PermitConditionsForSciResearchAndCollecting

GENERAL CONDITIONS
For
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND COLLECTING PERMIT
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service

1. Authority - The permittee is granted privileges covered under this permit subject to the supervision of
the superintendent or a designee, and shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the National
Park System area and other federal and state laws. A National Park Service (NPS) representative may
accompany the permittee in the field to ensure compliance with regulations.
2. Responsibility - The permittee is responsible for ensuring that all persons working on the project
adhere to permit conditions and applicable NPS regulations.
3. False information - The permittee is prohibited from giving false information that is used to issue this
permit. To do so will be considered a breach of conditions and be grounds for revocation of this permit and
other applicable penalties.
4. Assignment - This permit may not be transferred or assigned. Additional investigators and field
assistants are to be coordinated by the person(s) named in the permit and should carry a copy of the permit
while they are working in the park. The principal investigator shall notify the park's Research and
Collecting Permit Office when there are desired changes in the approved study protocols or methods,
changes in the affiliation or status of the principal investigator, or modification of the name of any project
member.
5. Revocation - This permit may be terminated for breach of any condition. The permittee may consult
with the appropriate NPS Regional Science Advisor to clarify issues resulting in a revoked permit and the
potential for reinstatement by the park superintendent or a designee.
6. Collection of specimens (including materials) - No specimens (including materials) may be collected
unless authorized on the Scientific Research and Collecting permit.
The general conditions for specimen collections are:
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Collection of archeological materials without a valid Federal Archeology Permit is prohibited.
Collection of federally listed threatened or endangered species without a valid U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service endangered species permit is prohibited.
Collection methods shall not attract undue attention or cause unapproved damage, depletion, or
disturbance to the environment and other park resources, such as historic sites.
New specimens must be reported to the NPS annually or more frequently if required by the park issuing
the permit. Minimum information for annual reporting includes specimen classification, number of
specimens collected, location collected, specimen status (e.g., herbarium sheet, preserved in
alcohol/formalin, tanned and mounted, dried and boxed, etc.), and current location.

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Collected specimens that are not consumed in analysis or discarded after scientific analysis remain
federal property. The NPS reserves the right to designate the repositories of all specimens removed
from the park and to approve or restrict reassignment of specimens from one repository to another.
Because specimens are Federal property, they shall not be destroyed or discarded without prior NPS
authorization.
Each specimen (or groups of specimens labeled as a group) that is retained permanently must bear NPS
labels and must be accessioned and cataloged in the NPS National Catalog. Unless exempted by
additional park-specific stipulations, the permittee will complete the labels and catalog records and will
provide accession information. It is the permittee’s responsibility to contact the park for cataloging
instructions and specimen labels as well as instructions on repository designation for the specimens.
Collected specimens may be used for scientific or educational purposes only, and shall be dedicated to
public benefit and be accessible to the public in accordance with NPS policies and procedures.
Any specimens collected under this permit, any components of any specimens (including but not limited
to natural organisms, enzymes or other bioactive molecules, genetic materials, or seeds), and research
results derived from collected specimens are to be used for scientific or educational purposes only, and
may not be used for commercial or other revenue-generating purposes unless the permittee has entered
into a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) or other approved benefit-sharing
agreement with the NPS. The sale of collected research specimens or other unauthorized transfers to
third parties is prohibited. Furthermore, if the permittee sells or otherwise transfers collected specimens,
any components thereof, or any products or research results developed from such specimens or their
components without a CRADA or other approved benefit-sharing agreement with NPS, permittee will
pay the NPS a royalty rate of twenty percent (20%) of gross revenue from such sales or other revenues.
In addition to such royalty, the NPS may seek other damages to which the NPS may be entitled
including but not limited to injunctive relief against the permittee.

7. Reports - The permittee is required to submit an Investigator’s Annual Report and copies of final
reports, publications, and other materials resulting from the study. Instructions for how and when to submit
an annual report will be provided by NPS staff. Park research coordinators will analyze study proposals to
determine whether copies of field notes, databases, maps, photos, and/or other materials may also be
requested. The permittee is responsible for the content of reports and data provided to the National Park
Service.
8. Confidentiality - The permittee agrees to keep the specific location of sensitive park resources
confidential. Sensitive resources include threatened species, endangered species, and rare species,
archeological sites, caves, fossil sites, minerals, commercially valuable resources, and sacred ceremonial
sites.
9. Methods of travel - Travel within the park is restricted to only those methods that are available to the
general public unless otherwise specified in additional stipulations associated with this permit.
10. Other permits - The permittee must obtain all other required permit(s) to conduct the specified project.
11. Insurance - If liability insurance is required by the NPS for this project, then documentation must be
provided that it has been obtained and is current in all respects before this permit is considered valid.

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12. Mechanized equipment - No use of mechanized equipment in designated, proposed, or potential
wilderness areas is allowed unless authorized by the superintendent or a designee in additional specific
conditions associated with this permit.
13. NPS participation - The permittee should not anticipate assistance from the NPS unless specific
arrangements are made and documented in either an additional stipulation attached to this permit or in other
separate written agreements.
14. Permanent markers and field equipment - The permittee is required to remove all markers or
equipment from the field after the completion of the study or prior to the expiration date of this permit. The
superintendent or a designee may modify this requirement through additional park specific conditions that
may be attached to this permit. Additional conditions regarding the positioning and identification of
markers and field equipment may be issued by staff at individual parks.
15. Access to park and restricted areas - Approval for any activity is contingent on the park being open
and staffed for required operations. No entry into restricted areas is allowed unless authorized in additional
park specific stipulations attached to this permit.
16. Notification - The permittee is required to contact the park’s Research and Collecting Permit Office (or
other offices if indicated in the stipulations associated with this permit) prior to initiating any fieldwork
authorized by this permit. Ideally this contact should occur at least one week prior to the initial visit to the
park.
17. Expiration date - Permits expire on the date listed. Nothing in this permit shall be construed as
granting any exclusive research privileges or automatic right to continue, extend, or renew this or any other
line of research under new permit(s).
18. Other stipulations - This permit includes by reference all stipulations listed in the application materials
or in additional attachments to this permit provided by the superintendent or a designee. Breach of any of
the terms of this permit will be grounds for revocation of this permit and denial of future permits.

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