Banff NP:
Lingering at the gateway to Banff
CANMORE, Alberta - Pity us cross-country skiers living in a world of downhillers. Whether we’re granted a small area built as an aside at a downhill resort, a dedicated cross-country facility, or simply the untamed outdoors, our ability to ski is almost always dependent on the weather.
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/canada/articles/2009/02/15/lingering_at_the_gateway_to_banff/


Everglades NP:
Podcast program brings Everglades to you
Park rangers expand podcast program so you can view the Everglades from your armchair.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/communities/south/story/903643.html

Florida wins in winter
Parks are at the most inviting at temperate, bug-free time
(Only marginally an Everglades article, but it is enough)
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/123/story/784952.html

Glacier NP:
Montana's Glacier National Park is an ideal winter getaway
Leaving our house in Seattle on a Wednesday afternoon with just carry-on suitcases and a day pack stuffed with food and wine, I had a hard...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008737275_trglacier150.html

Glacier Bay NP:
Glacier gazing
I felt a bump and scrape as our two-person kayak ran up a submerged iceberg, then slid off. Having been warned that bergs can roll over without warning and flip kayaks, I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that no one could last more than a few minutes in the icy waters of Alaska's Glacier Bay. Glancing around, I was reassured by the sight of two inflatable skiffs from our ship, their pilots keeping watch over our small flotilla of kayaks.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/con...7U.html?sid=101



Great Smoky Mountain NP:
2009 Fishing Regulations Now Available
It's that time of year, and the TWRA would like to remind al anglers the 2009 Tennessee Fishing Regulations (effective March 1 through February 28, 2010) are now available.
http://www.greenevillesun.com/story/301406

Misc. Parks News:
National Parks: Top 10 Natural Landmarks to see by 2010!
(Please note really irritating 'Join Now' page pops up...just scroll down and exit it).
No, they’re not going anywhere, but with careful planning you could feasibly see them all by the end of next year (especially all you full-timers out there). I’ve chosen them at random from different regions of North America for their environmental and geologic variety. Think I left some out? Post a comment with your Top 10 parks!
http://blog.rv.net/2009/02/14/national-parks-top-10-natural-landmarks-to-see-by-2010/

Grade-A discounts at Zion and Grand Canyon national parks
Here’s a new bumper-sticker slogan to try on: “My child may not be an honor student, but at least she got me a good vacation deal.”
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/grade-a-discounts-at-4075/

Petroglyph NM:
New Mexico's Petroglyph National Monument showcases more than 20,000 remarkable images from the past
ALBUQUERQUE — Suburbia is on one side of the street, traces of an ancient people on the other.
http://www.star-telegram.com/travel/story/1201591.html

Yellowstone NP:
Wolves are packing Yellowstone – and so are watchers
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — It is a sunny winter afternoon, and Simond Raymond has a problem.
http://www.star-telegram.com/travel/story/1201729.html

Everglades NP:
Exotic fish threaten Everglades
Exotic fish threaten native species in Florida's Everglades but marine biologists say the threat is hard to assess because the invasive species are underwater.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/02/09/Exotic_fish_threaten_Everglades/UPI-82011234221552/

Great Sand Dunes NP:
Measure may benefit Dunes park
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar speaks Sunday during a visit to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The new Interior secretary makes a return visit to his home valley.
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and the three national wildlife refuges in the San Luis Valley could see up to $4 million in spending thanks to the federal stimulus bill.
http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/02/16/news/local/doc4998fc909b55d875827047.txt

Misc. Parks News:
Stimulus bill expected to restart mine cleanup
When the Beal Mountain mine opened in 1988 near Butte, Mont., its owner promoted open-pit cyanide leaching for extracting gold from ore as modern and environmentally friendly.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ifgZE4QYSZRIjP6BIMH_5VyO9y4QD96C1EC00

Petrified Forest NP:
There's something about Mary
This year would be Mary Colter's 140th birthday, which makes it a great time to revisit her regional architectural masterpieces.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/02/16/news/20090216_front_191014.txt

Rocky Mountain NP:
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation sets banquet date
The Northeast Georgia Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) will hold its Fourth Annual Big Game Banquet and Auction at Gwinnett Center on February 28th, 2009.
http://www.theweekly.com/news/2009/February/15/Rocky_Mountain.html

Wolf reintroduction: It won't work here like in Yellowstone (Editorial)
In an ideal world, Rocky Mountain National Park would contain an intact ecosystem with all its pieces present. However, the park is not a complete ecosystem, and native predators — including wolves and grizzly bears — have long been missing. As a result, the vegetation and other species in the park suffer because of an abundance of elk.
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11694919

