George Wright Society :: Parks, Protected Areas Cultural Sites

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The George Wright Society champions stewardship of parks, protected & conserved areas, cultural sites, and other kinds of place-based conservation by connecting people, places, knowledge, and ideas. By uniting people from many different backgrounds around a common passion for protecting Earth’s natural and cultural heritage, we create the collaboration needed to meet today’s greatest conservation challenges.

INNOVATING ACROSS BOUNDARIES FOR
Parks • Cultural Sites
Protected / Conserved Areas

University of Montana, Missoula • October 20–23, 2025

Plan to join us as we launch a new series of annual workshops exploring the latest in place-based conservation!

Call for Proposals now open through April 1!

GWS ParkForum 2025 1-min Intro

GWS ParkForum 2025 1-min Intro

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Check out the latest issue of our open-access journal, Parks Stewardship Forum

INSPIRED BY GEORGE MELÉNDEZ WRIGHT

The first-ever biography of our namesake — the visionary who revolutionized management of America‘s national parks

“Emory’s enumeration of Wright’s accomplishments—including a survey of wildlife in Western parks, the first of its kind—is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Highly recommended for nature lovers and park enthusiasts.” LIBRARY JOURNAL

Watch our virtual chat
with author Jerry Emory!

Parkwire, GWS’s daily global digest

of park news • Follow on FB

Latest top headlines • 7 February 2025

A former USNPS director is predicting "chaos" in the NPs this summer if the current seasonal worker hiring freeze isn't soon lifted. https://buff.ly/4gzoBWO

The Trump-Musk drive to shut down the US Agency for International Development would affect some very successful programs that create and support NPs. https://buff.ly/40MpbdJ

Trump has reinstated an order from his first term to build a "National Park of American Heroes" dominated by statues. https://buff.ly/42Kg8MY

A decision to close Padre Island NS during a recent sea turtle cold-stunning event is drawing criticism from conservationists. https://buff.ly/3Q7d2Lw

Two Democrats accused DOGE of interfering with computer systems at NOAA. https://buff.ly/40G3ZGm

USNPS officials have stopped the planned summer reservation system for Yosemite NP because they want to get approval from Trump, leaving the plan's implementation in doubt. https://buff.ly/3Q6tFHl

Burgum's first orders to the Department of the Interior called for supercharging energy production, reviewing USBLM's new conservation mandate, and, possibly, reviewing boundaries of NMons for shrinking. https://buff.ly/3EqEyRE

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