FRIDAY, MARCH 18 Friday morning, March 18, 8:00–10:00

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

Friday morning, March 18, 8:00–10:00

Session 194 • Maurepas (3rd floor) • Affinity Meeting (open to all registrants)

Parks and Protected Areas Where Farms and Food Matter

Chair: Rolf Diamant, Superintendent, USNPS, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Woodstock, VT

Lucy Lawliss, Superintendent, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, VA

Paula Vlamings, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, CA

Christina Marts, Assistant Superintendent, USNPS, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Woodstock, VT

Angie Richman, Communication Specialist, Climate Change Response, National Park Service

There is a growing network of national parks and protected areas around the world that are partnering with their communities preserving historically important agricultural landscapes and encouraging sustainable farming practices. In an era of climate de-stabilization and epidemic obesity, these initiatives are strengthening local food security, food education, public health and cultural heritage. They also support agrobiodiversity, which is increasingly recognized as a critical component of a sustainable food supply. In many instances, parks and protected areas are becoming centers of experimentation and innovation. This network will gather to discuss challenges and opportunities confronting national parks and protected areas where food and farming are important. Topics may include new approaches to education such as farm to school programs, exploring experiences with community gardens/ community supported agriculture/farmers markets, use of conservation strategies such easements on agricultural lands, and a variety of new institutional relationships and partnership models. Participants are encouraged to bring their own issues and share their experiences.
Session 195 • Borgne (3rd floor) • Affinity Meeting (by invitation only)

Regional Wilderness Coordinators Affinity Meeting

Chairs: Wade Vagias, Natural Resource Specialist, Wilderness Stewardship Division, WASO, Washington, DC

Garry Oye, Wilderness Stewardship Division, WASO, Washington, DC

Affinity meeting of NPS Regional Wilderness Coordinators to discuss topics of mutual interest.
Session 196 • Poydras (3rd floor) • Business Meeting (open to all registrants)

The Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum Geology of National Parks Project: Update, Discussion, and Prospects

Chairs: H.L. Vacher, Professor, Department of Geology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Judy McIlrath, Instructor, Department of Geology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Tom Juster, Instructor, Department of Geology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Mark Rains, Associate Professor, Department of Geology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Laura Wetzel, Associate Professor of Marine Science, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL

David W. Hastings, Associate Professor of Marine Science and Chemistry, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL

Ben Becker, Director, Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center, Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes Station, CA

Geology of National Parks: Spreadsheets, Quantitative Literacy and Natural Resources is an NSF-funded project (DUE 0836566) in which University of South Florida geologists visited eight regionally diverse Research Learning Centers to create teaching modules for the Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum library (NSF DUE 0442629). The purpose of the project was to build a collection of modules to bring quantitative literacy and environmental geology (Natural Resource Challenge) materials into the undergraduate, general education course, Geology of National Parks. In this workshop, we will discuss lessons learned in the process of making and implementing the modules, invite feedback on how to continue the collaboration of SSAC and RLCs, and, in particular, look for direction on focusing future projects on major environmental issues affecting the parks (e.g., climate change). We seek ideas not only from RLCs but also anyone interested in the intersection of environmental data and science/mathematics education, particularly quantitative literacy.

National Park Service CESU Coordinators Annual Meeting I

Chair: Kathy Tonnessen, Research Coordinator, National Park Service, RM-CESU, Missoula, MT

The NPS CESU Research Coordinators will meet to consider new initiatives, to get acquainted with the new CESU/RLC/Climate Change coordinator, and will take up business items of interest to the group.

World Heritage and the United States

Chairs: Stephen Morris, Chief, Office of International Affairs, National Park Service, Washington, DC

Phyllis Ellin, Historian, National Park Service, Chicago, IL

Jonathan Putnam, International Cooperation Specialist, National Park Service, Washington, DC

This meeting, hosted by the NPS Office of International Affairs, will provide an update on recent developments in the World Heritage program globally and in the U.S. Topics will include: results from recent sessions of the World Heritage Committee; the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List and the process and prospects for future nominations; periodic reporting on U.S. World Heritage sites; NPS’s World Heritage Fellowships; IUCN’s “World Heritage Agenda for Nature”; and prospects for future activities and opportunities for information sharing and involvement by NPS and other interested parties, including improved communication between OIA and NHL regional staff. There will be wide opportunity for general discussion and questions.

