Building Capacity and Enhancing Stewardship in an Era of Change: Social Science Strategy
Garvoille R and Freimund W. 2014. Building Capacity and Enhancing Stewardship in an Era of Change: Social Science Strategy. YCR–2014–3. National Park Service, Yellowstone Center for Resources. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Intro In the contemporary era of national park stewardship–an era characterized by unparalleled opportunities and challenges– Yellowstone’s managers have expressed the need for more systematic social science research. This document outlines a social science strategy for Yellowstone. The strategy is designed to guide the organization and prioritization of social science research conducted by park staff and proposed by external partners. Building on interview data with park managers and recent peer-reviewed literature, the strategy describes the three social science research themes: • documenting the Yellowstone experience • enhancing park planning and strategic communications • clarifying the stewardship of nature The strategy also delineates a science-based conceptual structure for how to approach, frame, and prioritize the implementation of social science research at Yellowstone. As a whole, this strategy provides park managers and staff with a strong practical foundation for enhancing Yellowstone’s internal social science capacities and facilitates the engagement of external funders and social scientists from a variety of disciplines to advance research on the park’s most pressing socio-ecological questions.