City Secrets: Best waterfall hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado's snowy winters put on an amazing show when the snow melts in the spring. Go too early and you may see a dry or frozen waterfall. Go too late and you miss the waterfall show at its best. While I love dozens of waterfalls around the state, I'll limit this report to just my top 5 favorite waterfall hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2520-Denver-Hi...n-National-park

Valley Forge NH Park:
Pa.'s Valley Forge park plans huge deer shoot
Valley Forge National Historical Park officials are planning a major sharpshooting operation to kill up to 1,300 deer over the next four years.
http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_11711138

Yellowstone NP:
Agency releases brucellosis test numbers
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the fourth year of a program testing elk for brucellosis yielded 50 adult females with positive results.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9846985&nav=menu554_1_1

Yellowstone’s shifting geological puzzle
When Hank Heasler first visited Yellowstone National Park as a little boy, he stared at the bubbles rising up from green- and orange-ringed mud pots, colored by heat-loving bacteria that thrive in water recycled through deep underground aquifers.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/02/15/news/000ynp.txt

Assateague Island:
Assateague calls in the torches to battle phragmites
The park service plans to burn about 200 acres during one week sometime between March 10 and April 1 to remove the above-ground remains of Phragmites australis (common reed) that have been sprayed with herbicide. It will be the first time the park's staff has chosen to fight the rapacious cattail-like plant with fire.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20090217/OPI01/902170305

Delaware Water Gap NRA:
National park maps out stimulus 'wish list'
With a federal economic stimulus program approved, the rangers at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area have put together a "wish list" of projects for the 70,000-acre park, one of the most visited in the country.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090217/NEWS/902170320/-1/NEWS

Glacier NP (Canada)
Parks Canada temporarily closes some winter permit areas
Parks Canada has announced that they will not be issuing winter permits for five of the fifteen winter restricted areas in Glacier National Park. Parks Canada spokesperson Doreen McGillis emphasized the measure is temporary, and Parks Canada will soon begin a public consultation process on the closure.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/revelstoketimesreview/news/39686474.html

Glacier NP (USA)
Northwest warming, study reports
A new Montana State University study says that weather, especially in late winter and early spring, is getting warmer in northwestern North America.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/17/weekly_features/health/55hs_090217_warming.txt

Misc. Parks News
Marvin Beans, 78, builder, restorer (Obit)
Marvin E. Beans, 78, a master builder who helped restore Independence Hall, died of Alzheimer's disease Thursday at Ann's Choice in Warminster.
http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/20090217_Marvin_Beans__78__builder__restorer.html

Stimulus plan can promote conservation (By Ken Salazar)
A national economic crisis might not seem to be the time for Americans to build a conservation legacy for the future.
http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/02/17/editorial/doc499a36313ea17427273756.txt

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
2009 sees alarming rise in tiger deaths in India

New Delhi (IANS): Six tigers have been killed by poachers since the beginning of 2009 and more have been killed by enraged villagers, estimates an NGO. The Indian government had itself raised an alarm about the dwindling number of tigers in the wild last year, saying there were only around 1,400 left.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200902170933.htm

Govt sanctions aid for Keoladeo park
Jaipur - The endless wait for water in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur would be over soon as the state government has sanctioned Rs 56.22 crore for the much delayed construction of the Govardhan drain as a permanent solution to the water crisis.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Jaipu...how/4140109.cms



Rocky Mountain NP:
Wolf reintroduction: Guns aren't the answer to culling elk (Editorial)
Early this year, officials at Rocky Mountain National Park devised a plan to shoot as many as 100 cow elk within the boundaries of the park. They are taking this dramatic step because the park's elk have grown too numerous and, more importantly, too sedentary. As a result, elk are browsing aspen and willow to the brink of extinction, leaving biologically important streamside areas trashed and impoverished.
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11694921

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone caldera's pushing earth
The gradual uplift of Yellowstone National Park's caldera is pushing the earth's crust southwest along the Snake River Plain, affecting much of the Great Basin.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/02/17/news/wyoming/c9de8cba14369aab872575600009193c.txt

Everglades NP:
Park service plans to sue county over annex
The National Park Service is preparing to go to court with the Talladega County Commission over the transfer of the Coosa River Annex property.
http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2009/dh-talladegacounty-0218-bfincher-9b17v1858.htm

Glacier NP:
New Oklahoma City exhibits feature bank's artwork, Blackfeet Indians
Paintings and photographs of Blackfeet Indians, riders on horseback and big-sky landscapes fit most people’s expectations of artwork they would find at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
http://www.newsok.com/new-oklahoma-city-...ead_story_title

