News Release Date: August 26, 2014
Contact: Lori Rome, 435-425-4110
Contact: Alanna Sobel, 202-354-6486
Capitol Reef National Park is one of 23 national parks selected to receive a 2014 Impact Grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks. Capitol Reef National Park is studying wildlife specifically to learn about bear, mountain lion, and mule deer use of the Historic Fruita area and to share findings and predator-prey relationships and natural history through public and school education programs.
Now in its seventh year, the Impact Grants program provides national parks with the critical financial support they need to transform innovative, yet underfunded, ideas into successful in-park programs and initiatives.
"Through our Impact Grants, we will help make a profound difference in our national parks by providing much-needed funding for projects that support habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and conservation research," said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation.
Capitol Reef is using the grant funding to study predators in the park and provide public education. Park Biologist Sandy Borthwick, Chief of Interpretation Lori Rome, and Student Conservation Association intern Hannah Siroky will work as a team to begin a wildlife camera-trapping study, perform deer surveys, and create educational programming and materials for visitors and for local schools through education programs. The project will also fund involvement from students of Wayne High School in Bicknell, UT allowing them to assist with both the science and education components of the project. This project will allow for the purchase of wildlife cameras and equipment, assistance from an SCA intern, and provide travel stipend to support local school students' participation.
"We know mountain lions are in the Fruita area anecdotally, and this study will allow the park to begin to understand their frequency and use patterns," says Chief of Interpretation Lori Rome. "It will also allow us to share the value and role of predators in an ecosystem with visitors and with local schools."
The 2014 Impact Grants recipients are:
Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
Congaree National Park (SC)
Coronado National Memorial (AZ)
Crater Lake National Park (OR)
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (KY,TN,VA)
Dinosaur National Monument (CO,UT)
El Malpais &El Morro National Monuments (NM)
Fire Island National Seashore (NY)
Gateway National Recreation Area (NY, NJ)
George Washington Birthplace National Monument (VA)
Great Egg Harbor National Scenic & Recreational River (NJ)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC,TN)
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (TX)
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (ID)
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (HI)
Little River Canyon National Preserve (AL)
Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Manassas National Battlefield Park (VA)
National Park Service RTCA Florida Field Office (FL)
Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
Wupatki National Monument (AZ)
Yosemite National Park (CA)
The 2014 Impact Grants were made possible, in large part, through the support of Disney and Subaru of America.
A listing of these parks and their Impact Grants project descriptions can be found on the National Park Foundation website.
For more information on the National Park Foundation and how to support and protect America's national parks, please visit www.nationalparks.org. For more information on the National Park Service, please visit www.nps.gov.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at: www.nps.gov.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.
