January 2010 National Park News

Here it goes!

Glacier National Park News:
From parks to wildfires, centennials abound in western Montana in 2010
Slap some Billy Murray on the Victrola and let’s look ahead to 1910.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_70521902-f82b-11de-875b-001cc4c002e0.html

Montana's big sky views become bigger tax burdens
One region in the northwest fears it's the next Vail, Colo., as celebrities and new money move in, forcing property values up and longtime residents out.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-montana-taxes3-2010jan03,0,3864486.story
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Cold arctic winds in northeast Tenn., Smokies to push wind chill well below zero
Cold arctic winds will hit northeast Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park pushing temperatures down.
http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-tn--arcticwind,0,2393721.story
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Misc. National Park News:
Update 2009: Gun rules in national parks kick in Feb. 20
A year of controversy ends with a bang on Feb. 20, 2010, when visitors will be allowed to pack guns into Glacier National Park.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_e1b9af0c-f82a-11de-925f-001cc4c002e0.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Volcanic eruption threatens rare chimpanzees in DR Congo
In the pre-dawn hours on Saturday, rangers at Virunga National Park were awoken by the sound of Mt. Nyamulagira erupting.
http://www.examiner.com/x-28654-Anchorag...ees-in-DR-Congo

Wildlife conservationist Billy Arjan Singh passes away
Wildlife conserationist and author Billy Arjan Singh died at his home 'Tiger Haven' in the vicinity of the famous Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh last night, according his family sources. He was 94.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_wildlife-conservationist-billy-arjan-singh-passes-away_1330167
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
With wolves entrenched, debate has shifted
For Ed Bangs, 2009’s first wolf hunting season in Montana and Idaho proved that the federal Endangered Species Act works. As one of those instrumental in their reintroduction in the Northern Rockies in 1995, Bangs said the season was evidence that the wolves have advanced from a species threatened with extinction due to poisoning and trapping in the early 1900s to a predator whose numbers are so abundant that they need culling through hunting.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c03286.html

Avalanche danger exists in backcountry areas
An avalanche warning for backcountry areas in the mountains around Yellowstone National Park is in effect until 6:30 a.m. today, according to the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2010/01/03/news/200avalanche.txt
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Cuyahoga National Park News:
Cuyahoga Valley National Park sents winter hours for its visitors centers
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park has announced its visitor centers hours for January and February.
http://www.cleveland.com/sun/all/index.ssf/2010/01/cuyahoga_valley_national_park_1.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Smokies lab building gets LEED certification
The Twin Creeks Science and Education Center at Great Smoky Mountains National Park has received certification at the Gold Level under the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System.
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100105/NEWS01/100105021/1119


Federal money lets Smokies begin large backlog of deferred roads projects
Federal stimulus money and an increase in Federal Highway Administration funding is allowing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to begin a number of long-deferred road projects this year.
http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-tn--smokiesroads,0,507103.story

Sinks parking area closed for construction
The Sinks Parking Area along the Little River Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been closed for reconstruction. The target completion date for the project is May 10. The closure also cuts off access to the Meigs Creek Trailhead.
http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20100105/NEWS/100109969
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Mount Rainier National Park News:
Mount Rainier glacier gravel filling rivers
Shrinking glaciers on Mount Rainier are releasing gravel that fills rivers downstream.
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=11764791
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Misc. National Park News
Gazette Opinion: National parks deserve to share in wealth of scientific research (Editorial)
Yellowstone Park’s most extraordinary wild creatures are microscopic. These single-cell residents of hot pools and geyser basins have adapted to live at high temperatures, in highly acidic or highly alkaline environments. Despite decades of research, it’s estimated that 99 percent of Yellowstone thermophiles (heat-loving microbes) have yet to be identified.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/...1cc4c03286.html

National Park Service says Nantucket Sound eligible for special protections
Federal officials on Monday agreed to a request by two Indian tribes for special protections for Nantucket Sound, a move that could delay construction of a proposed wind farm off Cape Cod.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-wind-farm-ruling,0,7653200.story
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Arusha National Park welcomes local visitors
TANAPA, the managers of protected wildlife areas in Tanzania, put a special package for Tanzanian citizens on the market over the holiday period to bring added visitors numbers to the Arusha National Park.
http://www.eturbonews.com/13613/arusha-national-park-welcomes-local-visitors