Joshua Tree NP:
Have a Volunteer Vacation at Joshua Tree National Park
Over the past few years, the exotic Sahara mustard plant has been aggressively spreading across the Joshua Tree National Park, possibly threatening the desert ecosystem and leaving irreversible damage. Perhaps the most noticeable damage to a visitor is the affect to the beautiful annual wildflower blooms.
http://laist.com/2009/02/17/volunteer_vacation_at_joshua_tree_n.php

Misc. Parks News:
Don't pack it in, cheap travel and vacations are out there (Note, only marginally about the parks)
If there is a sliver of sunshine peeking through the storm clouds of this recession, it may be: There might never be a better time to travel. Airlines are hungry. Hotels are hungry. Restaurants are hungry. And if you're smart about how you book, when you book, and where you go, you might just find the cheapest vacation you'll ever take.
http://www.boston.com/business/personalf...t_there/?page=1

NEWS: Five Tourist Destinations that Global Warming Could Destroy
Global warming could have a devastating impact on some popular vacation spots, according to Bob Henson, a writer at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and author of "The Rough Guide to Climate Change."
http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/ne...g-could-destroy

Rocky Mountain NP:
Allowing concealed weapons in national parks to get review
The nation's Interior secretary plans to review a decision to allow concealed weapons in Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090218/NEWS01/902180321/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02

Visit Rocky Before It's Too Late
Rocky Mountain National Park chosen as one of the world's best places to visit before climate change "messes it up"
CNN recently selected five life-list places to visit, but with an urgent caveat attached: You should visit all these locations before "global warming messes them up." A lot of them are exotic, far-flung locales like The Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon rainforest, and the glaciers of the Alps. But two of the locations are right around the corner: Rocky Mountain National Park and New Orleans.
http://www.backpacker.com/blogs/771


Yellowstone NP:
Debate Rages Over Elk Feeding
When the mighty elk herds of the West were facing the possibility of extinction from overhunting, settlement and neglect a century ago, people here stepped forward and began what has turned out to be a profound biological experiment.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/us/18elk.html?emc=eta1

Beauty and the beasts (Yellowstone Region)
North Fork of Shoshone River: fishing paradise deep within grizzly country
"You'll need this for the river," the man said, digging deep into his possibles bag. I prepared to receive some special trout enticement or, perhaps, a measuring device for a place where 20-inch cutthroats could be expected.
http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_11726422

There was a lot of news published today...some of it very interesting.

James

Acadia NP:
Bankruptcy bid stalls campground auction in Schoodic region
The auction Tuesday of an oceanfront property has been delayed because the owner has filed for bankruptcy, according to people involved in the scheduled auction.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/99762.html

Denali NP:
Affordable Alaska Thanks To Sourdough Bread (Travel Deal, not really news)
We really do appreciate the ubiquitous travel deals, but the constant reminder of the economic situation sort of ruins our travel buzz.
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/18/75430/3604/travel/Affordable+Alaska+Thanks+To+Sourdough+Bread

Glacier NP:
MSU data key to climate change study
Late winter and early spring are growing warmer in Montana, according to a new statistical climate study developed by a former Montana State University professor.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/19/top/75st_090219_climate.txt

Grand Canyon NP:
Celebrate 90 years of the Grand Canyon
Consistently voted amongst the world’s greatest natural wonders and a place to ‘see before you die’, the Grand Canyon marks 90 years this month since it was first established as a United States National Park, on 26th February 1919.
http://www.easier.com/view/Travel/Holidays/article-235010.html

Great Smoky Mountain NP:
Parkway chief ranger retires
After five years as the top law enforcement official for the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chief Ranger John Garrison has retired.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902190350

This Week with Dolly
Promoting her home – the Great Smoky Mountains – brought Dolly Parton to the nation's capital region last week, and one appearance left those gathered at the Gaylord National Resort outside of Washington ready to head down for some Southern hospitality. She was there as part of the state tourism department's Tennessee Sampler 2009 trade show aimed primarily at tour organizers and travel writers.
http://seymourherald.com/entertainment/2009/feb/16/this-week-with-dolly/

Hawaii Volcanoes NP:
VIDEO: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has a new lava ocean entry
There is a new lava ocean entry from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano eruption on the Big Island.
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/volcano/20090219lavaentry.htm

Misc. Parks News:
It’s the Wilderness, Stupid (Editorial)
Why can't we understand that wilderness should be a big part of our economic future?
The wilderness debate never seems to go away, and how can we have so much disagreement without ever haven’t any agreement, let alone any results?
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/its_the_wilderness_stupid/C41/L41/

