Research Science in our National Parks

I have to admit that in many ways I’m a science geek — even though I’m not very good at it, I love reading about it and all the new things I discover from the research that others do. So you can imagine how excited I was when I found that the Science Learning Network had published a number of videos about research science being done in our National Parks:

The Science Learning Network has some pretty great goals:

National Parks are our national treasures, which protect living, breathing ecosystems and the cultural history of the American public. Whether monitoring natural ecosystems or studying historic sites, national park scientists are stewards of our nation’s crown jewels. Working unobtrusively and mostly out of sight, park scientists do the rigorous science needed to document park ecological health and to conserve historical riches.

The Science Learning Network (SLN) is where science and education come together to help preserve and protect areas of national significance. Its mission is to integrate research and education to better communicate park science to the public and other NPS staff. The Science Learning Network increases the effectiveness of communicating park research, scientific results, and the management of park resources by:

• Facilitating use of parks for scientific inquiry
• Supporting science-informed decision making
• Communicating relevance of and providing access to research knowledge
• Promoting resource stewardship through partnerships