Park Leaders Show : Park Ranger | National Park | State Park | Leadership

Sam Ovett and Jenna Hanger are living a life that will make you jealous. It makes me jealous. Sam and Jenna are Traveling Trainers for Leave No Trace. They travel the western United States teaching the principals of Leave No Trace to students, communities, volunteers, and government agencies. As Traveling Trainers, they visit some of our most beautiful places and spend over 250 nights per year camping. Spending so much time together worked out well for Sam and Jenna. They are engaged to be married and plan on launching their own business later this year. One interesting aspect of being a traveling trainer is the Leave No Trace Hot Spot program. This unique program focuses on areas that have been negatively impacted by recreational use. Traveling Trainers work with the community and stakeholders of a Hot Spot to help recover and protect the area for future generations. You can follow Sam & Jenna on Instagram  to keep up to date on their adventures.

Brandon Kramer joins the Park Leaders Show to talk about the new documentary film, City of Trees.  City of Trees follows Washington Parks and People as the organization uses a grant to plant trees in parks Washington DC.  The story plays out with struggle and triumph as the organization as you get to know people who are hired to plant trees. During the film, you will learn about a community, learn about the men who are hired to plant trees, and learn about the organization trying to make it all work.  Click here for opportunities to see the National Broadcast of City of Trees. PBS will be broadcasting City of Trees on April 19th. 

Many park agencies face budget struggles. Michigan State Parks faced the issues head-on by exploring new ways to add value to what parks offer. Ron Olson, Chief of Michigan State Parks, joins the Park Leaders Show to explain the innovative ideas Michigan explored and implemented to survive budget cuts and offer more to park visitors.  In this episode, Mr. Olson will explain the programs and services Michigan State Parks offered to guests to enhance recreational opportunities and increase funding.  Here is an article from 2009 that outlines some of the challenges Michigan State Parks faced when Ron Olson become Chief. 

Caroline Blizzard is the Director of the Deep Creek Lake State Park Discovery Center. Caroline has created a successful education program about monarch butterflies.  In this episode, you will learn how an education program in a park in Maryland has had an impact on the local community as well as a community in Mexico.  Caroline will also share tips on how you can create a powerful educational program at your park. 

Private sector involvement in public parks is an issue most people are not indifferent on. Usually, people either see it as a solution to many of the problems parks face, or they are against any private involvement. You may not realize how involved the private sector is already involved in parks.  John joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss the benefit of private sector involvement in parks.  John Koeberer is the president of the California Parks Company. The California Parks Company has a presence in parks throughout California, providing services ranging from concessions, wedding services, and campground operations.  John explains how private sector involvement can help parks with better marketing and business expertise. Better business operation will ensure parks do not become irrelevant.  You can find Park Leaders on Facebook here. 

On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, John Griffith shares the story of creating the Bioblitz Dance with the encouragement and support of Rue Mapp of Outdoor Afro.  John explains the reason for the Bioblitz Dance and the steps of the Bioblitz Dance.  John Griffith challenges you and your park to do a Bioblitz Dance. If you do a Bioblitz Dance and let us know you are doing the dance because of the show, we will send you Park Leaders stickers for everyone who participates in the dance. You just have to let us know by letting us know on Facebook or include Bioblitz Dance and Park Leaders in the title of your video on YouTube. You can find the Bioblitz Tutorial Here. 

Fort McHenry National Monument is one of Steve Clark's favorite National Parks. It is not for the obvious reasons either. It is because of baseball. Steve got his connection to the outdoors through baseball. Of course, the national anthem is sung before every baseball game. The Star Spangled Banner was birthed at Fort McHenry. Steve's story is an example of how many people are connected to parks in different ways to different parks for different reasons. Now, Steve is the Superintendent of the National Parks of Western Pennsylvania, including the Flight 93 Memorial.  In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Steve talks about his career in the National Park Service and the delicate balance of interpreting the story of Flight 93. 