Parks sparking debate
We have a number of provincial and national parks scattered across our country that are, in most cases, a bit of wild habitat that is somewhat free of the negative influences of humans.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/castlegarnews/lifestyles/39756953.html

Vendors seek piece of stimulus (Marginally Parks Related)
CODY - One day after President Barack Obama signed a $787 billion economic stimulus bill, vendors were meeting here with government purchasers, looking to take advantage of a coming surge in spending by nearly every federal agency.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/19/news/wyoming/21-stimulus.txt

National Park system needs our help - now (Editorial)
I missed the pomp and circumstance of this month’s historic Presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. However, I was there to participate in another historic milestone, the week that our National Parks bucked a long term trend of neglect and apathy by the United States Congress.
http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=123499650231000600

Stimulus Bill Promises Environmental, Public Lands Jobs
On February 9, Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar announced that the House and Senate versions of the Economic Stimulus Bill before Congress would "create an estimated 100,000 jobs over the next two years. Both the House and Senate versions of the ($838-900 billion appropriations) bill include over $4 billion in investments in conservation projects, water infrastructure, roads, Native American schools, and other ready-to-go projects."
http://www.willcoxrangenews.com/articles/2009/02/18/news/news33.txt

Interior Secretary Calls For Review Of Park Gun Rule
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has called for a review of a new concealed gun rule in national parks.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/18745478/detail.html#-

Outside the US/Canadian NP System:
Cameroon gets gorilla park
“Deng Deng National Park is a major step toward conserving all of Cameroon’s gorilla populations and wildlife,” said Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society. “We applaud the government of Cameroon for continuing to be a leader in conservation and for taking this important step to protect this species.”
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0218-cameroon_wcs.html

Olympic NP:
Park proposes changes to clarify fishing rules
To comment...
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/631574.html

Rocky Mountain NP:
'Igloo' Ed discovers cold, hard truth of winter shelters
Rocky Mountain National Park - It's 9 degrees at Ed Huesers' favorite place in the world - a glacier-smoothed granite knob in the midst of higher peaks.
http://www.gazette.com/articles/snow_48349___article.html/igloo_huesers.html

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone open to snowmobile travel this winter
Yellowstone National Park is open to snowmobiles this winter, and to snowcoaches and cross country skiers and snowshoers.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705285996,00.html

Yellowstone's geology still a mystery
When Hank Heasler first visited Yellowstone National Park as a little boy, he stared at the bubbles rising up from green- and orange-ringed mud pots, colored by heat-loving bacteria that thrive in water recycled through deep underground aquifers.
http://cbs4denver.com/coloradowire/22.0....wstonesGeol.xml

Slice of Americana amid autumn beauty
The American economy may be in a gloomy descent toward recession as the nation slogs through the final days of a bitterly divisive presidential election, but it was hard to find anything to say but "oooh and ahhh" during a 10-day fall road trip through two of those United States of America.
http://www.canada.com/travel/activities/Slice%20Americana%20amid%20autumn%20beauty/969642/story.html

Return of the Buffalo - Montana officials want to move bison to Wyoming
Montana wildlife officials are seeking public comment on a proposal to relocate several dozen Yellowstone National Park bison to an Indian reservation in Wyoming.
http://indiancountrynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5755&Itemid=118

Canyonland NP:
Backpacking trip takes students to Canyonland National Park
Albert Mitugo, assistant manager at the OAC, will guide a group of SMU students through the basics of backpacking and camping on the floor of the Salt Creek Canyon at Canyonland National Park in Moad, Utah.
http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/medi...k-3640198.shtml

Everglades NP:
Invasive species changing Florida ecosystem
The small pond 6 miles deep in Everglades National Park suddenly began bubbling like a pot aboil -- a telltale sign of air-slurping walking catfish.
http://www.freep.com/article/20090220/NEWS07/902200341

Glacier NP:
Travel to Montana's Glacier Country for $79
Now that Allegiant Air has announced $79 (one-way) tickets from LAX to Missoula a springtime trip to the home of the UM Grizzlies feels more do-able than ever.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2349-LA-Advent...-Country-for-79

Climate study: Montana experiencing warming trend
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A former climatologist and professor at Montana State says in a recent study that late winter, early spring and parts of summer are getting warmer in Montana.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2009-02-19-montana-warming_N.htm

