February 2013 National Park News

2/1/13 National Park News:

Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park hiker's cause of death released
The Flathead County Sheriff's Office has released the official cause of death for a man who died while hiking Glacier National Park last year.
http://www.ktvq.com/news/glacier-national-park-hiker-s-cause-of-death-released/
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Google maps now include trails at Grand Canyon National Park
Google is giving people a way to virtually hike the Grand Canyon.
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/state/goog...k#ixzz2JgF3BGvt
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North Cascades National Park News:
Portland State Univeristy alum takes over at North Cascades National Park
The National Park Service has named Karen Taylor-Goodrich superintendent of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex in Washington. She’ll start her new job in March.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2013/01/portland_state_univeristy_alum.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Gorillas to Be Protected with New Congo National Park
The Republic of Congo has declared a new national park that conservationists hope with protect a core population of western lowland gorillas, a critically endangered species, as well as other threatened species, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced today (Jan. 31).
http://news.yahoo.com/gorillas-protected-congo-national-park-180051778.html
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Shenandoah National Park News:
Shenandoah National Park gets new superintendent
Virginia's Shenandoah National Park has a new superintendent.
http://www2.wsls.com/news/2013/feb/01/shenandoah-national-park-gets-new-superintendent-ar-2504126/
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February 4th, 2013 National Park News:


Denali National Park News:
Sen. Murkowski Wants Mount McKinley Renamed "Denali"
Saying the tallest mountain in North America deserves a Native American name, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has introduced legislation to rename Mount McKinley in Denali National Park as "Denali."
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2013/02/sen-murkowski-wants-mount-mckinley-renamed-denali22755
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Hikers give rangers info on man missing in Rocky Mountain National Park
Two wintesses have given rangers new information in their search for a missing Texas man.
http://www.eptrail.com/rocky-mountain-na...-rocky-mountain
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2/6/2013 National Park News:

Bryce Canyon National Park News:
Utah's National Parks Prepare For Budget Cuts
Utah’s national parks, monuments and recreation areas are bracing for steep automatic spending cuts that could go into effect March 1st.
http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_3724.shtml
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Lassen Volcanic National Park News:
Lassen Volcanic National Park makes plans to upgrade youth camp
Lassen Volcanic National Park officials Tuesday announced plans to upgrade the existing Crags Campground to "provide greater opportunities for youth groups to camp, explore and experience their park."
http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_22529856/lassen-volcanic-national-park-makes-plans-upgrade-youth
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Misc. National Park News:
National Park Service Claims the 112th Congress Was Notable More For What Was Not Accomplished
For the National Park Service, the 112th Congress, which was in session over 2011 and 2012, was notable more for what was not accomplished than what was.
http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/in...ot-accomplished
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System;
New National Park In The Congo Will Protect Lowland Gorillas
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is hailing the creation of a new national park in the Republic of Congo as a major step towards protecting western lowland gorillas.
http://www.gadling.com/2013/02/06/new-national-park-in-the-congo-will-protect-lowland-gorillas/

Gabon Elephant Poaching: More Than 11,000 Animals Killed In Minkebe National Park Since 2004
Poachers have killed more than 11,000 elephants in Gabon's Minkebe National Park rainforest since 2004, Gabon's government said on Wednesday, with the massacre fuelled by increasing demand for ivory in Asia.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/gabon-elephant-poaching_n_2629267.html?utm_hp_ref=green

African elephants prefer Serengeti National Park
Wild African elephants prefer to live in safer, protected areas and become stressed when they leave them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21279321
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Body found in Rocky Mountain National Park believed to be that of missing Texan
Troy Green (Provided by Rocky Mountain National Park )
Rocky Mountain National Park officials say a body found in the park Tuesday afternoon northwest of Bear Lake is believed to be that of missing Texas man Troy Green.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/c...ark-believed-be
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Yellowstone National park News:
Yellowstone Wolves Need Help From Beavers
A century ago, the wolves of Yellowstone National Park were still killed as varmints—and by the 1940s, they had almost vanished completely. Today, 18 years after their return, the predators are often hailed as saviors for restoring the ecological balance of one of America's wildest landscapes
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2013/02/yellowstone-wolves-need-help-fro.html
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February 14, 2013

