New Speech Topic: The Future of Our National Parks: How Should They Fit into the 21st Century?

February 11, 2014 By Daniel Botkin Leave a Comment

View from Great Falls on the Yellowstone River — A view of the Great Falls on the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park. A painting of this scene played a role in the establishment of our National Parks.

2016 will be the centennial of the National Park Service and it faces many challenges, which I will discuss and make recommendations. These include: appealing to America’s ever more diverse population; conservation of biodiversity as the environment changes; invasive species; introduction of endangered species; the role of the parks in responses to climate change; the use of science within the park for management and for the advancement of science. I have taught park rangers in training, done research in national parks, and served on a committee advising the director about the role of science in the parks in the future, and have written about the role of parks in our future.

For more information about speeches and topics, please see the Speaking Engagements page.

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I believe we are mostly on the wrong track in the way we try to deal with the environment. Everything I do, study, learn, and advise about the environment is different from the status quo. Throughout my career, I have tried to understand how nature works and use that understanding to figure out how we can solve our most pressing environmental problems.

My process over the past 45 years has been to look carefully at the facts, make simple calculations from them (sometimes simple computer models) and then tell people what I have learned. It’s surprising how rarely people bother to look at the facts. This has surprised me every time I’ve started a new ecology research project or work on an environmental issue.

In the course of my work and studies, I have learned many things and I want to tell you about them. That is the purpose of this website.

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