Environmental stewardship and global climate change are topics of much discussion in society today. Many look to the National Park Service to be a model for society in displaying and promoting successful environmental stewardship techniques.

Since 1977 the Association of National Park Rangers has held an annual forum to exchange ideas that further the preservation and management of the National Park Service and the National Park System. This professional conference, known as the Ranger Rendezvous, brings together people from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines to exchange ideas, provide training, and listen to operational or political updates from agency leaders.

Participants include representatives from NPS national and regional directorate, volunteers, superintendents, interpretive rangers, administrative employees, natural and cultural resource managers, maintenance employees, retirees, protection rangers, historians, planners, visitor use assistants, rangers from other countries, members of academia, environmental organization members, representatives of parks’ friends groups, other professional societies’ members and supporters of the National Park System. Appropriate parts of the conference agenda will be submitted to the NPS for recognition as an official training or professional conference opportunity.

The 31st Ranger Rendezvous, to be held Dec. 10-14, 2008, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will explore “Being Green Means More Than Just Wearing Green.” This theme is meant to be both reflective and forward thinking. We are interested in park applications of green technology or systems that have worked and/or are currently working, as well as models and techniques that are still conceptual.

Proposed papers may address any topic pertaining to green park operations models in the National Park System or similar lands.

Abstracts should be 750 words or less and must be submitted no later than Aug. 1. Abstracts should contain the authors’ names, postal and e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers at the top of the page. Papers will be selected based on how well they address the focus of the conference, organization and potential for presentation at the conference. The selection committee reserves the right to request modification to the proposals. Authors will be notified by Sept. 15 whether their paper has been selected.

Complete drafts of papers, not to exceed 20 pages, will be due Oct. 15 for review by the selection committee. The committee reserves the right to request modification to the drafts. Final papers, to be made available to attendees at the conference, will be due Nov. 20. Selected papers will be presented at the conference during breakout sessions on Dec. 12 or 13. It is the intention of the committee to publish revised and expanded papers on the ANPR website (www.anpr.org) after the conference.

Abstracts may be submitted electronically or on paper. Abstracts and any inquiries should be sent to Scot McElveen, ANPR President, ANPRScotM@aol.com. Contact him for mailing address or phone number. An alternate address to send inquiries or papers is ANPR's business office: 25958 Genesee Trail Road, PMB 222, Golden, CO 80401.