Volcanic lava threatens DRCongo national park
Lava flows from an erupting volcano in the DR Congo picked up speed Monday, a vulcanologist said, threatening wildlife in a national park that is home some of the world's last mountain gorillas.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gttS1HfXOoqOMHLFL5jN2ek4Q9cA

Guindy park woos fewer migratory birds
The northeast monsoon last year did bring above average rainfall in the city and the storagereservoirs have enough water to tide over the summer, according to authorities. However, denizens of the Guindy National Park, the country’s only such facility within a city, may not be as lucky as Chennaiites. The park has water to last only six months.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/...how/5408464.cms
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Grand Lake sales lag despite increase in Rocky Mountain National Park visitation
By November, hiking, camping and sightseeing numbers to Rocky Mountain National Park were up 2.58 percent compared with last year, according to the Park's most recent report.
http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20100103/NEWS/100109992/1079&ParentProfile=1067
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Elk finally starting to congregate on refuge
Elk have begun moving from summer range to near Miller Butte on the National Elk Refuge following a fall hunting season in which few elk lingered on the refuge, officials said.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5471

West Yellowstone bird count spots newcomers
Four of the bird species spotted during the West Yellowstone Christmas Bird Count had never been seen before in that area, according to the organizer of the annual Audubon event.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2010/01/04/news/100count.txt
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Authorities try to ID body found at Grand Canyon
Authorities on Thursday said they have not yet identified a body found about 300 feet below the rim at Grand Canyon National Park.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/01/07/20100107abrk-grandcanyonbody0107.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Winter blast closes much of Blue Ridge Parkway in Va., N.C.
Much of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia has been closed to motorists because of heavy accumulations of snow and ice as well as downed trees.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-01-06-blue-ridge-parkway-closed_N.htm
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Misc. National Park News:
Ruling by Park Service Favors Tribes; Secretary Salazar Calls a Summit
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will meet with Cape Wind opponents and proponents, among them members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe in Washington on Wednesday, following this week’s finding that Nantucket Sound was eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic places.
http://www.mvgazette.com/article.php?24079

Park Service’s ruling not Sound, says gov
Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration may ask the National Park Service to rescind its ruling that Nantucket Sound can be considered a national historic site, a designation some fear could delay the controversial Cape Wind project and hamper other coastal activities.
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/gen...position=recent
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Olympic National Park News:
Olympic National Park Visitor Center helps bring outdoors inside with fun, education
Rainy days don't have to be discouraging, as described in Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat:
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100108/NEWS/301089995

Olympic National Park’s series to feature fish populations
Olympic National Park’s 11th annual “Perspectives” series continues Tuesday with a program on the park fish populations.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/1019295.html#ixzz0c2qRbbve
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Sumatran Tiger Cubs Caught on Video in Indonesia
A video camera in the jungles of Indonesia has captured the first known footage of Sumatran tiger cubs in the wild, boosting efforts to conserve the endangered species, an environmental group said Thursday.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/world/AP-AS-Indonesia-Tiger-Cubs.html
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Ted Turner's Bid to Get Park Bison Panned
Ted Turner's bid to get Yellowstone bison panned as attempt to profit off public wildlife
Billionaire Ted Turner's bid to get 74 wild bison from Yellowstone National Park is drawing stiff opposition from those who say the animals are being given up for private profit instead of conservation.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9508773

Sylvan Pass closes tonight
Thanks to heavy snow, Sylvan Pass at the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park will be temporarily closed beginning at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c002e0.html

Yellowstone National Park Record Numbers
It’s official: 2009 was Yellowstone National Park’s biggest year ever for visitation. With 3.3 million visitors, the park broke its previous record in 2007. Business leaders in Yellowstone’s East Entrance gateway, Cody, are looking for ways to cash in next summer.
http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/80865637.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Uluru closure conditions 'disappointing'
A member of the Northern Territory Opposition says he is disappointed the new management plan for Uluru National Park approved by the Federal Government could still see climbing the rock banned.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/09/2788862.htm?section=australia

