Harnessing a multifaceted stewardship framework: A bare necessity for parks and protected areas

• Published in: Parks stewardship forum 2020-09, Vol.36 (3), p.491-501
• Main Authors: Fowler, Benjamin T., Rieder, Erica, Jackson, Sarah, Shipley, Nathan J., Lackey, Qwynne, Hill, Breida
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Children; Climate change; Community; Environmental changes; Environmental stewardship; Interdisciplinary aspects; Managers; National parks; Parks & recreation areas; Protected areas; Risk management; Safety management; Social change; Social interactions; Wildlife habitats; Wildlife management
• ISSN: 2688-187X; 2688-187X
• DOI: 10.5070/P536349862

Resource managers are equipped with limited financial resources to cover diverse areas such as maintenance, staffing, visitor safety and risk management, wildlife management, scientific research, and educational outreach. Within such frameworks, effective stewardship initiatives could be designed to aid in the protection of ecological integrity, cultural and historical authenticity, and transformative experiences within parks and protected areas- which happen to be key priorities for the national park system (Colwell et al. 2012: 18). In reviewing the frameworks, we start by focusing on their shared notion of environmental stewardship as either a direct (e.g., planting a tree) or indirect (e.g., casting a vote for forest canopy preservation) action with the intention of creating environmental or social change. [...]a stewardship intervention to restore native habitat at a local park may involve a youth program hoping to educate and engage children with the environment, a spiritual-based organization seeking to give back to and highlight divine creation, a recreationist wanting to "get dirty" and improve the recreation experience, or a joint working group of community members hoping to engage with park staff to show their support.