V. DEFINITIONS

Civic engagement is all of the activities that strengthen the public's understanding of the contemporary relevance of our heritage resources, both natural and cultural, and encourage participation in and dialogue about their future. Our philosophy and expectation for civic engagement goes beyond legal requirements for including the public in decision-making.

Public involvement (or participation) includes all activities used by the NPS to:

• offer planned and systematic opportunities for the public to know about and express their opinions on possible NPS actions and policies, and to know that their diverse views are considered in shaping decisions and become part of the record of the decision-making process.
• inform and educate the public about the scientific and scholarly information used by our bureau in making decisions or carrying out management activities; and/or
• consult with the public to gather valuable and sometimes unexpected sources of information that may substantially contribute to or inform management thinking and options; and/or
• systematically learn from the public their concerns, values, and preferences as part of an advertised or targeted agenda so that we are better informed; and/or
• include the public in making informed decisions about our bureau; and/or
• engage the public in the work of our bureau and sustainable enjoyment of the parks.

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