Breaking out of the fishbowl: Integrating paleontological resource management and public engagement while inspiring stewardship through an open-door fossil preparation lab at Badlands National Park
Abstract
Badlands National Park has been implementing an experimental “open door” concept to their fossil preparation lab, where visitors are allowed into the workspace to experience paleontological work behind the scenes. The combined effort of Resource Education and Resource Management divisions have addressed safety and security issues to optimize the maximum benefits towards resource stewardship as well as public education and enjoyment. These efforts have manifested through various interpretive opportunities combined with strategies towards visitor inclusion into the scientific realm, through encouraging citizen science. The efforts supporting the “open door” lab concept has provided significant, measurable impacts towards inspiring public engagement and stewardship. Since the lab’s opening, there has been a 400% increase in Visitor Site Reports, the parks fossil reporting citizen science program. The past decade of having an “open door” lab has led to the revelation that if the park ever changed their lab setting to the classic “fish-bowl” lab, seen in several museums, the significant gains that have been made would be lost. Paleontology prep labs that facilitate wider public engagement can be a major boon towards resource management strategies for paleontological resources.