The 2024 Rocky Mountain State Park Executive Conference (RMSPEC) was a great success and Idaho’s team would like to thank everyone for their attendance and participation! We appreciate you!
Day 1: Kick Off Cruise – Monday May 13
This year’s conference was held in beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on May 13 – 16, 2024. The event kicked off on Monday, May 13 with an evening boat cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene. The group watched the sun dip behind the horizon from the double decks of the Mish-An-Nock while we prepared for the official start of the conference on Tuesday. Cheers!
Day 2: Tuesday May 14
On Tuesday morning, the group gathered at the Coeur d’Alene Inn for our keynotes and an introduction from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Director Susan Buxton. The keynote speaker this year was Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke followed by a presentation on leadership by Bryan Yager. We then moved into a Historic and Cultural Preservation Panel with:
Dan Everhart – Idaho State Historical Preservation Office
Caj Matheson – Coeur d’Alene Tribe Council Member, Natural Resources Director
Jason Lyon, National Park Service, Cultural Anthropologist
Kathryn Burke-Hise, Historical Resource Associates, Inc. Architectural Historian
Melanie Schuster, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Development Bureau Chief
Participants then grabbed their box lunches and hit the buses for a tour of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park. The day finished up with a delicious meal hosted on the lawn of the Old Mission. Food was catered from GarrenTeed BBQ and entertainment for the evening was Rusty Jackson.
Day 3: Wednesday May 15
Day 3 began with an NASPD update from Executive Director Lewis Ledford and then transitioned into a Sustainable Recreation panel with:
Drew Pollak-Bruce -CRO Planning and Design
Chris Zajchowski - University of Idaho, Assistant Professor | Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Ecology
Stephen Theede - National Park Service, Nez Perce National Historic Park Superintendent
Chris Zajchowski kept the stage and was joined by Dr. Mary Engels (University of Idaho, Assistant Professor | College of Natural Resources) to speak about Stakeholder Engagement and User/Customer Outreach by explaining a few of the projects they are working on with their students at the University of Idaho.
Attendees again grabbed their lunches and headed to the busses for the daily park tours. Today’s visit was Mowry and Heyburn State Parks. And despite a bit of a hang up with the buses, the tours went well! After the tour, we had dinner at Heyburn’s recently remodeled Rocky Point Lodge with catering from Café Rio and musical entertainment from local band, Under the Wire.
Day 4: Thursday May 16
The fourth day of RMSPEC began with Idaho Parks and Rec Natural Resource Manager, Keith Jones. Keith shared many of the restoration and natural resource projects happening around Idaho. He was followed by Round Lake State Park Manager, Mary McGraw, who talked about her invasive snail problem (and creative ice cream-related solutions) as well as her upcoming Treehouses, which are scheduled for construction and installation soon!
We had some incredible presenters this week but everyone will agree that speaker Carla Joelle Brown absolutely stole the show with her contribution. A talented writer, director, and producer, Carla shared her story (and the story of her family) and what led her to loving the outdoors and creating a documentary (Everyone But Two) that showcases her grandparents’ nationwide, years-long, RV adventures. Learn more about Everyone But Two: The True Story of Wanderlust by visiting everyonebuttwo.com.
The group then hit the buses again for their final RMSPEC tour of Farragut State Park. We hosted our closing ceremony at Farragut, paired with a delicious Italian dinner from Ivano’s and music from local band Bridges Home, and wrapped up with Director Buxton’s concluding statements.
Takeaways
There were more than 115 attendees among staff, speakers, and vendors. We had 16 sponsors and exhibitors. This includes speakers and attendees from nearly every western state, and additional attendance from Florida, Vermont, Delaware and more. We visited a total of 5 state parks, had dinner and entertainment each evening, and of course the nightly hospitality room. We packed a lot in to one week and again are thankful for each and every one of you.
The baton was passed, and we look forward to seeing everyone in Washington next year for RMSPEC 2025!
Chelsea Chambers, Idaho Public Information Specialist
