National Park News: January 2009

Bosque National Park (Note, really Bosque related)
Out'n'About: Mesilla Valley's newest state park a welcome retreat
Looking to explore a little of southwestern paradise in an effort to diminish those extra holiday pounds or relieve the stress of hectic New Year's Eve shindig planning? Look no further than the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park. Pay $5 per carload at the entrance and have a plethora of activities involving the great outdoors at your fingertips.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_11345403

Misc. National Park News:
New Park Police Chief Is Named
The National Park Service has named veteran officer Sal Lauro as the chief of the U.S. Park Police, officials said yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/31/AR2008123103066.html

Olympic NP:
Wash. tribe seek to move away from flooding danger
HOH INDIAN RESERVATION, Wash. (AP) — Flooding used to be a problem every five or 10 years for the tiny Hoh Indian Reservation. These days it's an annual event.
Sandbags permanently surround the tribal center and many homes because the nearby Hoh River has meandered dangerously closer over time. Meanwhile, most of the 443-acre reservation is less than 40 feet above sea level, and could be devastated by a major tsunami.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijU3EdfcLe_gpiaS0W-cFvOluw4wD95EAEAG1

Rocky Mountain NP:
2 Minnesota snowmobilers, lost on Colorado trail, rescued
A text message from two Minnesota snowmobilers who became lost and stranded for 15 hours in a frigid Colorado wilderness overnight helped rescuers find them Wednesday afternoon.
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/36945244.html?elr=KArksD:aDyaEP:kD:aUnOiP3UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

Virgin Islands NP:
Escape to the tropical beaches of U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands beckon with tropical beaches — and no passport required.
Don't just sit there. Pick a destination and plan a vacation, maybe to someplace a little exotic, where national parks come with tropical beaches, and boats rather than big RVs are a common mode of transportation.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008577689_webvirginislands31.html

Update 1/2/09

Acadia NP:
Unprepared hikers keep rangers busy at Acadia National Park
About a dozen people braved gusting winds and frigid weather Thursday morning to watch the sun rise on the first day of 2009 from the top of Cadillac Mountain.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/96308.html

Banff NP:
Icy road contributing factor in fatal crash in Banff National Park: RCMP
LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — Police say icy roads and poor weather were likely factors in separate collisions that killed two people in Alberta.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5joUXWoGvDQbutsYjD09rKILCZV6g

Misc. NP News:
New Administration Inspires Hope for Full Access to Statue (Statue of Liberty)
NEW YORK -- For more than a hundred years, generations of New Yorkers, as well as tourists to the city, have made the trek up the spiral staircase to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, to peer through the small windows at the unparalleled view of New York Harbor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/01/AR2009010102046.html

Park Quarter Legislation Foggy
If you think you know how many National Park quarter designs will be produced in the series that starts 2010, it will pay you to think again.
http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=5988

Suicides in national parks increase in 2008
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) National Park Service figures show at least 33 people went to national parks in 2008 to end their lives.
http://www.kxmb.com/News/314530.asp

National park suicides up, Grand Canyon leads
SALT LAKE CITY — Freshly unemployed, former business executive Bruce J. Colburn flew to the far northwest corner of Montana in search of a place to die.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/274134.php

There’s no shortage of sites for a Delaware national park (Editorial)
As a recently retired National Park Service veteran and a more than 30 -year resident of Delaware, I want to heartily endorse the recent comments of my old friend and colleague Russ Smith and my co-researcher Willis Phelps. A National Park or National Historical Park should be a living, tangible, physical thing. It should be something you can put your hands around and embrace as a solid, material, cultural statement. It should remind all Delawareans (indeed, the nation) of a great deed, a remarkable person, a significant building or buildings, or an event that shaped our times.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090102/OPINION10/90101017/1004/OPINION


Yosemite NP:
A trip to Yosemite National Park via YARTS is a must for valley residents The YARTS bus sped up Highway 140 from Merced into the foothills. It passed Mariposa and stopped at the entrance to Yosemite National Park. A sign read, “Chains required.”
http://www.mercedcountytimes.net/content/2009-01-01/00411

NP News - Please again note, we do not support or endorse any of the editorial items listed in these pages. We just publish links to the news and NP related editorial items. On another note, the big item for me today (and over the last few days) has been the issue of earthquakes in the Yellowstone area. There are three articles about them today.

Misc. Parks News:
Cookie-burner hike — The National Park Service is staging a 91/2-mile cookie-burner hike on the Buckeye Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley park. It will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at park headquarters at Riverview and Vaughn road in Brecksville. Wear sturdy shoes and cold-weather gear and bring water.
http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/fresh_air/36962359.html

Salazar and the National Park Gun Rule
Will our new Interior Secretary support more guns in national parks?
A hot outdoor story keeping the blogs and community tables humming right now is the Bush administration’s last minute rule change allowing loaded and concealed guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/salazar_and_the_national_park_gun_rule/C41/L41/

Our national parks – majestic vistas, stirring histories and highly-sought suicide sites
From the woods of Georgia’s Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield to Utah’s Canyonlands, an increasing number of visitors to America’s national park system are choosing the sites to end their lives.
http://www.examiner.com/x-662-Strange-Ne...t-suicide-sites


Theodore Roosevelt NP:
Fixing the elk problem (Editorial)
The State Game and Fish Department is doing the right thing by pushing its own idea of how to thin the elk herd at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/522738.html

Yellowstone NP:
More small quakes rattle Yellowstone National Park
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — More earthquakes are rattling Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hklq5saMBlMynv31EbfNSka-SpOwD95F9ESO0

Yellowstone Earthquake Swarm: Updated
More on the Yellowstone earthquake swarm at the supervolcano caldera. First, this piece of database analysis from an IT guy at Splunk puts the swarm into scary perspective...
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2009/01/02/yellowstone-earthquake-swarm-updated.html

A Spurt of Quake Activity Raises Fears in Yellowstone
We who live along Montana's Yellowstone River are downstream from a simmering caldera, a geologic hot spot that has become especially active recently. Indeed, Yellowstone National Park contains the floor of a gigantic volcanic cauldron, one that rises and sinks with the forces that lie beneath — hence the picturesque geysers and steam holes. But a wave of recent earthquake activity is raising fears that have their origins 642,000 years ago, when a Yellowstone "supervolcano" exploded so violently that it created the caldera itself. Today, such an explosion — 1,000 times more powerful than the explosion of Mount St. Helens in 1980 — would not only cover most of the U.S. with ash but also throw so much dust into the atmosphere that the world's climate could change.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1869313,00.html

Winter in Yellowstone: Season puts visitors nose to nose with park's critters
We were expecting to see plenty of wildlife during a winter outing to Yellowstone National Park, but we thought we might have to get through the entrance first.
http://www.theolympian.com/662/story/714455.html

News Update

Death Valley
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — High atop Dante's View, overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of sand dunes, night watcher Dan Duriscoe shone a laser beam at the North Star and steadied his digital camera at the starry heavens.
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090104/LIFE/901040317/-1/NEWS

Everglades NP:
Mayor Hamilton awarded long-term contract to run Everglades boat tours
Boat tours in Everglades National Park are remaining in well-known hands.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/jan/03/mayor-hamilton-awarded-long-term-contract-run-ever/

Grand Teton NP:
Backcountry users warned
Because of the unusual snowpack this winter, the sheriff’s office is warning backcountry users that rescue workers may be significantly delayed or unable to respond to incidents in the mountains.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4089

Great Smoky Mountains NP:
Stewardship focus of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's 75th anniversary
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is celebrating a major milestone in 2009. The park, established June 15, 1934, will mark its 75th anniversary with a yearlong celebration of the people who made it possible and an emphasis on the stewardship required to keep it viable for the next 75 years and beyond.
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9010776

Misc. Parks News:
U.S. allows guns in national parks
The only place Jack Betz goes without his concealed handgun is his workplace.
http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1122187.html

It looks like a fairly quiet day for news. There is still a lot coming out about the earthquakes in the Yellowstone region. Here are a few headlines that I came across today.

