Investigator Collections Tasks

If you want to collect specimens from a national park and permanently retain them in a repository (herbarium, museum, etc.), bear in mind that they remain Federal property. An investigator is responsible for many steps in planning, documenting, and managing the collection. Those steps are presented here in sequence. It may be helpful to print this page and use it as a checklist throughout the timespan of your study.

Thank you for helping advance knowledge of parks and their resources.

1. Review collections-related general permit conditions.

In the General Conditions for Scientific Research and Collecting Permit see Item 6 pertaining to collections-related conditions. For further information on the benefits-sharing condition in the event of proposed commercialization of results from permitted research, see the Benefits Sharing website. See below for information on labeling and cataloging requirements.

2. Review park-specific permit conditions on Park Information page.

Search for a Park and on the Park Information page review any park-specific conditions that apply to all permits and to permits for specimens authorized for permanent retention in park museum collections.

3. Review NPS guidance on natural history collections.

See NPS Guidance on managing NPS natural history collections and cataloging (see section F).

4. Find contact information for park curator.

Search for a Park and on the Park Information page find the park curator contact information. If contact information is missing, seek that information from another contact listed on the Park Information page.

5. Consult park curator for instructions on documenting and submitting specimens for permanent retention in park museum collections.

Contact curator for park specific curatorial requirements and to request instructions on submitting catalog data. Curator may suggest an NPS or non-NPS repository for the specimens. You may want to review existing NPS agreements with certain repositories.

6. Establish a time schedule for collections-related tasks in coordination with park curator.

Contact park curator to establish a time schedule for completion of collections tasks. Include a proposed time schedule in the permit application.

7. Include in project budget costs for cataloging, preparation, labeling and depositing collections.

Consistent with the General Conditions for Scientific Research and Collecting Permit, and the Guidelines for Study Proposals, the Investigator is responsible for labeling and cataloging the specimens in the NPS system and the project budget must include the anticipated costs pertaining to the cataloging, preparation, labeling, and initial housing of collected specimens and materials proposed for permanent retention in NPS collections. Contact park curator to discuss details.

8. Seek concurrence of any proposed non-NPS repository.

If, in the permit application, you propose a non-NPS repository for collections intended for permanent retention, obtain the signature of the repository official on the RPRS-generated Appendix A of the application.

9. Provide NPS outgoing loan conditions to proposed non- NPS repository.

If a proposed repository requests to see NPS loan conditions, provide a copy of NPS standard Conditions for Outgoing Loans.

10. Review your permit conditions on documentation and submission of collections and copies of associated documentation.

Review the conditions on your permit that pertain to 1) documentation and submission of any specimens authorized for permanent retention in park museum collections, and 2) submission of copies of project documentation, if requested.

11. Report in the IAR on status of collections tasks.

When you submit an Investigator’s Annual Report describe the status of field collecting, specimen preparation, labeling, and submission of cataloging data for inclusion in NPS system. Assess the project time schedule for these tasks.

12. Send collected specimen or derivative to a laboratory for analysis necessary to the permitted research.

If the permit authorizes consumption or discard of the collected specimen or derivative, you may send the sample to a laboratory, including a commercial laboratory, for analysis necessary to the permitted research. Notify recipient that the work is subject to the permit conditions.

13. Send collected specimen or derivative that is authorized for consumption or discard to a researcher not associated with the permitted project.

Contact the park permit coordinator or curator if you want to provide a collected specimen or derivative to other researchers not associated with the permitted research. The park staff will prepare a Collected Specimen Transfer Agreement or Material Transfer Agreement, as described in the Benefits-Sharing Handbook (see 4.0 and Appendix C).

14. Send collected specimen or derivative that is to be permanently retained to another researcher or laboratory.

Regardless of whether the other entity’s research is related to the permitted research, contact the park curator to coordinate labeling and cataloging for the specimen or derivative. The park curator will prepare an outgoing loan agreement with the other researcher’s institution or laboratory.

15. Submit catalog data to park.

Contact park curator for instructions on using a template to submit catalog data.

16. Label specimens with NPS approved labels.

Contact park curator for instructions. Park curator may generate NPS labels for you to attach. To attach labels, follow guidance in NPS Museum Handbook, Part II, Appendix H.

17. Deliver specimens to NPS or approved non-NPS facility.

Contact park curator for instructions.

18. Submit associated documentation.

If park-specific permit conditions require submission of copies of associated documentation, contact park curator to discuss the document types, format and submission process.