In this edition of the Park Leaders Show, Jon Jarvis, Executive Director of the Institute for Parks, People and Biodiversity at the University of California Berkeley, returns to discuss his new book on conservation as well as recent tour tales. As Jarvis notes, in an era marked by diversity and technology, the need to capture unity in conservation is significant. With emerging generations active on sociopolitical issues, it’s important the scientists of today pour into the people of tomorrow. Mo...
Apr 09, 2019•30 min•Ep. 157
In this edition of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Gaines returns to discuss the dichotomy between leadership and management. When understanding the difference between leadership and management, it’s important to note how they compliment. While managers emphasize job completion and managing tasks, leaders prioritize influence, inspiring and enabling others to contribute. More specifically, managers give oversight and leaders share insight. Despite the contrast in means, the bottom line always comes ...
Mar 12, 2019•19 min•Ep. 166
In this special edition of the Park Leaders Show, Brennan McAuley and retired Director of the National Park Service, Jonathan Jarvis, discuss the value of relationships in leadership and mentorship roles. When leading through mentorship, it’s essential to view counsel as a two-way street. Even in new hire situations, knowing where and when to receive advice and where and when to give advice is critical to professional development. For instance, when is the best time to criticize a subordinate? W...
Mar 05, 2019•42 min•Ep. 165
Phil Gaines returns to the Park Leaders Show to discuss how to persevere during uncomfortable working conditions. For most of us, troubleshooting workplace drama is nothing new. Whether it involves a supervisor or an ethical dilemma, no question there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to managing conflicts. Still, while approaches will vary by case, as long as we aim to survive the issue, we can ultimately fix the issue. As Phil explains, the first step in correcting a problem is to understand t...
Feb 12, 2019•25 min•Ep. 164
In this episode, Brennan McAuley returns to the Park Leaders Show to discuss his national park career and experiences as a NPS trainee. Having recently graduated from the law enforcement academy, McAuley also shares insights on how his experiences as a Temple University student and Pro Ranger Program member readied him for his new potential role at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Feb 05, 2019•21 min•Ep. 163
In this episode, Phil Gaines shares ideas on how leaders can improve the ethics of their conservation. For park leaders, protecting parks is a tedious and challenging issue. While staff efforts are important, these efforts must include education with respect to waste management since many people lack awareness or responsibility. As Gaines points out, if we want to improve conservation ethics, then we must find ways to not only reach more people but communicate ‘trash’ under the covering of accou...
Jan 29, 2019•25 min•Ep. 162
In this episode, Phil Gaines and Dan Cockerell, share ideas on how leaders can improve their communications. For Gaines in the park world, the two greatest challenges to communication are technological distractions and distance. While more communicational avenues can benefit an organization, employing face-to-face interface should remain a priority as part of a well-rounded a communication structure. The more varied the structure, the more reach potential given different people process informati...
Jan 15, 2019•22 min•Ep. 161
In this episode, South Carolina’s former State Parks Director, Phil Gaines, shares some post-retirement wisdom on marketplace ethics. Having served in multiple executive leadership roles, Gaines points out integrity, is not only the center of ethics but the foundation of sustainable leadership. In order to lead with integrity, there must be a culture of trust that starts from the beginning and endures on the frontlines. Furthermore, before an organization can develop ethical codes, Gaines submit...
Jan 08, 2019•20 min•Ep. 160
On this episode, director Alex Jablonski reflects on his documentary, ‘Wildland’, which follows a single wildland firefighting crew over the course of one summer. In the film, a firefighting crew contracted through Grayback Forestry builds rapport as they struggle to contain fires in northern California. Influenced by his success in ‘Low and Clear’, a tale of two friends who drift apart during their final fly-flying trip, Jablonski discusses the challenges involved in filming around actual fires...
Jan 01, 2019•26 min•Ep. 159
In this episode, Christina Zerfas discusses her project, "Cans for Kili”, and her mission to impact the environment on local and global scales. Through eco funding, Christina’s team hopes to collect and recycle over 1.2 million aluminum cans not only to sell for scrap metal but also to reduce Indianapolis’s carbon output. In addition to raising funds for reforesting and cleaning efforts, Zerfas also plans to garner proceeds by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with three C4K team members next fall. The...
