your Board members are working to accomplish for you and other members. Think about how you can contribute your time and expertise as a member of a committee that will address one or more of these important issues. When you take part in these efforts, you will help build on our ANPR legacy – and If you’re anything like me, everal Association of National Park accomplish great things for NPS rangers Rangers Board members worked across the United States! you love looking at maps with a graphic designer to compile our strategic priorities for an As- because they show a world sociationS roadmap, represented in the ac- companying infographic. Viewing the map Make your mark of possibilities. Maps are as ANPR members, you will see a lot of JOIN ANPR destinations that look familiar, because they essential visual guides that came from you. Be a part of an organization Last year, the ANPR Board of Direc- shaping the future of help us do our jobs, visit our tors made a concerted effort to learn what rangering in America. members believe needs fixing most across families and, as it turns out, the National Park Service. We shared online surveys to ask for input from Life help ANPR live up to its Members, annual members and even people who aren’t members. We also had a full potential. comprehensive discussion about NPS and ANPR priorities at Ranger Rendezvous 42 in Washington.

4 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers To learn more visit ANPR.ORG

ANPR serves rangers and the ranger profession

By Reghan Tank

s you know, getting hired is only the first Association members who are NPS employees will step in building a career with the National not violate agency policy if they use this new service, Park Service. Many NPS employees have as confirmed by the DOI Departmental Ethics Office. found membership in the Association of ANPR sent an email notice about Outdoor ProLink National Park Rangers to be a valuable way to members in January. Make sure to check your spam toA help them advance in their careers. folder, or email [email protected], if you did not receive Potential new ANPR members often ask, “Why instructions on how to sign up for this new service. should I join the Association?” The answers are differ- ANPR also recently partnered with Starr Wright ent for everyone. For me, they are my motivation for to offer discounted professional liability insurance. leading Membership Services initiatives on the ANPR This coverage helps protect rangers from exposure to Board of Directors. potentially ruinous legal fees resulting from work per- Advocating for employee benefits, maintaining ac- formed in the line of duty. cess to meaningful career ladders, and perpetuating a In addition, ANPR is working to create a new, professional image are some of the things that ANPR centralized database of junior ranger books. This tool contributes to its members and the ranger profession. will help resolve a steady flow of requests for junior These things also make the NPS a great place to work. ranger book examples, ideas and activities that we’ve Now we need to strengthen and grow ANPR to en- seen posted in the NPS Employees Facebook group. sure their sustainability. We are looking for members to help with this effort. ANPR is working to enhance its value to mem- We are providing these services because we want to bers. This year, the Association added a new benefit raise ANPR’s profile among rangers across the United through Outdoor Prolink.com. Outdoor ProLink now States. Our hope is that by providing more services offers significant discounts on outdoor gear to ANPR rangers need, we will draw more NPS employees to members. Members qualify for 30 to 50 percent off join our organization. on technical outdoor products from brands including ANPR needs to do this because our membership Black Diamond, Osprey and La Sportiva. numbers have been declining.

6 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers Membership Rendezvous Exhibitors metrics Thank you for Supporting As of February 2020, ANPR counted 615 2019 Ranger Rendezvous members, including 390 Life Members and 225 annual members. In 2019, the Association Century Sponsor gained 79 new members, three of whom are Life Members. Fourteen of these new memberships were gifts. We thank everyone who gave a membership gift in 2019. Unfortunately, 87 annual members did not renew their memberships last year. That is part of the reason why we are working so hard to Arrowhead Sponsors bring you additional benefits.

Where we know we need to go In order to raise our profile nationally, ANPR is Exhibitors working to participate in events beyond Ranger Ren- dezvous. The board is assessing sending representatives ERAL CR FED ED to events including trade shows and job fairs in order R IT IO U R N E I to attract new members and potential donors. If you T O N N I

• • By Tom Finkel have ideas for events we should consider attending, or if you’re interested in promoting ANPR at an event you already attend, please contact me at [email protected]. The Board has set a goal of significantly increasing membership over the next five years. We will need your help to make this happen. Please watch the ANPR monthly newsletter and social media for information. We will also be creating materials you can share with NPS employees to inform them of the benefits ANPR provides. If you are or have been employed by the NPS, the Board would like to hear your thoughts about how we can share this information most effectively. Being a member of ANPR is about more than just belonging. It’s about engaging, connecting and advocating for park rangers. I believe members can accomplish great things together, and I want to work with you to event sponsors make it happen.

If you have any new ideas or want to help with one or more projects identified in the ANPR Strategic Plan, contact Reghan Tank at RANGER • Spring 2020 u 7 [email protected]. Wrestling with the paradox: Social science in the national parks By Will Rice, Penn State University

einecke’s study would become the first to scien- botanist Emilio Pepe tifically explore the paradox of the Organic Act The balance In 1925, that had created the NPS just nine years prior. between visitor Meinecke found himself in the unlikely Were early 20th century park visitors impacting enjoyment and Mthe preservation of the park’s big trees for future generations? preservation re- position of social scientist after being Meinecke’s findings led him to the conclusion that the mains complex, larger the tree, the greater the human impact. Human interest as shown in this tasked by the National Park Service was drawing a disproportionate number of visitors to seek out the biggest of the big trees for observation and recreation. trampled area in with understanding how visitor use was Meinecke’s solution: Replant trampled areas around the Grand Canyon biggest trees with brushy little trees to deter future trampling National Park, impacting the health of the giant sequoias and close the area to camping. Arizona. The significance of Meinecke’s work can’t be understated. of Sequoia National Park in California. It saved the biggest of Sequoia’s big trees and set in motion the science-based visitor use management that continues in