In recent episodes of the Park Leaders Show, both Alan Spears and Jon Jarvis mentioned the Greening Youth Foundation. When two people I respect both mention the same organization, I know I have to look deeper.  Angelou Ezeilo joins the Park Leaders Show to share her story and explain the work of Greening Youth Foundation. Greening Youth Foundation has had tremendous success engaging underrepresented youth and diverse youth to nature.  Greening Youth Foundation connects parks to diverse workers who are newly introduced to potential careers in conservation and outdoor recreation. Angelou points out that parks and organizations can longer say there are not diverse people interested in conservation and recreation jobs. Any park or organization can connect with Greening Youth Foundation to find candidates. 

Alan Latourelle served as CEO of Parks Canada from 2002 to 2015. Alan joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss Parks Canada.  In this episode, Latourelle talks about his experience as CEO. He also discusses Parks Canada Centennial, the growth of Parks Canada, and getting more Canadian youth into parks.  We also explore the relationship between Parks Canada and First Nations. Indigenous people are 8% of Parks Canada staff and 12% of Parks Canada Executives.

Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service, join the Park Leaders Show. Director Jarvis discusses his career, the National Parks Centennial, and the one thing National Parks offers you can find nowhere else.  I was at a conference with Director Jarvis, and we were able to sit down for a face to face interview. During our conversation, Jon outlines his career path with the National Park Service and some of his milestones along the way. We talk about the preparation and planning for the National Park Service Centennial. Director Jarvis also explains the sense of place parks add to history that can be found nowhere else.  Whether you work with the National Park Service or are a fan of parks, you do not want to miss this inside look at our National Park System.  Music for the Park Leaders Show is created by Jason Harrod. 

Dawn Carr is the Executive Director of the Canadian Parks Council.  The Canadian Parks Council is an organization that unites national and provincial parks all across the country.  Canadian Parks Council offers a Park System Leadership Course focused on developing excellent leaders in parks. Dawn offers that humility is the one common trait of leaders who participate in the Park Leadership Course.  I had the pleasure to meet Dawn in person at the Inspiring a New Generation Summit. In this episode Dawn discusses what  Canada and the Canadian Parks Council is doing to connect youth to nature. 

Episode 80 of the Park Leaders Show is ten random park related ideas. Individually, the ideas did not make a full episode. Collectively, the ideas create an episode of 10 ideas in 10 minutes (11 minutes, actually, but 10 in 10 sounds better). I recently attended the Ranger Rendezvous and the Inspiring a New Generation Summit. Next on my list is the CA Parks Training Conference, where I will give two presentations and be part of a panel discussion. If you would like Park Leaders founder, Jody Maberry, to speak to your organization or at your event, please reach out. At the Ranger Rendezvous, I was reminded how important it is to belong to a Ranger Association. The Rendezvous is the annual conference for the Association of National Park Rangers. A Ranger Association will introduce you to other Rangers. And you never know who could be your next supervisor, co-worker, or potential employee.  Also at the Rendezvous, I met former Park Leader Show guests Bob Krumenaker and Cassius Cash. Anytime you have the opportun

Alan Spears is the Cultural Resources Director for the National Parks Conservation Association. Alan Spears and I had the opportunity to sit down together and talk about cultural resources at the Ranger Rendezvous, the annual conference of the Association of National Park Rangers.  Alan got his start in the outdoors chasing frogs at Fort Dupont in Washington DC. Alan's presentation at the Ranger Rendezvous was about Urban Parks. His story shows the impact urban parks can have a child. And in this case, the child who played in nearby woods grew up to help the National Park Service protect and interpret cultural resources.  In this episode, we also talk about Harpers Ferry, Fort Monroe and the National Park Service's role in interpreting slavery as a root cause of the Civil War.  We also talk about why it is important for the National Park Service to tell stories that don't always have a storybook ending, like the Manhatten Project.    Alan reminds us; the National Park Service should be proud of the work they

Cam Sholly joins the Park Leaders Show to offer a look at the National Park Service from a Region perspective. Cam is the Region Director for the Midwest Region of the National Park Service. In this episode, Cam explains how the Region offices offer support to parks throughout the region by putting Parks First.  Cam discusses his experience as a ranger in the field as a Chief Ranger and Park Superintendent and moving into positions in Washington DC and a Region office.  This episode will give you an understanding how the National Park Service operates from a Region level to a Park level. You will also gain insight on how a seasonal National Park Service can work towards a permanent position.  We also discuss the impact parks can have on local economies and how parks can work with community partners to protect and enhance a park while boosting local tourism. 

