September National Park News 2009

Glacier National Park News:
Northern MT hunters can take most wolves in hunt
Hunters in northern Montana can take more than half of the 75 wolf quota in the state's upcoming hunt.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11040171&nav=menu227_7
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrates 75 years
Memories and Appalachian pride echoed from the summits of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Wednesday as America's most-visited park held a rededication to celebrate its 75th anniversary.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/09/03/bus_546781.shtml
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon visitors may notice smoke from prescribed burns
Visitors to the Grand Canyon may soon see and smell smoke as firefighters conduct prescribed burns over the next few weeks.
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/northe...JinUzHW_lw.cspx
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park considered for site of climate change observatory
With copper-hued pine trees blanketing mountainsides with nary a green tree to be seen in some places, the effects of climate change are hard to ignore at Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/200909...nge+observatory
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Wolf hunting to resume in Idaho if judge doesn't intervene
The gray wolf, virtually exterminated in the West in the early 20th century, will be hunted once again in Idaho beginning Tuesday after a successful reintroduction program saw populations of the predators bloom across much of the northern Rocky Mountains.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspa...-intervene.html
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Yosemite National Park News:
Q&A on Yosemite's Big Meadow fire
The Big Meadow fire in Yosemite National Park started when a prescribed burn got out of control. Many have questioned the practice of controlled burns, including Outposts readers. A community meeting was Friday in El Portal with the park's acting superintendent, Dave Uberuaga, and other wildfire incident leaders replying to questions from local residents.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/yosemite-fire-2.html
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Zion National Park News:
Smoke raises health concerns
The particles suspended in the air from wildfires create the perfect conditions for spectacular sunrises and sunsets. But the smoky air also causes discomfort and could present health risks to people with chronic heart or lung conditions, as well as people with asthma.
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090902/NEWS01/909020340/Smoke+raises+health+concerns
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Denali National Park News:
Denali rolled out her fabled tundra carpet for visitors in mid-August, sprawling acres of fiery red, orange, green and gold, lush with wild berries and wildlife preparing for winter.
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/090409/loc_img1_001.shtml
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Everglades National Park News:
Wildlife experts question python numbers in Everglades
In the dense woods, isolated swamps and steamy hammocks of the Florida Everglades, the battle for supremacy rages on, at least according to dispatches from the front by federal and state authorities.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/04/...ade/news-metro/
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Glacier National Park News:
Going to the Sun Road set to close
Tourists and visitors only have a few more weekends to drive across the entire Going to the Sun Road.
http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=11079807
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Misc. National Park News:
Compromise on national park logo possible, interior secretary says
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Thursday that he thinks an agreement can be reached between federal and Hot Springs city officials over the city’s use of the park system logo.
http://arkansasnews.com/2009/09/03/compr...secretary-says/
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Mount Rainier National Park News:
Two hurt when truck falls 350 feet off road on Mount Rainier
Two Guest Services Inc. employees from Mount Rainier National Park were hurt Thursday when their vehicle went off Nisqually Road near Paradise and fell about 350 feet.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/868455.html
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Olympic National Park News:
Staircase Olympic National Park's oft-forgotten corner
Recreation and solitude: Hikes, camping, river provide plenty of opportunities to escape:
Ancient stands of cedar and Douglas fir shroud steep ridges and shade trails that snake far into wilderness.
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/960004.html
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Outside the US/Canadian NP System:
Aberdare National Park fence in Kenya is complete
A project born by conservation enthusiasts some 21 years ago, when in fact this correspondent still lived in Kenya, has come full circle when the final poles were set last week to complete the fencing of the Aberdare National Park.
http://www.eturbonews.com/11484/aberdare-national-park-fence-kenya-complete
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park will set up Sobriety Checkpoint this weekend
Rocky Mountain National Park staff are preparing for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. To help ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend for park visitors, park rangers will be increasing Law Enforcement Patrols and conducting a Sobriety Checkpoint.
http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20090903/NEWS/909039990/1067
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone fire grows to 110 acres
A lightning-caused fire in Yellowstone National Park had grown to about 110 acres.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iepH4qUmyeVN1OgCfIpd4oAEUFZwD9AGPV281

Wolf hunting controversy heats up
For the first time in decades, the hunting of the gray wolf is legal again in the United States.
http://www.king5.com/localnews/environme....149f85b4b.html

Idaho hunter harassed for first wolf kill
At least three Idaho wolves have been killed this week as the first wolf hunting season in decades continues. Now the first hunter to kill a wolf in Idaho says he's being harassed by people against the hunt.
http://www.kxly.com/global/story.asp?s=11044636
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Yosemite National Park News:
Yosemite wildfire 85 percent contained
People heading to Yosemite National Park for the Labor Day weekend may have to adjust their plans a bit as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/04/state/n214012D59.DTL&tsp=1
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Glacier National Park News:
Sections of Glacier National Park to Close Soon
Montana vacationers only have a few short weeks before parts of Glacier National Park begin to close.
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/57577407.html
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Mather Point to close Tuesday to vehicle traffic
Starting Tuesday, Mather Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon will be closed to vehicle traffic.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/sep/03/bc-az-canyon-closure/?features&travel
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Grand Teton National Park News:
Grand Teton rangers rescue river boaters
Rangers in Grand Teton National Park rescued two boaters who became stranded Friday during a float trip down the Snake River in northwest Wyoming.
http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=11080036