national parks today. Rice Will by Photos PARC at Penn State The researchers gained an understanding team was able to predict campsite occu- of the social-ecological system using a hefty pancy with high accuracy. Because of this The Protected Areas Research Collab- toolbox, including: breakthrough, park managers across the orative (PARC) at Penn State University • GPS tracking National Park System can now tap into is one of a handful of labs that partners • Pre- and post-experience surveying their own campground reservation data with the NPS to provide world-class social to better allocate sites, staff and • Participatory mapping with visitors science in the service of visitor use. Each other resources. • Trail and traffic counters year, researchers can be found in far flung Without a doubt, social science in the • High-resolution mapping of corners of the park system, collecting data national parks has come along way since visitor-created trails to aid managers’ future decision making. its humble start among the sequoias nearly • Systematic observations of In 2018, the PARC launched research a century ago. Denali, Grand Teton and visitor behavior projects to examine issues ranging from Golden Gate national parks in Alaska, recycling at campgrounds to visitor A bounty of data was then summarized Wyoming and California have even impacts on wilderness character. and given to park managers. Included brought uniformed social scientists on as In the dunes and canyons of Death with the data were recommendations for staff members. Valley National Park, also in California, improving the area’s ecological integrity Emilio Meinecke’s research is at the PARC led an effort to understand how and provisioning high-quality recreation heart of all these efforts. The fundamental road noise impacts hikers’ experience and opportunities. purpose of his research was to seek which management actions are preferred science-driven solutions in pursuit of the by visitors to reduce the amount of noise Managing balance between visitor enjoyment and that radiates into the park’s wilderness. natural resource preservation. Playing audio clips of road noise campground Demand Efforts of the PARC and other recorded by the NPS Natural Sounds and In State College, Pennsylvania, other park-focused social science labs across the Night Skies Division to hikers, researchers members of the PARC team were pouring nation exemplify much progress toward were able to assess the acceptability of over 3.5 million national park campground this lofty aspiration. various qualities and volumes of noise. reservations from recreation.gov to Will Rice is a researcher at Penn State University’s The hikers’ audio preferences were generate a forecasting model. Their goal coupled with the results of an experiment Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism was to help park managers better predict Management. He thanks Dr. Terence Young for in which visitors were asked to choose pulses in campsite demand. his scholarship on the career of Emilio Meinecke, between two management scenarios. Using data from 108 campgrounds which was formational to this article. Researchers were able to determine which across 32 national parks, the Penn State means of reducing road noise were preferred by hikers and how much hikers valued natural quiet in relation to other aspects of the visitor experience. In Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, PARC researchers partnered with Oregon State and Utah State universities to assess how an increase in visitation to the String and Leigh lakes area was impacting the park’s ecological resources and the visitor experience.

A research technician administers a survey to evaluate the impacts of road noise on hikers’ experiences in Death Valley National RANGER • Spring 2020 u 9 Park, California. World Rangerth Congresswas

On November 12, 2019, more than 550 inspiring rangers from 70 countries converged on9 Chitwan National Park for the 9th World Ranger Congress in Sauraha,

Nepal. Twenty-four delegates for all represented the Association of By Rebecca Harriett National Park Rangers, including four ANPR scholarship recipients. Linda Bennett, Office of A new declaration International Affairs, represent- One of the outcomes of every World Ranger Congress is the issuance ed the U.S. National Park of a declaration that articulates the vision for IRF and its member associ- Service and presented a program ations for the next three years. The 2019 Chitwan Declaration focuses on on international volunteers. the seven themes of the 9th World Ranger Congress and includes a sum- mary of recommended actions. As one example, in the Ranger Welfare section the declaration summa- rizes the need for rangers to have “access to communication networks and he week was packed with sessions, social devices, provision of shelter and clean water, first aid training, effective activities and field trips highlighting the medical evacuation plans, and adequate health care, both in terms of access seven Congressional themes: Ranger Wel- and coverage.” The section goes on to state: “All rangers should be provid- T fare, Rangers and Local Communities, ed with life insurance coverage to properly support the families of rangers Indigenous Rangers, Ranger Capacity, Women killed in the line of duty.” in the Ranger Workforce, Role of Ranger Asso- The Ranger Associations section includes the statement: “Building more ciations, and Technology. Evening ranger talks national ranger associations is key in making a united voice for rangers and and documentaries were presented in the gateway connecting them to the global ranger community. National ranger associa- town of Sauraha, where participants were warmly tions are the best forum to lobby relevant ministries for change in national welcomed and a local rhino wandered the main policies.” How each association communicates its concerns is based on its street. Plenary sessions have been posted on the mission and bylaws. 9th World Ranger Congress website. Overall, the 2019 Chitwan Declaration outlines six goals that the IRF While peer-to-peer learning and cross-cultural council will undertake over the next three years to implement the declara- fellowship is the focus and fun of a World Ranger tion. Included in the goals is fostering more senior level partnerships with Congress, the gathering is also an opportunity for government agencies, international NGOs and the International Union for the International Ranger Federation (IRF) to hold Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IRF leaders will attend the IUCN World its business meeting with member associations and Conservation Congress in France in June 2020 as representatives of rangers elect new IRF Executive Council members. and the ranger profession around the world. Chris Galliers of South Africa was elected IRF I encourage members of ANPR to consider attending a World Rang- president. Andy Wright, president of the Tennes- er Congress at least once in your career. Learning from and developing see Rangers Association, was elected as our North friendships with international colleagues is an opportunity of a lifetime America representative. Mike Lynch, president of and an experience you will never forget. Peru or Portugal, 2022! the California State Park Rangers Association and an ANPR Life Member, was elected IRF treasurer. Rebecca Harriett is a Life Member of ANPR. She began working for the National Park Service in 1978 and retired in 2016 after serving as the superintendent of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia.

10 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers Keynote reflections By Ahmad Toure, Great Falls

his past November, the World Ranger experiences of enlightenment and future hope. Congress held its first congress in Asia, The Congress began with opening remarks at Chitwan National Park in Sauraha, and a photo in the Congress square before we T Ratnanagar, Nepal. all packed into the main hall for keynotes and a The national park is in the south central governmental address. Our hosts and IRF lead- lowlands of Nepal. The park’s northern border ers expressed the significance of the first World is the East Rapti River. The river is the bound- Ranger Congress to be held in Asia, explaining ary between the park and the resort town of that Chitwan National Park was an example of Sauraha. great conservation successes on the continent. Chitwan’s warm jungle climate is world fa- Throughout the conference, speakers includ- mous for hosting a healthy population of wild ing Sean Willmore, outgoing president of the Nepali rhinos and Bengal tigers. The jungle eco- IRF, spoke about the need for more indigenous system was an impressive display of biodiversity. ranger expertise in the field. Other important Sauraha’s tourism-based economy provides subjects explored from international perspec- a host of concessions to park visitors. Visitors tives were cooperating with local communities, can make reservations for safaris, jungle walks wellness and work-life balance. ByAhmad Ahmad Toure T oureis an and river tours. Sauraha is also said to be a great The Congress also honored female rangers, example of partnership between community and recognized the challenges they are overcom- interpretive ranger at Great forestry groups and park law enforcement. ing all over the world. Whether the discussion Falls park in Virgina. Through cooperative wildlife management focused on field research, wildlife patrols or and enhanced protection policies, Chitwan has poacher tracking, the consensus was that been able to reduce poaching incidents to zero women are natural leaders in conservation. for several years in a row. Speakers also acknowledged the bravery Nepali hospitality was on full display at and heroism it takes to succeed in the ranger World Ranger Congress opening ceremonies. profession. We honored the fallen rangers lost Every ranger in attendance was greeted at the in the line of duty and took the time to be entrance to the Congress location with a Bindi mindful of the week’s conversations and on the forehead and a marigold lei. adventures to come. In Hindu culture, the Bindi represents the This was my first experience of a World third eye of the deity Shiva, and is associated Ranger Congress, and I am looking forward to with introspection and enlightenment. It was a the the next World Ranger Congress in 2022. fitting way to set the tone of the week, as Congress attendees came to reflect and share

