Paul Labovitz describes himself as "living the dream" as Superintendent of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore branch of the National Park Service. “Our job is to teach people how to play outside again. That’s kids and adults. We give people the opportunity to discover nature,” he says, and to Paul the ability to provide that is priceless.
This week’s Life in the Spotlight is a man committed to preserving the natural beauty of the ecosystem in which our community exists. He has a commitment to share the incredible beauty that is the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore with not only the people of the Northwest Indiana region, but with people from all over the nation and from all walks of life.
Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Paul grew up a self-proclaimed city boy with no connection to nature until a trip to Southern New Jersey in which he happened to catch a lizard on a hiking excursion with some of his cousins. “I became mesmerized by nature,” he explains. From that moment on Paul knew he wanted to pursue a career in working with nature. Graduating with a degree in forestry, Paul soon found a job that led him to working in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the Mississippi National Recreational Center. In 2013 Paul requested a temporary assignment working at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and soon discovered that he would be “crazy not to live here permanently.” He applied for a permanent transfer and came to his position as superintendent in 2014. There’s been “never a dull moment” ever since, Paul says.
Every day Paul reads the mission statement of the National Park Service that is printed on a plaque he has displayed in his office. “It inspires me,” he explains, “It reminds me of our purpose.” Paul is also inspired by nature, as well as the people of the area. “The people that work here alongside me inspire me every day. The kids discovering nature - being blown away - when they visit the Dunes inspire me. This is inspiring work,” he says with a smile.
Paul owes his success in life thus far to the value system his parents instilled in him from a young age. “My parents burned into me the will to work and the importance of service and volunteering,” Paul says. Though he also admits with a chuckle he has “probably been very lucky, too.”
Paul hopes to see the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore grow significantly in the coming years. “Already we have the same number of visitors as Yellowstone,” he explains. He hopes to increase awareness and the number of people experiencing the beauty of the Dunes in the coming years in order to better preserve the natural ecosystem that is one of the most biologically diverse locations in the national park organization. An increase in traffic would significantly increase public knowledge of how best to preserve this incredible location and the organisms it houses.
Aside from his role as superintendent of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore branch of the National Park Service, Paul also serves as Superintendent of the Pullman National Monument in Chicago, Illinois. Even his free time is filled with the natural world around him as he and his wife manage their own “mini park” at their home. There they raise chickens, garden, and will soon begin raising their own honeybees as well. Self-proclaimed city-boy turned national park superintendent and nature enthusiast, Paul assumes his position as Superintendent with a drive and enthusiasm that inspires. His work in the preservation of this diverse and invaluable ecosystem is priceless.
“Here I am having the time of my life,” Paul says. The passion Paul brings to his job is testament to this, and our community is truly lucky to have him here.