Spurred by a sordid chapter of sexual harassment at Grand Canyon National Park, the National Park Service has sent out a survey to all employees to gauge the extent of harassment in the park system/NPS

A long-promised study of workplace harassment has gotten under way across the National Park System with an optional survey asking employees "to assess the prevalence of sexual harassment and other forms of harassment and retaliation in our workforce..."

Ironically, the survey sent out Monday came on the same day that the Interior Department's Office of Inspector General released a terse summary of an investigation of a Denali National Park official who allegedly made "inappropriate comments of a sexual nature to (park) staff during an off-duty gathering at the official’s residence."

The workplace survey, which former National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis back in July said would be developed, is being handled by a third-party company, CFI Group. In notifying the field staff of the survey, acting Park Service Director Michael Reynolds said, "our goal is simple when it comes to addressing sexual harassment, all other forms of harassment, and retaliation: we want to know about it; we want help those who have experienced it; and we want to eradicate it from our workplace."

Though the survey is optional, Mr. Reynolds told the staff that, "Whether or not you have personally experienced any form of harassment or retaliation, we encourage every NPS employee to take the survey. It is important to note that if you believe you have been a victim of sexual harassment or any other form of harassment or retaliation, the survey is not a substitute for officially reporting such incidents.  Employees who believe they have been a victim of any of these forms of misconduct and wish to report it now should visit the employee support resource page on Inside NPS for help and guidance."

The survey is to be conducted through February 15. Park Service employees can take the survey either online or request a hard copy to fill out. It also will be available in Spanish.

The survey arose in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal that festered in Grand Canyon National Park's River District Office for years. 

A year ago a report released by the Office of Inspector General said that for roughly 15 years life deep in the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon at times reflected rowdy, sexually charged scenes from a frat party for some National Park Service employees, with male employees pawing and propositioning female workers, some of who at times exhibited their own risqué behavior.

The investigation generated a tawdry list of inappropriate behavior, from male employees taking photographs up under a female co-worker's dress and groping female workers to women dancing provocatively and bringing a drinking straw "shaped like a penis and testicles" to river parties. The incidents, a September 2014 letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell charged, "demonstrated evidence of 'discrimination, retaliation, and a sexually hostile work environment.'”

The fallout from the report led to the retirement of Grand Canyon Superintendent Dave Uberuaga; prompted Congressional calls for Director Jarvis to be fired or resign; prompted a bipartisan demand from Congress for the Park Service to develop a plan to combat sexual harassment, and; was followed by the rise of sexual harassment allegations at Yellowstone National Park, Canaveral National Seashore, and Chattahooche River National Recreation Area.

At Yosemite National Park, Superintendent Don Neubacher retired in September after being confronted with harassment allegations and claims that he presided over a hostile environment.

A month ago the Park Service took another step to address the situation by appointing ombuds to play a role in the agency's efforts to root out and end discrimination, harassment, and retaliation from the National Park Service and "provide every employee with a safe and respectful work environment."

Meanwhile, the Inspector General's Office on Monday released the summary of an investigation into allegations of inappropriate comments of a sexual nature made by an official at Denali.

While our investigation did not substantiate that the official harassed or offended anyone, we did find that the official engaged in a conversation of a sexual nature with NPS employees. The conversation showed questionable judgment by the official and did not support departmental policies that make supervisors responsible for “establishing and maintaining a safe, productive, supportive and well-ordered work environment” for their employees.

A report of the investigation was forwarded to the director's office for disposition.