WRC delegates from ANPR and other North American ranger associations. RANGER • Spring 2020 u 11 By Ana Beatriz Cholo

in Cruz spent the last two summers of her high school years working in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California. Many days, the work meant toiling in the hot sun restoring trails. Other times, it required Cruz to break out of her shell and share her newfound knowledge of the park’s flora and fauna with visitors. The aspiring scientist was working in the park as a participant in the SAMO Youth environmental careers exploration program. The National Park Service initiative graduated its 20th cohort in 2019. It has been opening doors to high school and college students in greater Los Angeles who are interested in environmental careers since 2000. So far, 261 youth have graduated from the program. SAMO Youth is the result of a partnership between NPS and the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, the recreation area’s community partner. It was made possible by a grant from the National Park Foundation through the support of GRoW @ Annenberg and Janet Molina Watt. During the summer, SAMO Youth are employees of the Fund. They are paid $14.25 an hour. For some students, the program provides a tough summer job. For others, it changes the trajectory of their lives. Gradu- ates have gone on to work at more than 18 national parks throughout the country. Cruz remembers the middle of her junior year at Garfield High School in Youth personify East Los Angeles, when her parents delivered a mandate. “They told me that I am the only hope for the family, that I am the only one who rangers of the future would hopefully become something great and make something out of myself,” said Cruz, now a freshman at the University other student and is on a full scholarship are aiming high and blazing trails by start- of California in Berkeley and an aspiring pursuing an environmental science degree. ing environmental clubs and native plant wildlife biologist. gardens in their schools and communities. She did not take the conversation The trail blazers Twenty-two high school juniors and lightly. At the time, Cruz was living in a seniors are selected for the program from SAMO Youth hail from economically cramped, two-bedroom apartment in about 100 applicants each year. For eight challenged neighborhoods. In their high East Los Angeles with her parents and weeks in the summer, at 6 a.m. every schools, they are leaders. They are the six siblings. Tuesday through Saturday, the youth are She now shares a dorm room with an- go-getters – college-bound achievers who