Volcanic lava flows unabated in DR.Congo national park
Lava from an erupting volcano in the DR Congo was still flowing Friday, a vulcanologist said, threatening wildlife in a national park that is home to some of the world's last mountain gorillas.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iGBc8r53J8miCPRB-u9EgaFy6KGQ
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Wind Cave National Park News
Wind Cave National Park sets programs
Children can explore nature, and adults can hike backcountry at Wind Cave National Park through two programs to be offered this winter and spring.
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_91c28ee8-fd9c-11de-9a68-001cc4c03286.html
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Ted Turner's bid for Yellowstone National Park bison draws herd of opposition (Previously Reported)
Ted Turner's bid to get 74 wild bison from Yellowstone National Park is drawing stiff opposition from those who say the animals are being given up for private profit instead of conservation.
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100110/LIVING/1100303

Ted Turner and Native Americans in row over fate of Yellowstone Bison
A herd of 74 rare bison could be slaughtered if a dispute involving conservationists, Indian tribes and media mogul Ted Turner is not resolved.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...tone-Bison.html
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Yosemite National Park News:
Yosemite National Park had nearly 3.9 million visitors in 2009
Yosemite National Park released its visitation numbers for 2009 today. The park had a record number of visitors last year, with 3,866,970 people spending time in the 1,169 square mile scenic wonderland.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/01/yosemite-national-park-.html
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Denali National Park News:
Denali National Park and Preserve To Waive Memorial Day Weekend Entrance Fee
Denali National Park and Preserve will waive entrance fees to all current and retired members of the U.S. armed forces and their families over the Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 29 - Monday, May 31, 2010 to honor and recognize these individuals.
http://usparks.about.com/b/2010/01/11/de...ntrance-fee.htm
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Everglades National Park News:
Everglades projects see progress during conference
Everglades advocates and restoration agencies say they see progress ahead for several projects despite a decade of delays.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1418852.html
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Glacier National Park News:
Glacier visitors top 2 million
Glacier National Park closed out last year with more than 2 million visitors, making it one of the busiest of the last decade.
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_a7db6f84-ff1c-11de-af9e-001cc4c03286.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Change in elk management to be discussed at wildlife commission meetings
Landowners might be able to shoot problem elk without permit if proposed changes in state wildlife laws take effect.
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100112/OUTDOORS/301120023
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Six-year-old Tiger found dead in Jim Corbett Park
Jim Corbett National Park has lost its second tiger this month with the carcass of a feline found in the reserve.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/463979_Six-year-old-Tiger-found-dead-in-Jim-Corbett-Park

Spain Begins to Flood Park With Peat Fire
Hoping to save a dried Spanish wetland from an underground peat fire, the government has unleashed floodwaters onto an expanse of the marsh now under threat due to past water mismanagement.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/10/world/AP-EU-Spain-Threatened-Wetland.html

Bushfire breaks out in 'catastrophic' national park zone
A BUSHFIRE has broken out in national park near St Arnaud in western Victoria, where residents are on catastrophic fire alert.
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/bus...0-1225818039095
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Estes Park Winter Festival From January 15th – 18th.
Martin Luther King weekend is the time for the Estes Park Winter Festival with activities and events for all ages.
http://www.enjoyestespark.com/blog/?p=4588

Rocky Mountain National Park’s visits remaining static
Just shy of 3 million people visited Rocky Mountain National Park in 2009 — a figure that has fluctuated only slightly during the past 15 years.
http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?id=26454
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Oh, Give Me a Home: Bison Relocation Controversy
Eco-baron and media mogul Ted Turner has placed a bid to "borrow" 74 wild bison from Yellowstone National Park at the request of Montana's Governor Brian Schweitzer. But opposing forces to the plan claim the animals are being used for private profit instead of conservation, in violation of promises made. Should they stay or should they go?
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/oh-give-me-a-home-bison-relocation-controversy.php
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Yosemite National Park News:
Yosemite tourism trickled down for year, but it's starting to look up
The economic crash that devastated both Wall Street and Main Street last year might have been a boon to America's national parks – and Yosemite National Park is a case in point.
http://www.fresnobee.com/1148/story/1777619.html