James

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (Part of Shenandoah Valley)
A draft of the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park's first general management plan is available for public review and comment through late February.
http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2009/01/management-plan-draft-availabl.html

Great Smoky NP:
Vines: Davises a part of park's start
With the attention on this year's 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, some focus needs to be on Annie M. Davis, wife of Willis P. Davis, both of whom were instrumental in the park's creation.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/05/davises-a-part-of-parks-start/

Los Padres National Forest:
Voice of Los Padres forest retires
After decades of providing information to news media and the public about wildfires and other issues concerning Los Padres National Forest, Kathy Good retired Friday as the forest's public affairs officer.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28489966/

Misc. Parks News:
HOW TO: PLAN A NATIONAL PARK VISIT
If you’re thinking about a trip to a national park next summer, you might want to start researching your itinerary now. Campsites and cabins can be secured up to six months in advance at www.recreation.gov, and the National Park Service has a wealth of free information online for individual parks.
http://www.columbiatribune.com/2009/Jan/20090104Puls002.asp

Yellowstone NP:
Ranchers oppose Yellowstone bison relocation
Ranchers are voicing concern about plans to relocate some Yellowstone Park bison to Indian reservations in Montana and Wyoming.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9614019&nav=menu554_2_2

Yellowstone Supervolcano Earthquakes: Scientists React
What is the meaning of the (suddenly quiescent) earthquake swarm at Yellowstone National Park? Here are takes from two more top volcanologists. First up is Stephen Self, who presented a report on the hazards from a supervolcano eruption to the British government in 2005 and does work for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-comm...ists-react.html

Yellowstone Shaken By Swarm Of Earthquakes
All Things Considered, January 3, 2009 · A few little earthquakes here or there is just a part of everyday life when you live on top of the largest supervolcano in North America.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98981519

Acadia NP:
Park service seeks comments on plan for St. Croix Island
The National Park Service is seeking written public comments on an Environmental Assessment and Assessment of Effect for the Draft Facilities Development Plan for the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/96579.html

Arches NP:
Gay-rights activists to rally near Delicate Arch
Gay-rights activists hope to build a bridge to their fellow Utahns before the state's most iconic span: Delicate Arch.
On Saturday, more than 60 people plan to gather in view of the redrock wonder to rally support for Equality Utah's Common Ground Initiative.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11381145

Cuyahoga Valley NP:
Bird Watching, Sightings, Birding Maps, Bird Blogs and pictures from Cleveland & Northeast Ohio
Birds that in the spring or fall wouldn't make us look twice are causing excitement right now in Northeast Ohio.
http://www.cleveland.com/neobirding/index.ssf/2009/01/_birds_that_in_the.html

Haleakala NP:
After 34 years with the National Park Service, Marilyn Parris is retiring as of Jan. 30, ending her term as superintendent of Haleakala National Park, a job she's held since October 2005.
http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/513287.html

Misc. National Parks News:
Bush gives the US a unique national park
The world's largest marine protection area has been announced under the presidency of George Bush.
http://www.pakistannews.net/story/450239

Yellowstone NP:
Ranchers oppose Yellowstone bison relocation (Previously Reported on Yesterday)
Ranchers are voicing concern about plans to relocate some Yellowstone Park bison to Indian reservations in Montana and Wyoming.
http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/artic...5350079213a.txt

Today's update. A few articles. There is a lot more stuff coming out on the Yellowstone earthquake situation that has been happening since 12/26.

James


Misc Parks News:
Study backs Monroe as parkland
A study of parks in Hampton Roads is denounced and praised.
A study about parks in Hampton Roads that is intended to demonstrate a need to keep much of Fort Monroe as parkland was denounced by some and praised by others on Tuesday.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/hampton/dp-local_fortmonroe_0107jan07,0,1245509.story

Saguaro NP:
Full slate of activities this month at Saguaro National Park
A series of programs are under way at Saguaro National Park. Explore the natural and cultural history of the park. Come along on a naturalist-led evening walk or join a local expert for a presentation in the visitor center. Programs will be offered at both districts. There is no charge for interpretive programs, but park entrance fees apply.
http://www.vailsun.com/articles/2009/01/06/news/news06.txt

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone Park Sees Incredible Earthquake Swarm
Some pretty interesting things have been happening at Yellowstone National Park since December 26th. Over the last week geologists have recorded more than 400 small earthquakes. Quakes in that number are called an earthquake swarm.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9628287&nav=menu554_2

Tremors ease at Yellowstone
Seismic activity in Yellowstone National Park "has markedly decreased" in the past two days, possibly an indication that the swarm of quakes that hit the area has ended, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory said today.
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_11387161

Don't be all shook up over Yellowstone quakes
Experts say the swarm of small temblors since Dec. 26 doesn't signal a possible major eruption at the park.
When you have 400 earthquakes on top of one of the largest supervolcanoes on Earth, people pay attention.
And since the day after Christmas, that's what has happened at Yellowstone National Park. Scientists are seeing what they call a "swarm" of low intensity earthquakes - the largest since the 1980s. The biggest quake had a magnitude of 3.9, below the level that can cause damage.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/623427.html

Yosemite NP:
Yosemite: One of the Most Famous National Parks in the US
Yosemite National Park is a place of extremes. Transcript of radio broadcast:
VOICE ONE:
This is Phoebe Zimmermann.
VOICE TWO:
Half Dome in Yosemite National Park
And this is Steve Ember with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we tell about one of the most famous national parks in the United States. You can find it high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of the western state of California. It is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Its name is Yosemite.
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-01-06-voa1.cfm

Zion NP:
Study: Glen Canyon, Zion lead in Utah park rescues
If you're a guy in your 20s on a day hike in a national park in Utah, step carefully. You're among the most likely to need rescuing.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11387305

A lot going on today. Of course, the Yellowstone Earthquakes are still a huge topic of news. The news last couple of days looks pretty good. Also, the floods at Mt. Rainier are also featured in several articles.

James

Biscayne NP:
Biscayne National Park kicking off Family Fun Fest
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/outdoors/story/842456.html

Misc Parks News:
Parks groups oppose gun rule
Suit filed to block loaded weapons
Two national park advocacy groups are going to court to challenge a recent change in federal rules that allows people to carry loaded weapons inside national parks.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/96710.html

Legislation may benefit area wildlands, park
Congress is resurrecting a package of public land bills that would protect 700,000 acres of wildlands and rivers, including areas near the Coachella Valley.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090108/NEWS07/901080330/1026/news12

National Park infrastructure should be on stimulus list (Editorial)
With more than 10 million out-of-state visitors bringing more than $3 billion into the state annually, tourism is Montana's second largest industry.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090108/OPINION/901080328

Mount Rainier NP:
Floods hit Western Washington hard
Dozens of roads closed, including passes and I-5 near Chehalis
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/395143_stormonline08.html?source=mypi

Mount Rainier to close entrance
Officials at Mount Rainier National Park will close the park's western Nisqually entrance Wednesday evening as a precautionary measure against flooding.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008601033_apwarainierclosure.html


Theodore Roosevelt NP:
Dorgan with Game and Fish
Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.) said he agrees with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department on the elk situation at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/articles/index.cfm?id=19034&section=homepage

Yellowstone NP:
Scientists ready to analyze Yellowstone Park quake data
No signs of coming eruption, geologist says

Between Dec. 27 and Jan. 2, more than 500 small earthquakes shook Yellowstone National Park. The swarm of quakes was centered below Yellowstone Lake, beginning southeast of Stevenson Island and migrating north toward Fishing Bridge before quieting.
http://powelltribune.com/index.php/content/view/633/2/

Expert: Quakes could alter Yellowstone
JACKSON, Wyo. -- The recent swarm of small earthquakes in Yellowstone National Park could alter some of the park's thermal features but should not raise any concern about the park's large volcano erupting anytime soon, a researcher said.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wy_yellowstone_quakes.html

Misc. Parks News:
Concealed guns rule at parks takes effect
A rule that allows people to carry loaded, concealed firearms in national parks and national wildlife refuges went into effect Friday, raising more alarms from groups who say the Bush administration regulation is bad for resources and visitors.
http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=4115

Flight 93 Families Reach Out to Bush
Frustrated by years of negotiations over a parcel of land deemed critical for the proposed Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., a group representing the victims’ families has asked President Bush to issue an executive order allowing the Interior Department simply to take it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/10/us/10memorial.html

Soldier's Remains Found at Antietam
A piece of history has been unearthed at Antietam National Battlefield in Washington County -- the remains of a soldier who died in that Civil War battle, almost 150 years ago.
http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/story...mPfeEeXy9g.cspx

Will John Donahue get the call to take over National Park Service?
Barack Obama's people have not called yet.
John Donahue, superintendent of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, is being pitched as a person the president-elect should appoint in his new administration.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090110/NEWS/901100342/-1/NEWS01

UND faculty publishes national park study, Don't harass wildlife with snowmobiles etc.
A UND assistant professor says the National Park Service needs to do a better job of educating the public about how to stay out of trouble in the parks.
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=100883

Mount Rainier NP:
Paradise access closed because of park-road storm damage
There will be no access to the popular Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park this weekend because of storm damage to a main park road.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008611998_rainierclosure10m.html

Point Reyes National Seashore:
Oyster farm urged to sell and relocate
Controversy that has been simmering for two years over the operation of an oyster farm in the Point Reyes National Seashore reached a boil in recent weeks.
http://www.ptreyeslight.com/cgi/latest_news.pl?record=281

JM's Note:
The two biggest news items for me have been the Yellowstone Quakes and the plan for Elk Management in Theodore Roosevelt NP. Today there are two pieces that I have posted on the TR NP plan below.

