"Geoheritage Management on Federal Lands" is the third webinar of the America's Geoheritage Workshop II Fall Distinguished Speakers Program. To watch the recorded video of this webinar, please visit https://vimeo.com/463060795.
Speaker: Timothy B. Connors
Title: US National Park Service Initiatives to Promote Geologic Heritage and Geodiversity in 2020
Description: Numerous National Park Service Conservation Assistance Programs (National Heritage Areas (NHAs), National Natural Landmarks (NNLs), National Register of Historic Places and World Heritage Site programs can help promote Geoheritage and Geodiversity initiatives. Preservation partnerships are likely to be successful when a bottom-up approach is used and grassroots organizations are the major proponents of promoting a specific geoheritage area. This presentation will discuss these mechanisms, supply URLs and NPS contacts and bring awareness to these initiatives.
Bio Sketch: Timothy B. Connors is a Geologist with the U.S. National Park Service, Natural Resource Science and Stewardship Directorate, Geologic Resources Division in Lakewood, Colorado and has been with them since 1998. His main duties have involved developing digital GIS-based geologic maps of US National Park areas, as well as supporting databases on the unique geologic features, issues and processes of these park areas. He is very active in promoting the concept of Geologic Heritage Conservation and promoting areas rich in geologic features. He has worked in park areas in Alaska, Hawaii, Virgin Islands, and the whole lower 48 states, allowing him to become quite familiar with numerous geologic terranes, processes and features of this planet. He served on the Board of Directors for “The Friends of Dinosaur Ridge” in Morrison, Colorado, a local non-profit that supports the Morrison-Golden Fossil Areas National Natural Landmark from 1999-2014. He has taught geology courses at the University of Colorado (Denver) and Red Rocks Community College (Lakewood, Colorado). He earned both Bachelor of Science (1991) and Master of Science (1996) degrees in Geology from the University of Toledo (Ohio).
Speaker: Vincent L. Santucci
Title: Preserving America’s Paleontological Heritage within the U.S. National Park System
Description: The U.S. National Park System of parks, monuments, landmarks, and other affiliated sites collectively preserve America’s rich paleontological heritage. The history and science of paleontology associated with the national parks has been augmented by evolving resource stewardship strategies and management practices tailored for non-renewable fossils. Inventory, monitoring, research, curation, interpretation, and education are the foundation of the National Park Service Paleontology Program’s mission to protect America’s past record of life for the benefit of future generations.
Bio Sketch: Vincent L. Santucci is the Senior Paleontologist and Paleontology Program Coordinator for the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). Beginning in 1985, Vince has held assignments at Badlands, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Fossil Butte, Tule Springs Fossil Beds and other national parks, as well as supported geology and paleontology projects in over 200 national park areas. Vince has been a leader for paleontological resource management, protection, education, stewardship and science in the U.S. and has published more than 200 articles and reports related to NPS paleontology. Vince was instrumental in establishing “National Fossil Day” in 2009 and is the recipient of various honors and awards including the Brunton Compass, George Wright Natural Resource and George Hartzog Stewardship awards. Recently Vince was recognized as a “Public Lands Hero” by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. Vince completed his B.S. and M.S. in geology and paleontology at the University of Pittsburgh and is currently completing a Ph.D. at Penn State University involving research on the human dimensions of paleontological resources.
Speaker: Tim Stroope
Title: Stories in Stone: Geologic Features of our National Forests and Grasslands
Description: The United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service manages over 1000 features wholly or in part for their geologic significance. At nearly 193 million acres, America’s national forests and grasslands contain many more significant geologic features. Stories in Stone, a story map highlighting select geologic features on National Forest System (NFS) lands was launched in 2018. Stories in Stone is a first step in (re)introducing the public and the Agency to the diverse and spectacular geology on NFS lands.
Bio Sketch: Tim Stroope is a hydrogeologist with the USDA Forest Service’s National Groundwater Program where he provides project level assistance, outreach and training for all things groundwater related. Before that he was a Presidential Management Fellow and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Coordinator for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in western Colorado. Prior to joining the Forest Service Tim was a hydrologic technician for the USGS and a research associate with IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering. His graduate and postgraduate research studied the effects of forest disturbance on watershed sediment production. He holds a BS and PhD in Geoscience from the University of Iowa.
Speaker: Greg McDonald
Title: Geoheritage on Bureau of Land Management Lands
Description: While the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) does not have a formal Geoheritage program to protect significant geological features on the land it manages, it does have many unique geological features it protects and makes accessible to the public. Programs that protect Geoheritage sites on BLM land include the National Conservation Lands Program which oversees national monuments, National Natural Landmarks and as well as smaller individual interpreted sites identified as significant by the field offices. The BLM’s mission is to keep public landscapes healthy and productive for multiple use as well as protecting for future generations the country’s cultural and natural heritage.
Bio Sketch: Greg McDonald is a vertebrate paleontologist who currently serves as a regional paleontologist for the Bureau of Land Management. Prior to the BLM he served in multiple positions in the National Park Service as the Senior Curator of Natural History, Paleontology Program Coordinator, and as paleontologist at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. While with the National Park Service, he served on the Special Resource Study team that resulted in the establishment of the Waco Mammoth National Monument. Along with his research publications focusing on Plio-Pleistocene mammals of North and South America, he is a co-author of the book; The White River Badlands; Geology and Paleontology.
We encourage all participants to complete our survey following the webinar here: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5848448/Geoheritage-Management-on-Federal-Lands-September-22-Webinar