Yosemite: Park visitation up; highest since ‘96
Nearly 3.9 million people visited Yosemite National Park last year, marking the park’s highest level of visitation since 1996.
http://www.uniondemocrat.com/20100111988...ighest-since-96

Everglades National Park News:
Cold snap kills, injures Florida turtles, manatees, iguanas, fish
Comatose iguanas tumbled off trees. Countless native and exotic fish floated to waters' surface. Manatees huddled at warm-water outfalls of power plants. And young sea turtles, seized by the cold, bobbed to the top like beach balls.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/cold-s...nas-177037.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Contract awarded for bridge on "missing link" of Foothills Parkway in Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has awarded a contract for construction of a bridge on the Foothills Parkway.
http://www.wtkr.com/news/sns-ap-tn--smokiesparkway,0,306018.story
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Misc. National Park News:
Decision on Cape Wind project expected soon
After a series of meetings yesterday about the controversial Cape Wind energy project, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar pledged that the nine-year permitting saga of the Nantucket Sound wind farm would be over by the end of April.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massach..._expected_soon/
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Mount Rushmore National Memorial News:
NPS Suspends Rushmore Fireworks
National Memorial Acting Superintendent John Scott announced today that the use of fireworks will be suspended for the 2010 Independence Day Celebration due to the unacceptable risk they pose to the fragile condition of the Black Hills forests in and around the memorial resulting from extensive damage from an epidemic of mountain pine beetles.
http://blackhillsnewsbureau.com/news-stories/article/241-nps-suspends-rushmore-fireworks.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Ecuador Minister Resigns Over Amazon Oil Project
Ecuador's foreign minister resigned Tuesday after President Rafael Correa criticized his handling of negotiations to prevent oil drilling in a pristine Amazon reserve.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/12/world/AP-LT-Ecuador-Minister-Resigns.html

Six canyoners missing in Blue Mountains
Emergency services will resume a search on Thursday morning for a group of six canyoners missing in the NSW Blue Mountains
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-nat...00113-m6fa.html

Tiger found dead in Corbett Park
JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK (Uttarakhand) : The officials at Jim Corbett National Park have spotted a tiger dead, the fourth since December last
year.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/envi...how/5440798.cms
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
New Seismic Monitoring Equipment Slated for Yellowstone
Federal stimulus money will be used to add 10 more monitoring stations to Yellowstone National Park, providing even more data on seismic events and every little burp of the Yellowstone supervolcano.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/201001...yellowstone.php

No Electricity at Yellowstone's Fishing Bridge Campground Next Summer
If you're preparing your RV visit to Yellowstone National Park next summer, prepare for this: there will be no electricity at the Fishing Bridge campground, a leading spot for RV camping.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/201001...next-summer.php

Officials: We Can't Follow Judge's Instructions for Grizzly Endangered Listing
Government officials say there's no way they can meet a requirement by U.S. District County Judge Donald Malloy that they maintain the Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly population under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/201001...red-listing.php

Group says Colter’s Hell threatened by growth
Members of the Park County Historic Preservation Commission recently complained to the county commissioners that structures west of town are threatening a national historic site.
http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2010/01/13/news/doc4b4e3f9940a52638603757.txt

Well-known Wyoming cougar dies of plague
Biologists with the Grand Teton National Park say a female cougar who was known for wandering around the Jackson region has died of plague.
http://www.fox12idaho.com/Global/story.asp?S=11814497

Banff National Park News:
Human activities take toll on black bears
National parks are often thought of as sanctuaries for wildlife.
But a new Parks Canada study reveals that human activities kill more than 20 black bears annually – a conservative estimate – in seven national mountain parks, four of those in B.C.
http://www.kelowna.com/2010/01/15/human-activities-take-toll-on-black-bears/
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Glacier National Park News:
Park visits perk up economy
Glacier National Park lived up to its reputation as the engine that drives the local economy last year, as — in the midst of a national downturn — visits to the park were up 12.4 percent over the previous year.
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/opinion/editorials/article_f42138be-0198-11df-9083-001cc4c03286.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Bell & Associates awarded $24.7 million contract for Foothills Parkway
800-foot curved, elevated bridge to help complete 'missing link'
http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20100115/NEWS/301159993
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
$18m cannabis crop found growing in national park
An $18 million crop of cannabis has been found growing in a national park on the NSW Mid North Coast.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/18m-cannabis-crop-found-growing-in-national-park-20100115-mapf.html