-JM

Gulf Islands National Seashore
CLOSER WALK WITH NATURE Park reopens visitor center after Katrina
OCEAN SPRINGS One of the area's most popular nature and recreation sites marked a milestone in its rebound from Hurricane Katrina with the official opening of the William Colmer Visitor Center.
http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississippipress/news.ssf?/base/news/12316725213500.xml&coll=5

Lake Mead National Recreation Area:
The bodies of two boaters reported missing Friday were recovered Saturday from Lake Mohave, the National Park Service said.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jan/10/missing-boaters-found-dead-lake-mohave/

Misc. Parks News:
National Park Rangers: Jan. 9, 2009 - A Day to Remember More Guns in National Parks (Editorial by the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR))
TUCSON, AZ. January 9, 2009 - Current and former National Park Service employees, many of them Law Enforcement Rangers and Park Interpretive Rangers today expressed serious alarm over the potential risks of the new rule to be implemented by the Department of the Interior that would allow concealed firearms in national parks.
http://yubanet.com/usa/National-Park-Ran...ional-Parks.php

Olympic NP:
Olympic National Park wants to move Ridge weather station
The Olympic National Park plans to relocate the weather station at Hurricane Ridge about 100 yards to provide a more accurate reading of snow depth.
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090110/news/301109997

Theodore Roosevelt NP:
Note - this is interesting as it has been a topic of huge debate as hunters have not been allowed into the parks. This does not mean that animals are not shot, just typically by the Parks Dept or via sharpshooters who do not harvest the deceased. The first link includes the actual plans. The second link is a reaction by the NRA. It is particularly interesting in relation to the new rules which have allowed weapons in the parks. This is a watershed moment and I am curious if hunting may be coming to all of the National Parks.

Listed in the table below are Theodore Roosevelt NP plans or projects currently or recently open for environmental review. Simply click on the title for more information.
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/parkHome.cfm?parkID=167
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=4289

Yosemite NP:
4 enshrined in California Outdoors Hall of Fame (See part on Steve Rajeff)
Steve Rajeff is the world's greatest caster. William Lemos is California's greatest outdoor educator. No person has taught more people to ski in the United States than Nic Fiore.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/11/SP8M155881.DTL

...saw something additional today that will probably make tomorrows news, but I figured I would add it now.

James

Senate boosts "wilderness protection" across US
WASHINGTON – In a rare Sunday session, the Senate advanced legislation that would set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness. Majority Democrats assembled more than enough votes to overcome GOP stalling tactics in an early showdown for the new Congress.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090111/ap_on_go_co/congress_wilderness

The cool thing about doing this news segment daily is that I am finding new places that I never knew existed...and all within our National Parks System here in the USA. Please note that today we have also decided to start adding a segment called "Outside of the US/Canada Parks System" for news that falls in parks outside of...well, you get it..the USA and Canada. :P

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
Decree gives park water right
The last day of 2008 also brought the end of Colorado’s longest-running water-rights contest.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/01/11/011209_1a_Black_Canyon_water.html

Lake Mead National Recreation Area:
The National Park Service has positively identified the bodies recovered Saturday from Lake Mohave as 70-year-old James Mercer and 74-year-old Francis Blossom, both of Pahrump, Nev., according to Andrew Munoz, public affairs officer for the National Parks Service's Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2009/01/12/news/local/local5.txt

Misc. Parks News:

Federal wilderness protection for California land moves forward
The Senate clears the way for passage of legislation that would expand wilderness protection to more than 2 million acres of public land nationwide, mostly in California and the West.
Large swaths of California wild lands would gain federal wilderness protection under legislation that took a step toward approval in the U.S. Senate during a rare Sunday session.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wilderness12-2009jan12,0,5425754.story

Outside of the US/Canada Parks System:
Congo NP:
Militia kills ranger in Congo national park
A militia killed a ranger in a Democratic Republic of Congo park where authorities are trying to protect endangered gorillas threatened by civil war, the park said.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/01/11/congo.gorilla.ranger.killed/


Pudacuo National Park
China's Shangri-La is gateway to region's tourism, prosperity
Leaders are pushing ecotourism at the area's Pudacuo National Park and plan four more parks.
Yang Xuemei grew up tending yak with her family in this outpost on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. These days, she herds tourists through the alpine pastures and other scenic climes of Pudacuo National Park -- 1,243 square miles of soaring mountains and glacial lakes inhabited by red pandas and nearly 100 other endangered species.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-shangrila12-2009jan12,0,5094544.story

Rocky Mountain NP:
Longs Peak snowshoer had heart disease
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATONAL PARK — A 55-year-old Lakewood man who died while snowshoeing with his family in Rocky Mountain National Park had heart disease.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/11/longs-peak-snowshoer-had-heart-disease/

Interesting news day today...particularly around Yellowstone NP and the seemingly age-old discussion about Bison and Wolves in the Park.

James


Klondike Gold rush National Park:
On a quiet corner in Seattle's Pioneer Square, in the former Cadillac Hotel, sits the Klondike Gold Rush national park. Inside the park, are photographs and exhibits to help visitors learn about the Klondike gold rush of 1987 and the role Seattle played in outfitting the stampeders.
http://scienceblogs.com/digitalbio/2009/01/a_golden_experience_at_the_klo.php



Misc Parks News (and other National Monument/Historic news):
Longfellow Historic Site honors park ranger
The Longfellow National Historic Site will celebrate poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and honor longtime park ranger, Paul Blandford, Saturday, Feb. 28, at 10 a.m. in Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1621243998/Longfellow-Historic-Site-honors-park-ranger

Outside of the North American Park System:
Lions return to Mburo national park
HREE lions have been sighted in Lake Mburo National Park, a decade after they were declared extinct in the protected area that lies nearest to Kampala.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/667863

Slain Congolese ranger called 'exceptional'
Colleagues and bloggers are praising a park ranger shot dead last week in Congo's Virunga National Park as a brave and committed protector of gorillas.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/01/12/congo.slain.ranger/

Yellowstone NP:
Wolf Numbers Decline in Yellowstone in ‘08
The number of wolves in Yellowstone National Park declined by 27 percent last year, but wildlife officials said Monday that the drop isn't unusual.
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/wolf_numbers_decline_in_yellowstone_in_08/7643/

Wolf Numbers Down in Yellowstone National Park (a similar article)
The number of wolves in Yellowstone National Park dropped last year for the first time in three years.
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=9660287

Study: Disease risk posed by roaming bison is low
A new study says more bison could be allowed to migrate outside Yellowstone National Park without significantly increasing the risk of spreading a disease carried by the animals to livestock.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/01/12/ap5909800.html

Study Suggests Ways to Avoid Slaughter of Yellowstone Bison
last winter, government agencies killed one third of Yellowstone National Park's bison herd due to concerns about the possible spread of a livestock disease to cattle that graze in areas around the park. Such drastic measures may be unnecessary, however, according to researchers who have assessed the risk of disease transmission from Yellowstone bison to cattle.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/547961/

Zion NP:
Zion National Park raises use limits in Spry Canyon
Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth announced today that the number of visitors permitted to travel through the Spry Canyon canyoneering
route will be increased by more than 50 percent per day for the 2009 season. On Jan. 1, the use limit for Spry Canyon increased from 12 people per day to 20 people per day.
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090112/NEWS01/90112022

Grand Canyon NP:
Earthen dam bursts in Grand Canyon, hundreds are evacuated
http://www.smartbrief.com/news/pci/story...22A4&lmcid=


Kenai Fjords NP/St. Elias NP and Preserve:
Alaska -- home to more national park land than the rest of the country combined -- is slated to get $300,000 of the $27 million the National Park Service plans to spend next year on "Centennial Challenge" construction projects in preparation for the celebration of the agency's 100th anniversary in 2016. According to a press release from the agency, $200,000 is earmarked for a new Exit Glacier visitor facility at Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward, and $100,000 is going to build exhibits and a bus shelter near the historic Kennecott Mine in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/653021.html

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Firefighters warn Sydney bushfire threat remains
Residents on Sydney's north shore, where a bushfire came within metres of homes yesterday, are being urged to prepare their houses ahead of scorching temperatures predicted for tomorrow.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/14/2466069.htm?section=justin

National park closure scare at deepwater
FEARS Deepwater National Park will close to the public are unfounded according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2009/01/14/national-park-closure-scare-at-deepwater/

Rocky Mountain NP:
Wild Basin Wilderness
Rocky Mountain National Park’s journey toward wilderness designation has taken another step toward realization following a rare Sunday vote in the U.S. Senate. By a 66-12 margin, the Senate voted to remove hurdles that had been holding back wilderness designation on more than 2 million acres in nine states, including Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/jan/14/wild-basin-wilderness/

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone: Ready to Blow?
The park’s recent earthquakes raise concerns that its volcano could erupt. But don’t fret, says CSU researcher.
Like camping in Yellowstone?
More to the point, do you like living on the west half of our continent?
http://www.fortcollinsnow.com/article/20...%20to%20Blow%3F

Yellowstone tangled up by new rule on guns
Park is in 3 states, each with different laws, so enforcement is tricky.
Yellowstone National Park officials say disentangling disparate concealed-weapons laws of three states has left unanswered questions about implementing a Bush administration rule that began allowing guns in the park last week.
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4132

Yosemite NP:
Yosemite ski resort needs repairs, public input
National Park Service officials are asking the public for suggestions that could be incorporated into renovation of the state's first lodge-based ski resort at Badger Pass.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11444473

