Dan Foster, accompanied by his wife, receives the Trish Patterson/Student Conservation Association Award for Resource Management in a Small Park from Mike Soukup, Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. The award included a $2,000 cash prize and a bronze sculpture of a bison.
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The Trish Patterson/Student Conservation Association Award for Resource Management in a Small Park went to Dan Foster, Chief of Resource Management of Nez Perce National Historical Park and Big Hole National Battlefield. Dan was recognized for his exemplary work in developing an effective, practical, and sensible natural resource management program for the 38 widely dispersed park units in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The natural and cultural resources in the units are closely intertwined in the stories of the Nez Perce War, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, western missionary history, and the fur trade, and face problems related to encroachment, habitat loss, exotic species, water quality, and lack of knowledge. “In looking at the problems we faced in widespread park sites, limited [staff], and long intervals of return,” Dan explained, “we decided that the best monitoring of park resources was through the use of digital photography.” With the help of Lewis and Clark College, Clearwater National Forest, the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho, the National Park Foundation, and Canon U.S.A., Dan established a three-year project to document change to park resources. The project compares historical photographs with current conditions through digital videography and computer technology. He also acquired funding for and coordinated high-resolution aerial photography of Bear Paw Battlefield to help create detailed digital maps for the park geographic information system. Along with the Nez Perce Tribe and the U.S. Geological Survey, he secured funds and coordinated a baseline water quality study on five of the park units. Dan relies heavily on partners and park neighbors to address many park resource management issues. He does not consider himself a “genius or outstanding manager,” but is thankful for working with highly committed coworkers who care deeply about resource preservation. Winning the award encourages Dan that the work he and his staff and partners are doing “is recognized and important in other people’s minds and hearts. We will keep going.” |
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This material is from Natural Resource Year in Review--2000, published by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, in May 2000 (publication D-1459)
/YearInReview/yir/yir2000/pages/02_nps_science/02_06_sidebar_foster.html
Last Updated: 06/17/2001
Direct comments on this website to jeff_selleck@nps.gov