Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
Yellowstone National Park will receive a 2014 America’s Best Idea Grant from the National Park Foundation.
Yellowstone is one of 39 national parks to receive a Grant from the Foundation, America’s official charity for national parks.
As a part of the America’s Best Idea Grant, Yellowstone will work with Groundwork USA to institute various improvements in the Park. Groundwork, a national coalition of non-profits geared toward infrastructure and community improvements, will volunteer 55 Green Team youth and leaders—who represent 15 Groundwork USA Trusts—to complete the Yellowstone improvements.
The Green Team division of Groundwork USA is oriented toward introducing disadvantaged youth, from various backgrounds, into conservation programs with strong leadership ethos. Green Team participants, through their work, are expected to attain and retain employment skills, resume-building initiatives and environmental experience. The program also seeks to instill local, global and environmental justice values in their participants.
Proposed work projects include installation of bear-safe storage boxes, trail improvement and painting of picnic tables. The Green Team representatives will also attend meetings on leadership, sustainability, stewardship, ecological/cultural heritage and career development. They will also tour and hike around the Park.
The America’s Best Idea Grant, inspired by Ken Burns’ 2009 documentary series about national parks, seeks to facilitate partnerships between parks and neighboring communities, states and public organizations. Its ultimate aim is to inspire participants and onlookers to steward both the parks and the environment as a whole.
If you are interested in learning more about the America’s Best Idea Grant or the National Park Foundation, click here.
