2022 Annual Report: Interpretation, Education, & Volunteers

At A Glance

• More than 42,500 visitors served in 2 contact facilities
• 122 interpretive programs presented
• 2,809 hours contributed by volunteers
• More than 593,000 people reached online (website, social media, NPS app)

A park ranger facilitates an activity with a group of children.

NPS/L. Ray

Interpretation, Education, & Volunteers provides education programs and services to park visitors and local communities. The division manages the park website, publications, interpretive exhibits, and visitor center operations. It also oversees the volunteer program and a curriculum-based education program that reaches New Mexico students in their classrooms and on field trips.

What a year for the interpretation team at Valles Caldera! Our team of front-line interpreters and volunteers staffed two visitor contact facilities, where we greeted and served more than 42,500 total visitors throughout the year. In addition, we issued 8,370 backcountry vehicle permits, 1,391 daily fishing permits, and awarded 443 Junior Ranger badges.

As a relatively new park, our team has a lot of work to do behind-the-scenes to build a visitor experience that meets National Park Service standards. With a new Chief of Interpretation, Education Specialist, GIS Specialist, and Visual Information Specialist on board, we are ready to take on the challenge. This year we developed a wayside exhibit plan and expanded the information available on our website, social media pages, and the NPS app, including a park webcam and the Caldera Chats video series. We also built an online reference library for staff professional development. Placing special focus on community engagement and youth programs, we also started up the Every Kid Outdoors program with 4th grade classrooms across New Mexico and participated in 3 community outreach events with Bandelier National Monument and Manhattan Project National Historic Site, reaching 664 local youth and families.

Thanks to 58 volunteers across all programs and divisions, 2,809 volunteer hours were donated to Valles Caldera National Preserve in 2022. This included a successful park cleanup with 16 participants on National Public Lands Day. We appreciate the volunteers and staff who have made these achievements possible.