Katmai NP:
The bears of Katmai
Nearly seventeen months have passed since October 2007, when a local TV crew set up camp on Kukaklek Lake, in the upper Alaska Peninsula, to report on a legal but controversial brown bear hunt in Katmai National Preserve. The video and story the team brought back startled and repulsed many Alaskans, hunters and non-hunters alike.
http://www.anchoragepress.com/articles/2009/02/18/news/doc499cbfaa43402117797003.txt

Misc. Parks News:
Staying alive in national parks (mainly Grand Teton/Yellowstone/Glacier Oriented)
Part of the problem was that we could see it coming. The narrow road leading out of Yellowstone National Park was about to twist around an impossibly tight curve etched into the side of a mountain, and all that would be keeping us from an early rendezvous with eternity were a few rocks the size of footballs along the outside edge.
http://www.recordernewspapers.com/articl...ca606620202.txt

Why Investing In Parks Is Smart Economic Stimulus
Remembering the legacy of FDR's "Tree Army" -- and the dividends that investment paid not only for the environment, but for the economy.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/easy-tips/economic-stimulus-national-parks-47021902

Omnibus Public Lands bill (02/18/09)
Congress is on the verge of passing the largest expansion of the wilderness system in 15 years.
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/northwestvoices/2009/02/18/omnibus_public_lands_bill.html


Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
The 10 Best National Parks for Retirees
National parks are beautiful and affordable places for active seniors to spend time in retirement. Yellowstone was the world's first national park, but the concept of preserving nature and culture for future generations to enjoy has now been expanded upon by many countries on almost every continent. All parks are not created equal, however. The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees recently released a list of their picks for the 10 best foreign national parks. The areas were selected based on a survey of their 700 members who are former career employees of the National Park Service, including park managers, rangers, and other employees. The retiree’s favorite international parks include:
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/planning-to-...r-retirees.html

Man's body found in national park
MUMBAI: The Kasturba Marg police found the body of a 35-year-old man inside Borivli's Sanjay Gandhi National Park on Thursday. Chandrashekhar Dalvi was killed by unknown persons early in morning and the body was discovered by the forest guards.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Mans_body_found_in_national_park/articleshow/4157597.cms

Rocky Mountain NP:
In early February, the National Park Service (NPS) began a cull of the elk population in Rocky Mountain National Park (Park), with the intention of killing up to 100 cow elk, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. The cull was authorized in the Park’s Elk and Vegetation Management Plan that was finalized in December 2007 with the Record of Decision released in February 2008.
http://www.flyrodreel.com/node/11783

Theodore Roosevelt NP:
Ways to thin ND elk herd have federal and state officials at odds
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the National Park Service remain at odds over how to think the elk herd in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/231538/

Yellowstone NP:
Elk's Lose-Lose Situation
Because of human intervention, a once-struggling herd near Jackson now thrives, but risks future peril.
http://www.backpacker.com/elk_feed_human_jackson/blogs/775

Yosemite NP:
Yosemite's Dewey Point well worth the walk
California's best snowshoe trek is within reach of anyone who can walk 7 miles. If you can't do that now, the payoff at Yosemite National Park's Dewey Point should be enough to inspire you to get in shape so that you can.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/19/DDC315OUG1.DTL

A slow news day. Of most interest to me is the stimulus spending possibilities within Yellowstone.

-JM

Grand Teton NP:
Moran sled trip probed
For mountain snowboarder Stephen Koch, a recent adventure may be a case of riding out of the skillet and into the fire.
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4277

Misc. Parks News:
Parks employees list their worldwide favorites to visit
Ever wonder where people who work in national parks go when they take a vacation? The 700-member Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR) released a list of 10 of the best foreign national parks, spanning the globe from Australia, Africa, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090220/SPORTS/902200345

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
8 in 10 conflicts in environmental 'hotspots': study (Marginally about the Parks, but interesting)
Most conflicts fought in the second half of the last century were waged in biologically diverse, fragile places, with many negative consequences and a few surprising positive ones, a study said Friday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jTDoAHQIm7vjZ5mk8SQoXspRFoYg

Rocky Mountain NP:
Camping scarce at RMNP
Bark beetles force closures of sites while hazardous trees are removed
http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=14614

Changes made at Glacier Basin Campground
Beetle mitigation work changing the face of popular campground
Extensive beetle mitigation work continues at a variety of locations in Rocky Mountain National Park, including Glacier Basin Campground, on the east side of the park. Many trees in the Glacier Basin Campground have been killed by the mountain pine beetle epidemic. However, some pockets of trees have been saved by annual spraying. Removal of dead trees and standing lone trees reduces the risk associated with falling trees.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/feb/20/changes-made-glacier-basin-campground/

Yellowstone NP:
Stimulus at work: Yellowstone may get new sewer plant
Yellowstone National Park is looking to tap federal stimulus money to address some of its $750 million maintenance and infrastructure backlog, according to a report in Billings Gazette.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11750388

Park stimulus: Yellowstone may get new sewer plant
Yellowstone officials are looking to tap federal stimulus money to address some of the park's $750 million maintenance and infrastructure backlog.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11749940

Famous Elk Found Dead Just North of Yellowstone (previously listed)
His name was just a numeral, yet he had legions of human admirers and few rivals among his own species.
http://www.sltrib.com/Features/ci_11730696

LOL, TOO MUCH NEWS TODAY!!!

