Glaciers in Flux: Interpreting the Mission and Purpose of Glacier National Park in a Warming Climate

This dissertation used a qualitative and interpretive lens to explore visitor and staff perceptions of the mission and purpose of Glacier National Park and the National Park Service as well as the interpreted environmental state of this park. Through the use of online survey data and participant observations, this study provides a deeper understanding of how individuals inside of Glacier National Park view the potential for this park to succeed or fail with its mission as well as how environmental concerns are communicated to those within the park during the summer of 2019. Strategic environmental communication strategies are provided at the conclusion of this study in order to aid Glacier and the National Park Service in more efficiently educating their publics about their core goals and environmental management efforts.