KIRK L. NICHOLS, PhM portrait
  • Associate Professor (Lecturer) of Outdoor Recreation Studies, Parks, Recreation & Tourism
  • Academic Liaison/Advisor and Faculty, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Parks, Recreation & Tourism
  • Associate Professor (Lecturer), Parks, Recreation & Tourism
801-581-7519

Research Statement

When logic does not explain a policy, research its history.

Research Keywords

  • Historical debate behind Canyonlands National Park
  • Federal Lands Policy and Management Act 1976
  • Wilderness Areas
  • Vegetation
  • Threatened, endangered, and sensitive (TES) plants
  • Reindeer
  • Fire History
  • Coniferous Trees of Northern Utah and Interior Alaska

Presentations

  • NEPA/EIS Workshop for Community Advocacy Leaders. Invited Talk/Keynote, Accepted, 02/06/2020.
  • NEPA/EIS Workshop for Central Wasatch Commission's Stakeholders Council. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 01/30/2020.
  • Conference, Trout Unlimited. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/07/2017.
  • NOLS Faculty Summit Workshop. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/08/2017.
  • NOLS Faculty Summit, Workshops. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/09/2016.
  • Lighten-up: Considerations and Trends on Alpine Fly-Fishing and Lightweight Backpacking. Other, Presented, 04/01/2016.
  • Perspectives on Public Property Rights: Wilderness and a National Park in Utah . Conference Paper, Presented, 04/15/2011.
  • Microhabitat Affinities of Three Southwestern Oaks: Management Implications on a National Park. Conference Paper, Presented, 04/2010.

Languages

  • English, fluent.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • United States of America
    Public Lands: Federal, State, and Community lands and parks.