Arches (And Other Utah NPs)
As the economy has soured, visits have soared at Utah's national parks and monuments, as more locals apparently are vacationing nearby to spend less on travel.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705286823,00.html

Everglades NP:
Getting rid of pesky plants
Yup, it's true. Away with the Senegal date palm, a foreign black mangrove and a pretty shrub named Jacquinia aurantiaca. Turns out they're invasive exotics, capable of setting up housekeeping in our hammocks and mangroves.
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/home/gardening/story/910885.html

Back to the end of the world (I believe that we published this prior)
Florida native Jeff Klinkenberg tours a site that once housed the bogeyman of his Cold War youth.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Lifestyle/Article.aspx?id=941414

U.S. Sugar's land purchase will be historical landmark
Sun Sentinel story on a state senator's attempt to derail Florida's purchase of U.S. Sugar lands for Everglades restoration detailed the latest controversy surrounding this conservation land buy.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-forum23greenpnfeb23,0,4746548.story

Glacier NP:
Wilderness proposals, debates cropping up
In the past 30 years, Montana's would-be wilderness hasn't changed much. But the debate around it certainly has.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/02/23/news/local/news02.txt

Grand Canyon NP:
At Grand Canyon, water battle rages anew
Nearly a year after the federal government flooded the Grand Canyon in a test of resource restoration, questions persist about whether the agency in charge watered down the experiment to protect power providers and ignored high-level critics of the operation.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/02/22/20090222river-power0222.html

Grand Teton NP:
Grand Teton investigates snowmobiling in video
Officials in Grand Teton National Park say they're investigating a YouTube video that shows skiers riding a snowmobile over Jackson Lake.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/idahonews/story/676199.html

Great Smoky NP:
Travel summary
Smokies' 75th anniversary under way
http://savannahnow.com/node/676626

The thrill of a good challenge
Burt Kornegay has been leading trips into the wild for 38 years, the last 25 of those years through his Cullowhee-based Slickrock Expeditions. At a presentation this month in the Triangle, he was asked about the changes he has seen as a guide.
http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1414667.html

Misc. Parks News:
Stream destination (Same Article here and in Outside Parks)
Robert Laing takes a day trip to the almost highest falls in the world.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Lifestyle/Article.aspx?id=941310

Memorial will be built
When the governor and a U.S. senator are expected to visit a rural community like Somerset, it usually means something “big” is happening.
http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2009/02/21/opinion/editorials/editorial367.txt

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Upswing in foreign tourists’ at Assam’s popular Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park (Assam), Feb.23 (ANI): Assam’s popular Kaziranga National Park, which is home to the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, continues to be a major draw for tourists, both domestic and foreign, despite travel advisories issued by several countries against visiting Assam following blast incidents in the recent past.
http://www.sindhtoday.net/south-asia/67171.htm

Water Pollution May Force National Park's Closing in Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio National Park, the second-most-visited park in Costa Rica, could have to close its gates this week after wastewater contamination was detected on its beaches, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=328264&CategoryId=23558

Flames scorch floating national park in Manipur
IMPHAL/GUWAHATI: The only floating national park
in the world was in flames on Sunday, posing a threat to animals and other endangered species.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India...how/4172976.cms

Stream destination (Same Article as Misc. Parks)
Robert Laing takes a day trip to the almost highest falls in the world.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Lifestyle/Article.aspx?id=941310

Australia: Peak-time perfection just across the ditch
Most Kiwis probably think Australia is too hot in summer for serious tramping - especially considering what's been happening lately - but summer in the Snowy Mountains can still deliver harsh and unexpected weather.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/australia-travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=1500883&objectid=10557228

Saadani park shaping up as world-famous tourist centre
The famous fishing camp-cum-village of Saadani, barely three hours drive north of Dar es Salaam along the Indian Ocean, will soon go into history books as the growing volume of tourists visiting the three-year old Saadani National Park, attracts investors in the land sector.
http://ippmedia.com/ipp/observer/2009/02/22/132136.html