12 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers picked up in a van at two central locations cause of his own experience with a for the hourlong drive into the mountains. Yosemite National Park summer work SAMO Youth work on habitat resto- program as a high school student. ration, trail maintenance, plant and wildlife “When I came back from Yosemite that work, community engagement, and visitor summer, I realized what had just happened nature activities and education. There is in my life,” Solorio recalled. “I remember also a one-week work camping trip to sitting on the front steps of my house in Channel Islands National Park. East Los Angeles and saying to myself that Monserrat Rocha is a freshman at the whatever just happened that summer, University of California in Davis majoring I never want it to stop in my life.” in environmental science and management. For Solorio, that meant experiencing She loved working in the Santa Monica nature in a new setting. Until then, he had Mountains last summer. never been to a national park. “I learned about history, plants, safety “That was a big game changer in my find a way to get a ride to the pick-up lo- and teamwork,” she said. “This program life,” he said. “Because of that experience, cations in LA and Oxnard by 6 a.m. ready helped me decide what I want to pursue in I understand the profound and to go, uniformed with two lunches, snacks, the future.” transformational power of outdoor youth water, sun protection, boots, gloves... development programs.” “To work in some pretty extreme weath- The ranger For a number of SAMO Youth, one er conditions with temps reaching over or two summers is not enough. Over the NPS Ranger Antonio Solorio has been three digits over the summer, hiking a few years, two dozen students have returned leading SAMO Youth for 18 years. He took miles to your work site... to work in the program as college students over the program two years after it debuted “That helps debunk any myths out there and youth leaders. with a handful of students from Wilson that youth are unengaged or unproduc- Adriana Barrera first participated in the High School in Los Angeles. In 2004, he tive,” Solorio said. program in 2009. She returned a decade began to recruit youth from other schools Working alongside the inspiring youth later to work full time as a crew supervisor. in LA and in Oxnard. gives him hope for the future. Last summer, Barrera was the students’ van Although the program has grown to “These are youth with so much grit, driver, supervisor and mentor. include 11 students from LA and 11 from overcoming so much adversity, with a tre- She is currently a student at California Oxnard, it remains relatively small to en- mendous capacity to love, be kind, work State University Los Angeles pursuing a sure quality and safety, he said. A small hard, give back to our communities and degree in graphic design. She said her youth cohort allows for one-on-one mento- be proud,” he said. “They are helping to experience with SAMO Youth inspired her ring and in-depth exposure to the variety of change and create a world they want to live to be more curious. careers within NPS. in. We just have to provide opportunities “It prompted questions in me about The program requires months of plan- for them to develop.” why people like me were unaware of these ning and the right mentors to ensure suc- beautiful mountains,” Barrera said. “It cess, Solorio said. Mentors must be relat- Ana Beatriz Cholo is the public affairs officer at made me curious about what wildlife lived Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation able role models and understand that they in my neighborhood and what was up and Area in metropolitan Los Angeles. are part of a profound experience for youth awake when we are all asleep.” during their formative years. Young people like Barrera, Cruz and Solorio was drawn to the program be- Rocha inspire Solorio. Youth personify to get ready for your day’s work and then rangers of the future quick scroll through the National Park Service website https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/ confirms what is readily apparent to any park service employee: The park system is popular. A total of 318 million visitors came to the parks in 2018. In the 10 years previous, visitation totaled 274 million. Numerous factors have contributed to the increase in visitors, chief among them the 2016 NPS Centennial, National Park Foun- dation’s “Find Your Park” campaign, and the sharing of national park travel experiences through social media. Through my many interactions with park visitors I have come to realize that the NPS is, in a way, the unofficial vacation agency for the federal government. While we strive to preserve and protect natural and cultural resources, access to these resources is also paramount. Improving and providing park access has been a focus of the Park Service since its inception. This year, the NPS celebrates the 100th anniversary of an important 1920 publicity road tour. The tour is significant because it established NPS’s role in encouraging national park visitation and providing access to the nation’s parks. The NPS was a small bureau when it was established in 1916. An older land management agency, the U.S. Forest Service, had already been managing many of the areas that would eventually become national parks. For the first 44 years of the NPS, the parks were administered by congressionally appointed civilian stewards who were later aided by the U.S. Army. Survival of this small agency and the continuation of the National Park System was far from certain in the early years. After all, the parks had existed without an agency for more than four decades. The first director of the NPS, Stephen T. Mather, presided over a young agency that had a wide variety of attractions and recreational opportunities to offer the public. Mather, having a background in marketing and business, saw that the success of the the country in the first two decades of the Mount Rainer in Washington and then agency was in the hands of the vacationing 20th century. south to Crater Lake and Lassen Volcanic public. Westgard spent considerable time ad- in Oregon. Visitors to the parks would recognize dressing the need for roads that would take Pressing on through California, the the value of the parks’ resources and visitors to national parks. As he wrote in group visited Yosemite, General Grant demand services to support continued his book: and Sequoia. They were supposed to make visitation. These demands could manifest Unfortunately, nearly all our national a detour to Utah to see Zion, but after a themselves in interactions with state gov- parks are located in the West, in the Rocky grueling trek across the southern California ernments, the federal government and local Mountain, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade and Nevada deserts they elected to travel businesses. More visitors would increase ranges, and thus not easily accessible except to the south rim of the Grand Canyon in the demand for services and support for the at considerable expense to the vastly greater Arizona instead. agency that administers these resources. percentage of our population. Maps showing the route typically in- In short, Mather’s formula was to boost Westgard realized that the only slightly clude Zion, but the official caravan did not visitation to the parks, increase public con- improved wagon trails leading to the parks visit the park in 1920. On its way back to sciousness of what the parks offer, and raise were deterrents to visitation. The continued Denver, the caravan made its last stop at support at various political levels to expand existence of the NPS and the parks was Mesa Verde. the NPS. dependent on improving the road network In total, 6,000 miles were traveled on The first obstacle to this formula was that led visitors to the parks. what became the National Park-to-Park getting visitors to the parks. Highway. A road trip The stunt publicity worked. Visitation Making the case for the parks to the parks climbed to more than 1 million visitors 1920. By 1924, visitation had In 1916, traveling to the western parks In 1920, Mather, the American Auto- increased to 1,527,999. was challenging for the public. President mobile Association, National Park-to-Park Dwight Eisenhower’s interstate highway Highway Association and White Motor Continuing success system was still 40 years away. Visitors who Company hatched a 76-day publicity stunt wanted to leave urban areas and visit parks to drum up public support for improving The National Park-to-Park Highway in the West had to traverse roads that pro- the roads around national parks. A caravan Association was dissolved by 1927 – a vided adventure more than convenience. of six cars and 20 people, including West- sign that the campaign to improve roads In a 1919 report from Mather to the gard as leader of the expedition, departed to parks was a success. The Park-to-Park secretary of the interior, he noted that the Denver en route to 12 parks in the West. Highway Association and its annual con- number of vehicles in the U.S. was increas- Along the way, members of the caravan vention was last mentioned by the NPS ing at a rate of 10 to 25 percent annually. held town hall meetings to orate on the director in his 1924 report. A road system designed for horse-drawn value of good roads for the communities Congress passed the Federal Highway vehicles was inadequate for newer means of near the parks. The group’s sales pitch fo- Aid Act in 1921, greatly contributing to transportation. cused on a projected increase in tourists, highway building in the 11 western states. Anton L. Westgard was a pioneer in de- who would naturally need the services each National park visitation surpassed 3 million veloping roads to support motor vehicles. town had to offer. visitors in 1929, and the campaign to pro- His book Tales of Pathfinder details many The caravan stopped in Rocky Moun- mote the parks started to taper off. of the expeditions he underwent to find tain first before heading north to Wyoming Access to the parks was important for suitable routes for future roads. Readers get and Yellowstone and then on to Montana the vacationing public. The tripling of vis- a glimpse of what it was like to drive across and Glacier. From Glacier they drove to itation within nine years is evidence of the success of the park-to-park highway pro- motion and the federal highway building Anton L. Westgard was the leader for the campaign that followed it. Keep the 100th anniversary of the road National Park-to-Park Highway Tour. tour in mind during 2020, and recognize the importance of the visitor in sustaining the National Park System. We provide a service to the public that is unique among the federal agencies.

Lucas Hugie is an interpretive ranger at Golden Spike National Historical Park in Utah, where he has been delivering park programs for three years. Additional information on the Park to Park Highway can be found in the documentary Paving the Way: The National Park-to-Park Highway and the book The Playground Trail by Lee and Jane Whiteley. Funin the Sun San Marco Square Lions statue, Jacksonville Join us at Ranger Rendezvous 43 in Jacksonville, Florida

By Jonathan Shafer, National Capital Region

anger Rendezvous has always been one of my favorite parts of being a member of ANPR. Participants get to attend presentations about resource man- Ragement, administration, NPS history and law enforcement. We get to have conversations with NPS staff – from seasonals to regional directors and sometimes, even the NPS director (who has been invited to attend and speak this year). And, when the hour is right, we get to swing by the hospitality suite to see what Nancy Ward brought for refreshments. As this year’s RR manager, I’m happy to say that all of these activities and many more are already in the works for our Ranger Rendezvous 43 scheduled for Jacksonville, Florida! This October 14-19, we’ll be meeting at the Lexington Hotel on the banks of the St. Johns River. Situated in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, our venue is less than an hour’s drive from NPS sites at the historic Castillo de San Marcos and Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve. It’s also easy to visit beautiful St. Augustine from our location. Next to the hotel, you can enjoy the Jackson- ville Riverwalk and easy access to the renowned San Marco neighborhood. The hotel is also less than a mile from the city’s Science and History Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art and Space Gallery, in case you want a change of pace. At Rendezvous, you can attend supplementary training sessions, participate in our ever-popular raffle and auction, and, as a unique attraction this year, enjoy the 25th anniversary celebration of the Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award. I’ll be sharing more details about all of these activities in the Summer issue of Ranger. For now, save the dates so we can see you in Jacksonville October 14-19!

16 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers This is the first article in a series ofRanger magazine articles about the THE PROFESSIONAL RANGER Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award. Recent award recipients are profiled on the NPS web page https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/yount-award.htm.

