Case Studies of Partnerships in Action

Abstract

Partnerships offer a viable approach for expanding the capabilities of park managers, enhancing the opportunities of park visitors, and building a sense of park ownership and community pride. Despite these benefits, partnership formation and implementation are often hampered by bureaucratic complexities and an unwillingness to relinquish power. This paper overviews 11 case studies to illustrate how these challenges can be overcome and to suggest the potential range of partnership possibilities. The examples were selected to highlight partnerships between a variety of public entities (e.g., state, county, and local governments, universities) and private collaborators (e.g., citizen groups, non-governmental volunteer organizations, park visitors, corporate businesses). The settings and activities are diverse and include: state park facility development, trail and campground maintenance, historic site restoration, wildlife habitat enhancement, a wild horse adoption program, and educational efforts designed to encourage and promote environmental ethics. By taking this case study approach to examining partnerships, the goal is to encourage a broader sharing of the possibilities that others may find useful.