Dec 18, 2018•25 min•Ep. 158
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, James Fester, an educator, part-time volunteer, and Google-certified innovator, discusses park-based learning and its place in the classroom. When people think of parks, they often don’t think of education. As a result, many schools lack awareness of educational resources provided by county, state, and national parks. To bridge the gap, Fester unpacks a three-part program designed to facilitate connection through project-based learning. By serving as set...
Nov 20, 2018•25 min•Ep. 157
What are people looking for in the outdoors? Public spaces are becoming more culturally diverse and the parks services, resources, facilities, etc need to reflect these changes. Recent graduates are also facing different challenges in the parks recreation and tourism management field these days. For example, drones are now a thing to have to consider. Dr. Myron Floyd joins the Park Leaders show to discuss health in the parks. He is the department head and professor in parks recreation and touris...
Nov 06, 2018•23 min•Ep. 156
Leadership is not black and white. Once you have a leadership position, most of the decisions and situations you face will not be clear-cut or obvious on what you should do. Not black and white situations. Most leaders how to operate in the gray areas. If you have set your operation up correctly, black and white decisions are made on the front line. When you are making decisions in the gray area, you have to take information, advice, data, and make a decision based on your values and what is goo...
Oct 30, 2018•20 min•Ep. 155
This episode is the start of something special. Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, is going to be a semi-regular guest co-host on the Park Leaders Show. When parks lose a long-time leader like Phil, we lose so much knowledge and experience. By finding new ways to continue to bring past experiences into the work up and coming leaders are doing, we can continue to build the legacy of parks. Empowerment is an overused phrase and an underused practice. Leaders naturally wan...
Oct 23, 2018•27 min•Ep. 154
When someone visits a park and they are curious, what is the first thing they want to do? Ask a ranger. Park Rangers are icons of parks and one of the reasons people enjoy talking with Rangers is because they can answer your questions about nature. Now, you no longer have to seek out a Park Ranger in a park to get an answer to your question. Park Rangers Jess Phillips and Crystal Lloyd from North Carolina State Parks have launched the Ask a Ranger Podcast . Jess Phillips from William B Umstead S...
Oct 16, 2018•31 min•Ep. 153
On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, we explore maritime archeology with Denise Jaffke Denise as an Archeologist with California State Parks who is currently working on creating the Emerald Bay Maritime Heritage Trail . Parks play a role in putting together pieces of historical puzzles through archeology. Add water, and there is a new layer of mystery to historical sites. Denise explains the great work California is doing to share maritime historical treasures with the citizens of Californi...
Oct 02, 2018•20 min•Ep. 152
To build a solid career, you need to build a solid network of peers, associates, and friends. A strong leader has a strong network. Dylan Mroszcyk-McDonald returns to the Park Leaders Show to continue our series on leadership and culture in parks. On this episode, we focus on building a network and how it can help your career. During your career in parks, you will have the opportunity to meet people in different parks throughout different regions. Building a relationship with them will build a s...
Sep 11, 2018•24 min•Ep. 151
In parks, we have spread the myth of a lone heroic leader at the top. We give special attention and privilege to someone with a leadership title. If it takes a hero to lead people, it moves leadership out of the reach of most people. As leaders, we need to remember the person is more important than the position. You don't have to have a title to be a leader. We need to treat every member of the staff as an important piece of the success of the park and encourage them to be a leader. Dylan Mroszc...
Sep 04, 2018•26 min•Ep. 150
After 37 years with South Carolina State Parks, Phil Gaines retired as Director. As Phil did during his entire career, he used his last day to lead by example. On August 2, 2018, exactly 13 years after becoming Director of South Carolina State Parks, and exactly 37 years after starting his career as a park ranger, Phil Gaines ended his career the same way it began. Director Gaines returned to Kings Mountain State Park , the place where he began his career and put on the uniform, transforming bac...
Aug 21, 2018•29 min•Ep. 149
Podcasts with Park Rangers is a podcast featuring conversations with Park Rangers from National Parks around the country. Lucas and Sarah Villa-Kainec are the hosts of the podcast Podcasts with Park Rangers . We sat down together at a picnic table in Fort Worden State Park. In this episode, we discuss their podcast, traveling across the country, and the rangers they have met. There are a few podcasts about parks now, but what makes this podcast a little different is they focus on the park ranger...
