Institute for Parks Mission

Parks and protected areas in the 21st century face a wide array of social, ecological and economic challenges. To meet these challenges, parks, whether local, national or global, must be thought of as part of a complex system and be managed from an interdisciplinary perspective. We provide research, education/training, and outreach to meet these challenges and enhance park and protected area management by:

• providing research to inform more effective and efficient management decisions;
• increasing individual and institutional capacity through transformative leadership education and training programs;
• connecting the global park community and delivering just-in-time knowledge through an innovative Internet network — The Open Parks Network; and
• promoting the relevance of parks and protected areas to a rapidly changing, multicultural, global society.