Your gift to the Trust will support projects and programs in Shenandoah National Park that government funding does not cover. Examples of these types of special projects appear below.

Air Quality Learning Station

Air pollution is a chronic challenge in Shenandoah National Park. Particulates and toxins from power plants and other industrial facilities blow into the Park and are deposited on the land and in the water with rain and snowfall, threatening wildlife habitat and historical resources and reducing visibility from the mountaintops. On bad air quality days, visitors’ health is also jeopardized.

The Park has an extensive array of air quality monitoring equipment and has been collecting data for three decades. The data provide important information on pollution trends in the Park and they are often used to inform regulatory agencies’ considerations of permit applications for industries whose emissions could affect Shenandoah.

The Park’s primary air quality monitoring station is located in one of its most visited destinations—Big Meadows—yet the wealth of information collected there is not shared with the public in an intentional way. Park staff therefore propose to establish an interactive learning station at Big Meadows. A self-guided trail would surround the monitoring site with educational displays describing air quality issues and the history of the Park’s monitoring program; identifying the monitoring instruments visible to visitors; and demonstrating how the data make a difference in protecting Park resources and visitors’ health.

Teacher – Ranger – Teacher Program

The National Park Service offers a highly effective program that aims to link school children with their national parks through their teachers. The Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program brings educators into the Parks for two summers and provides instructional forums on a variety of topics. Donning Park Ranger uniforms, the teachers then prepare and present educational programs in the Park. They are also required to share their Park experiences back in their classrooms.

Example: In 2008, a Rappahannock County teacher helped develop and present Shenandoah’s first family camping seminars. The teacher helped procure equipment and supplies, assisted with marketing materials and registration, taught the seminars, set up and broke down the tents, prepared the menus and cooked the meals, and camped overnight with the participating families. In the summer of 2009, the teacher returned to Shenandoah to assist with a pilot project with the Northern Virginia Community College, which brought 50 under-served middle school students to camp in the Park. Back at school, this teacher has shared his experiences with his students and colleagues—providing insight into the wealth of educational opportunities available in Shenandoah National Park. As a result, Rappahannock schools are taking advantage of Park programs more than ever before.

Shenandoah National Park would like to make its Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program available to educators around the state. The costs associated with this program reflect a stipend, lease of a government vehicle, and a uniform allowance for two teachers over two years.