Bark Ranger Gracie has a big job at Glacier National Park: to keep wildlife away from high visitor use areas in the park. But once she’s finished her work, Ranger Mark Biel steps in and educates visitors on the importance of wildlife safety. Listen in to this episode of Podcasts with Park Rangers to find out more about changing our mindset around how we interact with the animals in the parks.
Show Notes found at: https://www.virtualkamper.com/pwpr18/
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Podcast Resources:

* Glacier National Park NPS Site
* Discover more Podcasts with Park Rangers episodes!

Topics Covered

* About Ranger Mark Biel
* About Glacier National Park
* Why are glacial lakes blue or teal?
* Work With Bark Ranger Gracie
* Visitor Wildlife Safety Education
* Why Did Glacier Begin the Bark Ranger Program?
* Looking Towards Other Parks For Inspiration
* Gracie – From Family Dog to Bark Ranger
* What Do Other Parks Do Without a Bark Ranger?
* Gracie’s Winter Work
* Wildlife Incidents That Spurred This Decision
* Gracie’s Days Off
* How To Measure Gracie’s Effectiveness?
* Changing The Mindset Around Wildlife Safety
* Wildlife Trading Cards
* Why Keep Wildlife Wild?
* Mark’s Connection with Gracie
* Ranger Mark’s Love for Glacier and the NPS
* Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates
* Thanks to Our Listeners – Let’s Connect More!

About Ranger Mark Biel
Ranger Mark Biel is the Natural Resources Program Manager at Glacier National Park. He’s worked with the Park Service for 25 years, 8 of which have been at Glacier.
Mark’s background is in wildlife management. He started at Yellowstone in bear and bison management and he also aided in the wolf reintroduction. However, many of you might know him for his recent work at Glacier with Bark Ranger Gracie.
Gracie is Mark’s family pet who he trained to keep wild animals off the road and away from park visitors. Gracie is a bit of a celebrity, and helps mark teach visitors about wildlife safety.
About Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park derives its names from the glacial process which shaped the park rather than the glacier remnants left in the park. The park spans over 1 million acres and is located in the heart of the Crown of the Continent ecosystem. The Blackfeet Indians call it the Backbone of the World based on the jagged peaks of the mountains.
The Continental Divide runs through the whole park from north to south and its known for high alpine environments and unique vegetation. West of the divide is a wetter more temperate climate and east of the divide is drier and occupied by grasslands.
The iconic Going to the Sun Road is 54 miles long and runs east to west through beautiful passes along a narrow road with steep drop offs. Additionally,