Protecting Biodiversity In Our National Parks

The mission of the National Park Service is to "preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The park service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world (National Park Service 2019a)." The influx of tourism and lack of funding has left parks struggling to balance tourism with conservation efforts based upon a review of National Park Service budget allocations (The United States Department of the Interior 2019). Conservation management is mandated nationally from the government and parks take this information and apply it within the individual park boundaries and coordinate with their respective state governments (National Park Service 2019a). From communication with the National Park Service concerning biodiversity conservation efforts within the parks, there seems to be no mandated strategy to manage projects regionally. Even though there is communication happening between parks regarding certain research efforts, not all the park staff can easily communicate with staff from other parks. This study examines biodiversity conservation strategies in the Intermountain Region including Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain National Parks, and their partners in addition to national parks in other countries like Canada and Australia. Through qualitative research, including document analysis and interviews, the findings revealed a few key ideas centered around improving graphic communication on the park service website and increasing connection between key stakeholders. The result of the findings is a strategy focused on a regional communication network that connects the National Park Service with donors, partners, researchers, educators, volunteers, and the public through an online portal. The network also provides a way to organize projects by type. Examples of network implementation include a proposed website and an annual report featuring key projects for the National Park Service. The outcome of this research is a report, from an outsider's perspective, for the National Park Service to consider improving communication efforts between the National Park Service, their partners, and the public. The report is intended to make the parks' biodiversity conservation efforts more visible in order to protect them, and potentially promote greater financial sponsorship and volunteerism from visitors to better protect the natural environment in an era of budget shortfalls.

“With the twinned calamities of climate change and mass extinction weighing heavier and heavier on my nature-besotted soul, here were concrete, affordable actions that I could take, that anyone could take, to help our wild neighbors thrive in the built human environment. And it all starts with nothing more than a seed. Bringing Nature Home is a miracle: a book that summons butterflies." —Margaret Renkl, The Washington Post As development and habitat destruction accelerate, there are increasing pressures on wildlife populations. In his groundbreaking book Bringing Nature Home, Douglas W. Tallamy reveals the unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife—native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. Luckily, there is an important and simple step we can all take to help reverse this alarming trend: everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity by simply choosing native plants. By acting on Douglas Tallamy's practical and achievable recommendations, we can all make a difference.

Papers from a summit, "Science for Parks, Parks for Science: the next century," organized by University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with the National Geographic Society and the National Park Service and held 25-27 March 2015 at the University of California, Berkeley.

Written for anyone interested in green development—including policy makers, architects, developers, builders, and homeowners—this practical guide focuses on the central question of how to conserve biodiversity in neighborhoods and to minimize development impacts on surrounding habitats. The Green Leap specifically helps move green development beyond the design stage by thoroughly addressing construction and post-construction issues. Incorporating many real-world examples, Mark Hostetler explains key conservation concepts and techniques, with specific advice for a wide variety of stakeholders that are interested in creating and maintaining green developments. He outlines the key players and principles needed to establish biodiverse communities and illustrates eight key design and management strategies. The Green Leap not only offers essential information for constructing new developments but also helps existing communities retrofit homes, yards, and neighborhoods to better serve both people and nature.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Edited and written by Harvard Medical School physicians Eric Chivian and Aaron Bernstein, Sustaining Life presents a comprehensive--and sobering--view of how human medicines, biomedical research, the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, and the production of food, both on land and in the oceans, depend on on the earth's disappearaing biodiversity. With a foreword by E.O. Wilson and a prologue by Kofi Annan, and more than 200 poignant color illustrations, Sustaining Life contributes essential perspective to the debate over how humans affect biodiversity and a compelling demonstration of the human health costs.

Arising from a conference held at the University of Sydney in 1993, this collection of 35 papers addresses topics such as habitat loss, degradation and pollution of water resources, weeds and feral animals, and commercial use of native biota. Also discusses the role of government and non-government agencies in conservation. Includes 25 colour plates, references and an index. The editors work in the Environmental Survey and Research Division of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

IUCN's Protected Areas Management Categories, which classify protected areas according to their management objectives, are today accepted as the benchmark for defining, recording, and classifying protected areas. They are recognized by international bodies such as the United Nations as well as many national governments. As a result, they are increasingly being incorporated into government legislation. These guidelines provide as much clarity as possible regarding the meaning and application of the Categories. They describe the definition of the Categories and discuss application in particular biomes and management approaches.

This open access book identifies and discusses biodiversity’s contribution to physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing. Furthermore, the book identifies the implications of this relationship for nature conservation, public health, landscape architecture and urban planning – and considers the opportunities of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. This transdisciplinary book will attract a wide audience interested in biodiversity, ecology, resource management, public health, psychology, urban planning, and landscape architecture. The emphasis is on multiple human health benefits from biodiversity - in particular with respect to the increasing challenge of climate change. This makes the book unique to other books that focus either on biodiversity and physical health or natural environments and mental wellbeing. The book is written as a definitive ‘go-to’ book for those who are new to the field of biodiversity and health.