News Release
News Release Date: August 18, 2022
Contact: Rachel Daniels, 402-983-1062
OMAHA, Neb. — National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced today the selection of Eric Veach as the new superintendent of Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Veach currently serves as the Forest Supervisor for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest headquartered in Vancouver, Washington. He will assume his new role at Badlands this fall.“It is a privilege to announce Eric as the new superintendent of Badlands National Park,” said Frost. “He is a proven leader in wilderness management and has demonstrated great ability in collaborating with Tribal nations. The qualities and experience that Eric bring will greatly benefit Badlands and set the park on a trajectory for a successful future.”
Veach has over 20 years of experience in resource and policy management at complex park operations both for the NPS and the Forest Service. He has served in leadership capacities for the NPS most recently as the superintendent at Kenai Fjords National Park until 2020. In addition, Veach served as an acting superintendent at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and Katmai National Park and Preserve and as acting assistant superintendent at Denali National Park. At the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Eric leads 140 permanent staff and 50 seasonal staff managing a 1.3-million-acre national forest. He has extensive experience collaborating with Tribal nations and stakeholders at state, county, local, and congressional levels in addition to his resource stewardship and management background.
“I am honored to be selected as the next superintendent of this incredible park and work alongside the dedicated staff of Badlands,” Veach said of his new assignment. “I am eager to work with Tribes on this spectacular and truly unique landscape that has such a rich cultural heritage. I am excited by the opportunities to preserve the incredible resources here while serving the visitors who come to this amazing place.”
Veach will be relocating to the area this fall and is looking forward to living in South Dakota. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, camping, and gardening with his wife, Kelly. He also enjoys occasionally returning to his farm near Copper Center, Alaska, where he built a cabin and raised his children off the electrical grid.
Last updated: August 18, 2022