Tarangire Park set for expansion
Mother and baby elephant in Tanzania's Tarangire National Park, home to the highest concentration of elephants in East Africa
http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=16882

New species of lizard found in Nui Chua National Park
VietNamNet Bridge - A new species of lizard named Cyrtodactylus caovansungi was found at the Nui Chua National Park in Ninh Thuan province, announced Huynh Viet Kim, Director of the National Park.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/201001...al-Park-889683/
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Safari Club Takes On Yellowstone Grizzly Ruling
The Safari Club International is appealing a recent federal court ruling from U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula that returned grizzly bears in the greater Yellowstone area to the list of threatened species, according to this AP story via KHQ News.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/hunting/2010/01/safari-club-takes-yellowstone-grizzly-ruling
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It has been a fairly quiet news weekend for the Parks. Here are some headlines though that may be interesting.

James

Acadia National Park News:
Skier found in Acadia died of natural causes, ranger says
A cross-country skier whose body was found early Friday afternoon on a trail at the south end of Eagle Lake appears to have died of natural causes, according to a park ranger.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/134866.html
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Cuyahoga National Park News:
County Engineer receives grant for road project through National Park
The U.S. Department of Transportation and 13th District Congresswoman Betty Sutton's office announced last week that the Summit County Engineer's office will receive $475,000 for work on Akron-Peninsula Road in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This money comes from the Department of Transportation's Public Lands Highway grant funds.
http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news/article/4748578
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Kouchibouguac National Park News:
Piping plovers watched at N.B. national park
Parks Canada scientists are trying different tactics to boost the population of endangered piping plovers in one of New Brunswick's national parks.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/01/18/nb-piping-plover-rescue-537.html
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Mount Rainier National Park News:
Foul weather, entrance closure take toll on Rainier visitations
It’s fair to say people who visit Mount Rainier National Park are fair-weather fans.
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/1104642.html
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Yellowstone National Park's "green" gift shop
The store at Mammoth Hot Springs hotel was remodeled with reclaimed wood, lighting is energy-efficient and several products are of a sustainable nature. There are scoreboards displayed to let visitors better understand our impact on the environment.
http://www.kidk.com/news/local/81940427.html

Grizzlies in the Bitterroot Mountains politically thorny
The Kelly Creek grizzly bear had no idea how close it came to upending decades of wildlife policy work.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_9dd378a2-032b-11df-8285-001cc4c002e0.html

Glacier National Park News:
Glacier Park Graces Cover of Nat’l Tourism Magazine
Glacier National Park is featured on the cover of the Discover America 2010 USA Travel Guide, the official travel and tourism organization of the United States.
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/a...magazine/15476/
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Joshua Tree National Park News:
Plane wreckage found in Joshua Tree National Park
A small plane got caught in the storm Monday and crashed in Joshua Tree National Park, critically injuring the flight instructor and student who were on board, officials said today.
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_14223887
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Misc. National Park News:
Kolahoi glacier melting fast: Study
New Delhi, Jan 19: Kashmir’s biggest glacier, which feeds the Valley’s main river, is melting faster than other Himalayas glaciers, threatening the water supply of tens of thousands of people, a report warned on Monday.
Experts say rising temperatures are rapidly shrinking Himalayan glaciers, underscoring the effects of climate change that has caused temperatures in the mountainous region to rise by about 1.1 degrees Celsius in the past 100 years. The biggest glacier in Kashmir, the Kolahoi glacier spread over just a little above 11 sq km (4.25 sq mile), has shrunk 2.63 sq km in the past three decades, a new study said.
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/today/full_story.asp?Date=20_1_2010&ItemID=73&cat=1

