The National Park Service Centennial in 2016 has offered unprecedented opportunities to connect all Americans with the National Park System through special places and programs. To advance the priority objectives of the NPS as it thinks more creatively about its next century of service, the National Park System Advisory Board enlisted the involvement of a distinguished group of 180 outside subject matter experts to help address specific work.
This report details accomplishments associated with tasks originally summarized in "Engaging Independent Perspectives for a 21st-Century National Park System" and includes information on new tasks addressed since 2013. "Second-Century Perspectives, A Journey of Understanding" concludes with a "Focus on the Future" and the NPSAB's priority recommendations for national parks and programs to become more relevant to society and play a larger role in American life.
2016 National Park System Advisory Board Priority Recommendations
The National Park System Advisory Board supports the following priorities for national parks and programs to extend their benefits and values to citizens and communities throughout the nation.
- Further advance social media and new technologies experienced during the centennial to expand a robust 21st-century communications strategy with increased emphasis on NPS programs and parks that build relevancy to all Americans.
- Engage partners and the public in planning and actions to shape a future National Park System that addresses the impacts of a changing climate, gaps in historic preservation, and the preservation and connectivity of natural resources on a large landscape scale.
- Reform procedures and practices for the National Historic Landmark Program to engage underrepresented audiences and be more inclusive in preserving and interpreting the nation's many stories.
- Develop an agenda for collaboration among formal and informal educational institutions nationwide to provide expanded learning opportunities to all citizens, especially youth.
- Establish a more reliable, stable, and effective NPS funding model that allows long-term investments to build institutional capacities in history, scientific research, planning, and urban relationships.
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Introductory Remarks by NPS Director Jonathan B. Jarvis
National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis comments on the NPSAB's work to support NPS tasks in the 21st century. Director Jarvis' introduction is part of "Second-Century Perspectives: A Journey of Understanding-2016 National Park System Advisory Board Report."
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 1 second
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Honorable Tony Knowles - Chair, National Park System Advisory Board
National Park System Advisory Board Chair, Tony Knowles, from Anchorage, Alaska, comments on the NPSAB's work to support NPS tasks for the 21st century. Mr. Knowles' narrative introduces the NPSAB’s work as the Foreword to "Second-Century Perspectives: A Journey of Understanding-2016 National Park System Advisory Board Report."
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 42 seconds
Since receiving NPS Director Jarvis' request to address priorities to Foster Resource Stewardship, Broaden Alliances for Education, Increase National Relevancy, and Advance Workforce innovations, the National Park System Advisory Board has focused on 13 separate tasks.
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1. Prepare Detailed Guidance for a New National Park System Plan
Lead: Gretchen Long. National Park System Advisory Board member, Gretchen Long, from Jackson, Wyoming, comments on the NPSAB's work to plan for a future National Park System. Adopted by the Board in November 2012, “Planning for a Future National Park System” identifies 18 major recommendations to develop a new system plan.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 10 seconds
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2. Recommend Designation of National Historic Landmarks
Lead: Dr. Stephen J. Pitti. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Dr. Stephen J. Pitti, from New Haven, Connecticut, comments on the NPSAB's work in the areas of recommending national historic landmarks and associated theme studies. Beginning in 2009 the Board’s National Historic Landmarks Committee took dramatic steps to consider a wider variety of resources and constituencies, encouraging nominations that tell richer, more complex stories about the full spectrum of people and events that participated in building the nation.
- Duration:
- 5 minutes, 10 seconds
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3. Explore American Latino Heritage
Lead: Belinda Faustinos. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Belinda Faustinos, from San Gabriel, California, comments on the NPSAB's work in the areas of American Latino heritage, relevancy, and community relationships. The American Latino Heritage Initiative provides a model for telling the stories of other underrepresented groups and themes in America.
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 24 seconds
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4. Explore Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage
Lead: Dr. Milton Chen. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Dr. Milton Chen, from San Francisco, California, comments on the NPSAB's work in the areas of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage and national historic landmark theme studies. Several AAPI-related nominations for NHL designation are expected in the years ahead.
- Duration:
- 3 minutes
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5. Recommend Designation of National Natural Landmarks
Lead: Judy Burke. National Park System Advisory Board Member, the Honorable Judy Burke, from Grand Lake, Colorado, comments on the NPSAB's work in the area of national natural landmarks and community relationships. In 2016 NNL Program staff began a strategic review of to examine how the program can be used to advance NPS goals of conservation and stewardship through partnerships.
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 47 seconds
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6. Strengthen Science and Resource Stewardship
Lead: Dr. Rita R. Colwell. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Dr. Rita R. Colwell, from Bethesda, Maryland, comments on the NPSAB's work in the areas science and resource stewardship. Dr. Colwell's narrative includes references to “Revisiting Leopold: Resource Stewardship in the National Parks,” and “The Historic Science Sites Project,” which considers new NHLs related to scientific achievement.