Pristine African Park Faces Development
IVINDO NATIONAL PARK, Gabon — The forest here seems to go on forever, interrupted only by the broad ribbons of its rivers. Deep inside, some of the world’s rarest creatures cavort in one of the most pristine patches of rain forest on earth, a direct but accidental result of Gabon’s reliance on one of the filthiest fossil fuels: crude oil.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/world/africa/22gabon.html

Rocky Mountain NP:
Bicyclists push park trails
Last-minute effort by Bush administration would open national parks
There are no mountain bike trails in Rocky Mountain National Park — but a last-minute proposed Bush administration rule change could make it easier to put one in.
http://www.denverpost.com/previous2/home/ci_11762899

Coyotes thrive thanks to help from humans
When it comes to coyotes, Charlie Gindler, rancher and lands specialist with the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources, straddles the fence - laughing at them at times and shooting at them other times.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090222/ENTERTAINMENT06/902220320

Theodore Roosevelt NP:
Meetings planned around ND on park elk plan
Medora, N.D. (AP) Theodore Roosevelt National Park is holding public meetings on its draft plan to reduce the park's elk herd, which is more than double the preferred size.
http://www.kxmc.com/News/335728.asp

Park Service sets public meetings on elk management plan
The National Park Service is holding meetings across North Dakota this week to take input on options for managing elk populations in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=107504&section=outdoors,outdoor%20news

Yellowstone NP:
Yakima man survives being buried by avalanche
It was the first fresh powder they'd encountered since arriving in the mountains of southeast Idaho three days earlier, but within hours one of them would be buried as the others watched helplessly.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/02/21/yakima-man-survives-being-buried-by-avalanche

Hey Guys,

Slow news day today. Probably the most interesting piece for me was to do with the Everglades and the pairing of the legislation with the travel to Cuba. What an odd combination.

Big Bend NP:
State poised to OK Big Bend clean-air plan
But proposal to clear up haze misses federal goal by 91 years
Big Bend National Park is known for its jagged beauty, but sometimes the mountains are blotted from the horizon by a sky the color of mud.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6277462.html

Everglades NP:
U.S. House bill due for vote would address travel to Cuba, Everglades restoration
WASHINGTON - The House plans is to vote this week to roll back restrictions on Cuban-American travel to Cuba and to provide the first federal money for comprehensive Everglades restoration.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flabill0224sbfeb24,0,1596165.story

Boat dealer sued over damage to sea grass
MANATEE COUNTY - A 72-foot yacht from Marlow Marine Sales in Palmetto departed for a Miami boat show in 2006, but strayed from a deep channel in Everglades National Park and ran aground on Arsenic Bank.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090223/ARTICLE/902230336/0/SPORTS

Senator Muddies Everglades
Bradenton Sen. Mike Bennett has come up with a slippery way to kill Everglades restoration. He's demanding the state's plan to purchase 180,000 acres in the Everglades from U.S. Sugar be put to a vote by affected taxpayers.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/feb/24/na-senator-muddies-everglades/

Grand Teton NP:
Grand Teton investigates snowmobiling in video
JACKSON - Officials in Grand Teton National Park say they're investigating a YouTube video that shows skiers riding a snowmobile over Jackson Lake.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/22/news/wyoming/17-snowinvest.txt

Great Smoky Mountain NP:
Decision clears the way for new Smokies visitor center
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Officials at Great Smoky Mountains National Park have found that construction of a new Oconaluftee Visitor Center will have no significant environmental impact, clearing the way for construction of the new visitor center on Newfound Gap Road.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990224025

Impact statement clear new Smokies center
The National Park Service is cleared to build a new visitor center on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/4600510/

Hiking website for Smoky Mountains wins American Trails award
HikingintheSmokys.com named the best website for Trails on Federal Lands
American Trails, the only national, nonprofit organization working on behalf of all trail interests, announced the winners of its 2008 American Trails Website Contest yesterday.
http://www.outdoornewswire.com/v/current...349643d35343737
Misc. Parks News:
Snowmobiling and national park boundaries
A few weeks of blue sky and improving snow stability has people venturing out all over the mountains -- many on snowmobiles. Without much new snow, people are putting in bold lines and venturing further afield in the search of fresh tracks.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/lifestyles/40193438.html

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
TOUR OPERATORS WORK TO STAY PROFITABLE DURING ECONOMIC DOWNTURN (Mostly about DV and GC)
here's no recession at Quartermaster Point. The view from this limestone outcropping at the west rim of the Grand Canyon overwhelms the brain's capacity to fear falling home prices or obsess over waning job prospects.
http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2009/02/23/news/iq_26735315.txt