Cuyahoga National Park News:
Wildlife status report at Cuyahoga Valley National Park offered
Viewing wildlife is a favorite activity of visitors to national parks, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Here it takes on a special meaning. A generation ago, and even a few years ago, viewing opportunities were more limited. Opportunities have grown due to our choice to preserve the park as natural open space.
http://www.the-news-leader.com/opinion/2...al-park-offered
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Grand Teton National Park News:
Research shows Grand Teton wolves have taste for moose
Research shows wolves in the northern part of Grand Teton National Park have an appetite for moose during the wintertime.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...l#ixzz2KuNX5p87
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Even Smoky Mountains National Park is joining the travel fee craze
Changes to the backcountry reservation and permitting process for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park take effect on Wednesday.
http://skift.com/2013/02/13/even-smoky-mountains-national-park-is-joining-the-travel-fee-craze/
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Misc. National Park News:
Xcel asks to join national park emissions lawsuit -- as defendant
Xcel Energy says it wants to be allowed to defend its Sherco power plant in federal court against charges that the emissions from the coal-fired plant in Becker, Minn., are creating the haze that hangs over two national parks.
http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_22...wsuit-defendant
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Clingmans Dome Road In Great Smoky Mountains National Park Could Open Today
Visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park could be able to drive up to Clingmans Dome as soon as today if conditions allow, though bad weather could force park officials to close the access road at any time.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/201...open-today22821
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Misc. National Park News:
National park could create 100s of jobs in Maine
A pair of studies commissioned by a foundation that wants to create a national park in northern Maine suggest that communities near federal parks have better economic performance than other rural communities and that creation of a second national park in Maine could create 450 to 1,000 jobs.
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/ar...p#ixzz2L0Bgb5m3

New studies show another national park would boost Maine’s economy, Quimby’s son says
Economic studies commissioned by Roxanne Quimby’s land-holdings company show that a 75,000-acre national park and same-size recreation area in the Katahdin region would create 450-1,055 jobs, her son said Thursday.
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/02/14/ou...imbys-son-says/
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park Officials Pursuing Multi-Use Trail For Hikers, Bikers
Rocky Mountain National Park officials are considering the creation of a 15.5-mile-long trail for use by hikers and cyclists that would run from the Fall River Entrance to Sprague Lake, passing the Aspenglen, Moraine Park, and Glacier Basin campgrounds along the way.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/201...ers-bikers22793
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone's Wild Gray Wolves
Tracking once-endangered gray wolves through the park's remote and frozen Lamar Valley.
http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/yellowstones-wild-gray-wolves-20130214#ixzz2L0AXJcuQ

'Wolf Man' believes new partners likely come from rival Yellowstone wolf packs
Rick McIntyre relates their story through anthropomorphic terms, classics like “Romeo and Juliet,” or ancient tribes from the Old Testament that still don’t get along.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...l#ixzz2L0ArmzJ3

Stranded snowmobiler rescued near West Yellowstone
A Bozeman man was rescued after his snowmobile overheated and quit running while on a ride north of West Yellowstone.
http://www.kxlf.com/news/stranded-snowmobiler-rescued-near-west-yellowstone/
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Everglades National Park News:
68 pythons found: 1,600 hunt ‘zombies of the Everglades’
68 pythons found sounds like a scene out of a science-fiction horror film. However, in Florida, hunting down the “zombies of the Everglades” means dealing with a Burmese python infection that is a menace to Florida’s national wildlife.
http://www.examiner.com/article/68-pythons-found-1-600-hunt-zombies-of-the-everglades
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Clingmans Dome Road to Open
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has announced that Clingmans Dome Road, a popular high-elevation visitor destination, will open to traffic as weather conditions allow as early as February 15.
http://smokiesinformation.org/news/detail/clingsman-dome-road-to-open-friday
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Misc. National Park News:
Sequestration could mean big cuts for National Park Service
The National Parks Service is concerned that if the picture out of Washington is one of political disagreements, that’s going to ruin this view for an awful lot of people.
http://wtvr.com/2013/02/17/sequestration-could-mean-big-cuts-for-national-park-service/
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Acadia National Park News:
Acadia National Park to get Federal Funding to Improve Access
Maine's Acadia National Park is going to be getting $800,000 in federal funding to build an intermodal transportation center where visitors can park their cars and take a free shuttle bus to destinations throughout the park.
http://www.wabi.tv/news/37797/acadia-national-park-to-get-federal-funding-to-improve-access
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Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park Receives $250,000 Grant to Enhance Transportation
Big news for Glacier National Park, a $250,000 dollar grant will allow the park to replace its aging buses.
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Glacier-Receives-250000-Grant-to-Replace-Aging-Buses-191753471.html
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
4 held for selling leopard skin outside national park in Borivli
In what could be a case of poaching in the city, the police seized a leopard’s skin and arrested four persons who were trying to sell it near a temple opposite the main gate of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivli (East) on Monday.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news...e1-1013619.aspx
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain Greenway: Proposed trail network would connect hundreds of miles of trails
Colorado is getting over $2 million to pay for a new trail link in a Denver-area network and improve access to Rocky Mountain National Park and Chimney Rock National Monument.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/loc...miles-of-trails
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone crowdsources visitor photos to help study wolf disease, dynamics
The next time you visit Yellowstone National Park and manage to snap a great wolf photo, you could also be helping researchers as they monitor everything from infectious diseases to breeding habits among the elusive animals.
http://www.yellowstonegate.com/2013/02/y...sease-dynamics/
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2/20/2013 National Park News:

