Scientific research

The North Carolina state parks system includes more than three dozen state parks, nature preserves, lakes and recreation areas that are managed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Natural resource management in the state parks system is guided largely by the division's resource management policy, which states that the preservation and protection of resources will take priority over visitor access or the development of facilities.

Although an emphasis is placed on allowing ecosystems to operate with minimal human interference, our understanding of these systems is far from complete. Appropriate stewardship of the state parks system's natural and cultural resources demands that scientific research be an ongoing part of each park's management. Because many state parks protect large, reasonably undisturbed environments, they offer unique research opportunities. In recognition of the value of parks as natural laboratories, scientists and students are encouraged to use the state parks system for scientific research and training. The division's research program is intended to help park managers better understand the natural resources and processes that they manage and to provide the scientific community and the general public with greater insight into the long-term management and protection of natural resources.

The North Carolina state parks system's research program is administered by the division's resource management program and is open to any researcher affiliated with a professional, scientific, governmental or educational institution. Park research projects are intended to provide park managers with information ranging from simple descriptive data to studies involving complex, ecosystem-scale processes. Although specific research topics are diverse, the research program focuses on baseline inventories of each park's resources, long-term monitoring studies and long-term cooperative agreements to ensure continued research.

In order to conduct scientific research in the North Carolina state parks system, you must first submit a detailed research proposal and obtain a Scientific Research and Collecting Permit. A copy of the permit is included in this website, as well as details about the application process.