National parks, besides being great places to visit, often have various programs or resources relating to environmental education. While not totally comprehensive, the list below includes a number of parks around the country that specifically offer educational opportunities. To find further information about parks within to your region, you can search the National Park Service's Web site by state.
National Headquarters
- National Park Service
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW, Room 1013
Washington, DC 20242
Tel: (202) 208-4747
- The National Park Service promotes and regulates the use of the national parks, protects diverse cultural and recreational resources, and advocates for the environment and environmental preservation. The National Park System comprises 374 areas covering more than 83 million acres. Almost all of the sites found in the National Park System offer some type of interpretive or educational program. These range from publications, video presentations, and guided walks and talks to extensive curriculum-based education programs. The Park Service is represented in depth on the Web, which is the most efficient way of getting information about local parks in your region. You can search for parks by name, state, or region, or merely click a locale on a national map.
Northeast
- Acadia National Park
P.O. Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Tel: (207) 288-3338
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Enrichment classes/presentations
Mid-Atlantic
- National Park Service National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
- Rock Creek Park
3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW
Washington, DC 20008-1207
Tel: (202) 282-1063
E-mail: Dan_Winings@nps.gov
- Educational workshops and resources are offered through the Nature Center, which can be reached at (202) 426-6829.
Support Offered:
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Information specialists
- Resource library
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Educational materials
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Newsletter or journal
Southeast
- Canaveral National Seashore
308 Julia Street
Titusville, FL 33943
Tel: (407) 267-1110
- Year-round ranger-led programs are given in the North District, including walks, talks, canoe programs, seasonal "Sea Turtle Watch" programs. For more information about how to participate in the rangers program, call (407) 267-1110.
Support Offered:
- Information specialists
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Congaree Swamp National Monument
200 Caroline Sims Road
Hopkins, SC 29061
Tel: (803) 776-4396
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Cumberland Island National Seashore
P.O. Box 806
St. Marys, GA 31558
Tel: (912) 882-4336
- Educational programs for schools are given throughout the school year; however, reservations are required and requests for programs should be made in writing and received one month in advance. For additional information, call (912) 882-3891 or (912) 674-0128.
Support Offered:
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Field-based activities/excursions
-
Everglades National Park
4001 State Road 9336
Homestead, FL 33034-6733
- The Everglades National Park sponsors on-site, curriculum-based education programs for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. Participation in these programs is by advance reservation, and teachers are required to attend training workshops before bringing their class to the park.
Support Offered:
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Educational materials
- Information specialists
- Shenandoah National Park
3655 U.S. Highway 211 E
Luray, VA 22835-9036
Tel: (540) 999-3500
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Information specialists
- Field-based activities/excursions
South
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Tel: (423) 436-1200
- The Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is an environmental education center in the Smokies that offers workshops and programs for everyone, from grade school children to Eldershostel groups and teachers. For more information, call (423) 448-6709.
Support Offered:
- Information specialists
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Professional development programs/workshops
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Educational materials
- Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave, KY 42259
Tel: (502)758-2328
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Field-based activities/excursions
West
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, NM 88220
Tel: (505) 785-2232
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Family activities
- Curecanti National Recreation Area
102 Elk Creek
Gunnison, CO 81230
Tel: (970) 641-2337
E-mail: cure_vis_mail@nps.gov
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Information specialists
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Family activities
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA)
P.O. Box 1507
Page, AZ 86040
Tel: (520) 608-6404
- Educational programs are available by appointment throughout the school year.
Support Offered:
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Information specialists
- Great Basin National Park
Baker, NV 89311-9702
Tel: (702) 234-7331
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168
Tel: (307) 344-7381
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Educational materials
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Enrichment classes/presentations
Midwest
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area
P.O. Box 201
Sulphur, OK 73086
Tel: (405) 622-3165
- Exhibits include live birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Ranger-led activities are offered. Arrangements for organized groups may be made from September through May. Contact the park's Division of Interpretation.
Support Offered:
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
1100 North Mineral Springs Road
Porter, IN 46304
Tel: (219) 926-7561
- The national lakeshore operates the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education, which provides an opportunity to acquaint and educate students in the disciplines of ecology and environmental science. Outdoor hikes, indoor classrooms, audiovisual media, live animals, pond studies, and other innovative activities teach environmental awareness and foster an appreciation of the environment. The Center is open for scheduled groups only by reservation. Reservations can be made Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. by calling (219) 926-7561, x 245.
Support Offered:
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Educational materials
Northwest
- Glacier National Park
National Park Service
West Glacier, MT 59936
Tel: (406) 888-7800
- See under "National Parks" for description of national parks.
Support Offered:
- Information about local endangered species
- Information specialists
- Field-based activities/excursions
California and Hawaii
- Joshua Tree National Park
74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Tel: (760) 367-5500
- Developing programs in which students study national parks and deserts as they earn junior ranger badges. The education department can be reached at (760) 365-2371.
Support Offered:
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Information specialists
- Yosemite National Park
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
Tel: (209) 372-0200
- The Education Department offers three programs: Classrooms in the Park, The Environmental Living Program, and Teacher Workshops. All three require advance application. Ongoing education programs and activities and other educational offerings are also available. Contact the Education Office at (209) 375-9538 or (209) 375-9505.
Support Offered:
- Educational materials
- Classes/workshops for kids
- Professional development programs/workshops
- Field-based activities/excursions
- Access to naturalist or scientist
- Enrichment classes/presentations
- Information specialists
|