Grand Teton visitor numbers climb
Recreational visits to Grand Teton National Park during the 2009 summer season showed a notable increase for the second consecutive month (July and August), over visitation numbers for the same months in 2008, according to a National Parks Service release.
http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=101970
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Mount Rainier National Park News:
Two hurt after vehicle plunged off road at Mount Rainier
Two people at Mount Rainier National Park were hurt earlier this week when their vehicle plunged 350 feet off of Nisqually Road near Paradise, a park spokesman told the News Tribune of Tacoma.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009813207_webrainierhurt05m.html
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park Hiker Dies In Fall Near Odessa Lake
Despite best efforts by rangers who covered more than 5 miles in less than two hours, a Boulder, Colorado, woman died after falling 25-50 feet into a creek near Odessa Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...odessa-lake4508
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Lightning-caused fire in park grows to 110 acres
A lightning-caused fire in Yellowstone National Park grew to more than 110 acres by Friday.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c03286.html

Yellowstone Sound Level Report Available
The draft report, "Exterior Sound Level Measurements of Snowcoaches at Yellowstone National Park" by the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the U.S. Department of Transportation, August 2009, is available for review.
http://www.crosscountryskier.com/ccsnews/news.php?newsid=943

Animal advocates howl over wolf killing
If there’s one thing that human critters and Canis lupus have in common, it’s an appetite for elk and deer, cattle and sheep. We prefer them grilled or roasted; wolves eat them raw and bloody — no fancy sauces, please.
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/09/05/animal-advocates-howl-over-wolf-killing/
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Everglades National Park News:
Battling the python
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission initiated a program on July 17 to help stop the spread of Burmese pythons in Florida. This program is only the first step in our efforts to stop the spread of these invaders.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/07/na-battling-the-python/news-opinion-commentary/
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Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park--fall work on Going to the Sun Road will affect visitor access
Glacier National Park officials have announced that accelerated construction on Going-to-the-Sun Road (Sun Road) starts at midnight September 20, 2009. Even though it causes inconvenience to travelers, fall is the primary opportunity to do work on the Sun Road. For those unfamiliar with winters in Glacier National Park, be sure to check out this story about the end of June plowing of Sun Road.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-National-...-visitor-access
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
A mountain park on shaky ground
Waning public interest and a lack of funding loom as major threats
Having just celebrated its 75th birthday, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park finds its future threatened by wavering public support for America's green places.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/777/story/930560.html
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Olympic National Park News:
Rain helps to control wildfires in Olympic National Park
Rain on Sunday helped to control the fires that have been simmering in the backcountry of Olympic National Park since June and July.
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090907/news/309079993

Olympic National Park--Twilight fans wander the trails of Hoh Rainforest
Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park, Washington, has become a destination for fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. With the rainforest as a backdrop for the wildly popular young adult series of books and now movies, the Hoh seems to be a perfect place to experience this surreal setting.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-National-...-Hoh-Rainforest
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Over 12,000 Wolf Tags Sold in Idaho
Hunters continue to buy permits to hunt wolves in Idaho.
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=11084880

Archers take aim at Bison
A hunter killed a bull bison in Jackson Hole this week using a bow and arrow for the first time since wildlife managers changed rules to allow an archery hunt.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/09/06/news/wyoming/7de458c477aa75e787257627007f2e4b.txt
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Looks like news in the NPs has really picked up this month, which is great. Lots of wolf hunting pieces to read and digest...and for once, nothing about pythons in the Everglades. For the time being, the Wolf Hunt articles are being placed in the Yellowstone area of the thread.
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park dump cleanup extended 25 months
Someday, it seems, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will get to celebrate one of the most expansive and expensive toxic-waste cleanups in Ohio history.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/09/cuyahoga_valley_national_park_1.html
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Park Service asking for help finding missing man
The National Park Service is asking the public for help in finding a missing North Carolina man that officials think went hiking in the Grand Canyon.
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/5952567/
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Economy cuts Labor Day travel; Smokies tourism soars
AAA estimates the amount of drivers traveling for Labor Day in Tennessee dropped 15 percent compared to the 2008 holiday. Yet, the Smoky Mountains capped the summer with increased traffic as the park now prepares for fall foliage season.
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=98229&provider=gnews
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Olympic National Park News:
Washington state lodges:Three great lodges in the Olympic National Park.
These crown jewels of the Olympic National Park Service are uniquely located in some of the nation's most remote scenic back country. Most of these remarkable landmarks were hand-crafted at or before the turn of the last century.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/washingtonadventures/archives/178549.asp?from=blog_last3

Rains soak Olympic National Park fires
Heavy rains this weekend are soaking some backcountry wildfires that have been burning in Olympic National Park all summer.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009821394_apwaolympicfires.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Finding comfort with the creatures of South Africa's savannah
RUGER NATIONAL PARK, South Africa (CNN) -- I spent two nights sleeping under a full-moon sky, nestled in my trusty hammock at Kruger National Park.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/09/07/safari.south.africa/

Afghanistan has its first national park
High in the mountains of central Afghanistan is an area of relative peace and majestic beauty — a chain of six lakes so vibrantly blue that they are clearly visible in satellite photos.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-09-07-band-e-amir_N.htm
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Elk rutting at Rocky Mountain National Park
The elk are rutting! The elk are rutting!
http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/s...y_mountain.html

Tragedy in Rocky Mountain National Park
Another tragic accident in Rocky Mountain National Park underscores the need for safety when traveling in mountainous terrain. A 62-year-old woman from Boulder died this past week in the park after falling 35 to 50 feet into a creek located by Odessa Lake.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4483-Rocky-Mou...n-National-Park
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone fire stalls at 200 acres
A lightning-caused fire in Yellowstone National Park has stabilized at about 200 acres with favorable weather forecast in coming days.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/IdahoNews/story/891591.html