Glacier NP:
Glacier National Park sees dip in visitors
A late opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road and record-high gas prices were among the reasons Glacier National Park saw fewer visitors in 2008.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9675580

Houndsman cited after dogs enter Glacier park
WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) - A man who used hounds for hunting received a federal citation for allowing his dogs to enter Glacier National Park.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9675453&nav=menu227_7

Misc. Parks News:
U.S. Senate moves to increase wilderness lands
The U.S. Senate voted to pursue a sweeping bill to expand wilderness areas in the nation on Sunday, Jan. 11.
http://www.millardccp.com/default.asp?so...ccp&he=.com

Outside of the US/Canadian Parks System:
More than 600 elephants found in Malaysian park
BANGKOK, Thailand: Researchers said Thursday they have found a surprisingly large elephant population in Malaysia's biggest national park after new survey techniques revealed a community of more than 600 animals.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/15/asia/AS-Malaysia-Jumbo-Discovery.php

Yellowstone NP:
Wolf numbers in Yellowstone Park decline
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- As the Interior Department announces it will again take wolves from the endangered species list in Montana and Idaho, Yellowstone officials report the number of wolves declined last year in the park by 27 percent.
http://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/articles/2009/01/15/news/26.txt

Yellowstone bison cull may be unwarranted
Brucellosis risk overblown, says Santa Cruz researcher
SANTA CRUZ - Last winter's slaughter of more than 1,600 bison near Yellowstone National Park may have been unnecessary.
http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_11452710

Zion NP:
Record attendance at Zion National Park helps businesses
Even with a down economy, businesses in one Utah town are doing quite well. That's because their economy has been better than ever thanks to Zion National Park.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5318990

Banff NP:
Hiker swept to death by avalanche in Canada's west
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hrJWc_k9WGYPCsrM-8VeMip-MyPgD95NP8KO0

Glacier NP:
In Glacier, super predicts staff cuts
When Chas Cartwright looks at Glacier National Park’s future his prediction includes operating with less federal funding and his hope to achieve a formal wilderness designation for the Park.
http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/article...70197825147.txt

Misc. Parks News:
A bill that would turn Paterson's Great Falls into a National Historic Park is a House vote away from becoming law after being approved Thursday by the Senate.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/nationalpolitics/37695839.html

Senate passes bill to add Barrett's Farm to Minuteman Park
Washington, D.C. - Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry and Rep. Niki Tsongas announced on Thursday the passage of legislation by the United States Senate to protect a one-of-a kind national historic treasure, Col. James Barrett’s Farm in Concord, by adding it to Minute Man National Park. The farm had a central role in the first battle of the Revolutionary War in 1775. The House is expected to pass the measure in the coming days at which point it will be ready to be signed into law by the president.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/...-Minuteman-Park

National Mall concert will offer test run for inauguration
WASHINGTON — Security officials are bracing for a preview of the inauguration Sunday when 500,000 people are expected to fill part of the National Mall for a free concert featuring Bono, Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-15-mallsecurity_N.htm

Senate approves 2 million acres for wilderness
The Senate approved a major expansion of wilderness areas nationwide Thursday, protecting more than 2 million acres of public land from drilling, logging and mining, including 735,000 acres across California.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/15/MNO215B3BA.DTL

U.S. Senate passes bill that establishes South Park National Heritage Area
The United States Senate passed a bill Thursday that would establish the South Park National Heritage Area in Park County, and the bill, or some form of it, is expected to pass the U.S. House of Representatives and be signed by the president.
http://theflume.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5818&TM=68423.84

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
2 bushfires under control: RFS
The Rural Fire Service says it has contained two fires that threatened property near Sydney yesterday.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/16/2468091.htm

Rocky Mountain NP:
Wilderness bill protects parts of Rocky Mtn. Park
The Senate votes to save 2 million acres of public lands in nine states.
The U.S. Senate, in a bipartisan 73-21 vote, moved Thursday to preserve 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness areas — including 315,000 acres in Colorado.
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_11466989

Yellowstone NP:
Elk removed near Yellowstone over disease worries
BILLINGS, Mont. - Montana wildlife officials have killed a pair of elk north of Yellowstone National Park near Gardiner, Mont., after they tested positive for exposure to the disease brucellosis.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28675111/

I am excited to see all of these new parks, and money being dedicated to preservation of our land. As a result, there has also been a lot of news. Some of this has been reported on prior, but some of it is unique. I am particularly excited about the new NJ National Park. Can't wait to get out there and take some photos.

On another note, there is some exciting stuff also going on outside of our NP system. The rhino ring getting busted is particularly good news.

Last, not sure how folks feel about the inclusion of NP News, like what is going on at the National Mall, which is part of the parks system, but NOT really a nature photography opportunity....

James

Great Falls NP (Welcome to the fold!!)
NJ Waterfall Now a National Park
The Senate has approved legislation to designate the Great Falls in Paterson, New Jersey a National Historic Park.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28677644/

Joshua Tree NP:
Loaded guns now OK in park
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK — Loaded, concealed firearms are now allowed inside national parks, according to a federal rule change approved Jan. 9.
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2009/01/17/news/doc4971839644742343111814.txt

Misc. National Park News:
Deal reached on Flight 93 crash site in Pa.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The owner of the land in western Pennsylvania where Flight 93 crashed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks reached an agreement Friday to sell the parcel, clearing the way for the development of a memorial.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jhVKYHIZWw9W_AabT7rwJd3-6XQwD95OMLHGA

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
South Africans bust rhinoceros poaching ring
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - South African police and game park rangers say they have arrested 11 suspects in an international rhinoceros poaching ring.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28689153/

A Walk Through New Zealand’s Watery Wild
IN 1908, The Spectator magazine called the 33.5-mile Milford Track through Fiordland National Park in New Zealand “the finest walk in the world,” an honorific still credible to knowledgeable hikers — one fan was Sir Edmund Hillary — a full century later.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/travel/18explore.html

Dung used to find large new herd of endangered elephants
Just over six months since it was announced that a large band of lowland gorillas had been found in the wild, similar welcoming news has been reported for another endangered species. A recent survey has turned up over 600 Asian elephants in Malaysia.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1242-Science-N...gered-elephants


Inauguration security center to go live Saturday
WASHINGTON (AP) — Five 8-foot-square monitors and four flat-panel televisions hang on beige walls in the windowless room. A few flicker with images from news programs and street maps of downtown Washington.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ipcdFEvhCtlizQ2FXys51DiaT1LAD95OI79O0


Rocky Mountain NP:
RMNP included in wilderness protection
The Senate on Thursday voted to set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness, including almost 250,000 acres in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone bison could go to Wyoming Reservation
State and federal officials have recommended relocating a small herd of bison from Yellowstone National Park to a Wyoming Indian reservation - part of a bid to restore a species that once numbered in the tens of millions.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/01/16/ap5933407.html

Acadia National Park:
Guns barred in buildings
ACADIA NAT’L PARK — Although recent changes in federal regulations allow visitors to take loaded, permitted concealed weapons into national parks and wildlife refuges, visitors cannot take guns into any building, except standalone rest rooms.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8526&Itemid=36

Brrrrrrrr!
BAR HARBOR — The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for all of Eastern Maine after temperatures plummeted to their lowest readings in years overnight. In Bar Harbor temperatures as low as minus 21 were reported around daybreak on Friday.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8573&Itemid=135

Snow falls across Maine as temperatures rise slightly
HOULTON, Maine — A blast of snow is moving across northern New England on Sunday as the temperature rises, offering relief from bitter cold.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/97455.html

Arches/Canyonland NP:
11th-Hour Ruling Blocks Utah Oil and Gas Leases
A federal judge on Saturday blocked oil and natural gas exploration on tens of thousands of acres of federal land in Utah, saying in an 11th-hour decision that the Interior Department had not done sufficient environmental analysis, particularly of how air quality might be degraded.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/us/18leases.html?ref=us

Death Valley NP:
Death Valley road project lines up for stimulus funding
A $11.2 billion road rehabilitation project in Death Valley National Park is among the projects getting in line for a piece of the proposed federal stimulus package.
http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/road_5220___article.html/death_valley.html

Grand Canyon NP:
Canyon in need of restoration stimulus
Facilities, trails and campgrounds are starting to fall apart, with the backlog reaching $262 million.
If he had about $65 million annually over the next four years, the superintendent of the Grand Canyon would create more than 1,000 new jobs improving roads, trails, water lines, campgrounds and buildings there.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/01/15/news/20090115_front_188933.txt

Grand Teton NP:
Quake update: Geologists of Jackson Hole: 'Just be prudent'
Geologists of Jackson Hole issue press release on Alpine quake.
http://planetjh.com/news/A_104672.aspx

Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore:
How many species at Ind. Dunes? May event to tell
PORTER, Ind. - Thousands of scientists, students and volunteers will gather at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in May to record every species living there during a 24-hour period.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-indianadunes-biob,0,3673675.story

