What We Do

Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with millions of visitors every year. Discover stories on Midwest National Park Service employees, volunteers, and our partners below.

Midwest national parks are part of Department of Interior Regions 3, 4, and 5. Visit that site for more information on the regional office, Midwest staff, and projects.

Interested in working for the National Park Service? Check out careers and current job opportunities in the Midwest.
Showing results 1-10 of 182

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    Restoring Butterfly Habitat at Terra Vista

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
    Yellow butterfly with a lime green eye hangs on a stalk with many small, white flowers.

    Citizen scientists monitoring butterflies at the Terra Vista Natural Study Area provide important data for the habitat restoration team.

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    Finding Moses Cleaveland Trees in Cuyahoga Valley

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
    A man smiles and raises his arms as he poses inside the hollow trunk of a massive tree.

    For Cleveland’s 225th anniversary, park staff tracked down the last Moses Cleaveland Tree living in Cuyahoga Valley.

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    Creating Cuyahoga Valley National Park: 50 Moments That Tell the Story

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
    A runner follows a flat trail along a waterway through foggy, autumn trees.

    In honor of our 50th anniversary year in 2025, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is highlighting 50 key events that help define who and what we are. They showcase the many partners that have come together to preserve open space, create opportunities for recreation, clean up pollution, restore habitats, and save historic resources.

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    When Was That? Key Dates in Making Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
    Eight people, some uniformed rangers, line up by a historic red building holding dirt in shovels.

    In honor of our 50th anniversary year in 2025, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is compiling this list of key dates in our history.

  • Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

    AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers 2021

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
    Young person operating the engine of an open boat in the rain. Two people point into the distance.

    In the spring of 2021, three AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) were placed at host sites along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. They collaborated on projects to increase capacity at their host sites.

  • YMCA Partnership

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Gateway National Recreation Area, Gateway Arch National Park, Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park
    • Offices: Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Youth Programs Division
    Two young campers hold their curricula worksheets in front of a body of water

    Over the past 10 years, the National Park Service and the YMCA have partnered to connect more than 100,000 young people from 21 Ys across the nation to 65 national parks and historic sites through summer day camp programs.

  • Autumn trailbuilding along the Cross Plains Segment of Ice Age National Scenic Trail

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Ice Age National Scenic Trail
    • Offices: Regions 3, 4, and 5
    People use hand tools to remove vegetation in a golden-leafed forest.

    Between October 18 and October 22, 2023, 268 volunteers donated 4,776 service hours to build trail along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

  • Staff Spotlight: Sarah Sherwood

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Big Hole National Battlefield, Indiana Dunes National Park, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Nez Perce National Historical Park, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve,
    • Offices: Youth Programs, Youth Programs Division
    A female ranger in uniform standing at a cave entrance.

    Meet Sarah Sherwood, Park Guide at White Sands National Park, and learn about her career journey from internships to permanent positions!

  • Grand Portage National Monument

    My Park Story: Ethan Poulin

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Grand Portage National Monument
    A person standing in front of a bay.

    Ethan Poulin came to Grand Portage from Thunder Bay about 13 years ago to live with his grandmother. Living in both Thunder Bay and here is, in the words of his uncle, two wings on the same bird, and describes well the dilemma of the international border within the traditional land of the Anishinaabe. He is working now as the Community Volunteer Ambassador (Conservation Legacy), which will give him resources to put toward education and a stable job.

  • Transformative land management at NPS’ Arkansas Park Zone

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Arkansas Post National Memorial, Buffalo National River, Fort Smith National Historic Site, Hot Springs National Park, Pea Ridge National Military Park
    • Offices: Fire and Aviation Management, Wildland Fire Program
    Flames consume dead and down wood and limbs in a forest near structures.

    In 2024, the Arkansas Park Fire Management Zone achieved significant milestones through initiatives funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With BIL funding, the Arkansas Park Zone treated over 1,400 acres of high-risk land.

Tags: employee staff what we do success stories careers intern seasonal staff nps careers volunteer youth programs my park story myparkstory
Back to top

Last updated: March 15, 2024

Tools

Stay Connected