Aug 14, 2018•34 min•Ep. 148
Eben Sypitkowski is the Director of Baxter State Park in Maine. Baxter State Park is a unique park. Baxter is a state park in name, but not park of Maine State Parks. The park started as a gift in land and resources from Governor Baxter. Two more ways Baxter is a unique park; it is completely self-funded. This removes the park from the usual politics and worry of receiving funds from the state general fund. Second, the park places a priority on wilderness over recreation. Eben was recently appoi...
Aug 07, 2018•32 min•Ep. 147
As technology has changed around us, it has created a tremendous opportunity for interpretation. Brad Krey, Interpretation and Education Programs Manager for California State Parks, joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss how California is using technology to take the park to kids. One concern we have in parks is remaining relevant. People will protect what they care about. They will care about what they learn about. In order to stay relevant, we need to continue helping kids learn about parks, w...
Jul 31, 2018•27 min•Ep. 146
Wild Jobs are all around us, but often go unnoticed. John Griffith returns to the Park Leaders Show to tell us about his new show, Wild Jobs, on Animal Planet. Griffith uses the show to highlight conservation and the hard work done at wildlife sanctuaries and animal hospitals. Getting a show with Animal Plant started years ago when John uploaded his first video to YouTube. The video went viral and made John a YouTube star because of his dancing. John used his dancing to turn attention to his tru...
Jul 24, 2018•30 min•Ep. 145
Dylan Mroszczyk-McDonald returns to the Park Leaders Show to continue the discussion about leadership and culture in parks. Dylan is a park ranger at Acadia National Park. In this episode, we discuss innovative leadership and the impact it can have on the culture of parks. To some degree, we are doing the same job park rangers were doing 60 years ago. We are trying to protect and preserve parks. With innovation, we can hold true to our history and mission while bringing in positive changes and b...
Jul 17, 2018•26 min•Ep. 144
Being a park ranger is an admirable job. Many people grow up dreaming of becoming a park ranger. Yet, too many people leave parks, and walk away from their dream, because of poor leadership or an unhealthy culture. Dylan Mroszczyk-McDonald, a park ranger at Acadia National Park , joins host Jody Maberry on the Park Leaders Show to examine some of the challenges parks face with leadership and culture. For the future of parks, we need to be able to not only attract but also retain a diverse staff....
Jul 10, 2018•24 min•Ep. 143
Brennan McCauley returns to the Park Leaders Show to give an update on where he is in his park ranger career. Over the past two years, Brennan has been a guest on the show several times as he has moved through stages of his early park ranger career. Beginning when he was a student at Temple University and a member of the Pro Ranger Program, Brennan joined us to talk about the program and his future plans. Now, two years later, Brennan is on the verge of entering the law enforcement academy. You ...
Jun 26, 2018•21 min•Ep. 142
This episode of the Park Leaders Show digs into the audio vault and shares an audio file from the Ranger Rendezvous in 2015. I talk to 4 different park ranger about their experience with the National Park Service. One question I asked all the ranger is why they became a park ranger. It is inspiring to hear these young rangers talk about why they became a park ranger. Ask yourself the same question. Why did you become a park ranger? Write your answer down. Look at it before you go to work. Keep r...
May 29, 2018•12 min•Ep. 141
Dan Cockerell had a successful 26-year career with Disney, working his way from parking cars to the Vice President of the Magic Kingdom. Before his career at Disney, Dan spent a summer as a volunteer at Rocky Mountain National Park. Recently, Dan left Disney to make a transition into full time speaking and consulting. Like most of us in parks, Dan worked time out in the field with guests. He learned operations by performing the tough jobs. When he became a leader with Disney, he understood what ...
May 22, 2018•39 min•Ep. 140
David Gustafson is a lead ranger with the City of Boulder . With city parks, or parks close to cities, problems you see in cities can also spill over into parks. Homelessness is one of those problems. When a park has to deal with a homeless population, you also have to deal with the other problems that come with it; trash, fire danger, drugs, and safety. How can rangers serve the public while also serving the homeless population that finds their way into the park? Ranger Gustafson talks about th...
May 08, 2018•24 min
Christian Beckwith is not a traditional conservationist. He will admit, he is a climber, not a conservationist. Yet, Christian founded and leads an organization in Jackson Hole, WY that focuses on conservation. But Christian doesn't take a traditional approach to conservation. In fact, he is disrupting conservation. Through SHIFT , a live event, and the emerging leaders program, Christian is helping change the face of conservation....
Apr 09, 2018•27 min•Ep. 138