Publications

  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Why are citizens suing UDOT over the Little Cottonwood environmental impact statement?. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 12/21/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/12/21/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). We can't build our way out of the congestion in the canyons. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 10/08/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/10/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). The disturbing inadequacies of the Little Cottonwood environmental impact statemant. (pp. 18-19). Vol. 34. The Utah Nordic Alliance News. Published, 09/01/2023.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). The disturbing inadequacies of the Little Cottonwood environmental impact statement. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 08/05/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/08/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Student debt forgiveness merely acknowledges what decades of irresponsible education policies have wrought. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 07/05/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/07/05/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Utahns can — and must — help the federal government improve public land management. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 06/12/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/06/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Will the Utah Supreme Court return to Utahns their birthright: Access to public trust water?. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 06/04/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/06/04/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). 8.3 million acres of corner-hostage land has now been freed for the rightful owners, the public. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 06/04/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/06/04/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Will the Utah Supreme Court return to Utahns their birthright: Access to public trust water? . Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 04/09/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/04/09/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Population growth in Utah is not the only factor threatening to overwhelm the gondola. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 04/04/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/04/04/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2023). Sen. Lee is enabling the public’s land to transfer into developers’ portfolios. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 03/08/2023.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2023/03/08/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2022). Time to talk about fees and reservations to limit crowding in the central Wasatch region. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 12/18/2022.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2022/12/18/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2022). Recent traffic in Big Cottonwood Canyon begs the question: Why is UDOT studying the roadway in Little Cottonwood?. Salt lake Tribune. Published, 12/07/2022.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2022/12/07/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2022). As a solution to crowding, a gondola is akin to a small hole poked into the side of a giant funnel. Salt Lake Tribune. Published, 11/01/2022.
    https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2022/11/01/...
  • Nichols, Kirk (2019). World Cup Biathlon Soldier Hollow, Utah. The Utah Nordic Alliance News (TUNA). Accepted, 02/23/2019.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2019). ORS Capitol Reef Field Course 2018. Vol. https://youtu.be/0xS51JPu1qI. Self. Published, 02/08/2019.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2019). Outdoor Recreation Studies, University of Utah - Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Program, Lifetime Recreation. Vol. https://youtu.be/Re4rwAgDdr4. Self. Published, 02/05/2019.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2019). Strawberry River Requiem (Recreational Ecology course). Vol. https://youtu.be/hFcwQrQbRss. Self. Published, 01/27/2019.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2018). What is Cross-Country Skiing? (Instructional). Vol. https://youtu.be/DzMTFvm94KU. Self. Published, 12/30/2018.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2018). 7 Stream Gradient Categories Illustrated. Vol. https://youtu.be/sdSjYC0mmuQ. Self. Published, 12/12/2018.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2018). Neon Canyon, Technical Canyoneering Adventure (instructional). Vol. https://youtu.be/yiKnTJg-gl8. Self. Published, 08/29/2018.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2018). Wasatch Citizens' Series Season Opening Classic Sprints: and the effects of polluted air on citizen racing. (pp. 1 - 6). Vol. XXVIII. The Utah Nordic Alliance News. Published, 01/2018.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2017) Is it Classic?, The Utah Nordic Alliance News (TUNA), (27:3). Published, 01/2017.
  • Nichols, Kirk. TUNA's Boulder Creek Yurt, The Utah Nordic Allaince News (27:1). Published, 11/01/2016.
  • Nichols, Kirk. How Nineteenth Century Cross-Country Skiing Helped to re-Open Public Land in Utah, The Utah Nordic Alliance News, 26:3. Published, 01/2016.
  • Big Cottonwood Scenic Bikeway. Vision for a safe and scenic Bikeway. Stakeholder team. Published, 04/2015.
  • Nichols, Kirk, Pack Skiing at the Wasatch Citizens Series #2, The Utah Nordic Alliance News (25:4). Published, 02/2015.
  • Nichols, Kirk, Utah Biathlon Club Hosts a Sprint Race at Soldier Hollow, The Utah Nordic Alliance News, (25:4). Published, 02/2015.
  • Nichols, Kirk, December Dryland, The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA) News, Vol XXV, No. 3. Published, 01/2015.
  • Nichols, Kirk, West Yellowstone Ski Festival, The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA) News, Vol XXV No. 3. Published, 01/2015.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2014) Recreation Skiers are My Heros, The Utah Nordic Alliance News Vol XXV No.2. Published, 12/2014.
  • Nichols, Kirk, NCAA Championships, The Utah Nordic Alliance News (24:6). Published, 04/2014.
  • Nichols, Kirk, Solitude Nordic's Spring Fling, The Utah Nordic Alliance News (24:6). Published, 04/2014.
  • Nichols, Kirk, Soldier Hollow Super Junior National Qualifier, The Utah Nordic Alliance News, (24:5). Published, 03/2014.
  • Nichols, Kirk, The Open Invitation Solitude Hill Climb, The Utah Nordic Alliance News, (24:5). Published, 03/2014.
  • Nichols, Kirk. Road to Sochi 2014. The Utah Nordic Alliance News (24:4). Published, 02/2014.
  • Nichols, Kirk and Stenquist, Bill. 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships / U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing Nationals. The Utah Nordic Alliance News (24:4)pp. 1-7. Published, 02/2014.
  • First of Season: Training and Racing in West Yellowstone, The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA) News. Vol XXIV No.3. Published, 01/09/2014.
  • The Utah Nordic Alliance Community Blog http://blogs/fasterskier.com/slnst. Published, 01/01/2014.
  • Winter Scenes, The Utah Nordic Alliance News. pp 4-7.. Published, 12/2013.
  • Junior Nationals, Fairbanks 2013. TUNA News, (23:6). Published, 04/2013.
  • 2013 Super-Junior National Qualifier (JNQ). Feature/Cover Article,TUNA News, (23:5) 1, 4-7. freelance. Published, 03/2013.
  • TUNA at US Nationals. Feature/Cover Article, TUNA News, (23:4) 1, 4-6. freelance. Published, 02/2013.
  • Interviews w/Bjornsen, Caldwell, and Koos after 20/30km CL National Championships. Published, 01/07/2013.
    http://skitrax.com/52814/?c
  • Torin Koos and Sadie Bjornsen Score 20/30km CL Titles at 2013 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships. Published, 01/06/2013.
    http://skitrax.com/52704/?c
  • Interviews w/Bjornsen, Gelso, and Brennan at the 2013 U.S. XC Ski Championships. Published, 01/05/2013.
    http://skitrax.com/52533/?c
  • Erik Bjornsen and Rosie Brennan Win 10/15km FR Ind. Start at 2013 U.S. XC Ski Nationals. Published, 01/04/2013.
  • Interviews w/Bender and Koos - 2013 U.S. XC Ski CL Sprint Champions. Published, 01/03/2013.
    http://skitrax.com/52094/?c
  • Koos and Bender Win CL Sprints at 2013 U.S. XC Ski Championships. Published, 01/02/2013.
    http://skitrax.com/52072/
  • The Utah Nordic Alliance Community Blog http://blogs.fasterskier.com/slnst. Published, 01/01/2013.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2012). In Praise of Back Country Skiing and the TUNA Yurt. Feature/Cover Article,TUNA News, (23:2) 1, 6. Published, 012/2012. Published, 12/07/2012.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2011). Navigating History: A teaching method. American Journalists History Association (AJHA), The Intelligencer, (28/2) 8-9. Published, 02/2011.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2011). Reviewing the FIS Classic Race Rule. Utah Nordic. Published, 02/2011.
    http://www.utahnordic.com/node/1749
  • Nichols, Kirk (2011). Classic Ski Technique Rules & Violations (Training for officials and athletes). Vol. https://youtu.be/MXxl7Ee6xl0. Self. Published, 01/01/2011.
  • Nichols, Kirk (2010). Who is Skiing, Who is Not? Trends in Nordic Ski Racing. TUNA News, (21:1) 12-13. Published, 09/2010.
  • Utah State Parks (2009). Antelope Island Resource Management Plan 2009. Utah state Parks. Published, 01/2009.
  • Utah State Parks (2004). Antelope Island Access Management Plan 2005. Utah state Parks. Published, 12/2004.