Misc. Parks News:
How much is the Flight 93 crash site worth?
The owner of the land where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, has said he thinks the Somerset County property is worth $50 million, but he'd be willing to take $10 million.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09018/942679-455.stm

Land Deal Is Reached for a 9/11 Memorial
The National Park Service and an organization representing victims’ families have reached a deal to buy the most critical piece of land needed for the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/us/18memorial.html?hp


Outside of the US/Canada Parks System:
Bushfire rages in Burleigh national park
It is burning on a steep slope in an inaccessible area and firefighters are concerned about homes bordering the park.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/18/2468657.htm

Encroachers close in on National Park
Mumbai Authorities at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) are facing fresh encroachment attempts, this time from its original inhabitants — the tribal population in and around the park.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/encroachers-close-in-on-national-park/412085/

Rocky Mountain NP:
Girl rescued from Rocky Mountain National Park
A 17-year-old Estes Park girl was rescued from Rocky Mountain National Park on Friday after becoming stranded while hiking.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20...National%20Park

Yellowstone NP:
Deja vu All Over Again
White House Still Wants to Delist Gray Wolf
n what many environmentalists hope is its last affront to their sensibilities, the Bush administration is once again trying to remove endangered species protection for the rebounding gray wolf population of the Northern Rockies. Just this past September, environmentalists won a challenge in federal court overturning a previous Bush order to remove federal protection for the wolves, which were reintroduced to the greater Yellowstone area a dozen years ago and, although thriving, are still considered vulnerable by biologists.
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4531

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Bryce NP proposes pullouts for wildlife watching
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Bryce Canyon National Park wants to add roadside pullouts at one its most popular spots for watching pronghorn, wild turkeys and other wildlife.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9687937&nav=menu554_2_3

Cumberland Gap NHP:
New policy allows guns in park
A new federal policy allows concealed weapons permit owners to carry guns into Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.

Haleakala NP:
Partnership raises $1.2M to benefit Haleakala park
U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai'i, announced that a partnership between the National Park Service and the Maui Invasive Species Committee has raised $1.2 million to protect and restore Haleakala National Park.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090119/NEWS0103/901190346/-1/RSS02?source=rss_localnews

Misc. Parks News:
Biracial ranger, 87, heads to the inauguration
Betty Soskin remembers having to drink as a child at water fountains marked "colored" in New Orleans. She remembers laughing with her great-grandmother, a former slave. And she remembers her first bite of economic freedom in 1942 as one of the "Rosie the Riveters" working in the World War II shipyards of Richmond.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/18/BAA115C1CE.DTL&type=politics

Mount Rainier NP (I know...this could easily just be 'misc. parks news):
Under the Needle: Rainier ranger makes his way to Washington, D.C.
He still walks to work, so there's that. And he continues to deal with big egos, with driven colleagues and another type of inveterate climber.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/396639_needle19.html

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Assam's Kaziranga National Park a contender in Seven Wonders of Nature list
Kaziranga (Assam,India), Jan.18: The grazing heaven for the one horned Rhino, Kaziranga National Park in Assam, is on its way to become one among the new Seven Wonders of Nature.
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-77053.html

Firefighters get on top of Morton National Park blaze
AFTER nearly a fortnight of battling the Morton National Park blaze, firefighters are winning the battle.
http://bowral.yourguide.com.au/news/loca...ze/1410569.aspx

Huge Population Of Endangered Asian Elephants Living In Malaysian Park
Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia - New data released by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Malaysia’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) reveals that a population of endangered Asian elephants living in a Malaysian park may be the largest in Southeast Asia.
http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.ph...ark/?source=rss

Palm oil frenzy threatens to wipe out orangutans
TANJUNG PUTING NATIONAL PARK, Indonesia (AP) — Hoping to unravel the mysteries of human origin, anthropologist Louis Leakey sent three young women to Africa and Asia to study our closest relatives: It was chimpanzees for Jane Goodall, mountain gorillas for Dian Fossey and the elusive, solitary orangutans for Birute Mary Galdikas.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h9o2SE_tEvBAHt3Odkr4gM1_o9OAD95PN2UG0

Rocky Mountain NP:
Craig briefs: Rocky Mountain National Park Service saves 17-year-old
About 5:30 p.m., Friday, Rocky Mountain National Park Service dispatch was notified about a stranded climber in the Lumpy Ridge area of Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2009/jan/19/craig_briefs_rocky_mountain_national_park_service_/

Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Act returns to Senate
The ball is rolling once again on the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Act.
It’s one of Sen. Mark Udall’s (D-CO) first pieces of legislation in the Senate and Sen. Ken Salazar’s last before heading to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20...0to%20Senate%20

Volcanoes NP:
Glider is found at 9,000-foot level of Mauna Loa
Big Island authorities located wreckage from a missing glider this morning on an area 9,800 feet up on Mauna Loa.
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/37799119.html

Hey Guys,

...just a few more items on today's National Park News.

James

Acadia NP:
Officials push for scenic byway extension
MILLINOCKET, Maine — The Grindstone Scenic Byway will extend from Medway’s Grindstone Road on Route 157 and Lake Road to the Baxter State Park entrance if regional and state officials have their way.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/97492.html

Denali NP:
Alaska: Plan ahead for 50th anniversary events and deals
On Jan. 3, 1959, Alaska became the 50th state of the USA, so the arrival of 2009, 50 years later, has been a reason to celebrate. Among its anniversary commemorations thus far, beginning last year, have been a new postage stamp, a float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena earlier this month and the launching of a special website, with current news and events related to statehood celebrations.
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/alaska-plan-ahead-fo-3843/

Yellowstone NP:
(Note, essentially the same article as published on 01/13/08, but the authors are indeed different).
Wolf numbers decline in Yellowstone in 2008
Yellowstone’s wolf population declined by 27 percent last year, likely the result of wolf-on-wolf conflicts and disease, according to park officials
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4122

Denali NP:
State to sell off Healy coal plant
$50 MILLION: Facility being sold to Fairbanks utility has been idle 8 years.
The state will sell the "clean coal" power plant at Healy to a Fairbanks electric utility for $50 million, settling years of legal wrangling over an expensive white elephant that's sat idle since 2000.
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/mining/story/654606.html

The Rigors of Research in the Cold
Rod Boertje knew it was getting cold when the National Park Service took the dogs inside. Boertje, then a graduate student in wildlife biology at the University of Alaska, was doing a study on caribou in Denali National Park in the early 1980s. Park rangers, saying it was too cold for the sled dogs that had brought Boertje to his study area, mushed the dogs back to a warm kennel. Boertje stayed behind, watching caribou to see what they did in the winter. He's one of a few scientists who have done field work in Alaska on the coldest days of winter.
http://alaskareport.com/news19/x61880_research_cold.htm

Grand Teton NP:
Ray and I had spent the better part of two hours breaking trail through deep snow to get to a climb when the final 100 yards stopped us. All we had to do was cross a slope to reach the start of the rock and ice route that we coveted. But the snow was fresh and unconsolidated; the avalanche potential significant. We dug a pit to examine how well the various layers of snow had bonded. The pit wall collapsed like the town drunk. We headed back to the car.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123241708100396573.html

Misc. Parks News:
Hawaii park visitors down nearly 15% in December
Hawaii’s national parks saw 14.7 percent fewer visitors in December, down from 400,571 in 2007 to 341,556, according to monthly data from the National Park Service.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/01/19/daily3.html

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone bison could go to Wyo Reservation (previously reported)
BILLINGS — Forty-one bison that have wandered out of Yellowstone National Park and are currently held in a federal disease quarantine facility in Montana, could wind up on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=98227

Money to fund search for life forms in park
Yellowstone National Park will receive $1 million for research that could find new life in and around the hydrothermal vents of Yellowstone Lake.
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4150

Cuyahoga Valley NP:
Chronicle Cuyahoga Valley National Park to collect oral histories
Whether it was a family sledding trip at Kendall Hills, a marriage proposal at Brandywine Falls or an entire childhood growing up nearby, memories related to Cuyahoga Valley National Park abound. In preparation for its new documentary about the park, Western Reserve PBS invites people to share their memories of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
http://www.thesuburbanite.com/communitie...-oral-histories

Everglades NP:
Inauguration Feature: Housing And Tourism Leaders Optimistic Obama Stimulus Plans Could Benefit Florida (I almost omitted this as a news piece because it does not delve much into the park, only to mention it as a potential 'shovel ready' project)
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7013773972

Kaibab National Forest:
Kaibab National Forest officials are honoring some unique furry friends today because it is National Squirrel Appreciation Day. The Kaibab Plateau in northern Arizona is the only place in the world where the Kaibab squirrel lives in the wild.
http://prescottdailycourier.com/main.asp...86&TM=81.13


Misc. Parks News:
Estimates put inaugural crowd at over 1 million
But experts not sure if turnout surpassed LBJ's inauguration in 1965.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/01/21/0121inaugcrowd.html

Hundreds Visit Medical Tents Seeking Care for Cold Feet and Worse
Marshall Anderson, park ranger and paramedic, arrived at his first aid tent northeast of the Washington Monument at 5:30 a.m. yesterday. His first patient arrived at 5:31.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/20/AR2009012003781.html

