Research Permits

Guidelines for Conducting Research
To obtain initial permission to conduct field research and/or collecting of specimens within areas administered by the National Park Service, you are required to complete and submit materials that enable park staff to evaluate the proposed activities and potential impacts on resources, policy, and visitor experiences. These materials include:

• an application form
• a study proposal
• copies of existing peer-reviews or the names of individuals you recommend to review your proposal.

Your permit may be delayed, if your research will involve ground disturbance. Research proposals that involve ground disturbance, such as digging or scraping of surface materials, may require an extended period of time for review.

Ground disturbing activities often have the potential to impact archeological resources both on and below the ground surface. As such, applications that propose ground disturbance warrant a more thorough review under section 106 of National Historic Preservation Act.

This may require additional park staff time to evaluate applications and to survey the locations of the proposed disturbance. Depending on staff availability, this may considerably delay the issuing of the research permit.

Please consider using alternative methods that do not require ground disturbance (e.g. Sherman traps versus pitfall traps). If not possible, be prepared to provide precise GPS locations of the study/sample sites when submitting the application.

Altering locations or adding supplemental locations after the park reviews the application will further delay the issuance of the permit.

To begin the permit application process, visit the National Park Service Research Permit and Reporting System website. This site provides instructions for the application process, answers to frequently asked questions, links to related websites, and links to submit or view reports detailing the accomplishments of ongoing or completed research projects.