National Park Service Climate Communication Internship Program

** NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE **

This paid summer internship program was initiated in 2012 by the National Park Service National Capital Region Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance (UERLA) and Mason 4C. The internship program was designed to create opportunities for students of diverse academic and personal backgrounds to gain skills and experience in the synthesis, interpretation, and development of science communication products while increasing knowledge about climate change and its effects on parks in the National Capital Region.

The communication resources provided below were produced as a product of these internships.

Ranger Toolkits

Ranger Toolkits are a great resource to help park rangers become more confident in talking to visitors about climate change. Important parts of a Ranger Toolkit include brief explanations of climate change and its impacts, pro-climate actions that rangers can tell visitors to take, and a list of frequently asked questions so that rangers have the answers at the ready during visitor interactions. 

Kenilworth Aquatic Park & Garden Ranger Toolkit

This Ranger Toolkit was developed specifically for Kenilworth Aquatic Park and Gardens and contains detailed information on the ways climate change is impacting and will impact this park.

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Monocacy Facilitated Discussion Guide

This guide helps rangers learn to create a safe sharing and learning environment for park visitors curious about climate change and its impacts, with a focus on Monocacy National Battlefield. 

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Antietam Climate Communication Toolkit

This toolkit contains information on climate change impacts specific to Antietam National Battlefield, and provides rangers with guidance on how to communicate about these impacts to a variety of different audiences. 

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National Mall Climate Change Connection Stories

These documents contain stories about how various monuments in the National Mall area are affected by Earth’s changing climate. 

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Manassas Community Health Framework

This toolkit contains information on how to discuss community health and climate change, with a focus on the Manassas National Battlefield area. 

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Brochures

Brochures are a great way to reach visitors in-person. They can be set out for visitors to take and read as they go through the park or for them to take home. Simple, straightforward text should be used, with a few helpful images as well. 

Antietam Agriculture Brochure

This brochure describes the Land Lease Program at Antietam National Battlefield.

Climate Change and Health Brochure

This brochure explains different ways that Earth’s changing climate impacts human health.

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Monocacy History Preservation Brochure

This brochure describes ways that park staff are working to protect Monocacy National Battlefield from the effects of climate change.

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Infographics

Infographics are image-based communication tools that use illustrations and pictures to convey a message or explain a concept. Text on an infographic should be minimal and concise. 

Capital Region Grasslands Infographic

This infographic defines climate change and grasslands and describes climate change’s impacts to grasslands in the National Capital Region. 

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Harper's Ferry Flooding Infographic

This infographic explains the relationship between industrialization, deforestation, and flooding in the Harper’s Ferry area. 

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Video & Media

Videos and other media can be especially engaging and useful, both for in-person visitors and an online audience. Accessibility is key for videos and media—make sure to follow accessibility guidelines, for example, including captions and image descriptions. 

Flooding in Rock Creek Park

This video details flooding in Rock Creek Park and the threats it poses to the park’s iconic spaces.

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Invasive Plants

This video teaches about the impacts of invasive plants.

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Wood Thrush

This video describes how the Wood Thrush, a popular and iconic D.C. area bird, is threatened by Earth’s changing climate.

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KEPA Oral History Podcast

This podcast provides an oral history of the Kenilworth Aquatic Park and Gardens. 

Climate Friendly Parks Video

This video details the Climate Friendly Parks initiative in Prince William Forest Park.

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Kids

Climate communication resources geared towards children should be fun, colorful, and engaging. 

Trading Cards

These trading cards present simple descriptions of National Capital Region parks, with engaging illustrations and characters. 

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KEPA Choose Your Own Adventure

In this activity, children follow a monarch butterfly named Kendra to learn about plants and pollinators in Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. 

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Warm-Season Grasslands

In this Junior Ranger resource, children learn about warm-season grasslands in the National Capital Region. 

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Antietam Passport to Preservation

This resource guides children through checkpoints at Antietam National Battlefield, where they learn about preservation and climate impacts at the park. 

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About our Funder

UERLA is a Research Learning Center that translates complex research results into readily understandable information—supporting research, education, and technical assistance for 16 parks in the National Capital Region. The center provides science communication outreach to park managers and external audiences via websites, workshops, and publications.

UERLA also maintains research and education partnerships with universities, not-for- profit, education, and other federal agencies. Education activities provided by UERLA include training opportunities for NPS staff and partners, participating in science education programs, and building external partnerships that support science education in parks.