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon National Park's Artist-in-Residence - Call to Artists
Grand Canyon National Park’s Artist-in-Residence program is now accepting artist proposals from artists working in all genres and traditions. This opportunity is for the October 2013–September 2014 south rim season, and the May–October 2014 north rim season.
http://dcarts.dc.gov/page/grand-canyon-national-parks-artist-residence-call-artists
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Olympic National Park News:
Meetings set to discuss Olympic National Park wilderness plan: Feb. 21 in Quinault, Feb. 27 in Port Townsend
Public meetings to discuss Olympic National Park’s Wilderness Stewardship Plan are scheduled this week in Port Townsend and Amanda Park. Park staff is going to be on hand to answer questions and record comments during the two-hour open-house meetings.
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=33066
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Outside The US/Canadian Park System:
Komodo dragon attacks a tourist guide in a national park in eastern Indonesia
A park official says a Komodo dragon has attacked a tour guide on a remote island in eastern Indonesia.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/20/.../#ixzz2LTYY6srW
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Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Rocky Mountain National Park officials are studying two bike trailsCycling in the park now is allowed only on roads, not trails. But park officials are considering a 15.5-mile nonmotorized, multi-use trail running from Estes Park's Fall River entrance to Sprague Lake as well as two miles of mountain-bike-friendly singletrack along the East Shore Trail near Grand Lake.
http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_22...o#ixzz2LTYgUqTq
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone wolves can be managed humanely (EDITORIAL)
I read the article on Yellowstone being a classroom for young kids. I know that everyone knows how decimated the wolf population has become since their delisting by our wonderful president last August. Why didn’t the article mention there may not be any more wolves in a year due to this unwarranted bloody slaughter — including the world renowned "rock star" Female Wolf 832F and eight other collared wolves in the park?
http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/...l#ixzz2LTYPIEFu
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon, other national parks facing big cuts
Automatic $85 billion budget cuts will take effect next Friday if Congress cannot reach agreement on the so-called sequester and national parks and the states economy will feel the bite.
http://ktar.com/22/1612200/Grand-Canyon-other-national-parks-facing-big-cuts
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Isle Royale National Park News:
Isle Royale National Park revises wolf totals
Scientists reported last year that only nine wolves remained on the Lake Superior island chain - the lowest total in more than 50 years.
http://www.minbcnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=863995#.USfZg1KjU80
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone to unveil new rules to control snowmobiles
For nearly as long as snowmobiles have entered Yellowstone National Park, there have been complaints, with some groups citing air quality, intrusive noise and harassment of wildlife.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-yellowstone-snowmobiles-20130221,0,7668918.story

Yellowstone, FWP to hold brucellosis workshop
Yellowstone National Park and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will hold a workshop Feb. 26-28 at Chico Hot Springs Resort to examine the science behind the disease brucellosis and to help improve management of the Yellowstone bison population.
http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/re...l#ixzz2LfCO4B5z
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Zion National Park News:
Zion National Park closing climbing routes for peregrine falcons
Zion National Park officials have announced the annual closing of popular cliff climbing routes in the park to protect nesting peregrine falcons.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55874786-78/park-zion-national-climbing.html.csp
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National Park News:


Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Receiving Political Push-Back On Backcountry Fee
It's not on the same scale as the Boston Tea Party, but the sentiment is there: Don't tax us for using the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/201...ountry-fee22849
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Misc. National Park News:
National parks could face 'meat cleaver' cuts
An association of retired National Park Service employees says that if Congress does not act to avoid sequestration there will be "meat cleaver" cuts at national parks across the country.
http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_1215e2b8-4aa8-51b3-8554-b324a072d2d3.html
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Saguaro National Park News:
Saguaro National Park to lose staff under automatic budget cuts
The superintendent of the Saguaro National Park says she will not be able to hire seasonal rangers if the across-the-board budget cuts called the sequester take effect on March 1st.
http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/21321342/sa
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone snowmobile deal reached
After more than 15 years, the Yellowstone snowmobile wars may have reached an end.
http://triblive.com/usworld/nation/3540267-74/yellowstone-park-coaches#ixzz2LwBgkUiK

FWP study: No sign of brucellosis in elk near Yellowstone
tate wildlife officials report that an ongoing study in southwestern Montana show that none of the 100 elk sampled in the Pioneer Mountains have been exposed to brucellosis.
http://www.kbzk.com/news/fwp-study-no-sign-of-brucellosis-in-elk-near-yellowstone/

Wyoming wildlife officials investigating wolf poaching east of Yellowstone
Officials with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department are seeking information about the illegal killing of a wolf along the North Fork of the Shoshone River east of the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.yellowstonegate.com/2013/02/w...of-yellowstone/
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2/26/2013 National Park News:

Acadia National Park News:
Report: Acadia National Park Visitors add $186 Million to the Maine Economy
A new report says Acadia National Park isn't just a pretty place to visit, it's crucial to the region's economy.
http://www.wabi.tv/news/37989/report-aca...e-maine-economy
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Managing emergency services at the Grand Canyon National Park
Brandon Torres has a huge responsibility — ensuring the safety of more than five million people who visit the Grand Canyon National Park every year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/f...165a_story.html

Archaeology Day at the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon’s sixth annual Archaeology day will be celebrated on Saturday, March 23, 2013, which commemorates Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. Special programs, activities and demonstrations will be held at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center throughout the day, with a special evening program at the Shrine of the Ages.
http://www.naztoday.com/ae/events/2013/02/archaeology-day-at-the-grand-canyon/
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Grand Teton National Park:
Happy Birthday, Grand Teton! Founded on February 26, 1929.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/hisnps/npshistory/birthdays.htm


Misc. National Park News:
Interior Secretary, National Park Service Director Lament Looming Budget Cuts
Fewer rangers for search-and-rescue missions, closed campgrounds, and possibly more devastating forest fires are facing the National Park Service as a result of the looming budget fiasco, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said Monday.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/201...udget-cuts22862
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Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Monkeys Are Big Business At Manuel Antonio National Park In Costa Rica
It was 6 a.m. and I was hiking alone in the lush, tropical forest below the Hotel Parador near Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica when I heard a noise that stopped me dead in my tracks.
http://www.gadling.com/2013/02/25/monkeys-are-big-business-at-manuel-antonio-national-park-in-cost/
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Wind Cave National Park News:
Planned elk drive from Wind Cave National Park raises question about spread of disease
A relocation plan aimed at reducing the elk herd in Wind Cave National Park and building elk numbers nearby has some critics worried about the spread of chronic wasting disease.
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/planned...219e2fdbcb.html
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone Park prepares for budget cuts
If Congress doesn’t avert automatic budget cuts by Friday, Yellowstone National Park will be forced to make some changes, but it’s too early to say what they’ll be.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/new...1a4bcf887a.html

Sequester delays Yellowstone opening?
Federal budget cuts, commonly called “sequestration,” could delay the opening of Yellowstone Park this spring, which has local businesses worried.
http://www.codyenterprise.com/news/local/article_dda28646-7f9a-11e2-8789-0019bb2963f4.html
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2/27/13 National Park News:


