Parks and Protected Areas Specialty Group - AAG
@ppasg.bsky.social
We are a proud specialty group of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) that produces scholarship with protected areas, such as National Parks, National Monuments, National Forests, and beyond. Follow us to see what we are up to!
"Gateways are like the Main Street of the parks, which depend on them to lodge, feed and guide visitors ... these risks create a distinct category of challenge for this type of Main Street business." doi.org/10.64628/AAI...
Small businesses at the gateways to America’s national parks face 4 big risks – including changing boundaries and extreme weather
Policy changes, climate disruption, staffing shortages and housing costs are reshaping the risks of owning or starting a gateway business.
doi.org
We are back to highlighting PPASG members with our spotlight series! This week we are celebrating Wenxin Yang, a Geography PhD candidate at UC Santa Barbara! Check out the awesome research that Wenxin does via the flyer below! #PPASG
Many of our PPASG members are published in the latest special issue on "Teaching with National Parks" of the Parks Stewardship Forum (PSF) by the George Wright Society (GWS). Check it out! escholarship.org/uc/psf/42/2
Are you a student who is looking for a publication opportunity for research work related to parks and protected areas? If so, click the following link to learn more about the Park Stewardship Forum's upcoming student-centered special issue for January 2027! docs.google.com/document/d/1...
PSF Student-Led Special Issue Solicitation Letter
Greetings Fellow Students of the George Wright Society! I am writing to you all because I want to extend an invitation to participate in a special student-centered issue of the Parks Stewardship Foru...
docs.google.com
We are accepting submissions for the 2026 PASG Student Awards! - PASG Undergraduate Paper Award ($100) - PASG Graduate Paper Award ($100) - PASG Student Poster Award ($100) Interested students should reach out to Dr. Joe Weber at jweber2@ua.edu no later than 11:59 PM EST on March 15th, 2026!
Welcome to round two of our PASG Member Spotlight Series! This week we are highlighting PASG member and PhD candidate Hardt Bergmann! Feel free to scan the QR code in the image below or click the following link to read her full write-up: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Congratulations to PASG Board Member Michael Pretes for being recognized as an AAG fellow! Well-deserved!
American Association of Geographers@geographers.bsky.social · 7mo agoThe AAG Fellows program recognizes geographers who have made significant contributions to advancing geography. This year, AAG welcomes 12 new fellows! Learn more about them and their accomplishments. buff.ly/C1GU0VA
Have you seen the latest issue of The Geography Teacher? It is a special issue on "U.S. Parks and Protected Areas", full of journal articles providing lesson plans for K-12 educators to use in the classroom. Feel free to check it out! www.tandfonline.com/toc/rget20/2...
The Geography Teacher
U.S. National Parks and Protected Areas. Volume 23, Issue 1 of The Geography Teacher
tandfonline.com
Welcome to the first posting of our PASG Member Spotlight Series! This week we are highlighting PASG Exec. Board member Dr. Amy Frazier! Feel free to scan the QR code in the image below or click the following link to read her full write-up: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
gamerficial.com/step-into-th...
Step Into the Boots of a Park Ranger in This New Open World Simulator
Rangers Path National Park Simulator is a PC game set to release in March 2026, where players assume the role of a park ranger focused on conservation and exploration. Featuring a vast open world, …
gamerficial.com
Looking for an awesome park-specific academic conference to attend this year? If so, consider submitting a proposal to GWS Park Forum 2026, happening in Knoxville, TN this year! Read the full CFP at the following link: www.georgewrightsociety.org/parkforum-2026
From New England's grasslands to Tanzania's Serengeti, researchers are identifying and protecting climate change “refugia” where wildlife can survive the longest. These pockets of resilience will give conservationists crucial time to act while the world addresses global warming. buff.ly/ZAFsdBM
Where the wild things thrive: Finding and protecting nature’s climate change safe havens
Protecting places that are likely to remain cool and moist as global temperatures rise can save wildlife of all kinds, but first we have to find them.
buff.ly
We break down the impacts to parks and their staff during the 43-day shutdown and the outlook for the months ahead. https://bit.ly/44raeQT
The Longest Government Shutdown in US History Has Ended. What’s Next for National Parks?
After the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, NPCA breaks down the impact to national parks and what’s next for these national treasures.
bit.ly
Today, the Interior Department rolled out one of the biggest changes to national park access and fees in years, if not decades, and it will reshape how people—both U.S. residents and international visitors—get into places like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. #nationalparks #parkchat
National Park Access and Fees Get Major Overhaul in 2026
Interior Department makes annual passes fully digital, increases fees for non-residents, and announces "patriotic fee-free days"
thenationalparksexperience.substack.com
Many members of the PASG attended the George Wright Society’s ParkForum 2025 workshop from October 20-23rd! It was great to reconnect and be with likeminded scholars and practitioners who love parks and protected areas like we do! Enjoy a few of the group photos we shared! #GWS #ParkForum
theconversation.com/whats-at-ris...
What’s at risk for Arctic wildlife as Trump expands oil drilling access in the fragile National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Caribou, migrating birds and many other types of wildlife rely on this expanse of wetlands and tundra. Humanity and the climate depend on a healthy Arctic, too.
theconversation.com
Want to be highlighted as part of our Member Spotlight Series? Review the information provided in the image below!
Now that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has ended, and rangers will start assessing and addressing damage in our national parks, the Senate's FY 2026 budget bill is as relevant as ever. It would fully fund the National Park Service, ensure adequate staffing levels, and more.
Now Is the Time to Tell Congress to Approve the Senate's Bipartisan Budget Bill That Protects National Parks and Their Workforce
Urge lawmakers to fully fund the NPS
thenationalparksexperience.substack.com
Want to be highlighted as part of our Member Spotlight Series? Review the information provided in the image below!
theconversation.com/as-national-...
As National Park System visitor numbers hit record highs, here’s how visitors can adapt for a better experience
There are other parts of popular areas – and different locations altogether – that can be great places for outdoor recreation and enjoyment.
theconversation.com