Research and Education
in the National Parks

National Park Service Research and Education in the National Parks

PART II
HISTORY OF EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT

FIELD HEADQUARTERS

From July 1, 1925, to July 1, 1930, the educational work was coordinated by Ansel F. Hall, chief naturalist, from the field headquarters office of the National Park Service at Berkeley, Calif. Through the courtesy of the University of California, ample space was secured for the educational work. A fine group of office and laboratory rooms in Hilgard Hall was made available to the National Park Service without charge.

Since the establishment of the Branch of Research and Education, with headquarters in Washington, the field office has continued to serve as a laboratory and office for the senior park naturalist and forester, the fire-control expert, field naturalists, and Chief photographer. Although the photographic department was transferred to Washington on July 1, 1931, the important work at field headquarters has continued unchanged, the laboratory functioning as a direct aid to the naturalist and museum programs in the parks.

Efforts at field headquarters are being centered on the preparation of relief models and museum exhibits of various kinds. It is planned that a museum preparator work under the direct supervision of the senior park naturalist and field naturalist. Library developments in the parks and the preparation of statistical reports are duties assigned here.

Field headquarters is scheduled to become the winter laboratory for wild-life and museum research and the field educational work of the Service.

On July 1, 1929, Carl Russell, former park naturalist in Yosemite National Park, was appointed field naturalist and assigned to the special field of museum planning and technique. Due to the important museum projects in Yellowstone the greater part of the museum advisor's time has been devoted to Yellowstone problems.

Last Modified: Sat, Feb 16 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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