Managing Park Resources
Every national park is unique. Each was set aside to preserve and protect the specific landscapes, structures, plants, animals, artifacts, and/or stories associated with it. This means each park has specific needs when it comes to resource management.
Some parks protect endangered animal species or communities of rare plants. Some have miles of underground caves or undeveloped seashore. Others preserve historic forts, battlefields, and artifacts from the past. While one park may need an underwater archeologist, another may need a sled dog veterinarian on staff.
Ranger Scientists, Archivists, and Engineers
As you might imagine, there are different kinds of rangers who are experts in studying and managing different kinds of resources. Some are scientists, such as biologists, ecologists, and geologists. Others are archeologists, historians, or archivists. There are even NPS engineers who help preserve, maintain, and sometimes replace infrastructure like bridges, culverts, and facilities. All of these various specialists work together to preserve and protect park resources, while also making them accessible for the enjoyment and education of our visitors.
At Cuyahoga Valley, we have a small staff of resource managers who oversee a lot of different projects. Some work primarily with the park's natural resources: the plants, animals, and ecosystems in the valley. They monitor conditions in the park and work to restore areas that have been polluted or degraded in the past. Other park staff work specifically with our cultural resources: the prehistoric and historic buildings, landscapes, and artifacts. They research the past, provide expert advice on maintenance projects, and manage museum objects and artifacts.
In addition to our own staff, Cuyahoga Valley gets assistance from regional staff who specialize in things like Inventory and Monitoring, archeology, and long-term planning. One example is the Heartland Network. This group of biologists and ecologists help our park and several others to keep track of plant and animal populations over time. Since this group of scientists can assist multiple parks, each of those parks doesn't need to have as many of their own full-time resource managers on their staff.
The NPS also works with other federal, state, and local agencies to accomplish its work. The small staff at Cuyahoga Valley is supported in many ways by our federal partners from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, among others.
