Understanding and Appreciation of Natural Sounds/Night Skies through Youth Initiatives Based on Science, Service, and Recreation

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The goals of this agreement are to engage approximately 20 youth in a park-based educational/recreational experience to learn and apply science, engineering, and best practices for protecting natural sounds and night skies in national parks, while fostering an awareness and appreciation of recreation opportunities in national parks. The objectives are to advance recreational access for non-traditional/underserved park visitors (e.g., youth who haven¿t visited parks due to socio-economics or perceived barriers based on physical, hearing, or visual impairments); use recreation to develop understanding and appreciation of national parks and public lands; impart knowledge to enhance park resources, values, and visitor experience; and leverage funding through cost-sharing. The outcomes will include: 1) increased recreational access, 2) application of best practices developed to benefit resource conditions and visitor experience, 3) improved natural soundscapes and night skies through noise and light reduction service activities, 4) increased relevancy of national parks.

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