Promoting Diversity at Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Abstract

In December 1974, the National Park Service established the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (CVNRA) in northeastern Ohio as part of a nationwide effort to increase the amount of green space available to urban residents. Today, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) comprises ∼33,000 acres, and its combination of historic artifacts, nature trails, and recreational amenities attracts over 2.2 million visitors annually. As is the case with many units in the national park system, the typical park visitor to CVNP is white, highly educated, and older. While the park's management has dedicated considerable time and resources to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs over the past 40 years, CVNP still struggles to attract visitors who reflect the diversity of the surrounding area. Drawing from archival data, including CVNP long-range and annual interpretive plans, as well as interviews with past and current staff members, we examine some of the ways CVNP officials attempted to engage a more diverse audience in the past, determine why early efforts to attract a more diverse visitor profile were unsuccessful, and explore what challenges remain today.