Sustainable Community Development in Parks and Protected Areas: The Benefits and Challenges of Appreciative Inquiry

Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP), which is situated atop the Bakken Oil Formation and surrounded by gas and oil extraction operations, ranks third in the National Parks Conservation Association list of parks most vulnerable to loss of cultural, economic, and natural assets (NPCA, 2019). Considering increasing development pressures, TRNP partnered with researchers in a collaborative, multi-focal study. Researchers explored the management links between TRNP and surrounding communities, encompassing a variety of perspectives and data-points to assist the park in preparation of a strategic plan for sustainable development. One aspect of the study was to engage nearby communities in an appreciative inquiry process to assist the park with a long-term strategic plan. The outcomes of this research are presented to address the usefulness as well as challenges of the AI process to address the goals associated with the national park, and those of residents living adjacent to the park