For excellence in rangering: Harry Yount Award By JT Townsend

ow is a fitting time to tell the story No matter the inspiration, the seed of the prestigious Harry Yount had been sown by ANPR, and after lying NNational Park Ranger Award, which dormant it was about to germinate. is bestowed on one remarkable individual After the conversation went on for a each year in recognition of outstanding while, Tommy Thompson, the regional service in “rangering.” It’s important to chief ranger, said: share the story in Ranger this year, as the award will be celebrated at the ANPR “Well, why don’t Ranger Rendezvous conference this fall. we give it a try.” We also recognize that not everyone knows So we did. the story – National Park Service employ- Armed with copies of the pertinent sec- Harry Yount (1839–1924), the first ees come and go and NPS institutional tions of the Federal Personnel Manual, the park ranger of Yellowstone National memory is not infallible. implementing sections of the departmental Park. Photo: William Henry Holmes manual, and Park Service procedures, we The idea for the award got to work researching awards programs. grew out of a conversation Along the way we learned the com- over coffee. Some of us in the division had held monalities between awards, and the positions as interpreters and natural The Midwest Regional Office’s Division language used to describe what an award resource management specialists, and had of Ranger Activities was focused on is designed to recognize – in our case ran- training in cultural resources management. supporting parks and rangers in the field, gering and exemplary contributions to the Consequently, our view of rangering was and working with colleagues in other ranger profession. We also learned about broader, rather than narrower; more central offices. The division was staffed by opportunities for employee recognition inclusive than exclusive. experienced field rangers whose mission that were available but were not known The short version was that rangers were was expressed in one question: “What have or were seldom acted upon. This came in multi-faceted, although perhaps more we done for the parks today?” handy later on. highly skilled in one or more ranger skills. I served in the division at the time as Next, we set upon defining the They were not “ranger one-notes.” ranger services specialist. Division staff attributes a rangering award winner As the first director of the National Park began each day with coffee in the chief exhibits. We wanted to answer specific Service, Stephen T. Mather, wrote about ranger’s cubicle. One morning in fall 1991, questions, including: rangers and their work: “They are... fine, someone suggested creating an award to earnest, intelligent, and public-spirited ... What is a ranger, and recognize outstanding rangers. Few thought Though small in number, their influence such a proposal would fly, as the Associ- what makes a ranger is large. Many and long are the duties ation of National Park Rangers had pro- outstanding? heaped upon their shoulders. If a trail is to posed a similar award in the spring 1986 Part of that task was not complicated. be blazed, it is ‘send a ranger.’ If an animal issue of Ranger, and it had gone nowhere. We needed only look at what the Park is floundering in the snow, a ranger is sent The discussion continued, perhaps in- Service considered to be the responsibili- to pull him out; if a bear is in the hotel, spired by the conferral of the regional Til- ties and duties of those in the Division of if a fire threatens a forest, if someone is to den and Appleman-Judd-Lewis awards at Ranger Activities. An article in the April be saved, it is ‘send a ranger.’ If a Dude the regional director’s staff meeting the day 1989 Courier, an NPS-wide magazine wants to know the why of Nature’s ways, if before. TheT ilden award has recognized disseminated to all employees, listed well a Sagebrusher is puzzled about a road, his employees for service in interpretation since over three dozen program areas for which first thought is, ‘ask a ranger.’” 1981. The Appleman-Judd-Lewis award WASO Ranger Activities had responsibil- Even in a casual reading of Mather’s has recognized employees for cultural ity. Nearly all of them were replicated in description one can find aspects of resource stewardship and management the regional Ranger Activities offices to interpretation, resource management since 1970. one degree or another. and protection. In other words, the

RANGER • Spring 2020 u 17 THE PROFESSIONAL RANGER

multi-skilled ranger is the “cornerstone of vidual who exceeds expectations and who next, the personnelist of the year?” he every park organization.” reflects initiative, imagination, persever- asked. Because we’d done our homework, Once our group had settled on a work- ance, competence, creativity, resourceful- we were able to reply that that kind of ing definition of rangers we grappled with ness, dedication and integrity. award already existed. There was no award what makes a ranger outstanding. Our We had learned that there were more for rangering – for rangers, not law enforce- research into awards and award programs than ample opportunities for supervisors to ment folks, interpreters, or search-and- was helpful in this task. We had the benefit recognize employees. There were not many rescue and emergency services personnel. of knowing how others had expressed ways opportunities for people to recognize their Deputy Regional Director Schenk of understanding, measuring and articulat- peers, however – especially without man- and Regional Director Don Castleber- ing what made someone outstanding. We agement oversight. ry signed off on the award and we sent found no awards for average service. We developed a draft proposal for out a regionwide call for nominations. We also had additional guidance from peer recognition of “rangering” and legendary NPS Director George B. Hart- sent it to a cross-section of folks for com- John E. “JT” Townsend is a 10th century Life Member of ANPR. He retired from the National zog, Jr., who said, “I am proud of our na- ment. We received a good many comments tional park rangers. I like the word ‘ranger,’ Park Service in 2004 as ranger services specialist in and followed up with those who didn’t the Midwest Regional Office. He served the NPS which connotes character, integrity, courage reply. and dependability. The ranger has earned for 35 years and was an interpretation, natural Next, we composed a final draft propos- resource and protection ranger, as well as chief the respect of the park visitor.” al and sent it out for final comment. Then ranger. Over the years he worked at multiple Park These are intangible traits, but they we polished the proposal and started it up Service units and locations and served on manifest themselves in outstanding leader- the chain-of-command. numerous committees and task forces. JT and his ship, exemplary contributions, notably high Deputy Regional Director Bill Schenk wife Flo Six, who is also retired from the NPS, standards of performance and a record of made us defend our thinking. “What’s live in Newman Lake, Washington. accomplishments. They speak of an indi-