Geocaching has been a popular outdoor activity for 15 years. It is in your park, or near your park. People will travel for miles to find a Geocache.  Now, GeoTours can help parks create a deliberate, curated experience for visitors. A GeoTour is a collection of geocaches that take people on a tour of a specific area. Each stop can highlight a natural feature, a historical fact, a cultural resource, and tell a story.  GeoTours have been used to highlight entire park systems, like this GeoTour with Kentucky State Parks, or an individual park, like this GeoTour at Mount Ranier.  The friendly folks at Geocaching will help your park create a GeoTour and even work with you to create a GeoTour passport so participants can keep track of their progress.  To find out more about GeoTour go here.  To get your hands on elusive Park Leaders stickers go here. 

The Park Leaders Show goes international. In this episode, I talk with Pete Cleary, a park ranger at Philip Island Nature Parks in Australia.  We examine the unique characteristics about Philip Island, as well as the common traits of parks and park rangers in different countries throughout the world.  Ranger Cleary explains the concept of parks offering and Ultimate Experience to park visitors willing to pay for more access and experience at a park.  In this episode, we also talk about the World Ranger Congress, the International Ranger Federation, and the Thin Green Line.  Find more park resources at parkleaders.com.

After a tremendous performance as Theodore Roosevelt, Clay Jenkinson returns to the  Park Leaders Show to talk about Theodore Roosevelt and parks. If you haven't yet listened to the episode with Clay in character as Theodore Roosevelt, Click here to listen. You will want to hear that episode first. In this episode, Clay discusses Theodore Roosevelt's role in National Parks and the impact he still has today on our park system. We also discuss Ken Burn's National Park and Roosevelt films, the upcoming National Parks Centennial, the threat of vanishing viewsheds Clay urges everyone to do two things to reconnect with parks; Spend at least 4 days in a National Park with as few amenities as possible. Read Walden and Mountains without Handrail Clay Jenkinson is the creator of the Thomas Jefferson Hour and author of The Character of Meriwether Lewis.

President Theodore Roosevelt was a pivotal figure in the early days of the National Park Service. The National Park Service as we know it would not exist without Theodore Roosevelt. Clay Jenkinson as Theodore Roosevelt Clay Jenkinson portrays President Roosevelt in this episode of the Park Leaders Show. Clay allows us to step back into time and talk with the 26th President of the United States. Clay Jenkinson is a humanities scholar, author and social commentator who is considered one of the most entertaining public speakers in the United States. Clay is dedicated to researching the historical characters he portrays and brings history to life. Clay is best known for his portrayal of Thomas Jefferson. Clay is the creator and host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Thomas Jefferson Hour. Clay is also the author of several books, including The Character of Meriwether Lewis. In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Clay is in character as Theodore Roosevelt as we discuss the fight for National Parks

When I was a new park ranger, I noticed the Park Manager, Jack Hartt, would carry a camera in his pocket. I saw him take photos of trees, bugs, turkey, park rangers, and even vehicle accidents and vandalism. Carrying a camera with you makes sense, right? Park rangers spend their days in the most beautiful places. We have the opportunity to take photographs of areas or situations most people never see. Today, most of us carry a powerful camera right in our pocket. Smartphones have cameras equal in quality to professional cameras just a few years ago. If anyone knows how to use a smartphone to capture incredible moments as photographs,  it is David Molnar. David Molnar - Celebrity, Music and Advertising photographer David Molnar is a celebrity, music, and advertising photographer. David is also the author of iPhone Only Photographer. In this book, as well as on his website, David shares tips to taking stunning photographs with a smartphone. In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, David explains how park ran

Donald Forgione, Director of Florida State Parks, returns to the Park Leaders Show. In this episode, we discuss how Florida State Parks connects with communities of color. Director Forgione also talks about how park rangers should be seen as leaders in the community outside of the park. Florida State Parks is proactive in seeking out up and coming leaders. Once a leader is identified, they are given the opportunity to take on more responsibility to grow. If you want to support Park Leaders, and show pride in the work you do, Limited Edition Park Leaders stickers are available now. Get yours here.