Fish and Game: Quiet, smooth start to Idaho wolf hunt
Idaho’s first wolf hunts began Sept. 1 with few hunters afield and reports of three wolves taken.
http://www.messenger-index.com/?id=1875

Planned wolf hunt has day in court, on streets
Wolf advocates and opponents met on the street and in the courtroom Monday morning as U.S. District Judge Don Molloy listened to arguments over imminent wolf hunting seasons in Montana and Idaho.
http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2009/09/08/news/news74.txt

Wolf licenses selling fast
Hunting licenses for gray wolves sold steadily Monday and Tuesday in the Bitterroot Valley.
http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2009/09/08/news/news70.txt
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Yosemite National Park News:
Yosemite's Big Meadow fire now 100% contained
The 7,425-acre Big Meadow fire in Yosemite National Park is now listed on inciweb.org as being 100% contained. The fire has been burning since Aug. 26 when a 91-acre controlled burn escaped its intended boundary.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/yosemite-fire-3.html

Banff National Park News:
Canadian scientists mull over caribou translocation in national park
The government's revised habitat plan for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow could kill off the bird, environmentalists claim in District of Columbia Federal Court.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/09/08/Habitat_Plan_Will_Doom_Sparrow_Groups_Say.htm
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Glacier Bay National Park News:
Whidbey Island connection in Glacier Bay, Alaska
Although I've been to Southeast Alaska before, I never realized there's a Whidbey connection. More than 200 years ago, Capt. George Vancouver sailed down the Pacific and headed east, searching for the Northwest Passage.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/whidbey/archives/178603.asp?from=blog_last3
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Misc. National park News:
US Mint list of new national park quarters
The U.S. Mint announced Wednesday that it will produce a series of quarters highlighting America's national parks, one per state and territory, beginning next year. The coins will be minted based on the dates the parks or historic sites were established and start with Arkansas' Hot Springs National Park, founded in 1832.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jUo2gHVTD4g1gEOWDgkpVc1h_XGAD9AJT3K80

Riders raise money biking between Glacier, Yellowstone
Dozens of bike riders are hitting the open road -, a lot of roads, in fact - to raise money for a good cause.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11095293
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Yellowstone National Park News:
SW Idaho man cited for wolf poaching
An Idaho man was cited for wolf poaching after killing a female pup from a public road while standing behind his pickup truck in an area where wolf hunting wasn't legal.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_id_wolf_poaching.html?source=mypi
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Zion National Park News:
Zion National Park Officials will be Herbicide and Seeding
Zion National Park officials will begin aerial application of herbicide and seeding next week on and around 46-hundred acres that the 2006 Kolob fire charred.
http://www.nwpphotoforum.com/ubbthreads/...mp;page=0#25138

Hey Everyone,

These are the updates for today. As usual, I have been putting the wolf hunt info in the Yellowstone area.

James

Congaree National Park News:
DOT schedules bridge meeting with wary Congaree Park officials
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/935729.html
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Glacier National Park News:
Motorcyclist named in national park death
Authorities in Montana have released the name of a man from Okotoks who died after a motorcycle crash in Glacier National Park.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Motorcyclist+named+national+park+death/1980608/story.html
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Misc. National Park News:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park to be featured on quarter in 2014
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will represent Tennessee on one of the 56 new quarter dollars coins that will go into production in 2010.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2009/09/poo_palace_the_national_park_s.html
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Redwood National Park News:
Redwood Park Hostel to close
The National Park Service announced this week that it plans to close its popular hostel in Redwood National Park outside of Klamath because it doesn't have the money to fix it up.http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_13314407
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Judge clears way for wolf hunt in Idaho and Montana
With four gray wolves already shot in Idaho, a federal judge in Montana has cleared the way for legal hunting of the once-endangered predators to proceed in Idaho and Montana.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspa...nd-montana.html

Wolves Aren’t Making It Easy for Idaho Hunters
Hunting and killing are not the same thing. Even as Idaho has sold more than 14,000 wolf-hunting permits, the first 10 days of the first legal wolf hunt here in decades have yielded only three reported legal kills.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/us/11wolves.html

Idaho resident cited for illegal wolf hunting
An Eagle, Idaho, resident has been cited for illegally killing a wolf and for hunting from a public road, which is also unlawful.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/wolf-poaching.html

Record number visits Yellowstone this summer
A record number of visitors came to Yellowstone National Park this summer, keeping it on track for its busiest year ever.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11111030

Home sought for bison languishing in quarantine
Wildlife officials on Thursday will decide the fate of a small herd of wild bison that have languished in a government-run quarantine in a Montana compound since they were spared from slaughter four years ago.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5irBtIjkjxJhVb4pXIiZCQt8ZanTgD9AKJE9G1

Minimize human impact in Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park's natural thermal wonders and large concentration of free-roaming wildlife attract thousands of visitors each year. But for Yellowstone to remain a pristine natural realm, visitors must leave as little evidence of their experience at the park as possible.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/tacoma/24hour/consumer/outdoors/story/873304.html

Not much news this weekend...

