In September 1997 a team of 15 representatives of several parks and offices convened to do something about the unwieldy materials and processes of the NPS research and collecting permits. This dynamic team forged ahead in 1998 and generated an entire set of permitting materials that is appropriate for NPS-wide use and that complies with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements. Upon completion the guidelines and other materials will be applicable to the widest possible range of scientific disciplines.
When the new system is implemented late in 1999, researchers can obtain applications and guidelines for study proposals and general permit conditions directly from parks, or even download them from a website on the NPS Intranet. Many, if not most, parks will also provide applicants with supplementary materials such as brochures, maps, and local regulations.
Each permit applicant must provide a study proposal explaining the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the proposed study. The guidelines outline exactly what information the parks need and include a list of common criteria for making a permitting decision. Applications must be submitted in writing. However, the process is designed to allow future development of electronic applications. The two-page application form has several new questions to determine whether a researcher’s proposed activities, such as public surveys or commercial applications, require additional review and approval. Applications for studies throughout a large geographic area can be duplicated and submitted to more than one park, and permitting can be coordinated between or among the parks. The application includes a form for detailing plans for collecting specimens and for designating a repository for preserved specimens. Permits will be created and tracked with new computer software.
Development of standard and clear guidelines for the administration of scientific research and collecting permits for the national park system will simplify the application process not only for applicants but also for permitting officials. In the long run, an efficient process will increase the number of good scientific studies in the parks, make available better scientific information for park managers, and improve the reporting of scientific studies in parks.
Photo Credit: Southwest willow flycatcher survey by Robert Winfree (left); Glacier research at Glacier National Park
robert_winfree@nps.gov
Senior Scientist, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
ALTERNATIVE
TRANSPORTATION
The shuttle-bus system envisioned at Zion National Park (Utah) progressed in 1998 as buses were ordered in June and construction on a visitor transit center and maintenance facility began in August. Meanwhile, at Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), staff began assisting the Federal Transit Administration late in the year in preparing their report that addresses congressional inquiries over the costs associated with a light-rail transportation system proposed for the South Rim. Construction on the light-rail system is expected no earlier than summer 2000.
Back to Chapter 6: New Horizons
President mandates coral reef protection
by James Tilmant
Feral burro removal: New solutions to an old problem
by Christopher J. Stubbs
Doppler technology applied to large-river studies
by Brian L. Cluer
Natural resource information tools make their way to the web
by Jen Coffey
Congress places a positive imprint on park management
by Mike Soukup
Solicitor opinions advance park protection
by Julia Brunner and Carol McCoy
Fee demonstration funds bolster natural resource protection
by Abigail Miller