protection I learned those words on my first day exotic plant control and other collateral at the Santa Rosa Seasonal Academy 28 duties. years ago. This mission convinced me that Perhaps the most important duty we FOCUS the NPS was an agency that I could invest all have is education. The person who best myself in. And it is the mission that has epitomizes what it means to be a park By Curt Dimmick, Mount Rainier always guided my work. ranger is one who takes every opportunity to educate visitors on the NPS mission and re these strange times or what? More than a job the natural, historic and cultural resources Things we couldn’t have imagined of their park unit. This person may be a are happening all around us. Even Law enforcement can be exciting, chal- A park ranger, interpreter, custodian or so, we can make the effort to look at what lenging and rewarding. There are countless administrative assistant. we have control over and what will get us police agencies where someone can be a We are ambassadors for the national past the obstacles and carry us forward. cop. But being a park ranger encompasses park idea. We owe it to ourselves and the What do we need to focus on in the much more than just law enforcement. mission to learn all we can about the parks National Park Service? What is important True, we need all the training, knowl- we live and work in. We can help educate now for the NPS, in the early stages of its edge and skills that any other cop has visitors, and also our friends, family and second century? because we may face all the same threats. others outside the park service to help The foremost thing we need to focus on But we serve and protect to an even greater increase environmental awareness, generate is what the leadership guru Simon Sinek degree. We work to protect our visitors and an interest in the conservation of our calls our “why.” ensure they can safely enjoy the national natural and cultural heritage, underscore The fundamental purpose of the park parks, and we also have a mission to the significance of wild places, and support service is “to conserve the scenery and the protect the resources. for our national parks. natural and historic objects and the wildlife We provide emergency medical services, Take every opportunity to connect what therein and to provide for the enjoyment search and rescue, and myriad other emer- you do to the mission that gives your work of the same in such manner and by such gency services. We serve our visitors and meaning. Look for appropriate educational means as will leave them unimpaired for protect resources through structural and moments. the enjoyment of future generations.” wildland firefighting, wildlife management,

18 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers If someone doesn’t understand the reason behind a law or regulation, writing a ticket will not correct the problem. Leave that person with a resource message and explain the reason behind the rule. Tie that citation back to the mission. How does speeding affect the resource and other visitors? It puts other visitors and wildlife in danger. It burns more fuel and creates more emissions. It detracts from that visitor’s ability to truly see the park. It is amazing how many people are more understanding about their actions when they understand the mission. Even more, you may inspire a new messenger. To lead is to serve Those who lead always start from the why. If you are leader, look behind you. Is anyone following you? If not, focus on your why. A good leader is also a servant. We serve those who follow us. We make sure they have what they need to do their jobs, do them safely, and do them well. We make sure they are inspired. We appreciate them Backcountry rangers beginning a patrol in Denali. Photo: NPS.org for a job well done. As leaders we also need to be mentors. It is up to us to pass on the knowledge and experience we have gained so others will be situations. Fee staff and interpretive rangers What does the future hold? It would better prepared and ready to become in- deal with crowds of visitors, long lines at be easy to dwell on the current political spiring leaders. And we need to admit our entrance stations, complaints, noise and climate, cultural tensions, world affairs, mistakes and pass those lessons on as well. unhappy campers. Maintenance employees climate change and other threats. But we Among the obstacles we face are those are pushed to complete tasks and projects. can make change in the space we have that require cultural shifts in our agency. We are short-staffed and trying to do control over. We cannot tolerate harassment and bully- more with less. And many people may We need to focus on and celebrate what ing. There have been too many casualties be experiencing external stressors such as is right with the world. There is a lot that is along the way and it needs to stop. financial and relationship issues. We need good, a lot that is great about the National We have to instill renewed respect for to pay attention, get to know our staff and Park Service. By focusing on what is right, each other and we have to demonstrate fellow employees. Ask questions and when focusing on our why, we can get to a that respect daily. It needs to flow from something doesn’t look or feel right do better place. top down, from bottom up, and side to something about it. side. We have to strive for and celebrate We can do better. The state of Curt Dimmick is chief ranger at Mount Rainier relevancy, diversity and inclusion among Washington passed legislation to provide National Park in Washington. He has worked in nine National Park Service units and as chief our workforce and our visitors. We need first responders with state worker’s to reflect society and finds ways to make ranger in three national parks. This article is a compensation coverage for stress-related lightly edited version of his closing address at the National Park Service relevant to all conditions. We need to work to see that Ranger Rendezvous 42 in October 2019. Americans. our employees have similar options. Another area we have to make progress We have to look at our work habits and on is employee stress. Our rangers and first the demands being placed on us. Unplug. responders experience difficult and awful Remember your why outside of work. Find incidents. But stress is not limited to only your why for life. those who encounter life threatening

RANGER • Spring 2020 u 19 THE PROFESSIONAL RANGER

protection dardized lesson plans, student texts, and written and practical testing. All PRLEA programs operate independently and are Status check funded through sources that may include state appropriated funds, dedicated police Seasonal law enforcement training funds, and student tuition and fees. The cost of attendance averages more training By Mark J. Maciha than $7,000, plus housing and uniforms. offered at more A fragile future than 30 colleges and Although prospective seasonal protec- universities since tion rangers have used their own resources that time. to attend seasonal law enforcement training for more than 40 years, we’re now at a Fast precarious juncture. Brian Marvin, former forward director of the program at Santa Rosa, calls Per Memoranda it a fragile situation. of Understanding with The program has been experiencing: the NPS Law Enforce- • Ever-increasing training demands ment Training Center from the NPS (NPS-LETC), six • A decrease in college appropriated colleges and universi- funds and a greater dependence on ties offer the 700-hour student tuition and fees Northern Arizona University Spring 2019 Park Ranger NPS Park Ranger • Declining enrollments in PRLEA Training Program class at Wupatki National Monument. Law Enforcement programs coupled with pressure on Photo courtesy of Mark J. Maciha Academy (PRLEA) colleges to prioritize programs with curriculum. higher enrollments These factors create conditions that ccording to Butch Farabee, Each institution presents one or two make it difficult to sustain PRLEA as it is seasonal law enforcement PRLEA programs each year: currently provided. training was most likely started in • Colorado Northwestern A Each PRLEA program has a student the 1920s. It appears that seasonal rangers Community College capacity of 20-40 students, but most at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming • Northern Arizona University sessions do not operate at capacity due to received some “ranger skills” training in law • Skagit Valley Community College student costs and other factors. There is enforcement, fire suppression, search and in Washington also attrition due to academic and fitness rescue, natural history and other essential • Southwestern Community College failures. Among those who graduate, duties at that time. in North Carolina some individuals decide not to pursue Over the years, seasonal rangers were • Temple University in Pennsylvania employment with the NPS or in land primarily trained within their National • Vermillion Community College management law enforcement. Park Service units. In June 1971, the first in Minnesota As such, the total number of PRLEA NPS Seasonal Law Enforcement School This curriculum is essentially the same graduates seeking protection positions with was presented at Harpers Ferry, West as the Land Management Police Training the NPS is insufficient to meet the need for Virginia, where rangers received 100 hours program taught to permanent protection 100-150 new seasonal protection rangers of training. rangers at the Federal Law Enforcement each year. Some accounts show that joint NPS Training Center. Most of the PRLEA Prospective PRLEA students face a high seasonal law enforcement training sessions programs also offer supplemental training price of admission for this line of work. were offered on an irregular basis over the in resource protection, emergency services While the mission of the NPS is certainly next few years. Finally, in March 1978, the and other field operations. worth it, the reality is that the total cost of well-known NPS Basic Law Enforcement NPS-LETC employs a dedicated attending a PRLEA program may exceed Course for Seasonal Rangers was launched PRLEA program manager and supports a $10,000 with tuition, housing and other at Santa Rosa Junior College in California. learning management system with stan- costs. Most students are not able to work Variations of this program have been

