Mammoth Cave National Park: Purpose, Services, Funding, and Staff - Prof. Steven L. Spence, Papers of Physical Education and Motor Learning

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Mammoth Cave National Park Jenna Woosley Rec 200 Fall 09 Abstract: This is a supplemental paper that will give a more in depth look at the purpose, types of service, funding, programming, resources, clientele, staff, pay and benefits, and operations of Mammoth Cave National Park.  Swimming (NPS, 2007)  Camping (group and singular) – About 45,000 people camped onsite last year.  Picnicking  Campfire Programs  Educational Outreach (grades 4-Higher Education) – This includes: o “Trog Trail”, which is a ranger led cave tour strictly for children ages 8-12. o Nature Track for kids, this is a ranger led nature program meant to peak a child’s interest in the environment. o The Junior Ranger Program, children can choose activities in order to gain “bat points” and after so many points are earned they are rewarded with their own Junior Ranger Badge. (National Park Service [NPS], 2009)  Security and Emergency Services  Ferry operations  Volunteer Programs Funding: Funding is not restricted to the US Treasury, last year the state of Kentucky was awarded almost 95 million dollars in grants for the National Parks (Waldron, 2008). Mammoth Cave not only receives government grants but also donations and special appropriations (which are usually limited to 1-2 years). Also, some projects are funded through the “Fee Demonstration Program”; this being various forms of pay-for-play fees, such as cave tour admissions, camping fees, etc. Parks get to keep 80% of the fees collected. Resources: Mammoth Cave is in an excellent location for natural resources such as the cave, wildlife, vegetation, geological and hydrological recourses. The area is full of many cultural resources enriched with an interesting historical background including buildings, sites, items and documents; an example of this would be the story of Floyd Collins. NPS Kid Zone, a program that most national parks participate in, was created to get people out and appreciate nature; this is a great concept for the tourism aspect of any park system. The Mammoth Cave National Park Web Cam is also useful so people can see what the weather is like at the park if they are planning to visit on a day with bearable weather, and live far enough away that they can’t simply walk outside and see what it’s like at the park. Clientele: Between 350,000-400,000 people visit Mammoth Cave National Park in a year’s time. These people can be classified into a few main groups such as tourists, school trips, locals, and adventurers. Staff: Mammoth Cave has a full-time staff of 120 people, with approximately 90 permanent full- time positions, where as seasonal and part-time jobs vary from year to year but usually there are about 60 job opportunities. There are 19 park rangers, some are law enforcement rangers, while others are called interpretive who lead tours and provide public information. Pay and Benefits: Mary Conner, who is a GS-13 can make anywhere from $80,400-$104,000. Plus benefits that include health insurance (it’s not completely covered but the government pays 2/3 of the premium), life insurance, discounted long-term care insurance as well as dental and vision care for herself and dependants, retirement eligibility at age 55 (with 30 years of service), six weeks of accumulated paid vacation time per year, and about three weeks of paid sick leave per year. A park ranger can make a salary of about 43,200 per year, and be in a full-time position. But, a ranger’s position is mostly seasonal and will not exceed a year. In Vicki’s position as Public Information Officer, a person could make $40,000-$50,000 a year, plus the above listed benefits. Operations and/or any other pertinent information: Many national parks have contracted out certain services to a company called “Forever Resorts”. They provide lodging in the Hotels, the buses to and from cave tours; also they operate on an international level with several resorts in Africa. Conclusion: From this assignment I have learned about multiple locations, but more importantly I have gained knowledge of possible job opportunities. Also I have developed an even greater love for nature, specifically my Mammoth Cave. References: National Park Service. (2009). About Us. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm National Park Service. (2009). For Kids. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://www.nps.gov/maca/ forkids/index.htm National Park Service. (2009) Plan Your Visit: Cave Tours. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/cavetours.htm National Park Service. (2007). Plan Your Visit: Horseback Riding. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/horseback.htm National Park Service. (2007). Plan Your Visit: On the Rivers. Retrieved October 15, 2009, from http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/ontherivers.htm U.S. Department of the Interior. (2008). National Park Service 2008 Director’s Report. Waldron, S. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/2008DirectorsReport/2008NPSDirectorsReport.pdf