-JM


Isle Royale National Park News:
Berries galore and so much more (Note, not really news, but a story)
Heavy fog blanketed the harbor as we stood on the dock on the morning of Aug. 12. The crew of the Voyageur II ferry worked fast to prepare for our departure from the Grand Portage harbor.
http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/event/article/id/100011586/
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Misc. National Park News:
A park ranger's duties are many and varied, Chuck Yarborough finds: On the Job Training
Major relief. I spent one of the prettiest fall days of summer (hey, it's called poetic license) in the 33,000 acres of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, communing with nature and some of the 3.2 million people who visit it every year.
http://www.cleveland.com/onthejob/index.ssf/2009/09/06-week/
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Hippo kills poaching soldier in DR Congo park
A hippopotamus killed a member of Democratic Republic of Congo government forces at Virunga National Park while he was fishing illegally, a local environmental NGO said Saturday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gBW_rNRSl2DClmWmLbA96zsbIXGQ
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Labor Day weekend visits to Rocky Mountain National Park way up from same weekend last year
http://www.kdvr.com/news/sns-ap-co--rockymountainpark-visits,0,4376438.story

Summer RMNP visits up 120,000 over last year
Visitation at Rocky Mountain National Park over Labor Day weekend was 9 percent higher than the same weekend in 2008.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090913/NEWS01/909130333/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02


Fatality Reported on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park
A solitary hiker fell to his death from Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, officials reported Friday. Park officials were trying to determine whether the victim was a Colorado man who had failed to return from his trek up the 14,259-foot peak.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...tional-park4556
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Bison Population Soars in Yellowstone National Park
he bison population in Yellowstone National Park continues to bounce back from a massive culling of the herd two winters ago. It's now estimated at 3,300 animals.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,549544,00.html

Into the Wild (Note: Not really news, but a story)
I read the wrong book before my Yellowstone trip. "Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park," by historian Lee Whittlesey, tells the stories of 250 people killed in Yellowstone by bison, avalanches, geysers, forest fires and, most menacing of all, Ursus arctos horribilis -- the North American grizzly bear.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/11/AR2009091102124.html

What National Park Visitation Lull? Yellowstone National Park Racks Up Record Summer
Following a rising trend of visitation noted in the first half of 2009, Yellowstone National Park attracted a record number of visitors this summer, with nearly 2.3 million tallied during June, July, and August.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...cord-summer4547
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Acadia National Park News:
Acadia park visitation rises
The estimated number of visitors at Acadia National Park has risen this summer, thanks largely to an improvement in the weather late in the season.
http://www.newsday.com/travel/acadia-park-visitation-rises-1.1448955
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Everglades National Park News:
Python "Nightmare": New Giant Species Invading Florida
Already squeezed by the invasion of the giant Burmese python, Florida now faces what one scientist calls one of the U.S. state's "worst nightmares."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090911-pythons-florida-giant-snakes.html
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Glacier National Park News:
U.N. officials to visit Glacier Park next week
Two scientists from the United Nations will visit Glacier National Park and Canada the week of Sept. 21 to see for themselves the potential impacts of mining in the Canadian Flathead.
http://dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/09/14/news/local_montana/news_8747108707_02.txt
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:Fall Harvest Festival This Weekend At Great Smoky Mountains National Park
If you've ever wondered how they make sorghum syrup, head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park this Saturday to find out the process. That and other mountain arts will be on display during the park's annual Mountain Life Festival at the park's Mountain Farm Museum.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...tional-park4564
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Kenai Fjords National Park News:
Wild things and creature comforts at Alaska's Kenai Fjords
After a day of drizzle, the morning sun felt good as it warmed the gray pebble beach where I sat watching three black bears amble in their never-ending search for morsels.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009864108_webkenailodge14.html
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Misc. National Park News:
Climate change now 'top priority,' U.S. Department of Interior says, citing real-time effects
If it seems like you've been reading a lot about climate change here -- and nearly everywhere else -- lately, you're probably right.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/09/climate_change_now_top_priorit.html
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Shenandoah National Park News:
Safe bearwatching at Shenandoah National Park
The black bears of Shenandoah National Park are a magnificent sight, from a distance. Some tips to stay safe:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-travel-bears-sidesep15,0,1163759.story
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone drowning confirmed with autopsy
An autopsy confirmed a 30-year-old Jackson woman who died in Yellowstone National Park’s Bechler River drowned, park officials said Monday.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5060

Small fire closes Yellowstone trail
A small fire at Yellowstone National Park has forced the closure of a trail near the park's northern boundary.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/small-fire-closes-yellowstone-trail-1.1448708

Entries welcome for annual Yellowstone photo festival
Shutterbugs of all types are invited to submit photos for the eighth annual Yellowstone Fall Photo Festival, taking place Sept. 30 at Yellowstone National Park.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/yellowstone-photo-festival.html
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Yosemite National Park News:
New citizens to take oath in Yosemite National Park
What better place to become a citizen of this country than in one of its most beautiful spots?
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/854759.html
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Zion National Park News:
Zion National Park wins environmental award
The National Park Service has given one of six national Environmental Achievement Awards to Utah's Zion National Park.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705330122,00.html
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Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park sees busiest summer in years
Glacier National Park officials say the economy, lower gas prices, and fee-free weekends may have factored into the busiest summer the park has had in 15 years.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11137526
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Women fight off assailant while hiking
Two women are recovering after they fended off a knife-wielding attacker with a walking stick on a backcountry mountain trail Sunday.
http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?ID=24862
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Fire near Yellowstone grows slightly
The Rainbow fire burning along the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park grew slightly since its discovery Monday but remained only about a half-acre in size.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c03286.html
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Arches/Canyonlands National Park News:
Drilling near parks opposed
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told Congress Wednesday that he will not support oil drilling near Arches and Canyonlands national parks, nor Dinosaur National Monument.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705330498/Drilling-near-parks-opposed.html
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Denali National Park News:
Injured hiker starts forest fire to attract rescuers
A 39-year-old Canadian backpacker who fractured his spine and arm in a 20-foot fall in Denali National Park set a stand of trees on fire after deciding it was his only hope for rescue.
http://www.adn.com/3437/story/939856.html
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Joshua Tree National Park News:
Man litters national park with 3,000 golf balls
A man who said he hurled thousands of golf balls into Joshua Tree National Park for more than a year to honor deceased golfers will be explaining his tribute to a federal magistrate.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzDh6SgvhULriYaB1uF3qTu_lfhgD9AP90D00
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Misc. National Park News:
GOP senator blocks National Park boss
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, the man who held up Washington's Wild Sky Wilderness, has put a "hold" on confirmation of John Jarvis as the new director of the National Park Service.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/179413.asp
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Judge will not block Yellowstone snowmobile plan
A judge in Wyoming says he has no authority to block a federal plan to reduce snowmobile traffic in Yellowstone National Park this winter.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j5DF5sUdbqH9uqEW-ymTAK7hjtZAD9AP91F00

