October 10, 2008
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
Lori Michalowski
(435) 425-3791 x 160
Capitol Reef National Park, in conjunction with Utah Valley University (UVU), will hold a public Dedication and an Open House at the recently completed Capitol Reef Field Station on October 16, 2008. The Dedication will take place at 1:00 p.m. to be followed by the Open House from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Guest parking will be available one and one-half miles south of the Park visitor center with shuttle service provided to the Field Station. Visitors should allow enough time for the 30-minute shuttle trip to the site.
The Field Station is located within the park at the site of a historic guest ranch operation and is the result of a General Agreement between the Park and the University initiated in 2000. The Agreement provides the opportunity for UVU to operate the Field Station. Other educational institutions may also use the Field Station by contacting UVU to check for availability and scheduling.
"Using the Field Station for educational programs will provide opportunities for in-depth, first hand learning experiences where the topics being discussed can be witnessed in a natural setting, rather than simply in a textbook," said Park Superintendent Al Hendricks. "By providing a heightened awareness of the park’s resources and ecology, the Field Station will assist the park in meeting its mission to protect and preserve those resources."
The facility will complement the Park’s education outreach initiatives by providing activities, programs, media and services to encourage student understanding of the geologic, biologic and cultural aspects of the area. With Capitol Reef National Park as the classroom, students will experience the natural and cultural history of the region firsthand. It will also be a place where students can experience natural landscapes and gain understanding of how ecosystems work. UVU programs being developed for the Field Station demonstrate the University’s push to become an institution where experiential learning and responsible living are the norm.
"The Field Station is a perfect example of engaged learning," said Jack R. Christianson, executive director for the UVU Center for Engaged Learning. "The new Field Station will allow our students to have first-hand experience with what they are studying." The Center was given the charge to help create opportunities for service and engagement with the region. Its vision is to develop an educational model that is community-based and provides students hands-on training with the community partners. The new Field Station is based on just such a partnership between the University and Capitol Reef National Park.
The environmentally intelligent Field Station, designed to blend with the natural setting, is powered by a hybrid system of solar panels backed up by a propane generator and incorporates a number of energy efficient and passive solar features. The facility includes a classroom/dining room, caretaker residence, multi-room dormitories accommodating up to 24 people, and a utility building.
"We are very excited about the possibilities this Field Station offers UVU students, faculty, and staff across the curriculum," said Renee Van Buren, director of UVU’s field station program. "There is no better way to learn than to be immersed in the content."
More information about the Capitol Reef National Park Field Station Open House may be found at http://www.nps.gov/care/upload/FieldStation.pdf or by calling Lori Michalowski at 435-425-3791, extension 160.
# # #
Written by:
Lori Michalowski
(435) 425-3791 x 160