“Advancing innovation in collaborative conservation for the
stewardship of our national system of parks and special places."
Best Practices for 21st Century RelevancyEngaging an increasingly diverse population is critical to the future of our national system of parks and special places. The Institute, the Northeast Region Office of Interpretation and Education and the University of Vermont together are sponsoring research through a doctoral fellowship project to identify best practices for engaging new diverse audiences.
Engaging Community & Youth
The Institute and its parnters developed Beyond Outreach Handbook: A Guide to Designing Effective Programs to Engage Diverse Communities(pdf 798kb). This handbook represents an important new tool to assist National Park Service (NPS) managers and practitioners and their partners in developing programs that successfully connect diverse communities with their local national parks. It guides practitioners through an assessment that identifies gaps in readiness and informs the development of an effective engagement strategy.
The Institute, working with the Northeast Region Office of Interpretation and Education, and partners completed a web-based civic engagement manual, Stronger Together: A manual on the Principles and Practices of Civic Engagement (pdf 1.0MB)
Evaluation
The Institute is also developing evaluation programs to support engaging young adults in sustainability and conservation related careers. See the related narrative and PowerPoint presentation for details of
evaluation research to Support National Park Service 21st Century Relevancy Initiatives.
Evaluating & Replicating Place-based Education Programs
In partnership with Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, Green Mountain National Forest, Shelburne Farms and Northeast Office of
National Wildlife Federation, the Institute participates in a place-based education evaluation collaborative to evaluate and support replication of programs such as:
A Forest for Every Classroom
The Benefits of Place-based Education: A Report from the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative
(2nd Edition) pdf 748 kb
"...place-based education fosters students' connection to place and creates vibrant partnerships between schools and communities. It boosts student achievement and improves environmental, social, and economic vitality."
Visit our founding partners
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
QLF/Atlantic Center for the Environment
For additional information:
Conservation Study Institute
National Park Service
54 Elm Street
Woodstock, VT 05091
Email: stewardship@nps.gov
Phone:802/457-3368
Fax: 802/457-3405