Retezat National Park ranks 7th in race for World’s 7 new Wonders

Mojave National Preserve:
Supreme Court to hear Mojave cross case
Justices will decide whether the monument can stand in a national preserve to honor fallen soldiers. It will be the Roberts court's first chance to rule on separation of church and state.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-supreme-court-cross24-2009feb24,0,86113.story

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
$45M for visitor centre at Kaieteur National Park
The Kaieteur National Park has been awarded a $45M grant to construct a visitor arrival centre near the Kaieteur Falls.
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/news/local/02/24/45m-for-visitor-centre-at-kaieteur-national-park/

Clock ticking on Costa Rica national park closure
The clock continues to tick for Manuel Antonio National Park, which has until Thursday to correct health and sanitary problems or face closure at the hands of the Health Ministry.
http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchive/2009_02/0224091.htm

Island to become national park
Island of Harris votes in favour of National Park status
http://www.journal-online.co.uk/article/5486-island-to-become-national-park

The Retezat National Park (PNR) located in south-western Romania ranks 7th in the forests, national parks and natural reserves category in the second voting stage of the online campaign led by the Swiss New7Wonders organization for the designation of the Nature's new seven wonders, the Cotidianul newspaper writes on Monday. In December 2008 the Romanian Natural Reserve entered the race among round 250 nominees of the first race's stage, selected from 441 initial proposals, currently ready to enter the top 77, the next stage the audience started voting last month.
http://www.financiarul.ro/2009/02/23/ret...-7-new-wonders/

Yellowstone NP:
Eco-friendly choices make sense for National Parks
A recent story in the Casper Star-Tribune outlined the many ways Wyoming’s national parks are becoming more environmentally friendly.
http://powelltribune.com/index.php/content/view/755/2/

While there is not a huge amount of National Park news today, there is some very interesting things going on that is worth the read.

Cheers
James

Everglades National Park News:
Everglades Land Deal May Be Dead In The Water
Once heralded by Governor Charlie Crist as "monumental as the creation of our nation's first national park," a land deal that would have restored a major section of the Everglades may be dead in the water.
http://cbs4.com/local/everglades.land.us.2.943094.html

Everglades land deal in jeopardy from competition
A historic land deal aimed at helping restore the dying Everglades, and lauded by Gov. Charlie Crist as "monumental as the creation of our nation's first national park," may end up dead in the water.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hwwsvNZPeVERE_DtCJ5Y4x5xfiYQD96I3SC80

Misc. Parks News:
Mount Saint Helens
t’s getting closer to decision time for an advisory committee looking into the future control of Mount Saint Helens.
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?M...&feedID=410

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Komodo dragon attacks Indonesian park ranger
A Komodo dragon climbed a ladder to a park ranger's hut and mauled his hand and foot, officials said Wednesday. The victim received severe lacerations but appeared to be recovering.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i8Mf2ncBMEDmpMPNQnEQyPk3g7KgD96IHRDO0

Slaughter of the elephants
Legal ivory sale linked to poaching surge across Kenya's huge Tsavo National Park
There has been an "unprecedented" surge in elephant poaching in one of Kenya's principal national parks since a large-scale ivory sale late last year, which gave a renewed boost to the international ivory market.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/slaughter-of-the-elephants-1631367.html

Theodore Roosevelt National Park News:
Park officials start hearings on elk
A biologist at Theodore Roosevelt National Park says efforts by the state Game and Fish Department to increase hunting around the park have helped keep elk numbers down, even though the park still has too many of the animals.
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D96I7P2O2

Yellowstone National Park News:
Cody looking for year-round visits
CODY, Wyo. (AP) - Cody is looking to become a year-round destination.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9902989&nav=menu554_2_2

Valley wolf pack has mange, biologist says
Collaring operation sees 15 animals fitted with transmitters for research.
Biologists discovered mange in a Jackson Hole wolf pack when they were using a helicopter to dart and collar members of three different groups.
http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=4294

Yosemite National Park News:
A really cool accommodations offer in Yosemite National Park
Until March 22, 2009 Curry Village inside Yosemite Park is running a weekend “Temp-RATE-ture” promotion on their unheated (brrrrr) tent cabins.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1963-SF-Active...e-National-Park

Climber caught in avalanche is rescued from Half Dome
A group of experienced South Korean climbers kept their colleague warm through a freezing night until the man, whose leg was broken in the avalanche, could be airlifted back to the valley floor.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-half-dome-rescue25-2009feb25,0,6590502.story