Can National Parks Remain Relevant?

Ray Murray could be considered an environmental elder. He has been working in the field of parks, recreation, and conservation for decades. Ray is currently the Partnerships Program Chief for the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. In this interview, Ray shares the biggest changes he has seen during his time with the National Park Service. Ray talks about the traits of successful park managers, what a successful partnerships looks like, and advice for up and coming leaders. Ray feels the biggest challenge facing parks is remaining relevant. As the world changes outside of park boundaries, parks have had trouble keeping up. Ray understands parks can not rely on people who look like him, recreate like him, or act like him. Parks needs to reach into urban areas, connect across generations, and be available for people of all income levels. Ray's wisdom can help new rangers and veterans alike.