Yellowstone wolves topic of talk
"Yellowstone Wolves: The Real Story, No Politics" is the title for the next Draper Museum of Natural History's Lunchtime Expedition.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c03286.html

Study links distemper to Yellowstone wolf deaths
A new study says canine distemper appears to be the cause of periodic increased death rates among wolf pups in Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_13349065

Wyoming governor says Montana wolf order positive
Gov. Dave Freudenthal said Wednesday he's encouraged that a federal judge in Montana last week denied a request from environmental groups seeking to stop wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana.
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_13357138
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Yosemite National Park News:
New U.S. Citizens Took Oath in Yosemite National Park
Thursday marked the 222nd anniversary of the signing of the constitution. And to celebrate the occasion, dozens of Valley residents became U.S. Citizens.
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7020051

Everglades National Park News:
Groups seek a critical habitat protection for areas prowled by Florida panthers
Groups seeks a critical habitat designation for rare cats that could make it more difficult to develop in some parts of South Florida.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1241073.html
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Glacier National Park News:
It's the last weekend to bask in Sun Road
This is the last weekend that the entire Going-to-the-Sun Road will be open in Glacier National Park.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article...ask+in+Sun+Road

Weeklies Reader: Glacier griz cub travels FedEx to Bronx Zoo
A grizzly bear cub from Glacier National Park has been shipped via FedEx to the Bronx Zoo.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_a2e0c14a-a4dc-11de-9a6e-001cc4c002e0.html
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Grand Teton National Park News:
Fire near Kelly grows to 28 acres; others active
Fires around Jackson Hole saw slow, steady growth between bouts of moisture this week after heavy rains Monday evening doused the region, bringing fire danger down to “moderate.”
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5079
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Pit bull attacks deer in Smokies national park
A man camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park faces two federal misdemeanor charges today after his pit bull dog attacked a deer and injured it such that it had to be put down.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/sep/18/pit-bull-attacks-deer-in-national-park/
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Mount Rainier National Park News:
This summer busiest at Mount Rainier since 2003
This summer was the busiest at Mount Rainier National Park since 2003.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_mount_rainier.html
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone Winter Use Plan Stays in Place After Appeal
It may not have been the most ringing of endorsements of National Park Service management, but the end result was the same, as Wyoming District Court Judge Clarence Brimmer -- no fan of NPS practices -- declined to strike down a Yellowstone National Park temporary winter-use management plan, leaving intact a limit of 318 snowmobiles per day in the upcoming winter season.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/200909...fter-appeal.php
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Zion National Park News:
Popular Zion National Park trail reopens after slide
One of the most popular trails in Zion National Park is open again.
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_13365985

Badlands National Park News:
Officials at odds over Badlands site designation
Federal and state officials are at odds over listing about 12,000 acres of scenic North Dakota Badlands on the National Register of Historic Places to recognize an area that inspired Theodore Roosevelt.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hzLlnK8khKQoL42cDDRSE8G6E_QQD9AQHE8G0
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Biscayne National Park News:
Increased law enforcement is stressed at workshops
More law enforcement was favored over no-fishing zones by those who spoke at workshops held by Biscayne National Park officials on the alternatives for managing fisheries resources.
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Everglades National Park News:
The Cypress Cathedral in Everglades National Park
Note, this is a short movie being hosted at The National Park Traveler (one of the best sites about the National Parks on the Internet, IMO):
Take a trip into the swamps of Everglades National Park with park volunteers Kathleen and Dick to explore botanical wonders such as the Cowhorn orchid.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/podcast/2009/cypress-cathedral-everglades-national-park4584
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Katmai National Park News:
Weekend Window to Katmai National Park
Southern Alaska Park Is a Playground for Brown Bears
Katmai National Park and Preserve, in southern Alaska, is home to the greatest concentration of grizzly bears in the world.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/weekend-window-katmai-national-park/story?id=8606278
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Misc. National Park News:
National Wildlife Federation names top 15 wildlife-viewing tours
Picture yourself heading into the world's densest concentration of whale sharks in the Yucatan Peninsula or watching 500,000 majestic Sandhill cranes migrating into Nebraska's Platte River valley.
http://www.mlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2009/09/picture_yourself_heading_into.html

