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Throughout the history of the national parks, volunteers have carried on a proud tradition. From the establishment of the first national park, Yellowstone, in 1872, to the establishment of the National Park Service itself, in 1916, and continuing on today, private citizens have played a vital role in the development of the national park system. Interestingly, it was not until passage of the Volunteers in the Parks Act of 1969, that this long-term, informal association turned into a formal partnership. Each year, over 100,000 Volunteers-In-P
DO-7 is one of many policies and director’s orders that can be found on the NPS Policy page.
Reference Manual 7
This Volunteers-In-Parks Reference Manual 7 (RM-7) offers guidance to NPS employees, partners, and volunteers themselves engaged in managing and supporting volunteer activities, projects, and programs at their site or office. RM-7 serves as Level 3 guidance, and includes relevant legislation, regulations, Management Policies, other instructions or requirements issued through Director’s Order 7.
Reference Manual 7 is a dynamic, digital resource, where guidance will be updated as needed and paired with current examples when available. It is designed to be changed and updated as new questions arise, and as templates and other supporting materials are developed. Users of RM-7 are strongly encouraged to check this page for additional postings and updates before utilizing previously viewed or downloaded materials, and/or consult with a Regional Volunteer Manager or the Office of Volunteers regarding interpretation and/or application of this guidance.
Download a PDF of the Resource Manual 7 (updated May 2022). Note that some links in the PDF version may be outdated. Links are regularly updated in the webpage-based version below.
Table of Contents
Last updated: July 30, 2024