EARTH SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS AT KOLOB CANYONS, ZION NATIONAL PARK: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, IRON COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, GEOCORPS AMERICA, AND THE STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Kolob Canyons located in the northern section of Zion National Park offers a truly unique location to develop earth science partnerships with the National Park Service. Kolob Canyons contains the finest, most easily accessible examples of Finger Canyons along the western edge of the Colorado Plateau. East side up normal fault movement on the north-trending Hurricane fault is responsible for up to 3700 feet of topographic relief at Kolob Canyons. Creeks downcutting into the uplifted Mesozoic sedimentary rocks (primarily Navajo Sandstone) create the spectacular Finger Canyons.

The National Park Service staff at Kolob Canyons have been involved in two partnerships to promote earth science education to Park visitors. First, curriculum-based interpretive programs are presented to local elementary school children. The in-class programs consist of a variety of themes such as Land Forms, The Rock Cycle, and Ecosystems. These programs are age-based and foster an understanding and feeling of ownership in the children for their National Parks. The interactions between Park Rangers and local teachers open doors of communication and promote an eagerness to utilize the Parks. At present, Iron County elementary schools have taken full advantage of these programs.

Second, for the last two summers, Student Conservation Association (SCA) volunteers in association with the Geological Society of America GeoCorps America program pursued and completed geology-related projects at Kolob Canyons. During the twelve week summer programs, volunteer accomplished inventorying the Park geologic resources, producing a staff geology guide book to assist Park Rangers in developing future earth science curriculum, creating visitor interpretive sessions, and developing lesson plans to present to visiting elementary school classes.