The National Park Service faces a number of increasingly complex issues that threaten the integrity of natural ecosystems, cultural resources, and visitor experiences at Shenandoah National Park. To prevent the degradation or impairment of these park values, park managers must be aware of and understand the causes and consequences of these threats. The successful management and protection of Shenandoah National Park therefore depend upon scientifically credible and timely answers to important questions. Research is one important tool used by the National Park Service to meet its stewardship responsibilities. 

Shenandoah National Park offers an ideal natural laboratory in which to study a wide variety of research topics. Important science issues at the park include, but are not limited to, air pollution, water quality, habitat fragmentation, invasive exotic species, rare species conservation, recreation impacts on visitor experiences and natural resources, restoration of disturbed natural and cultural landscapes, and a lack of baseline data about the park’s natural and cultural resources. Shenandoah National Park offers a diversity of landscapes, including hardwood forest, rocky outcrops, mountain streams, and open meadows.

In the past, the research grant program was open to applications from undergraduate and graduate students, college and university faculty, state and federal agency scientists, private-sector research professionals, and others with appropriate backgrounds and credentials. 

Each year we determine whether or not we may offer these donor-funded grants. Please reach out if you are interested in sponsoring a research grant.