Q&A: Sequoia and Kings Canyon chief naturalist Bill Tweed
Three Rivers resident Bill Tweed worked 28 years in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, including 10 years as the parks’ chief naturalist. His forthcoming book, “Uncertain Path: The Future of National Parks”— due out next summer from University of California Press — looks at the challenges the now 93-year-old park system faces in this century and beyond.
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20090919/OPINION09/90918026
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Montana (State of) Misc. Parks News:
First wolf hunt kill recorded
Montana's first official kill of its first-ever wolf hunting season was registered Wednesday.
http://www.helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_ca7fb2e2-a34c-11de-8fc0-001cc4c002e0.html
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Wolf populations not sufficient to put them on the firing line (Editorial)
The day before the first-ever official wolf hunt started in Idaho on Sept. 1, I stood on the sidewalk outside the county courthouse in Sandpoint, watching cars stream into town. As demonstrators on the sidewalk waved placards protesting the hunt, people in those vehicles reacted, and I focused on their hands, counting waves and thumbs-up as being for the wolves, and middle fingers and thumbs-down as against.
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_13368261

Guest column: Let wolf hunt play out in Idaho, Montana (Editorial)
Wolf, the hunter, is once again the hunted in Montana and Idaho this fall.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/article_f3e079c6-a48e-11de-8991-001cc4c002e0.html
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Fall begins this evening!!


Acadia National Park News:
Sky fest brings hundreds to Acadia
The first-ever Acadia Night Sky Festival proved to be a hit over the weekend, drawing hundreds of participants to celebrate the many celestial wonders above and bring awareness to light pollution.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/121710.html
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Congaree National Park News:
Congaree Park bridge talks go nowhere
The state Department of Transportation did little Monday to ease National Park Service concerns about a $38.4 million bridge project through Congaree National Park.
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/952976.html
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Everglades National Park News:
New killer snake invades Florida
A new invasive python in Florida may be worse than the species already causing ecological havoc across the Everglades, reports the Miami Herald.
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0922-pythons_florida.html

'Vicious' Giant Python Invading Florida
The rock python is "vicious", according to Kenneth Krysko of the Florida Museum of Natural History. It is even meaner than the Burmese pythons, which have been known to eat alligators, and which have already taken up residence in the nearby Everglades National Park, where they have wiped out thousands of native animals. Another major alien in the park is the boa constrictor.
http://www.physorg.com/news172743431.html
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Glacier National Park News:
U.N. scientists assess mining threats to Glacier National Park
A team of scientists from the United Nations is visiting Glacier National Park, assessing potential threats posed by mining plans in Canadian wildlands upstream of the park.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_783ae2b6-a736-11de-b0a9-001cc4c03286.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Park visits dropped in August but still strong
Visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park dipped a bit in August but remain high for the year.
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/sep/20/park-visits-dropped-august-still-strong/
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Isle Royale National Park News:
Invasive mussels may have reached Isle Royale
Foreign mussels may have found their way to Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, a potential threat to native species on the remote island chain, an official said Monday.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-isleroyale-mussel,0,2016937.story
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Court restores safeguards for grizzly bears
A federal judge overturns a George W. Bush administration finding that resulted in the animals being removed from protections in the Endangered Species Act.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-grizzly22-2009sep22,0,4749832.story

Yellowstone looks for volunteers for projects
The National Park Service will waive park entrance fees on Sept. 26 in conjunction with National Public Lands Day.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c002e0.html
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Yosemite National Park News:
Help clean up Yosemite National Park during ‘Yosemite Facelift,’ Sept. 23-27
Among the wild creatures roaming the trails and roadways of Yosemite National Park are a whole bunch of litterbugs, unfortunately. And in 2008, volunteers with the annual “Yosemite Facelift” cleanup event proved it, by helping in the picking up of 41,631 pounds of trash.
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/help-clean-up-yosemi-5424/
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...this is an update that I found today. It was published last week.


Grand Teton National Park News:
Feces on feedgrounds could spread wasting disease
Officials call for phaseout of feeding elk herds.
Elk feces on Wyoming feedgrounds likely would transmit chronic wasting disease from sick to healthy animals when and if the disease makes it into northwest Wyoming’s herds, according to authors of a study published in the journal Nature.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5068
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Everglades National Park News:
Python sale ban long overdue, but just a start
The Burmese python and its constricting relatives are not just a nuisance, they're a menace. They have set up shop in the thick of Florida's own national treasure, and they are a threat to native wildlife in the Everglades National Park.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-pythons-editorial-m092409pnsep24,0,1383431.story
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Glacier National Park News:
UN officials touring Glacier National Park
A team of U.N. scientists is meeting with Glacier National Park leaders to discuss the potential impact of coal mining and natural gas development near the World Heritage Site.
http://www.helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_df6047f6-a79a-11de-92a8-001cc4c03286.html
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Grand Teton National Park News:
Tragedy in the Grand Tetons is a warning to stay on firm footing
Even with the best of plans, tragedies happen. A mountain side is too steep, the terrain too rugged, one turns left instead of right, and a person can take a tumble.
http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/24/tragedy-in-the-grand-tetons-is-a-warning-to-stay-on-firm-footing/

Plants healthier year after Gros Ventre burn
Prescribed fire improved forage for bighorns, other wildlife in Red Hills area.
While a gaggle of fire personnel watched conifers up Horsetail Creek burst into flame Thursday, fireweed, aspen shoots and pinegrass stood in blackened soil amid charred stumps of sagebrush a few miles north on the Gros Ventre Mountains’ Red Hills.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5095
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Isle Royale National Park News:
Zebra mussels make it to Isle Royale
Zebra mussels have invaded Isle Royale National Park, with Park Service officials Monday confirming the finding for the first time.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/147148/
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Joshua Tree National Park News:
Explore Joshua Tree National Park on horseback
Joshua Tree National Park in California offers a unique opportunity for visitors - horseback riding amid the park's backcountry canyons and desert areas...There's one catch though: you also provide the horse.
http://www.bnd.com/outdoors/story/935971.html

