Cooperating Associations, also known as ''interpretive associations'' or ''natural history associations'', support the interpretive, educational and scientific programs and services of governmental land management agencies such as the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

USDA Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

US Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with oth ...

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's l ...

US Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

, or

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

departments. Associations assist in the production of site-specific products, distribute educational and scientific publications produced by agencies, donate materials for use in interpretive programs and exhibits, and work to secure grants and funding. This is accomplished through bookstore sales, membership support, publication and product development, research funding, and other educational programs and activities. They must hold a federally tax-exempt, not-for-profit status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Purpose

Cooperating associations recognize the public as an important resource for the preservation of public land, and help citizens to better understand land management issues by providing information and services in visitor centers and other locations. By doing so, cooperating associations contribute to the understanding of a variety of stewardship issues, cultivate an appreciation of

public lands In all modern states, a portion of land is held by central or local governments. This is called public land, state land, or Crown land ( Australia, and Canada). The system of tenure of public land, and the terminology used, varies between countr ...

, and help reduce adverse impacts on natural and cultural resources.

History

After the founding of the National Park Service in 1916 several non-profit organizations were formed to support educational and interpretive programs and projects not covered by government funding, the first being the Yosemite Association which was formed in 1923. Several similar nonprofit organizations became known as cooperating associations by 1936, and were formally recognized by Congress in 1946 (Public Law 79-633). no

Types of Cooperating Associations

Authorization and Affiliation

National Park Service

Within the

, authority to designate or affiliate with a cooperating association is assigned to the regional directors and cannot be re-delegated. In the case of organizations serving multiple regions, which includes

Eastern National Eastern National (also known as EN) is a nonprofit Cooperating Association based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, that partners with the National Park Service in the United States. It was created by charter in 1948 to "provide quality education ...

and

Western National Parks Association Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

, the Director of the National Park Service signs the agreements. In the fiscal year 2008, 71 associations operated more than 100 outlets in 325 units of the National Park Service.

The USDA Forest Service

Within the Forest Service, authority is assumed to lie with the regional foresters, but may be re-delegated to forest supervisors for single site agreements. The Forest Service currently works with 24 cooperating associations.

The Bureau of Land Management

Within the

, authority to designate or affiliate with a cooperating association is assigned to the state director but can be re-delegated to district managers. As of 2010, the Bureau of Land Management works with 21 cooperating associations in all twelve western states.

US Fish and Wildlife Service

Within the

, authority is assumed to lie with the regional director but may be re-delegated to refuge managers for single site agreements. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service currently holds agreements with 8 cooperating associations.

US Army Corps of Engineers

The US Army Corps of Engineers currently works with 3 cooperating agreements. Authority is held by the Commanding General and Chief of Engineers.US Army Corps
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Other Cooperating Association Partners

*Municipal Agencies *

National Scenic Byway A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by Co ...

s *

United States Bureau of Reclamation The Bureau of Reclamation, and formerly the United States Reclamation Service, is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees water resource management, specifically as it applies to the oversight and opera ...

State Park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

s * U.S Geological Survey *Other qualified not-for-profit organizations

Friends Groups

Friends groups are non-profit organizations that partner with

agencies to accomplish activities that typically benefit a specific park or public lands area. While some friends groups also function as cooperating associations, the two terms are not interchangeable, as the authority to operate interpretive sales outlets on public lands is governed by specific agreements and authorities.

References

{{Reflist

External links

US Army Corps of Engineers

National Park Service

Bureau of Land Management

USDA Forest Service

US Fish & Wildlife

Non-profit organizations based in the United States Types of business entity