- Duration:
- 6 minutes, 1 second
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7. Expand Collaboration in Education
Lead: Dr. Milton Chen. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Dr. Milton Chen, from San Francisco, California, comments on the NPSAB's work in the area of broadening alliances for education. Dr. Chen discusses how the Education Committee has mobilized a cadre of committed individuals and organizations to offer guidance, advice, and collaboration in the fields of technology, partnerships, professional development, lifelong learning, and research and evaluation.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 35 seconds
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8. Support Leadership Development and Workforce Innovations
Lead: Dr. Margaret Wheatley. National Park System Advisory Board member, Dr. Margaret Wheatley, from Provo, Utah, comments on the NPSAB's work to advance workforce innovations and support leadership development. The initial NPS action toward accomplishing that goal was to create a “Network for Creativity and Innovation,” an idea spawned by work of the National Parks Second Century Commission.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 52 seconds
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9. Build Community Relationships
Lead: Dr. Carolyn Finney. National Park System Advisory Board member, Dr. Carolyn Finney, from Lexington, Kentucky, comments on the NPSAB's work to build community relationships and support an urban agenda. Dr. Finney discusses how this work will help to expand public engagement and assist the NPS in building relationships with diverse communities.
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 21 seconds
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10. Enhance the NPS Role in Urban America
Lead: Belinda Faustinos. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Belinda Faustinos, from San Gabriel, California, comments on the NPSAB's work to enhance the NPS role in urban America. The Board’s work to support the Urban Agenda helps invite the NPS to enroll the expertise of other agencies, partners, and community stakeholders to meet shared goals and community needs.
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 28 seconds
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11. Support Economic Valuation
Lead: Professor Linda Bilmes. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Professor Linda Bilmes, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, comments on the NPSAB's work in the economic valuation studies. Professor Bilmes' narrative discusses recent work to quantify the wide range of public benefits provided by the modern NPS as it approaches its second century.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 7 seconds
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12. Enhance Philanthropy and Partnerships
Lead: Paul Bardacke. National Park System Advisory Board Member, Paul Bardacke, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, comments on the NPSAB's work in the areas of Philanthropy and Partnerships. In 2014 the National Park System Advisory Board adopted the committee’s report, “Toward a New Era of Philanthropy and Partnerships.”
- Duration:
- 2 minutes, 58 seconds
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13. Support the NPS Centennial Campaign
Lead: Gretchen Long. National Park System Advisory Board member, Gretchen Long, from Jackson, Wyoming, comments on the NPSAB's work to support the 2016 NPS Centennial campaign. The Centennial Committee has played a central role in catalyzing and aligning the NPS stakeholder community in support of the NPS anniversary in 2016.
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 9 seconds
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14. Support the NPS Centennial Campaign
Committee Member: Leonore Blitz. National Park System Advisory Board member, Leonore Blitz from New York, comments on the NPSAB's work to support the 2016 NPS Centennial campaign. The Committee will continue to provide feedback to the NPS on centennial initiatives and advise on how to sustain the momentum of engagement engendered by these efforts.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 8 seconds
In 2013, the Board enlisted more than 100 distinguished, subject matter experts to help the National Park Service strategize and advance priorities for its second century of service.
View Engaging Independent Perspectives for a 21st-Century National Park System, the 2013 National Park System Advisory Board Report
About the Reports
The 2013 report, Engaging Independent Perspectives, and the 2016 report, Second-Century Perspectives, A Journey of Understanding, were produced in collaboration with Harpers Ferry Center. The NPSAB especially acknowledges the dedicated work of Shirley Sears Smith and Roegener Kirk in support of all NPSAB functions over many years. Work to accomplish the tasks summarized in this report remains ongoing.
For more information on the report or for updates on the progress of the NPSAB's work, please contact:
Alma Ripps
Designated Federal Officer
National Park System Advisory Board
e-mail us
Related Links
- The Director's Call to Action
- Rethinking the National Parks for the 21st Century, National Park System Advisory Board report (2001)
- History of the National Historic Landmarks Program, 1985 (PDF)
- Charting a Future for National Heritage Areas, A Report by the National Park System Advisory Board (2006, PDF)
- Report on Health, Recreation, and Our National Parks (March 2006, PDF)
- Advancing the National Park Idea, The National Parks Second Century Commission Report (2009)
- Principles and Guidelines for a New National Park Plan for the 21st Century (June 2011, PDF)
- Revisiting Leopold: Resource Stewardship in the National Parks (2012, PDF)
- Report of the Philanthropy and Partnerships Committee (February 2015, PDF)
- Recognizing Science: American Scientific Achievement and the Role of the National Park Service (November 2015, PDF)
Last updated: June 11, 2025