USA and Argentina Sign Pact to Conserve Condors
Two of the world's largest and most endangered birds - the California condor and the Andean condor - are expected to benefit from a sister park agreement by the directors of the U.S. National Park Service and Argentina's Administracion de Parques Nacionales.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2010/2010-01-19-091.html

Scientists Identify Ecuador's Yasuni National Park as One of Most Biodiverse Places on Earth
A team of scientists has documented that Yasuní National Park, in the core of the Ecuadorian Amazon, shatters world records for a wide array of plant and animal groups, from amphibians to trees to insects.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100119133510.htm
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Olympic National Park News:
Slide closes Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge road
The 17-mile Hurricane Ridge Road is closed indefinitely just below the Heart O’the Hills entrance station, approximately five miles south of Port Angeles, Wash.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2010/01/slide_closes_olympic_national.html
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Earthquake Swarm Continues in Yellowstone
A small earthquake swarm continues in the western region of Yellowstone National Park, with one quake yesterday reaching 3.7 on the Richter scale, but experts say the activity is due to shifts in the Earth's crust, not any impending Yellowstone supervolcano eruption.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/201001...yellowstone.php

Yellowstone Rumblings: Nothing to Fear?
The Yellowstone caldera was created by an enormous super-volcanic explosion 640,000 years ago. Ever since, the area has been the the site of earthquake activity. Indeed, a map of the historic seismicity of the region over the last 20 years shows swarms of dots much like so many busy bees.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1954938,00.html#ixzz0dB0d3S4H

Parks differ on bear management
Glacier hazes roadside bears; Grand Teton, Yellowstone let people close.
In spring of 2006, a female grizzly began regularly herding her three cubs onto the roadside near Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=5541

Please note that the news piece on the wolves in Utah (misc) is not really a 'parks' piece per say. It is interesting news given their role within the Greater Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain areas.

James

Glacier National Park News:
U.N. scientists urge stop to mining around Glacier National Park
An international team of UNESCO scientists has recommended a moratorium on mining north of Glacier National Park, a conclusion that echoes the longstanding sentiment of locals on both sides of the border.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_bba74350-070d-11df-8fb4-001cc4c002e0.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Number of visitors to Smokies in 2009 highest in nearly a decade
Visitation to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2009 was the highest in almost a decade - despite the weak economy and wet weather during the spring and summer.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jan/21/number-of-visitors-smokies-2009-highest-nearly-dec/

75th anniversary sees a marked increase in visitation
In 2009 during the Park’s 75th Anniversary celebration, Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw the largest number of visitors in almost a decade and recorded a 5 percent gain over 2008 visitation. Despite unrelenting rains and an economic slump, the Park received 9,491,436 visitors through its three main entrances and outlying areas in Calendar Year 2009.
http://seymourherald.com/news/2010/jan/21/75th-anniversary-sees-a-marked/
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Olympic National Park News:
Hurricane Ridge road closure to hurt providers of winter mountain gear
The projected six-week closure of Hurricane Ridge because of a washout of its access road was bad news this week not only for snow lovers, but also for retailers who sell or rent gear for the mountains.
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100122/NEWS/301229995
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
South Downs National Park could cause confusion over planning
RESIDENTS in the new South Downs National Park could be left "confused" over who decides what they can build.
http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/4865110.New_national_park_could_create_problems/

Arms cache in Kumana National Park
The Security Forces continuing search and mopping up operations in the North and East recovered a cache of arms and ammunition on Wednesday.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/01/22/sec03.asp
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Utah Parks (Misc.)
Utah lawmaker puts wolves in his crosshairs
Wolves are out of control, says Utah Sen. Allen Christensen, and the state's policy should be to kill them. Heck, he did. Went to Canada to bag one. It's at the taxidermist.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14241339
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Yellowstone Swarm: More Smaller Quakes
After two moderate quakes on Wednesday night, the most recent Yellowstone National Park earthquake swarm appears to be shifting, with more quakes recorded on Thursday and Friday morning, but most of the small were of a very minor magnitude.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/201001...ller-quakes.php

