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In the aftermath of the devastating 2022 Yellowstone floods, we examined historical river flows. Could our insights help predict future events?

National Park Service employees prepare to protect people, assets, and infrastructure from disasters. But what about when it comes to their own well-being?

The following article is excerpted from a paper I prepared for the Great Basin National Park staff on the Geologic Story of Lehman Caves. Last issue, I wrote about Stage 1, the Sulfde-rich, Hypogenic Speleogenesis time. This note reveals the second of four stages of speleogenesis I have documented in the cave.

The hurricanes that struck DeRidder, LA in 2020, failed to diminish the resiliency of its residents and leaders. In response to the damage wrought by Laura and Delta, particularly the devastation of West Park, the City of DeRidder, with assistance from the National Park Service - Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program, and Baton Rouge’s CARBO Landscape Architecture Firm, developed a master plan that will enhance this important community and regional resource.

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season saw a total of 17 named storms, 7 tropical storms and 10 hurricanes. Three of those hurricanes - Harvey, Irma, and Maria - made landfall on the mainland U.S. or U.S. territories, causing tremendous destruction. This StoryMap from CRGIS includes a selection of damaged or threatened cultural resources in those three places. The map highlights the value of Heritage Documentation Programs (HABS/HAER/HALS) documentation of historic places.

Jason Church speaks with Susan Duhl, an art conservator and collections management consultant, about disaster response and preparedness.

In January of 2021, the University of Oregon’s Landscape Architecture Program offered to help redesign Blue River Park, and a concept plan was soon drafted. In 2022, the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program (NPS-RTCA), funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was recruited to help with community outreach efforts. Based on input from community members and other stakeholders, a recovery master plan was finalized.

Jason Church speaks with Karen Pavelka, a lecturer in the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin. Karen will talk about her experiences helping to setup a conservation lab at the Cultural Recovery Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Storm surge may severely impact coastal geomorphology and inundate park resources. Brought by coastal storms, storm surge can be dangerous and have lasting effects. Coastal areas that remain at low elevation are prone to the effects of storm surge. The magnitude of a storm surge is increased when coupled with sea level rise.

NPS-RTCA is committed to helping communities build resiliency against a changing climate. As part of a larger neighborhood revitalization effort in the Lower 9th Ward, a local nonprofit organization, the Sankofa Community Development Corporation, collaborated with NPS-RTCA in developing plans for the Sankofa Wetland Park and Nature Trail – a community-driven recovery project to improve protection from hurricanes and flooding in the neighborhood.