Putting the USA’s National Parks and Protected Areas on the Global Map Workshop I

Chairs: Charles Besancon, Head of Protected Areas Programme, UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Cyril Kormos, IUCN WCPA Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean

Lisa Duarte, Stewardship Coordinator USGS Gap Analysis Program

Arianna Granziera, WDPA Content Officer, UNEP-WCMC

High-quality and standardized Protected Areas (PAs) data is fundamental for assessing progress towards global biodiversity protection targets. The complexity and magnitude of the USA’s PA system makes the collection and conformity to international standards of all non federal PA data a challenging task. Information on IUCN category and governance is often missing and not rigorously articulated, while the process to apply these standards is critical for effective decision making. The Workshop aims at addressing this challenge through the collaboration of all relevant stakeholders and the guidance of Protected Areas experts at national and international level. It will bring together relevant stakeholders in the USA from federal and state government, conservation organizations, Native Americans, IUCN and UNEP to review progress made in standardizing information about PAs in the USA stored in the World Database on Protected Areas. This workshop will review progress and chart a forward path toward sustainability.

Friday morning, March 18, 10:00–12:00
Session 200 • Maurepas (3rd floor) • Affinity Meeting (open to all registrants)

World Commission on Protected Areas / Species Survival Commission Joint Task Force on Biodiversity

Chair: Stephen Woodley, Chief Ecosystem Scientist, Parks Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Thomas Brooks, NatureServe–A Network Connecting Science With Conservation, Arlington VA

Two IUCN Commissions, the World Commission on Protected Areas and the Species Survival Commission have joined forces in a global study of the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving biodiversity. Which protected areas are conserving biodiversity and why? Is it size, regional context, investment in management, visitation or something else? Come hear about this evolving study and how you can help. All are welcome.
Session 201 • Borgne (3rd floor) • Business Meeting (open to all registrants; continues in Session 207)

National Park Service Cultural Resources Programs Business Meeting I

Chair: Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director, Cultural Resources, National Park Service, Washington, DC

A business meeting to discuss the National Park Service cultural resources programs.

Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Updates and Discussion

Chairs: Joan Harn, Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Co-lead, National Park Service, Washington, DC

Bill Hansen, Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Co-lead, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO

Join the program leads in an open discussion of wild and scenic rivers issues. The NPS Servicewide Wild and Scenic Rivers Program and Steering Committee was created in 2007 to develop and implement a comprehensive Service-wide program that meets the legislative requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, improves internal and external communication and coordination, educates NPS staff, stakeholders and the public about the importance of wild and scenic rivers, and protects the river resources under our care.
Session 203 • Salon 828 (8th floor) • Business Meeting (by invitation only; continued from Session 197)

National Park Service CESU Coordinators Annual Meeting II

Chair: Kathy Tonnessen, Research Coordinator, National Park Service, RM-CESU, Missoula, MT

See under Session 197 for abstract.

Intermountain Region / Resource Stewardship Advisory Team (RSAT)

Chair: Dave Roemer, Chief of Resources Management, Big Thicket National Preserve, Kountze, TX

The Intermountain Region’s (IMR) Resource Stewardship Advisory Team (RSAT) comprises both cultural and natural resource specialists from parks and central offices throughout the region. Its goal is to strengthen the leadership capabilities of IMR in comprehensive resource stewardship. RSAT advises the regional directorate on resource issues, and facilitates communication related to resource stewardship among the regional office, parks, and partners. RSAT is hosting this meeting to provide an opportunity for resource professionals and managers in the Intermountain Region to meet face to face and discuss ways in which the region and RSAT can best serve the needs of parks.

Putting the USA’s National Parks and Protected Areas on the Global Map Workshop II

Chairs: Charles Besancon, Head of Protected Areas Programme, UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Cyril Kormos, IUCN WCPA Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean

Lisa Duarte, Stewardship Coordinator USGS Gap Analysis Program

Arianna Granziera, WDPA Content Officer, UNEP-WCMC

See under Session 199 for abstract.