REFLECTIONS OF SPACE & TIME
Badlands National Park reminds us of our place in time. Its layers connect us to the complexity of our past, its wildlife to the beauty of our present, and its sky to our deepest questions. Surrendering ourselves to life in the Badlands reveals stories of vulnerability, resilience, and balance. Connecting to it all means connecting with the people with whom we share this fleeting moment, with whom we gift this wild, wonderful place to future generations.
Gusti Rattling Hawk
Gusti is Oglala Lakota from Wambli, SD. They graduated from Dartmouth College in 2019 with a degree in Environmental Studies and Native American Studies and are currently pursuing their Master's in Ecosystem Science and Management at the University of Michigan. Their research work consists of incorporating Lakota Traditional Ecological Knowledge and human interconnectedness to dissect stagnant colonial sciences, environment, and climate change.
Eddie Childers
Eddie has served as a wildlife biologist at Badlands National Park since 1999. He oversees the health and management of the park’s iconic species—including bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and the black-footed ferret, the most endangered land mammal in North America. After more than two decades in the Badlands, he considers the work both a privilege and a calling.
Wayne Thompson
Wayne is a paleontologist at Badlands National Park, where he oversees fossil excavation, preservation, and interpretation in one of America’s richest paleontological landscapes. His work ranges from field excavations to collaborating with lab staff who prepare specimens for research and display. With decades of experience, he sees the Badlands as both a world-class research site and a place to inspire awe in visitors of all ages.
Featured Experts
Lydia Jones
Lydia is the lead interpretive ranger for the North Unit of Badlands National Park, where she designs and leads programs that connect visitors to the park’s landscapes, fossils, and night skies. With a background in evolutionary biology and a passion for paleontology, Lydia brings science and storytelling together to inspire curiosity, safety, and conservation in every visitor she meets.
Matthias Schmitt
Matthias is the founder and director of programming for Stargazing Zion. He has been passionately involved in astronomy outreach and public events in astronomy, STEM, and space sciences for over ten years. He manages night sky programs for the National Park Service and teaches a wide range of astronomy topics to K-12 students and adults at astronomy clubs.
Stay Connected
It's been our privilege to share the Badlands National Park Conservancy story with you during your stay in Sioux Falls. Stay connected with the park and Conservancy by scheduling a personalized visit, taking a piece of South Dakota home, or including the park in your legacy planning.
Exclusive Souvenir
Select from an original work of Black Hills art to commemorate your time with us.
Planned Giving
Contact your South Dakota Trust representative to leave part of your legacy in the Badlands.
Donate
Join our efforts to protect and enhance Badlands National Park for current and future generations by making a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail your support to:
Badlands National Park Conservancy
P.O. Box 495
Rapid City, SD 57709
Donate
Join our efforts to protect and enhance Badlands National Park for current and future generations by making a one-time or recurring donation.
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Badlands National Park Conservancy
P.O. Box 495 - Rapid City, SD 57709
EIN: 83-0728866
Contact Us:
Phone: (605) 350-5850
Email: marissa@bnpc.us
© 2025 Badlands National Park Conservancy - All rights reserved
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization