Parks in the U.S. exist on a number of levels, from local through to the great national parks we all know and love. In the middle are the country’s state parks, with 9,800-plus parks comprising more than 20 million acres, visited 867 million times a year. Promoting and advancing the state park systems of America, the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) celebrates the parks’ significance, as well as their contribution to the country’s environment, heritage, health, and economy.
Dedicated to helping state parks manage and administer their systems, the NASPD is made up of 50 state park directors, plus U.S. territories, along with associates and affiliates who share common goals with the association. It is organized into six geographic regions, and the association is managed by a 10-member board of directors.
The NASPD website, found at www.stateparks.org, provides a forum for members to exchange information on best practices, conferences, and other content relating to state park programs and services. The site also provides some public-facing functionality, including direct links to state parks in each state, current research, employment opportunities, resource links, and an awards program.
The NASPD will be hosting its conference in September, from Sept. 9 to 12, in Davis, W.Va.
The association provides additional professional development opportunities through State Park Leadership School. The 18th State Park Leadership School hosted 168 students from 37 states, bringing the total number of participants in this development opportunity to 1,050 from 49 states, and four Canadian provinces. RM
