Conservation in National Parks

As of July 31, 2012, this program has been closed. For more information about the NPS Cooperative Agreement, contact:

Wilma Ennenga, Director, Office of Grants and Contracts, Wilma.Ennenga@nau.edu, 928-523-8319

In fall 2009, Landsward entered into an exciting partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) through a new Cooperative Agreement.  The agreement opens the door for NAU to collaborate with National Park units across the country on priority natural and cultural resource conservation projects that engage youth from 16 to 25 years of age.The partnership offers significant benefits to the National Park Service and to the NAU community, including:

• Collaborative, cost-effective conservation solutions applied to National Park priorities;
  
• Meaningful new conservation jobs for young people that integrate practical experience with learning in our National Parks;
  
• Young people learning on the ground about our nation’s cultural and natural resources and careers in conservation;
  
• National Parks have increased access to university resources, including emerging research, sustainable technologies, conservation best practices, and a future workforce;
  
• Tangible conservation results in National Parks.

NAU’s Conservation in National Parks program covers a range of projects developed in collaboration with National Park Service Units. Focus areas include:

Riparian Restoration / Invasive Species
This project is a partnership with Working for Rivers Foundation that pairs a cost-effective strategy with best practices workshops to restore priority riparian habitats to a natural mosaic of native species.

Dinosaur National Monument
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Best Practices Workshop: March 2010

Sustainable Design
This program applies sustainable design principles to develop conceptual designs, cost estimates, and planning support documents for green spaces and structures.

Sustaining Indigenous Cultures
This program works with parks to develop and support relevant training and internships for Native American youth to develop cultural knowledge and skills in guiding, interpretation, and stewardship of cultural resources .

Recreation Impact Assessment
Parks and Recreation Management faculty direct student teams to deliver quality, calibrated assessments of recreation impacts in arid Western landscapes.

Place-based Instruction
This innovative program offers new teachers opportunities to develop and deliver park-relevant education on site using effective, problem based learning techniques. 

Engaging Underrepresented Populations
NAU can assist parks in efforts to include people with disabilities through connections with the disability community and on site support.

Contact