The Schoodic Institute, which occupies the grounds and buildings once used as a U.S. Naval Radio Station, today serves as a scientific research center at Acadia National Park/Schoodic Institute
National parks harbor some of the greatest landscapes for scientific exploration, whether they are terrestrial, marine, or freshwater. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will stress that connection Friday when she visits Acadia National Park and applauds the work the Schoodic Institute does to connect and engage youth with earth sciences.
The secretary will be joined by National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis. Both will make comments at a ceremony behind the Rockefeller Welcome Center at SERC at 3 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
Schoodic Institute is hosting the event, and has requested RSVPs in advance to (207) 288-1310.
'We are pleased to have these two leaders speaking about the importance of youth and science in national parks,' said Acadia Superintendent Sheridan Steele. 'It emphasizes the important work we are doing with our partners in Acadia, like Schoodic Institute and Friends of Acadia. The programs and partnerships increase our capacity every day to accomplish the mission of the National Park Service. '
'One of the unique attributes of our national parks, including Acadia, is their unmatched ability to serve as living laboratories where the effects of climate change and other threats can be studied in places that are largely unimpaired by human activities,' added Director Jarvis in prepared comments. 'The collaboration between Acadia and the Schoodic Institute and other partners supports the unique research and learning opportunities at Acadia and is a model that other national parks can emulate.'
'Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park partners with the National Park Service on science and education initiatives,' said Schoodic Institute President and CEO Mark Berry. 'Our education efforts blend science and art, and are focused on giving students and participants of all ages opportunities to contribute to research that provides information valuable to Acadia National Park and the region.'
Secretary Jewell has launched an ambitious youth initiative at the Interior Department to inspire millions of young people to play, learn, serve and work in the great outdoors. Acadia National Park is playing an important role in providing educational, volunteer and engagement opportunities to young people.
'Schoodic Institute works with the National Park Service, Friends of Acadia, and other partners to bring hundreds of school children for a multi-day residential outdoor science education experience in Acadia National Park each year,' added Mr. Berry. 'Other programs created by the Institute offer teacher professional development opportunities and are bringing park science to teachers and students across Maine and the nation. These dynamic learning experiences increase science literacy for the next generation.'
'We know that engaging the next generation is key to the stewardship of the park and that continuing our efforts in science is what will help us to make informed decisions about how to manage Acadia National Park,' said Superintendent Steele. 'Both of these things are critical to our success as we move into the next 100 years of managing our national parks.'
Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places
Comments
I wonder when Secretary Jewell and Director Jarvis will ever visit the nations first National Seashore and Recreational are at Cape Hatteras? Both of them seem to have lots of time to visit everywhere else around Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area in North Carolina.
Maybe the closed ramps and beaches are restricting their visit like it does for the rest of the American public.
Maybe the overzealous legal actions of the National Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife and other groups through the Southern Environmental Law Center ($ELC) have made the first National Seashore a 'hot spot' neither seem to care about.
Maybe observing the effect of continual litigation by $ELC at Cape Hatteras is too unsavory compared to the 'feel good' visits to other areas.
Will the Secretary Jewell and Director Jarvis ever come to Cape Hatteras and view the beach access problems firsthand? Unlikely........there are too many photo opportunities elsewhere where private groups are willing to pay for the changes they want at National Parks and get from the DOI and NPS.
Ummm secretary Jewell has climbed Mt Rainier multiple times, and has peak bagged and explored for decades. I think walking a mile on a beach would be like...well a day at the beach. I guess to most in the southeast, walking 500 yards on a beach would be the hardest day of their life, hence why obesity is so obscenely high in this region, but secretary Jewell is not obese, or inactive.
Finally, i'm glad they are trying to showcase science in our parks. A lot of people in this country miss that these areas are ecologically important bioregions. So the more exposure on this subject, the better.
It always amuses me when I see a post such as the one posted above by hatrasfver. My first question would be, did anyone invite them to visit Hatteras? I assume no one in NC's Congressional delegation did. And, I suspect that no local officials did. My second question would be, what kind of reception would they get if they came? From what I see posted on this forum, I suspect it would not be cordial. Or maybe I'm wrong. It could be that the participants from the Hatteras area on NPT who complain all the time about beach closures to save turtles and birds are in the minority there and they are attracted to NPT because they can post anonymously. Who knows?
Rick
I haven't been visiting this site that long, but I can't help wondering how it attracts this clique of users who don't seem to care anything about national parks more broadly, beyond their particular hobbyhorse obsession in their local backyard park. For these users, it seems like every single topic, no matter how esoteric, is just an invitation to talk about ORVs in Hatteras, backpacking in the Smokies, or mountain biking somewhere. It's really very tedious.
Amen, ethelred.
It's not tedious. It's American Entitlement Mentality in action.
But come to think of it, it IS tedious, isn't it?
Folks, I guess we'll just keep shutting down posts to comments if they keep devolving into attacks rather than addressing the topic at hand. If you don't want to deal with another's comments, hit that "ignore user" button and you'll never see 'em.