Golf balls in the national park: a subpar tribute?
A Joshua Tree spokesman says a man confessed to throwing up to 3,000 balls into the desert park to honor dead golfers. Rangers, who first noticed quantities of the objects in '07, see it as littering.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-golf-balls18-2009sep18,0,1155524.story
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Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Australia unveils nature reserve twice the size of Yellowstone in Northern Territory
A nature reserve twice the size of America's Yellowstone National Park has been unveiled in Australia.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/articl...-Territory.html
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Small fire burning in Yellowstone
Another small fire has sprung to life high in the mountains of Yellowstone National Park.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c03286.html

Judge renews protected status for Yellowstone's grizzly bears
According to U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy, the grizzly bear's Yellowstone population is not quite as recovered as Bush administration officials thought when they stripped the animals of their Endangered Species Act protections in 2007.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashe...udge-rules.html

Yellowstone records its busiest year ever
Yellowstone National Park hosted a record number of visitors this summer and remains on track for its busiest year ever.
http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2009/09/yellowstone_records_its_busies.html

Judge allows wolf hunts to proceed in Idaho, Montana
Wolf management via closely regulated hunting can proceed in Idaho and Montana. That's the decision issued by a federal judge who denied an emergency injunction request and ruled in favor of state wildlife agencies and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
http://www.laureloutlook.com/articles/2009/09/23/sports/13judge.txt
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Hey Everyone,

While there was not a lot of news today, some of it was very interesting. The panel report in the misc. parks news section is worth checking out, IMO.

Cheers
James



Everglades National Park News:
Thermal imaging tested to find pythons
The Army Corps of Engineers says recent tests using thermal imaging to detect pythons are showing promise.
http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=11194067
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon claims life of East Atlanta hiker
Dunwoody native Thomas Peake’s last day began early. He and his wife Dena got up in time to see the sun rise Monday from their remote Grand Canyon campsite.
http://www.ajc.com/news/grand-canyon-claims-life-145812.html
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Misc. National Park News:
Panel backs youth involvement in National Parks
A team of historians, park aficionados and former politicians trotted out a report Thursday that aims to reverse what they say is a disturbing problem in America's National Parks: Nature deficit disorder.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/24/BALE19S5D9.DTL

Panel says spend more on national parks
Spending on national parks should be increased by at least $700 million over the next seven years, an independent panel urged Congress on Thursday .
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gqfnB-9nt8kto_KphnyGlzNYlW7wD9ATTKR80
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Elk begin mating rite in the Rockies
Loveland resident Bob Monacelli grabbed his camera and rushed to a field off U.S. 287 to watch three bull elk spotted just north of Derby Hill in early August.
http://www.reporterherald.com/features/Feature-Story.asp?section=Outpost&ID=24987
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Theodore Roosevelt National Park News:
ND national park to test birth control in horses
Officials in western North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park plan to test the use of birth control in wild horses in the hope of eventually ending roundups that can be costly and unsafe.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/200...ures&travel
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Lots of stuff today. Dig in. :P

James

Acadia National Park News:
The "Guide's Guide to Acadia National Park" is the Insider's Handbook for the Area (From National Park Traveler)
Have you ever marveled at the vast amount of information about a park that's dispensed by tour guides and similar people in the travel industry? Acquiring all that knowledge is a big job, but Acadia National Park has compiled one of the most impressive overviews of essential information about a single park that I've found thus far in my travels through official NPS websites. Better yet, they've posted it online for anyone's use.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/200...ndbook-area4602
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Everglades National Park News:
Tailing snakes: Python pursuers pleased with thermal imagery tests
How do you find the cold-blooded Burmese pythons slithering around the Everglades? Apparently with heat-sensitive cameras, say government scientists.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/09/24/pythons0924.html
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Grand Teton National Park News:
Cub from Grand Teton bear may be dead
A grizzly killed last week by a hunter in northwest Wyoming may be 1 of 3 offspring from a bear that gained fame for raising its cubs by a roadside in Grand Teton National Park.
http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11194656
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Misc. National Park News:
The National Park Service has a new Director - Jonathan B. Jarvis
Jonathan B. Jarvis, a 30-year veteran of the National Park Service, was confirmed last night by the U.S. Senate as the 18th director of the National Park Service.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5374-Grand-Can...nathan-B-Jarvis

Ellen Gray: Maybe Burns should revisit 'Parks' (Editorial)
Over the past 20 years, my family's camped on both rims of the Grand Canyon, at Acadia in Maine and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. We've spent a couple of nights in a cabin at Badlands - our storm-soaked tent pitched outside to dry - and we've spent days absorbing the beauty of northern California's Yosemite.
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnis...it__Parks_.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Ugandan gorillas get friendly on Facebook
He's hairy, his table manners are atrocious, and he wants to be your friend on Facebook.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHQ64RQl4JJ7R-MI1mxvoUzqscWwD9AUTFJO1
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Wet, cool summer pushes back fall's leaf color change
Unless you're out climbing 14ers, the best time to go see fall's annual beauty pageant is approaching.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20090925/OUTDOORS/909259998/1037/NONE&parentprofile=1010