Big Bend National Park News:
Big Bend National Park Tourists Bringing Millions Of Dollars Big Bend National Park is one of West Texas' national treasures. However, the park -- which is located in the midst of an iconic desert landscape -- is bringing plenty of green to the area as well.
http://permianbasin360.com/fulltext?nxd_id=253242#sthash.bOeFwMQ6.dpuf
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Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park Prepares for Sequestration
Come Friday, Glacier National Park, along with National Parks all across the country, could face massive budget cuts, if lawmakers don't reach a budget agreement.
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Sequestration-Impacting-National-Parks-193429371.html
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Grand Canyon National Park News:
Happy 94th Birthday Grand Canyon National Park
On this date in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of the U.S. Congress establishing most of the Grand Canyon as a United States National Park. Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park.
http://ktar.com/249/1613426/Happy-94th-Birthday-Grand-Canyon-National-Park
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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park News:
Volcanoes National Park sees boost, braces for pinch
It turns out the Hawaiian goddess of fire rules the economy as well.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/21392241/volcanoes-national-park-sees-boost-braces-for-pinch
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Misc. National Park News:
Utah’s 13 National Parks
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that nearly 9.3 million national park visitors in Utah in 2011 spent $698 million and supported 11,316 jobs in the state. Nationwide, visitors to the 398 units of the National Park System had a combined $30 billion economic benefit that supported 252,000 jobs. The Utah jobs figure is the nation’s fourth highest after California, Arizona and North Carolina.
http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/21820528/article-Utah%E2%80%99s-13-National-Parks-?instance=eeo_report1
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Park Service chooses Xanterra for 20-year Yellowstone concessions contract
In a decision that could cover as much as $2 billion in visitor spending over the next two decades, the National Park Service has chosen incumbent concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts to provide lodging, dining, retail and other visitor services in Yellowstone National Park.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...l#ixzz2M7qQ8cK9
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2/28/13 National Park News:


Everglades National Park News:
Free Saturday admission to Everglades National Park
Admission to Everglades National Park will be free Saturday in honor of its third annual Vintage Day celebration.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/27/32...l#storylink=cpy
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Glacier National Park News:
Glacier National Park receives $250,000 transportation federal grant
Glacier National Park will receive a $250,000 grant as part of the Federal Transit Administration’s Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks program.
http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/bigfork...19bb2963f4.html
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Grand Canyon:
Study: Grand Canyon visitors spent $467M in 2011
A new study done for the National Park Service shows visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park spent more than $467 million in 2011 and supported nearly 7,400 jobs.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires...amp;ir=homepage
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws 9 million visitors who spent $818 million last year
A National Park Service analysis shows visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park spent $818 million in communities surrounding the Smokies.
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/3ebb92fbc4564a04a11df931e20b0b95/TN--Smokies-Economy
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Misc. National Park News:
National Park status for San Gabriel Mountains, river reach White House budget office
A proposal to designate 581,000 acres of the San Gabriel Mountains, the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo rivers and the Puente-Chino Hills as a federal recreation area has reached the White House.
http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_22684531/national-park-status-san-gabriel-mountains-river-reach

Kid Writes Adorable Letter To Yosemite National Park, Apologizes For Taking Sticks (PHOTO)
This kid note submitted to Reddit by user and self-proclaimed Yosemite National Park Ranger bestmattever, shows the dismay of a young child named Evie, who wrote the letter with two sticks attached because the child knew they were "not supposed to take things from the park."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/kid-writes-letter-to-yosemite-national-park_n_2775343.html

National Park Service: Sequestration to Hurt Local Tourism
National Park Service officials say sequestration-related budget cuts could result in a reduced user experience.
http://fallschurch.patch.com/articles/na...ourism-fc3213b5
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Yellowstone National Park News:
Minnesota man dies while snowmobiling near West Yellowstone
A 66-year-old Minnesota man died while snowmobiling west of West Yellowstone in Montana.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...l#ixzz2MEdVUUPF

Wyoming delegation decries Yellowstone Park cuts 'scare tactics'
The Obama administration is resorting to scare tactics by telling the public that steep budget cuts could result in closures and reduced services at parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Teton, members of Wyoming's congressional delegation say.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-an...l#ixzz2MEdbuwdU
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