Conservation, Preservation, and Recreation at Glacier National Park

Maureen Wieland is Director of Communication at Luther Crest Bible Camp in Minnesota and holds a PhD in public relations.

This volume straddles autobiography and environmental studies in its examination of the role and remit of Glacier National Park. It considers the challenges faced by the National Park Service, its staff, and visitors to meet the goals of conservation and preservation while providing opportunities for access, discovery, and recreation. Admitting these complicated tensions of the Anthropocene, the chapters consider the perspectives of visitors and employees through the lens of Coordinated Management of Meaning theory to frame attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about the environment, land, access, and interpretation. Four research questions guide this qualitative study of how visitors and staff interpret and co-construct the mission and purpose of the park while addressing environmental concerns. The book will be relevant to researchers from area studies, environmental studies, ecology, and public history interested in topics such as climate change, policy change, and environmental education. Revelatory in its meticulous process and fascinating research results, this book is an interesting read that gives readers an understanding of how valuable such research can be to the proper management, care, and future of national parks. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty.

• PrefaceAcknowledgementsChapter 1: The Complicated History of the US National Park ServiceChapter 2: Building from the PastChapter 3: Returning to Glacier (Methods)Chapter 4: A Deep Dive into the DataChapter 5: The Interpreted Mission of the National Park ServiceChapter 6: The Tensions are Rising in Glacier National ParkChapter 7: Recommendations Toward the FutureChapter 8: ConclusionAppendix A: Online SurveyAppendix B: Observation GridsAppendix C: Passive ObservationsAppendix D: Active Observations ReferencesAbout the Author