Elk run amok in Estes Park
If you plan on checking out the fall colors in Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend, expect plenty of company...and we're not just talking about tourists.
http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-estes-park-elk-092509,0,7549153.story
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Wyoming wants to block YNP snowmobile plan
The state of Wyoming has asked a federal appeals court to give a judge authority to block a proposal reducing the number of snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/wyoming-wants-to-block-ynp-snowmobile-plan-1.1476073

Yellowstone National Park--Arnica Fire evening update September 25, 2009
As of late Friday afternoon, the Arnica Fire in Yellowstone was estimated at 1,200 acres in size (up from 250 acres on Thursday) and growth is expected for the next 48 hours. Helicopters are dropping water on the southern flank of the fire. Smokejumpers are protecting values at risk.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-National-...ptember-25-2009

Yellowstone Park officials eyeing 2 small, new fires
Authorities say two new fires in Yellowstone National Park are small for now, but have the potential to grow considering their location and the warm, dry weather predicted for the next few days.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c002e0.html

Yellowstone Winter-Plan Limits Back on Court Docket
Sadly, we're now entering the part of the Yellowstone season where more of the news is made in courtroom than actually within Park boundaries. Next up on the docket: an appeal of a decision to raise snowmobile daily limits.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/200909...ourt-docket.php

The Plumbing of a Supervolcano, Revealed
The fossilized remains of a supervolcano that erupted some 280 million years ago in the Italian Alps are giving geologists a first-time glimpse at the deep "plumbing system" that brings molten rock from far underground to the Earth's surface.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,554981,00.html
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Acadia National Park News (And Surrounding)
Skip chores in favor of these colorful fall hikes
It's the time of year when this hiker doesn't feel like doing much else but spending time out on the trail, tramping up a mountain somewhere amid the changing colors of the trees. Most days it seems the skies are sapphire blue, the sun bright and warm, and the air fresh and invigorating, perfect for a walk in the woods.
http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=285522&ac=Outdoors
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Everglades National Park News:
Everglades canal overhaul faces obstacles
Of the many engineering atrocities inflicted on the Everglades, the C-111 ranks high on the list. The canal was cut across deep South Miami-Dade in the 1960s for the Aerojet Corp., which was then building moon rocket engines so big they had to be barged.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1254008.html

Everglades National Park targets youth with podcasts
The Everglades National Park is reaching out to a broader audience -- especially a younger generation -- via podcasts.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/communities/south/story/1252658.html
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Glacier National Park News:
Going to the Sun Road Closing
Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, Montana will be closed for several weeks for some fashion of repair due to flooding.
http://news.cnpanyu.com/2009/0927/6143.html
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon studying mule rides into canyon
Changes could be in store for the mule trains that have carried tourists and supplies in and out of the Grand Canyon for more than a century.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/grand-canyon-studying-mule-rides-into-canyon-1.1480518

Years of neglect taking big toll on Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is getting an extra dose of publicity, and it's desperately needed.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2009/09/27/20090927sun1-27.html
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Grand Teton National Park News:
Fire closes park’s Grand Loop
A fire in Yellowstone National Park near the northwest shore of Yellowstone Lake on Friday prompted officials to close the Grand Loop Road.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5103
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Misc. National Park News:
A glance at moose populations in selected states
Here's a look at some significant moose populations in the U.S. according to officials from wildlife agencies in those states. Experts caution that making accurate population estimates is difficult.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ilq3pchd4ggpxcTEf-ak3bfj313AD9B06URO2

What’s Wrong With the National Parks?
On Sunday, the first episode of Ken Burns’s 12-hour history, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” aired on public television. Last week, the independent National Parks Second Century Commission, led by former senators Howard H. Baker, Jr. and J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., released an extensive report on the state of the parks and a vision for the next century.
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/whats-wrong-with-the-national-parks/

Superintendent is 4th generation in Park Service
Kayci Cook Collins jokes about being a fourth-generation National Park Service employee who's never worked at a national park — all hers have been monuments, historic sites or headquarters.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/sep/27/bc-nm-park-service-family/?features&travel
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Olympic National Park News:
Olympic National Park's High Divide Trail is a Pacific Northwest classic
"Did you see the bear?" the backpacker standing at the side of the trail asked. "He sure saw you."
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-09-28-olympic-national-pak-high-divide-trail_N.htm
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Sequoia National Park News:
Giant Forest restoration in Sequoia National Park balances tourism, preservation
Athena Demetry paused in a clearing that used to be a parking lot, her feet astride a clump of deer lotus and ceanothus bushes. Around her stood dozens of waist- and head-high giant sequoia saplings, their towering parents breaking up the sunlight overhead.
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20090926/NEWS01/909260311
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone National Park fire grows in size
A fire burning in the southeast part of Yellowstone National Park has increased five-fold to 13 square miles, and officials on Sunday positioned fire hoses around the historic Lake Hotel as a precautionary measure.
http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=11207230

Yellowstone firefighters trying to keep road open
Firefighters in Yellowstone National Park are trying to keep a key road open in the south part of the park that's near a 2.5-square-mile fire.
http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=11203749

Yellowstone's summer 2009 bison population estimate released
Yellowstone National Park has completed a bison population abundance estimate.
http://www.westyellowstonenews.com/articles/2009/09/25/news/news8.txt

New report shows Yellowstone healthy but facing challenges
Yellowstone National Park is doing well, but is experiencing impacts from changes taking place both inside and outside the park's boundaries.
http://www.westyellowstonenews.com/articles/2009/09/25/news/news7.txt