20 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers during the program due to its intensity and cooperative agreements with PRLEA five- to six-day weekly schedule. institutions to resolve the ethics challenges. Graduation only ensures a roll of the Detailed NPS instructors or program Give dice in the NPS hiring process. Other state coordinators could be provided through the and local land management agencies have Intergovernmental Personnel Act (5 USC § a more direct hiring process – and provide 337--3375) to enhance the NPS presence the gift of law enforcement training. in PRLEA and to reduce student costs. There are other concerns about seasonal Technology enhanced learning law enforcement training, as well. Student membership and employee diversity is limited by indi- The Federal Law Enforcement Train- vidual ability to pay for the program. Per- ing Center offers more than 100 online haps due to cost and other factors, program courses. The NPS makes considerable use For More InformatioN demographics have shifted. of technology enhanced learning (TEL) for visit anpr.org In 1980, my class at Santa Rosa consist- critical and required training. Academic ed primarily of students in their early 20s research rigorously supports the use of with at least a few seasons of experience TEL across all academic disciplines. TEL with the NPS. (As an aside, I am a strong enhances learning at greater efficiency and believer in that anyone who works in the reduced operational cost. Kudos List protection function should have experience NPS-LETC has refused to consider These people have either in other aspects of NPS ranger duties.) TEL for PRLEA. Yet, TEL would reduce Today, a typical class at Northern the time commitment for on-site academy given someone a gift membership Arizona includes just a few students with attendance and improve the quality of to ANPR or recruited a new NPS experience and students range from education. member. Thanks for your help the early 20s to late 50s. Some students Tuition reimbursement and support! are making a mid-career shift or second career choice, and they have the ability to Office of Personnel Management (updated 2/4/19) pay for it. regulations, codified at 5 USC § 4109(a) Bill Wade The result is that PRLEA programs are (2), allow training cost reimbursement Marin Karraker and cost-sharing. Reimbursement and compromised in their ability to support Kendell Thompson diversity in NPS protection staffing. cost-sharing could be provided to seasonal protection rangers, perhaps under specified Rick Mossman Moving forward conditions such as completion of a John Buchkoski For the most part, the model of self-sup- specified length of service. ported seasonal law enforcement training Conclusion has worked for the NPS. Moving forward, Welcome to the however, this model will be challenged by The seasonality of NPS work will increasing training requirements, costs in- certainly continue long into the future. ANPR family curred by both colleges and students, and However, the sustainability of the current Here are the newest members the uncertainty of the hiring process. seasonal law enforcement training practice of the Association of As an agency, NPS can keep expecting and sustained protection of our resources is National Park Rangers (updated 2/4/19) that the mission alone will “keep them in jeopardy. Agency support for both sea- coming,” or, the Park Service can engage in sonal law enforcement training programs • Dan Dosedel, Big Bend NP, TX practices to encourage and sustain a diverse and students will allow us to continue to • Beverly Chu, Carson, CA group of park rangers. accomplish our mission of protecting our • Kimberly DeVall, Jemez Springs, NM parks unimpaired for future generations. • Stephen Pulley, Trooper, PA NPS direct support • Jennifer Moore, Berryton, KS PRLEA institutions are self-sustaining. Mark J. Maciha, Ed.D., worked in visitor and • Rob Wallace, Teton Village, WY resource protection for 27 years and is the • Vance Noles, Henrico, VA Fluctuating ethics decisions have limited director of the Park Ranger Training Program at the availability of on- and off-duty rangers Northern Arizona University. He is a Life • Robert Arnberger, Tucson, AZ to assist. Consideration is needed to shift Member of ANPR. • Randy Marcy, Grand Lake, CO from the memoranda of agreement to • Brooke Webley, Grand Coulee, WA

RANGER • Spring 2020 u 21 THE PROFESSIONAL RANGER

CULTURE We also need to advocate for changes in the way NPS engages in the business Funding will help cultural and of history. In 2011, the multi-year study Imperiled Promise, by Anne Mitchell historic preservation programs, Whisnant and Marla R. Miller, assessed the strengths and weaknesses facing the “history practice” across the agency. While but change is needed the report found many examples of successful NPS managed cultural resource and historic preservation work, it also identified America’s Treasures program picked up a structural and resource allocation problems $3 million increase above FY2019 funding that have undermined the ability of the levels, to $16 million. Park Service to fulfill its cultural resource My favorite NPS managed initiative, and historic preservation mission. the National Heritage Area program, NPS cultural resources work is ham- received a $1.5 million funding increase, pered by a lack of resources (time, people, raising annual federal funding levels to money, training regimens and in-service $21.9 million. The increase mostly covers expertise). The good work being done by the costs of standing up the six new NHAs NPS personnel is often siloed, which can that were added to the program when the prevent it from being shared with, utilized John Dingell Conservation Act was passed and appreciated by, other NPS cultural in spring 2019. resource and historic preservation peers, Also included in the FY2020 budget preservation allies outside the agency, and were funding reauthorizations for Oil Re- the public. gion and National Aviation heritage areas NPS also suffers from what Whisnant in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and funding and Miller identified as a lack of sys- Lift Bridge on the Erie Canal cap extensions for the Last Green Valley in tem-wide coherence regarding the practice Photo: Jean Mackay, NPS.gov Massachusetts, Erie Canalway in New York of history. One Imperiled Promise re- and South Carolina heritage areas. spondent said that “history in the NPS is The reauthorizations and funding cap ‘sporadic, interrupted, superbly excellent in n December 2019, Congress averted a extensions ensure that the heritage areas in some instances and vacant in others.’ ” government shutdown and avoided an- question remain eligible to receive federal As the FY2020 budget proves, concert- Iother continuing resolution by passing funding which, in turn, allows them to ed advocacy can lead to victories for NPS the FY2020 budget. People have reason to leverage support from non-federal sources. cultural resource management. Unfortu- be alarmed by provisions within the Home- This is a critical component of the nately, budgets that plus up NPS preser- land Security and Defense & Military public-private partnership model upon vation programs won’t contribute much Construction bills that divert federal dollars which the National Heritage Area program to the resolution of the largely structural to an unnecessary and expensive border is based. challenges within the agency that plague its wall which is already destroying resources By almost any standard, passage of the preservation work. at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument FY2020 federal budget was a success for Instead, the National Park Service and in Arizona. However, the $155 million NPS cultural resource management pro- its allies should revisit the Imperiled increase (4 percent plus) for the National grams. By building upon the work of pre- Promise findings and form a plan of attack Park Service was generally commendable. vious budgets, the FY2020 package sends to dissolve internal barriers to creating and NPS cultural resource management and a signal that Congress and the American sustaining a truly professional cultural historic preservation programs, in particu- public support NPS cultural resource man- resources work force. lar, fared quite well under this budget. agement and historic preservation work The FY2020 budget gave us a robust The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) – especially the programs and grants that investment in NPS cultural resource was funded at a record-setting $118 protect resources and empower partners programs. Going forward, we need an million, a $16 million increase over its beyond park boundaries. equal investment in the people that run FY2019 enacted levels. The Historically This is, all things considered, good news these programs. Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and we need to ensure that this funding Preservation Program received a $2 million trend continues. — Alan Spears increase, to $10 million, while the Save National Parks Conservation Association