Yellowstone's current quake swarm hits 901.
The number of earthquakes experienced since Sunday at Yellowstone National Park has risen to 901, with two of the strongest occurring late Wednesday, according to scientists monitoring the situation.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14244298#ixzz0dMfhS0Ws

Educating Visitors to preserve Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park's newest store has opened to the public with a single purpose; to inspire people to help preserve North America's national parks. Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Yellowstone's concessioner, has converted its gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel into an interpretive facility, dedicated to informing park visitors about climate change and offering environmentally friendly products.
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=101221&nav=21

NEK students get live lessons from Yellowstone
This was not a normal science class for eighth-graders at Orleans Elementary School. Their teacher Kristen Olbrys conducted class live from Yellowstone National Park
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=11854050
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Yosemite National Park News:
Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park Announces Release of the Yosemite Environmental Education Center Final Environmental Impact Statement
Yosemite National Park announces the availability of the Yosemite Environmental Education Center Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for public review. The Yosemite Institute (YI), a nonprofit partner organization, has provided environmental education programs for children in Yosemite National Park since 1971. YI provides multi-day experiential programs in the park under a cooperative agreement. .....
http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=15607
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American Samoa National Park News:
American Samoa announces National Park upgrade
The National Park of American Samoa, which is overseen by the U.S. government, is investing more in the Manu’a Islands, where half of the park lands are located.
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=51545
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Glacier National Park News:
Moonlit Cross Country Ski Program at Glacier National Park
On the evenings of January 30 and February 27, the public is invited to join a free, four-mile, ranger-led cross country ski excursion at night in Glacier National Park.
http://usparks.about.com/b/2010/01/25/moonlit-cross-country-ski-program-at-glacier-national-park.htm
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Great Smoky Mountain National park News:
National park biologists are trying to come to grips with a hog Infestataion in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/2ad8801b-www.wlos.com.shtml
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Misc. National Park News:
Bill aims to save wilderness areas
Just before the New Year, Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced the "California Desert Protection Act of 2010," a landmark piece of legislation that would add land to Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve. The bill would also designate new wilderness areas in the California desert, and provide needed protection for popular rivers like Deep Creek, Whitewater, and Surprise Canyon.
http://www.sbsun.com/pointofview/ci_14255653
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Olympic National Park News:
Fishers Released in Olympic National Park
Twelve more fishers have been released into Olympic National Park, continuing a three-year effort to re-establish a self-sustaining population in the park.
http://usparks.about.com/b/2010/01/24/fishers-released-in-olympic-national-park.htm
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Close call for Giant Koala
The Giant Koala in the Western Victorian town of Dadswells Bridge has escaped unharmed from a fire raging in the Grampians National Park.
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201001/s2800290.htm
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Theodore Roosevelt National Park News:
Theodore Roosevelt National Park visits up in 2009
Despite a weak economy, 2009 brought more visitors to national parks across the country, including Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora, N.D.
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/266966/
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
Wyoming Intervenes for Snowmobilers
Wyoming claims that it was cut out of a say in writing a federal rule to reduce snowmobile use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and that the rule's demand for commercial guides constitutes an unfair tax.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/01/25/23984.htm

Paul Andersen: Fair Game
Disturbing news about earthquakes came over the Internet last week, but it wasn't about the quakes that wreaked havoc in Haiti. The Denver Post reported a “swarm of earthquakes” at Yellowstone National Park that produced 644 tremors in four days.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20100125/COLUMN/100129887/1021&parentprofile=1061

Yellowstone Earthquake Swarm Winds Down
With only three recorded quakes in the last 24 hours, the Yellowstone earthquake swarm appears to be dying down, paralleling the slowdown in seismic activity around the globe.
http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/20100124517/news/articles/earthquake-swarm-sputtering-down.php

Ranchers wary of moving bison to Guernsey park
Some ranchers are opposed to a proposal to move 14 wild Yellowstone bison to a state park in southeast Wyoming, despite assurances from state officials that the animals are free of an animal disease that can cause abortions among cattle.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/35030579

There is a lot of news today and I will try to post updates later.

