Building Bridges: Effective Tribal Relations in State Parks

Today, we talk with CampFest 2026 presenters Angelina Stancampiano (Wyoming State Parks) and Kyle Bernis (Kansas State Parks) about how state parks across America are located on lands with deep Indigenous histories and ongoing tribal connections. They offer a preview of their CampFest session, which will provide practical guidance for park professionals seeking to build respectful, collaborative relationships with tribal nations and Indigenous communities. Drawing from successful partnerships developed in Wyoming and Oklahoma state park systems, they'll share real-world strategies, challenges overcome, and lessons learned from working directly with tribal entities on cultural interpretation, resource management, and community engagement initiatives. Participants will gain actionable approaches for initiating tribal consultation, navigating sovereignty and protocol considerations, developing co-interpretive programming, and creating mutually beneficial partnerships that honor Indigenous knowledge while enhancing visitor experiences and resource stewardship. This session was successfully presented at the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference and has been adapted for virtual delivery to reach park, rec, and camp professionals nationwide. You can watch this podcast on YouTube. Join us for the live session on Thursday, February 26, at 12 p.m. ET. You can register here for FREE.