22 t ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers government affairs You can help advocate for change in the NPS retirement system creditable service and ensure that By Ben Walsh temporary work is accounted for in retirement calculations. ployees Retirement System (FERS). All of NPR has been working to support This commonsense legislation their years of work are not counted toward the passage of HR2478, the Federal recognizes NPS employees’ valuable retirement, a policy that has been in place ARetirement Fairness Act. The bill is contributions to the nation and would since the late 1980s. The bill would allow currently in the House Oversight and Gov- provide improved retirement security. these individuals to make retroactive ernment Reform Committee and has 57 ANPR has been reaching out to other payments in order to have their entire time co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. government-affiliated groups to support serving the federal government reflected in The bipartisan legislation would allow the bill. Now we are asking members their retirement benefits. federal employees who converted from to join directly in that effort by writing Under the legislation, participants temporary to full-time status to buy back their members of Congress in support would pay a deposit equal to 1.3 percent their initial years of service and credit such of this bill. time toward retirement. Seasonal NPS of their salaries plus interest for the years employees and other temporary federal in which they were temporary workers. Ben Walsh is a Life Member of ANPR and was workers do not pay into the Federal Em- This would allow the years to count toward recently a member of the Board of Directors.

Life members who contribute $125 to ANPR are recognized in the Second Century Club. Once you are a Second Century Club member, each additional $250 donation will increase your life level by one century. If you are a life member, please consider raising your contribution to the next level! (updated 2/4/20)

2nd Century Club • Ron Konklin • Karen Wade 4th Century Club 7th Century Club • Paul Anderson • Mary Kimmitt Laxton • Philip Ward • Cliff Chetwin • Dennis Burnett & • Lawrence Belli • Tomie Patrick Lee • Janice Wobbenhorst • Karen Gatewood Ginny Rousseau • Warren Bielenberg • Joni Mae • Tom Workman • Mark & Phyllis Harvey • Butch Farabee • Tony Bonanno Makuaane-Jarrell 3rd Century Club • Mary Jeff Karraker • Gary Hartley • Jim Brady • John Mangimeli • Erin Broadbent • Deborah Liggett 8th Century Club • Ramon Brende • Colleen Mastrangelo • Carl Christensen • Jay Liggett • Scott Pfeninger • Paul Broyles • Larry May • Scot McElveen • Kathleen Clossin 9th Century Club • Rod Broyles • Sean McGuinness • Bruce Edmonston • David Roberts • Rick Erisman • David Buccello • Jack Morehead • Maureen Finnerty • Jean Rodeck • Patricia Buccello • Jeff Mow • Larry Henderson • Rick Smith 10th Century Club • Robert Butterfield • Jim Northup • Steve Holder • Barry Sullivan • Stacy Allen • Michael Caldwell • Aniceto Olais • Keith Hoofnagle • Nancy Wizner • John Townsend • William Carroll • Tim Oliverius • Stephen M. Hurd 5th Century Club 11th Century Club • Bruce Collins • Cindy Ott-Jones • Lisa Klinger • Rebecca Harriett • Roberta D’Amico • Jon Paynter • Dick Martin • Bob Krumenaker • Dr. Russell • Edward Rizzotto • Joe Evans • Bundy Phillips • Dave Lattimore Clay Harvey • Mitch Fong • Bill Pierce • Deanne Adams • Dan Moses • Robert Huggins & Tony Sisto • Diane Garcia • Tom Richter • Melinda Moses • Jonathan Lewis • Erv Gasser • Bruce Rodgers • Alden Nash • Bruce & Georjean 15th Century Club • Hal Grovert • Ed Rothfuss • Martin O’Toole McKeeman • Don Chase • Fred Harmon • Bill Sanders • Mike Pflaum • Don Steiner 23rd Century Club • Cheryl Hess • Elizabeth Schaff • William Quinn 6th Century Club • Wendy Lauritzen • Warren Hill • Margaret Steigerwald • Teresa Shirakawa • Vaughn Baker 25th Century Club • James Hummel • Bryan Swift • Ron Sprinkle • Rick Mossman • Scott Isaacson • Mark Tanaka-Sanders • Kathy Williams • Bill Wade • Gilbert Soper • Craig Johnson • Dale & Judy • Phil Young • Margaret Johnston Thompson • Gary Warshefski

• Dick Knowlen • Victor Vieira Association of National Park Rangers P.O. Box 151432 | Alexandria, VA 22315-9998

Directory of ANPR Board Members, Task Group Leaders & Staff

Board of Directors Fundraising Activities Strategic Planning Jeanette Meleen, William Howard Taft Jonathan Shafer, National Capital Region President [email protected] [email protected] Paul Anderson, retired [email protected] Internal Communications Elsa Hansen, Southeast Utah Group Business Operations Past-President [email protected] Jan Lemons, National Capital Region Business Manager [email protected] Membership Services Chris Reinhardt Reghan Tank P.O. Box 151432 Secretary [email protected] Alexandria, VA 22315-9998 Lauren Kopplin, Dinosaur [email protected] [email protected] Professional Issues Tim Moore, National Mall Ranger Editor/Publisher Treasurer [email protected] Ann Dee Allen Bill Wade, retired (414) 778-0026 • [email protected] [email protected] Seasonal Perspectives Lauren DeGennaro, Mississippi Education and Training [email protected] Kayla Sanders, Everglades [email protected] Government Affairs Rebecca Harriett [email protected] 100% Recycled Content 100% Post Consumer Waste