Communities of Practice Beyond our Borders: Building an ...Torres del Paine National Park...

Communities of Practice Beyond our Borders:

Building an International Program at Yosemite National Park

By Don L. Neubacher, Superintendent, Yosemite National Park

Mike Gauthier, Chief of Staff, Yosemite National Park Jodi Bailey, Administrative Support Assistant, Yosemite National Park

April 2, 2015 George Wright Society Conference

Oakland, CA

Yosemite Inspires the World

• 50 international delegations each year • World Heritage Site • Capacity: 1100 staff members • 25% international visitors • Visited by 33 Countries • Large Concession Operation • Major philanthropic Partner • Over 50 partners

JOINING THE INTERNATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY

Visiting Delegation From NEPAL

• Share the same vision for protection of world’s heritage

• Centennial, time to give back

• Landscape Planning and cooperation world wide is critical

Why Engage the Global Park and Protected Area Community

• Direct Benefits to Staff Morale • Innovation • Share ideas and issues • Different Perspectives • Learn new ways to communicate • Staff development • Many issues are global • NPS has tremendous resources

YOSEMITE’S INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM -- FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS

• Commitment at all Levels—2020 Vision

• Collateral Duty

• Partnerships

YOSEMITE’S

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM

Sister Parks

Photo goes here

Delegation Hosting

Technical Exchanges

VISITING DELEGATIONS

Technical Exchanges

• Short-duration

• Issue- specific

• Sharing expertise

YOSEMITE AND THE SISTER PARKS

Current Sister Parks - Planned Sister Parks -

CURRENT SISTER PARKS

Huangshan National Park Jiuhaigou National Park

China

CURRENT SISTER PARKS

Chile Germany

Torres del Paine National Park

Berchtesgaden National Park

PLANNED SISTER PARKS

Mount Aspiring National Park, New Zealand

Parks Nepal

Sagarmatha National Park Langtang National Park

Chitwan Park

Planned Sister Parks

Lake Hovsgol National Park, Mongolia

Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, Mexico

PLANNED SISTER PARKS

Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, Tanzania

Wadi Rum National Park, Jordan

LESSONS LEARNED

• Capitalize on existing talent • Takes time to develop

relationships • Voluntary participation, find

champions • Coordinate closely with

WASO and State Department • Be cognizant of security

issues • Use IA to advance park goals

SUMMARY KEYS TO SUCCESS

• Commitment

• Partnerships

• Funding

Logos for DNC and YC this corner?

For Further Information:

Don L. Neubacher, Superintendent yose_superintendent@nps.gov

Mike Gauthier, Chief of Staff

mike_gauthier@nps.gov

Visit our website: nps.gov/yose

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