National Park Service Finally Buys Land for Controversial Flight 93 Memorial
After what seems like years upon years of standstills, redesigns, and often-aggravating controversy, there has finally been some movement on the Flight 93 National Memorial in rural Pennsylvania. The National Park Service has announced that they have finally finalized the plans to buy the piece of land needed to start building a permanent memorial.
http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/parks...ial__106255.asp

Parks have been shoveled aside for ages (Editorial)
Given that our national parks were created to preserve their natural wonders — the geysers of Yellowstone, Hawaii's volcanoes, Florida's serene River of Grass, and 388 others — we don't necessarily associate such pristine places with that economic buzz phrase, shovel-ready.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090121/COLUMNISTS09/901210395/1058/SPORTS

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System
Elusive search for Kruger crocodile die-off baffles scientists
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — When three rotting crocodile carcasses were spotted in a remote corner of South Africa's world famous Kruger National Park wildlife reserve, alarm bells started ringing for scientists.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h2_a1wVgAVhUQ9ItStc81OqmfQqA

Elephants in Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand have been installed with microchips, which will act as their identification proof.
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-78806.html

Marine park to save the coastline
A PROPOSAL for a massive marine park stretching along Sydney's coast - from Gosford in the north to the Royal National Park in the south and three kilometres out to sea - is being launched today.
http://merredin.yourguide.com.au/news/na...ne/1377273.aspx


Waterton Lakes National Park:
Historic Canadian lodge gutted by fire
WATERTON PARK, Alberta, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- An old-fashioned lodge in Waterton Lakes National Park in the Canadian Rockies burned to the ground early Tuesday.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/20/Historic_Canadian_lodge_gutted_by_fire/UPI-35041232497053/

Yellowstone NP:
Snow dictates avalanche forecasters' work
CODY -- Dozens of avalanches have occurred this winter at Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone National Park, keeping avalanche forecasters busy.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/01/21/news/wyoming/3d21ed92d1b3a35b8725754400030d9c.txt

Zion NP:
East Zion area offers easy getaway
With a short drive thru some of the most beautiful country in the nation, residents of Cedar City and St. George can find new terrain to explore, all kinds of attractions from concerts to caves and, of course, life's staple: golf.
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090120/LIFESTYLE/901200326

Big Bend NP:
Black Bear and Mountain Lion Sightings December 2008 at Big Bend National Park
http://www.desertusa.com/desertblog/?p=5155

Glacier NP:
For Many Glacier caretakers, blog helps with sanity
When Ron Hoppner goes to work, he bundles up and heads out into the chill, passing by the dozen or so bighorn sheep that hang out near his door everyday.
http://www.hungryhorsenews.com/articles/2009/01/21/news/doc4977522f034f6708204364.txt

Grand Teton NP:
Grand Teton National Park Employees Give “Day of Service” to Local Community (Blog)
Grand Teton National Park employees donated a “Day of Service” to their local community of Jackson, Wyoming in observance of Martin Luther King Day on Monday, January 19, 2009. Park Service staff contributed their time and energy in answer to the nation-wide challenge from President Barack Obama, who called upon American citizens to provide community service during the federal holiday.
http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/2009/01/grand-teton-national-park-employees.html

Misc. Parks News:
Attendance at Avalanche Classes Surges
After Dangerous Early Winter Conditions, Backcountry Beckons
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/a...y_beckons/7791/

Freeze On New Regs Could Impact Efforts to Expand Mountain Biking in National Parks
A freeze on new regulations proposed in the waning days of the Bush administration puts in limbo a number of rules and actions that affect national parks. One pending rule, for instance, could greatly expand mountain biking in the parks.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...-national-parks

Mount Rainier NP:
Limited access to Paradise (Mount Rainier style)
Mount Rainier National Park continues to explore ways to safely open the road to Paradise on weekdays, but this can only occur on days when road and weather conditions are optimal.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2009/01/access_restricted_to_paradise.html

Wonderland Trail will be rerouted
Mount Rainier National Park trails crews will proceed this spring or summer with a reroute of the Wonderland Trail in the Carbon River area.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/602967.html

Rocky Mountain NP:
Elk Culling To Start In Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park
Rifle scopes will soon be set on elk in Rocky Mountain National Park. Park officials say they plan to start culling the herd in the next few weeks.
http://cbs4denver.com/pets/elk.culling.rocky.2.914596.html

Saguaro NP:
Saguaro National Park needs volunteers to help preserve trails
Saguaro National Park is looking for volunteers to help preserve the scenic trails in the Cactus Forest and the Tucson Mountain District.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/108294.php

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone National Park will receive a half million dollars in federal funds to match a private donation enabling the park to conduct a groundbreaking research project.
http://journal.bigskybusiness.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=531

There was a TON of news to report today. It goes to show you why I should never take a day off. Anyway, here are some of the headlines that I found interesting over the last couple of days.

Acadia NP:
ACADIA NAT’L PARK — Acting chief ranger Stuart West has been appointed chief ranger, superintendent Sheridan Steele announced on Tuesday.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8603&Itemid=36

Black Canyon NP:
Black Canyon National Park offers snowshoe walks, telescope viewing
Snowshoe walks are scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays from Jan. 17 through March 8. Meet at Black Canyon National Park South Rim visitor center to experience winter at Black Canyon by snowshoeing with a ranger among the oaks, through open meadows and along the rim of the canyon.
http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/in...&Itemid=267

Everglades NP:
Riding the 'glades Shark Valley Loop -- no sharks, just gators
There is one time of year to bicycle the Shark Valley Loop and that is winter.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Columnists/Footnote/colFOOT012309.htm

Glacier NP:
GNP head wants wilderness designation to become official
Most of Glacier National Park has been proposed wilderness for decades, but that proposal has just been sitting in Congress since the 1970s.
http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=9724941

Grand Canyon NP:
Raul Grijalva looks to prohibit uranium mining near Grand Canyon
Federal lawmakers have not given up the fight to prevent uranium mining near the Grand Canyon.
http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/KMSB_20090122_dc_grandcanyonlegislation.1dfdb27b.html

Grand Teton NP:
Outdoors notebook: Dog mushers race to Park City (from JH)
Twenty teams from Canada, Switzerland, Scotland and the U.S. will fill the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race beginning Jan. 30 in Jackson, Wyo. It's the largest sled-dog race in the lower 48 states, crossing through 10 Wyoming towns before ending in Park City on Feb. 7.
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_11529299

Alaskan sled dog comes to Powell Branch Library (Not really a NP News Item...I just enjoyed it)
More than 100 children gathered at the Powell Branch Library Tuesday to literally get their hands on a genuine Alaskan sled dog.
http://powelltribune.com/index.php/content/view/674/2/

Great Smoky NP:
Road to a Smoky paradise
HYDERABAD: The Smokies are today one of the greatest attractions in the eastern United States, providing countless opportunities of fun and frolic including camping, rafting, hiking and enjoying the wilderness. We, a group of five, started a little early in the morning from Nashville. It was our second trip to the Smokies.
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story...;SEO=Gatlinburg,+Smokies+United+States,+Nashville&SectionName=BUzPVSKuYv7MFxnS0yZ7ng==

Hawaii Volcanoes NP:
Small new lava flow hits ocean in national park
A small lava flow that last month was at the boundary of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island has now crossed the park and is entering the ocean.

Misc. Parks News:
Filmmaker asks for outdoor retailers' help in promoting parks
Ken Burns » Calls new six-part series on parks his best work
A partnership between a famous documentary filmmaker like Ken Burns and the outdoor industry might seem like a mismatch.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11528070

Matheson proposes national park fund increase
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, wants national parks to be a priority in any economic stimulus package.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11541186

Obama punts 11th-hour oil shale, park gun rules to Salazar
Environmentalists and unarmed national park enthusiasts got a bit of a reprieve Tuesday when the new Obama administration issued a memo halting further progress on a series of controversial midnight regulations pushed through in the waning days of a lame-duck Bush White House.
http://coloradoindependent.com/19894/obama-punts-11th-hour-oil-shale-park-gun-rules-to-salazar

Interior Secretary Visits Liberty’s Crown
Ken Salazar, the new secretary of the interior, climbed the 146 steps to the Statue of Liberty’s crown on Friday. When he came down, he said of the experience: “One word: Awesome.”
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/interior-secretary-visits-libertys-crown/?apage=1

Olympic (and Mount Baker) NP:
Funds available for Washington forest work
The Olympic and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests can start work this year repairing storm damaged roads, trails and facilities with special funds appropriated by Congress in September 2008.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2009/01/funds_available_for_washington.html

Yellowstone NP:
A bright idea
Most Montanans figure they know all about Yellowstone Park, yet on Thursday night filmmaker Ken Burns showed he’s still a master storyteller who can surprise even a Bozeman audience with the history of America’s first national park.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/01/23/news/000parks.txt

'Where the deer and the antelope roam
Wildlife and stunning natural landscapes have taken the spotlight in a new exhibit at The Field Museum in Chicago (Yes, you read that...).
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/01/23/e...544007d5934.txt

