More Than Road Trips and Rangers in Flat Hats: Recognizing Millennial Perceptions of the National Park Service to Effectively Engage the Next Generation of Park Stewards

Abstract

Despite popular perceptions that the National Park Service (NPS) is first and foremost the steward of spectacular natural vistas, two-thirds of the system’s nearly four hundred parks exist explicitly to protect and interpret cultural and historic resources. It is this perception that the NPS only cares for Western natural wonders that impedes the agency, especially as it looks to the future. If the National Park Service is looking to cultivate the next generation of stewards, as employees, visitors, or advocates, it must understand how this diverse audience perceives the NPS. This thesis argues that this next generation of millennials perceives the National Park Service as a purveyor of natural wonders in the Western United States, road trip destinations. While the NPS is far from only “Western nature parks,” this popular perception permeates the next generation of park stewards. With this in mind, this thesis argues that the National Park Service must actively prioritize this next generation by defining who they are, recognize their perceptions and needs from the NPS, and understand how to best engage them in all aspects of natural and cultural resources. The NPS has a long history of youth engagement and outreach, in both natural and cultural resources, illustrating its importance to the agency. Looking to the future, it is imperative that the NPS supports youth engagement and outreach in a more productive and inclusive way.