Director's Order #100: Resource Stewardship for the 21st Century

John, Jarvis

The subject Director’s Order has been approved by Director Jarvis and is attached for your use and distribution. It supersedes and replaces Policy Memorandum 16-01, and any other previously issued conflicting guidance. Together with Reference Manual 100 (to be developed in 2017), the Order articulates and communicates policies and actions to support resource stewardship in the 21st century to help the Service fulfill its mission. This Order reaffirms that resource stewardship is a preeminent duty of the NPS, and that “[w]hen proposed park uses and the protection of park resources and values come into conflict, the protection of resources and values must be predominant.” We define resource stewardship as both an ethic of active responsibility to pass on the parks unimpaired to future generations as well as the application of the necessary expertise to meet this duty. This ethic and application of expertise extends to NPS programs and NPS participation in partnerships as well. This Order provides policies that form a new framework for stewardship decision making within the NPS based upon the overarching resource stewardship goal which is to manage NPS resources in a context of continuous change that we do not fully understand, in order to: · preserve and restore ecological, historical, and cultural integrity; · contribute as an ecological and cultural core of national and international networks of protected lands, waters, and resources; and · provide visitors and program participants with opportunities for transformative experiences that educate and inspire. A reference manual will be developed by NPS subject matter experts that will contain comprehensive information and operational details to assist employees in implementing this Order. For questions regarding this Order, please contact Ray Sauvajot, Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, via email at ray_sauvajot@nps.gov or telephone 202-208-3884 or Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director, Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science, via email stephanie_toothman@nps.gov or telephone 202-208-7625.