Big Sky Institute lecture series kicks off in February
Coming up this February, the Big Sky Institute, the National Parks Conservation Association and the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a lecture series focused on climate change impacts and issues in our region. Each lecture will feature a regional expert as well as a local expert in each topic. The series will be hosted at the Big Sky Library.
http://www.lonepeaklookout.com/articles/2009/01/22/news/news%202.txt

Nature and travel photographer Ray Scott to present slide show at library
Nature and travel photographer Ray Scott is set to present a beautiful and inspiring slide show of Yellowstone National Park at the Faulkner County Library, 1900 Tyler St. at 7 p.m. on Jan. 29.
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/012209/sty_0122090023.shtml

Denali NP:
Healy power plant sparks to life under new agreement
The state-owned Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority's board approved an agreement Jan. 14 to sell a mothballed 50-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Healy to Golden Valley Electric Association, the electric cooperative serving Interior Alaska.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/012309/loc_img_11001.shtml

Everglades NP:
Sea grass meadows being damaged in Florida Bay
Fishing guides and anglers can expect to face some boating restrictions to help protect damaged sea grass meadows in Florida Bay in Everglades National Park.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/871319.html

Kissimmee River rediscovers its origins
First the river was a river, long and meandering, with alligators and ducks and bass and bream. Then, in the name of efficiency and flood control, the river was turned into a canal, wide and deep and polluted, lacking much animal life except the vultures that floated above on the afternoon thermals, watching, always watching.
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article970054.ece

Grand Teton NP:
Flood prediction for Gros Ventre moderate
A Wyoming hydrologist has issued the first in a series of spring flood predictions, singling out the Gros Ventre River drainage as the only one in the region that has a moderate potential for flooding.
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4171

Great Smoky NP:
75th anniversary of Smokies
Important Dates in the park's founding
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/25/important-dates-in-the-parks-founding/

$5M gift from son of oil legend made national park possible
Count international financier John D. Rockefeller Jr. as a key figure in the drive to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/25/5m-gift-from-son-of-oil-legend-made-national-park-/

Tremont program yields unique Smokies exhibit
An art teacher from Ohio had the rare opportunity to spend two months participating in an artist in residency program at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute of Tremont.
http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20090124/NEWS/301249988

Misc. Parks News:
Bush legacy leaves uphill climb for U.S. parks, critics say
Reporting from Arches National Park, Utah -- Kate Cannon gazed across the high red desert to the snowy La Sal Mountains rising in sharp relief at the horizon. That view of uninterrupted nature is what draws nearly a million yearly visitors to this remote part of southeast Utah.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-parks25-2009jan25,0,6965342.story

Warming Trends Alter Conservation
Experts Think Old Paradigm of Fixed Boundaries Will Not Work as Sea Levels Rise
At the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Maryland's Eastern Shore, sea-level rise threatens to drown the brackish marsh on which migrating shorebirds depend.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/25/ST2009012500606.html

Outside the US/Canadian Parks:
JA moves closer to having park listed among UNESCO sites
GOVERNMENT last Wednesday signed a nomination document to have the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park added to UNESCO's prestigious list of World Heritage Sites, bringing to a close four years of work by the park's managers - the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT).
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html...ESCO_SITES_.asp

Fire crews continue to battle NSW, Tas blazes
Fire crews in New South Wales and Tasmania will work through the night as they continue to battle blazes which began on Thursday during severe weather conditions.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/25/2473763.htm

Hey Guys,

Lots of interesting news today. Here are a few of the headlines.

BC's Glacier NP:
Public warning issued for those who break rules by entering parts of B.C. park
VANCOUVER, B.C. — The rising number of people caught going into closed areas of B.C.'s Glacier National Park has forced officials to issue a warning that charges will be laid against those caught breaking the rules.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5g5E64tc6XJtPt8Mz41AD4iIYnv2w

Cuyahoga Valley National Park
When there is 4 inches of snow or more, the Winter Sports Center at Kendall Lake in Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Feb. 28, as well as Feb. 16.
http://blog.cleveland.com/suncourier/2009/01/cuyahoga_valley_national_park_8.html

PBS works to preserve stories of national park
Park uniquely located between two cities
There is a place in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park where Doris Demczyk Wolfe goes to find peace.
http://www.ohio.com/news/38312699.html


Everglades NP:
Fuel for sale again at Flamingo area of Everglades National Park
Fuel services have resumed at the Flamingo area of Everglades National Park, the National Park Service announced.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/jan/26/fuel-sale-again-flamingo-area-everglades-national-/

Grand Canyon NP:
Bill Would Stop Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon National Park
Congressman Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, has reintroduced legislation prohibiting new uranium claims, exploration, and mining across one million acres of public lands watersheds surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2009/2009-01-26-093.asp

Winter in the Grand Canyon
THE Grand Canyon National Park has long been an adventure travel destination, even before its official creation in 1919. With its inclusion on just about every must see list before you die, the Canyon draws in about 5 million visitors every year, most to its South Rim. And while those numbers may put off those looking to avoid the crowds, even the most seasoned travel ranks seeing the Canyon for the first time in their "best ever" travel experiences - a sight that will stick with you long after you've left.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2060-Portland-...he-Grand-Canyon


Misc. Parks News:
Changes ahead for U.S. national parks?
There were the attempts to gain approval for oil and gas leases to be auctioned near the boundaries of Utah’s Arches National Park. And the uranium-mine project a couple miles from a visitors center in Grand Canyon. The return of snowmobiles in Yellowstone. And permitting visitors to carry concealed weapons within park boundaries.
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/changes-ahead-for-us-3919/

National Park Gun and Mountain Bike Rules Not Affected by Obama’s Freeze
It's the status quo for both contentious rules, but for different reasons.
On January 21, a few hours after Barrack Obama walked into the Oval Office for his first day on the job, he issued a freeze on all “midnight rules,” last-minute administrative actions of the ongoing Bush administration.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/nat...freeze/C41/L41/

National Parks commercialization to be reconsidered
Under the administration of President George W. Bush, commerce came before conservation with the result that many national parks were degraded by the encroachment of energy exploration which included such actions as drilling for gas and oil.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2547-Watchdog-...be-reconsidered


Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Climber's body expected to be retrieved
Rescue teams on Wednesday hope to retrieve the body of a tramper found at Aoraki Mt Cook.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/body-found-in-mt-cook-national-park-2454586

Congo park reports 10 gorillas born in 16 months
VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK, Congo (AP) — The first census of critically endangered mountain gorillas carried out by government authorities since rebels seized the area shows that 10 babies have been born in the last 16 months, wildlife officials said Monday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gYx_ONW2C4fvLas6E7GI4_mmeCSgD95V0U401


Rocky Mountain NP:
Sharpshooters will start killing elk in the next few weeks to thin the herd in Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.jamestownsun.com/articles/index.cfm?id=79203&section=News

Yellowstone NP:
National parks group meeting in Yellowstone
A commission examining the national parks is meeting in Yellowstone this week.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/01/26/news/wyoming/22-parks.txt

Are Bison Wildlife or Livestock?
You have to start somewhere, and this proposed legislation would be a good first step.
If there’s a conservation issue more volatile or confusing than the bison controversy centered in Yellowstone National Park, I’m not sure what it is. And enduring, too, going way back to before brucellosis became big news. Bison migrating out of the park have always been controversial.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/are_bison_wildlife_or_livestock/C41/L41/

The headlines from the last couple of days...

Acadia NP:
Grant Coming for Schoodic Byway Entryway/Exit in Prospect Harbor
GOULDSBORO — The town will receive a $78,000 grant to create an entryway/exit to the Schoodic National Scenic Byway in the village of Prospect Harbor.
http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php...ect-Harbor.html

Arches NP:
The view from Arches National Park on a system's uphill climb (reported earlier)
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah -- Kate Cannon gazed across the high red desert to the snowy La Sal Mountains rising in sharp relief at the horizon. That view of uninterrupted nature is what draws nearly 1 million yearly visitors to this remote part of southeast Utah.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11572468

Death Valley NP:
New superintendent named for Death Valley
DEATH VALLEY, Calif. -- Sarah L. Craighead, a 30-year veteran of the National Park Service has been named superintendent of Death Valley National Park, it was announced today by NPS Regional Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.
http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2009/Jan-28-Wed-2009/news/26502818.html

Glacier NP:
Mountaineer achieves rare winter solo of Glacier's Mount Stimson
A Great Falls native who now lives in Whitefish has successfully climbed Mount Stimson in Glacier.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090129/LIFESTYLE05/901290317

Good things from Going-to-the-Sun
Last July, Montana and America celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road. In many ways, the story of the building of Going-to-the-Sun road is the story of early Montana: hard-scrambling men and women who risked life and limb to achieve a vision for a tomorrow that would be better than the past.
http://bigforkeagle.com/articles/2009/01/28/editorials/letters/doc497f9c0457bbb650373976.txt