James


Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Rockslide near Smokies is unstable
State officials say a portion of mountainside on U.S. 441 between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg remains very unstable following two rockslides this week.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20100127/NEWS01/1270346
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Rwanda: Akagera National Park Gets New Management
Kigali — Barely a month after concluding a joint management and co-financing deal to oversee further development of Akagera National Park, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has handed over the park to the contracted management.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201001270085.html
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Olympic National Park News:
Olympic National Park elk poacher fined $2,500 for killing trophy bull
A poacher was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and sentenced to three years probation and the loss of hunting privileges for the same length of time after pleading guilty to illegally killing a trophy elk in a national park in 2007.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/01/national-park-elk-poacher.html
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park marks 95th birthday
Park officials, advocates look toward centennial
As park officials and advocates begin to look ahead to its 2015 centennial, Rocky Mountain National Park turns 95 years old today.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100126/LOVELAND01/100126001
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Hey Everyone - Part II of the news...



Denali National Park News:
Illegal moose earns man probation, fine
An Anchorage man who illegally hunted a sub-legal bull moose in Denali National Park has been sentenced to a year of probation, the U.S. attorney said Monday.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/1109982.html
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Everglades National Park News:
Canal work begins in Everglades project
Water managers and environmentalists Tuesday celebrated breaking ground on a $30 million overhaul of a canal cut across the southern Everglades in the 1960s -- the third Everglades restoration project to begin this year.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1447845.html

Coral in Florida Keys suffers lethal hit from cold
Coral bleaching, usually triggered by hot weather, erupted after this month's cold snap, devastating shallow water corals across the Florida Keys.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/1447907.html

Anglers face snook limits
Snook have taken a hit from this month’s cold snap and now some fear the hurt could extend to anglers that make their living on the water.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/jan/26/snook-closure-cold-fish-kill/
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Glacier National Park (BC)
Glacier National Park beneficiary of Preserve a Park program
Glacier National Park in British Columbia has been chosen as the beneficiary of Austin-Lehman Adventures’ (ALA) first annual Preserve a Park program.
http://travel.canoe.ca/Travel/News/2010/01/26/12615761-qmi.html
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Tenn. woman killed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park by falling trees
The National Park Service says a 39-year-old woman was killed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when trees fell on the car she was riding in.
http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-tn--smokies-fatality,0,243876.story
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Point Reyes National Seashore
Woman, 77, disappears at Point Reyes
Search crews are looking for a 77-year-old woman who disappeared at Point Reyes National Seashore over the weekend.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/26/BA0U1BN7L1.DTL#ixzz0dqBTC9hG
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park Turns 95 in 2010
Rocky Mountain National Park celebrates its 95th anniversary this year, making 2010 a very special year.
http://usparks.about.com/b/2010/01/26/rocky-mountain-national-park-turns-95-in-2010.htm
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Shenandoah National Park News:
Shenandoah National Park proposal pushes for community ties
Visitors to Shenandoah National Park bring in more than $41 million to surrounding communities, according to a new report that says improved collaborations between the park and communities will attract more visitors and non-local cash.
http://www2.newsvirginian.com/wnv/news/l...ity_ties/51454/
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Yellowstone (and Grand Teton) National Park News:
More than 1,200 tiny quakes hit Yellowstone Park, but jitters are few
Yellowstone National Park is shaking again, but jitters seem few so far.
http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_9db5e032-0a22-11df-95bc-001cc4c002e0.html

Sylvan Pass reopens
Sylvan Pass at the Eastern Entrance to Yellowstone National Park was reopened to travel Monday after park employees used a howitzer to mitigate avalanche danger. The road was closed on Sunday.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...1cc4c002e0.html

Idaho snowpack levels going from bad to worse
A water expert with the Natural Resources Conservation Service says snowpack levels in Idaho are worse than expected.
http://www.fox12idaho.com/Global/story.asp?S=11876121

State vet's assurance should calm ranchers
It's difficult to imagine a safer or better home for 14 Yellowstone bison than Guernsey State Park, which was suggested by Wyoming officials to host the animals. They are now in a Gardiner, Mont., quarantine facility and face possible slaughter if federal and state agencies in Wyoming and Montana can't find an acceptable place to keep them.
http://www.trib.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_5163d258-ee8f-5c96-b049-8b9cf18df486.html