Jon Jarvis

July 14 - President Obama has announced his intention to nominate Jonathan Jarvis to be director of the National Park Service. Jarvis, a 30-year veteran of the Park Service, currently is the regional director of the agency's Pacific West Region. Jarvis is also the co-leader of the Children in Nature Task Force with the National Association of State Park Directors.

"National Park Trust strongly supports President Obama's intention to nominate Jon Jarvis. NPT's goals align with his commitment to protect our nation's parks and to ensure that current and future generations enjoy them. Once he is confirmed, we look forward to working with him and NPS' newly created office of Youth in Natural Resources on NPT's Youth to Parks programs as well as with other departments on our land preservation initiatives," says Bill Brownell, Chair of the NPT Board. Part of NPT's Youth to Parks programs is to cultivate the next generation of conservation leaders and environmental professionals.

Former NPS Director and NPT Board Member, Fran Mainella, echoes Brownell's sentiments saying, "Jon's 30 years at NPS, his work with partners including state parks and getting kids back outdoors, his commitment to our resources and visitors, and his overall leadership skills makes him an excellent choice. Once confirmed, he will help NPS move well into its second century." Jarvis was Mainella's first regional director appointment when she was director of the park service from 2001 to 2006.

Jarvis is currently responsible for the 54 units of the National Park System in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands of Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. As regional director of the Pacific West Region, he oversees 3,000 employees with a $350 million annual budget and has required those park units in his jurisdiction to become carbon-neutral by the NPS centennial in 2016.

Prior to becoming regional director in 2002, Jarvis spent three years as the superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park in Ashford, Washington, where he managed the 235,000 acre National Park with a staff of 300 and a $14 million budget.

"President Obama has made a commitment to bring new life into our National Park System, and Jon Jarvis has proven he is the right person to make sure that happens," Interior Secretary Salazar said.

In the 1990s, Jarvis served as superintendent of Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska.

A trained biologist, he also served as Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources at North Cascades National Park where he was the chief biologist of the 684,000 acre complex of two recreation areas and one national park. He also worked with the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor in an effort to provide a quality visitor experience to the USS Arizona Memorial and associated states.

A native of Virginia, Jarvis has a B.S. in biology from the College of William and Mary and completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program in 2001.

National Park Trust

National Park Trust

The National Park Trust is a nonprofit 501c3 organization. NPT is the nation’s only organization dedicated to the completion, and the full appreciation, of the American system of National and State Parks through the identification of key land acquisition needs and opportunities, the convening of potential funders to acquire these lands, as well increasing efforts to ensure that future generations appreciate and experience this national heritage.

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