Foster named facility chief at Glacier Park
Glacier National Park has hired from within, naming Jim Foster its new chief of facilities management.
http://www.hungryhorsenews.com/articles/2009/01/28/news/doc4980cc129300f739621781.txt

Glacier Bay NP:
Park Service awards Glacier Bay contracts
KETCHIKAN, Alaska -- Four cruise lines have been awarded 10-year contracts to operate within Glacier Bay National Park.
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/jan/28/park-service-awards-glacier-bay-contracts/

Grand Canyon
Park official pans Interior
Memo: Grand Canyon rule ignored science, risked ecology
WASHINGTON — Interior Department officials ignored scientific findings when they limited water flows in the Grand Canyon to optimize generation of electric power there, risking damage to the landmark's ecology, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_11569301

A legal battle set in stone
Lawsuit seeks to protect 'geologic wonder'
NEAR THE GRAND CANYON — In the eternal debate of man versus nature, hundreds of biologists are turning up the volume by suing federal authorities over the management of two Arizona icons: the Grand Canyon-Parashant and Vermilion Cliffs national monuments.
http://zoniereport.com/2009/01/a-legal-battle-set-in-stone-66487/


Misc. Parks News:
KALISPELL - America's parks are being shortchanged in national economic stimulus talks, critics say, and they're urging a hesitant Senate to join House lawmakers in backing a larger parks investment.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/01/29/news/mtregional/news09.txt

EXCLUSIVE: Stimulus has plum for lawmaker's son
A top House Republican is demanding an investigation into whether the more than $2 billion for national parks in the House stimulus package is proper in light of the fact that the chief lobbyist for the National Parks Conservation Association is the son of House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/29/stimulus-includes-plum-lawmakers-son/

Rocky Mountain NP:
Wildlife group wants cease-fire in elk culling
An environmental group is asking federal officials not to go through with plans to use sharpshooters to thin the elk herds in Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1819844~Wildlife_group_wants_cease_fire_in_elk_culling.html


Yellowstone NP:
4 snowmobilers caught off Yellowstone trails (reported earlier)
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - Four men from Indiana have been caught riding snowmobiles in backcountry areas of Yellowstone that are off limits to the machines.
http://www.kulr8.com/news/wyoming/38532147.html

Bison bill creates hope, buzz
HELENA - A bill that would give the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks sole responsibility for managing wild bison in Montana is creating a big buzz among bison advocates who hope it could be a step toward recognizing the species as a wild animal rather than a pest.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/01/29/news/000bison.txt

State sends six elk to slaughter
BOULDER -- Six cow elk from the Fall Creek elk feedground were sent to slaughter Wednesday after testing positive for exposure to brucellosis.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/01/28/news/wyoming/e83c5f6f9b07f05d8725754d00019526.txt

Acadia NP:
Hamilton’s Hill houses eyed
A 48-acre residential subdivision planned for Hamilton’s Hill, just outside of downtown, is scheduled to be the focus of a public hearing before the planning board on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8670&Itemid=36

Big Bend NP:
Peregrine nest sites at BBNP to be closed to public
The nesting sites of Big Bend National Park’s Peregrine falcons will be closed to public entry from Feb. 1 through May 31.
http://www.alpineavalanche.com/articles/2009/01/29/news/news05.txt

Denali NP:
Gas for Alaska by 2014?
From Palin to lawmakers to industry, in-state gas is a focus for the coming year
**EDITOR'S NOTE** I received feedback today that some of the information in this article may not actually be correct. Specifically, there is question as to whether or not the pipeline will actually go through Denali.**
http://www.petroleumnews.com/pntruncate/320798260.shtml

Climb every state's mountain: Spokane man will make Denali his 50th
When Dan Coslic was 8 he discovered the encyclopedia. What most captivated him among alphabetized foreign cities, inventions from near and far, and countries he'd never heard of were maps.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2008685298_webclimbers29.html

Grand Teton NP:
Grand Tetons offer natural beauty amid a bounty of diverse attractions
JACKSON, WYO. — Arches built from elk antlers mark the four corners of the boardwalk-bedecked town square. Galleries displaying contemporary Western art line the streets and images of moose decorate much of the clothing and household items for sale in the shops.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifesty...cd?OpenDocument

2 skiers rescued in Grand Teton Park
Two disoriented skiers spent a cold night in a backcountry snow cave in Grand Teton National Park before being rescued.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/01/30/news/wyoming/58-skiers.txt

Misc. NP News:
America’s best snowy drives (Several Parks Mentioned)
These scenic roads all but guarantee great winter views
Perhaps the best way to enjoy the sub-zero weather isn't by the fireplace but in your car.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28814837/

Stimulus offers perks
Matheson pushes for park funding
The asphalt in the popular North Campground at Bryce Canyon National Park has potholes, and in Zion National Park, moisture is taking its toll on one of the most popular hikes in the park.
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090129/NEWS01/901290312

Help Our Economy by Helping National Parks
Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: National Parks Conservation Association
Right now, the National Park Service has more than $1 billion worth of ready-to-go projects in national parks across the country, including Acadia, Death Valley, Glacier and the Great Smoky Mountains. Investing in our national parks will help our economy, and create more than 57,000 jobs.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/786614887?z00m=19087045

Wrapping up the month...

Everglades NP
Snook season is upon us
Need info on the proposed hatchery?
MARCO ISLAND — Weather permitting things are looking good on most all fishing fronts for February as I prepare this article. We mark the opening of snook season. The catch and release night fishing for snook has been on a slow bite. Colder water temperature is the main reason. Colder weather and water temperature can really slow the snook down to the point many of them in waters further north of Collier County expire.
http://www.marconews.com/news/2009/jan/30/snook-season-upon-us/

Glacier NP:
No impropriety in NPCA lobbying for national parks, official notes
While the House of Representatives passed a stimulus package that includes $2.25 billion to begin to address the maintenance backlog in our national parks, visions of impropriety dance in the head of one Republican representative.
http://www.examiner.com/x-682-National-P...-official-notes

Grand Canyon NP:
Ignoring science on Canyon a public disservice
The long-overdue debate about the effects of power generation on the Colorado can’t occur if dam release findings are buried.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/01/30/news/opinion/20090130_opini_189966.txt

Hawaii Volcano NP:
New State Web Site Offers Updated Vog Levels
Sulfur Dioxide Levels Updated Every 15 Minutes
The State Department of Health (DOH) launched a new public Web site Thursday offering updated sulfur dioxide levels for areas on the Big Island.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28921106/

Joshua Tree NP:
Joshua Tree charity donates 10,000th acre to Park Service
he Mojave Desert Land Trust, a Joshua Tree public charity, announced the acquisition of its 10,000th acre of land to be donated to the National Park Service this week.
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2009/01/31/features/doc4983fe135cb1f798249049.txt

Outside the US/Canadian Parks:
Poachers arrested near Corbett National Park
NAINITAL: In a significant success, the Uttarakhand forest department has nabbed five poachers at Ramnagar, the gateway of Corbett National Park,
40kms from here.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/Poachers_held_near_Corbett_park/articleshow/4057047.cms

Couple 'adopts' leopard in MP national park
BHOPAL: A leopard was adopted by a couple in the Van Vihar National Park here, an official said
on Friday.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Flor...how/4056066.cms

Giant population of lions could live war-torn region
The war-torn frontier between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has prey to support more than 900 lions, but conservationists must act soon to protect the big cats from poaching and poisoning by livestock herders, report researchers writing in the journal Oryx.
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0130-lions.html

Rocky Mountain NP:
Natural Inspiration
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) presents the Lyceum Series offering educational, and often entertaining, programs highlighting environmental issues related to RMNP and other national parks.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/jan/30/natural-inspiration/

RMNP touts projects for bill
A project to repave 19 miles of Trail Ridge Road, worth $17.4 million, and a $6.8 million effort to stop bark beetle infestation are among work in Rocky Mountain National Park that could receive funding from an economic stimulus bill.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090130/LOVELAND01/90129031

Opposition more influential than ever (Editorial...LOL, let it not be said that I don't publish both sides of a story)
We cannot look aside or dismiss them. They are still out there. In fact, due to our country's political climate at this time, they will be raising their horrific heads higher than ever. Activist animal rights groups, anti-hunting and anti-gun organizations have received a shot in the arm and I predict they will become crazier than ever.
http://www.farmforum.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090130/FARMFORUM08/901300401/-1/FARMFORUM

Greeley sides with Weld on RMNP
Greeley is weighing in on federal legislation it says could hurt the city’s water rights.
The Greeley City Council sent a letter this week to several members of Colorado’s Congressional delegation expressing its concern that a bill designating much of the Rocky Mountain National Park a wilderness area could hurt its water interests in the Colorado-Big Thompson project.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20...eld%20on%20RMNP

Waterton Lakes National Park
Groups renew call to expand Waterton into B. C. river valley
Conservation groups are renewing calls for Waterton Lakes National Park to be expanded into the Flathead River Valley, despite British Columbia's decision to close the door to coal bed methane development in the ecologically key area in southeastern B. C.
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=deeea69e-4a5a-4a5e-8859-477188f31f78