Canyonlands NP:
Hiking in Utah's Canyonlands National Park
Hiking and Backpacking in the Island in the Sky District near Moab
Canyonlands National Park is Utah’s largest park and is divided into 3 districts by the remarkably carved canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers. The Island in the Sky district of the park is the most easily accessible of the three districts and offers incredible panoramic views and several easy to moderate trail systems. This district sits atop sheer vertical cliffs rising over 1000 feet above the river floor and literally looks like an island in the sky
http://backpacking-trips.suite101.com/article.cfm/hiking_in_utahs_canyonlands_national_park

Crater Lake NP:
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — Firefighters rescued a 26-year-old man who slid roughly 200 feet after trying to recover a friend's cell phone that fell into the caldera at Crater Lake National Park.
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/inde...orylist=orlocal

Cuyahoga Valley National Park
A mid-winter storm that dumped nearly a foot of snow on the region Jan. 28 was a welcome prelude to the 27th Ohio Special Olympics Winter Games.
http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news/article/4515982

Denali NP:
Denali National Park
Charles Darwin may have been born 200 years ago come Feb. 12, but his theory of evolution remains an everyday touchstone for modern biologists. And while the Origin of Species author might not have known the term “global warming,” he wouldn’t have been surprised that the environment is changing. He would, however, be astonished by the speed at which it’s happening today.
http://www.nwpphotoforum.com/ubbthreads/newpost.php?Cat=0&Board=National%20Park&page=0

Great Smoky NP:
Cades Cove women subject of program
Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a favorite spot for tourists. But in the not-so-distant past, it was a close-knit community where families worked, lived and worshiped.
http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20090201/WOMEN/302019988

Kenai Fords NP:
$200,000 in grants will result in Exit Glacier education pavilion
SEWARD -- Exit Glacier, a popular attraction at the Kenai Fjords National Park, will be getting a new education pavilion, thanks to a $200,000 infusion.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/kenai/story/675837.html

Misc. Parks News:
Stimulus Plan mixes long and short term goal projects
WASHINGTON -- No matter the color of your work shirt, this recession is sparing few.
From blue collar construction workers to white collar financial sector employees, the economic crisis has dragged a growing swath of American workers into joblessness.
http://www.kentucky.com/473/story/678414.html

Depression-era stimulus boosted national parks
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — The economy was in shambles. Millions of Americans were out of work. Saying something drastic needed to be done, the newly elected president announced a massive economic stimulus package aimed at repairing the nation's sagging infrastructure and putting people back to work.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705281696,00.html

Olympic NP:
An Indian reservation on the move
After years of having its homes wash away in floods and tsunamis, the Hoh tribe of Washington's Olympic Peninsula wants to transplant its entire village to higher ground.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hoh-reservation1-2009feb01,0,7557463.story


Shenandoah NP:
Downward Trend Continues In Park Visits
Weather, Gas Prices Cited As Recent Factors
SHENANDOAN NATIONAL PARK - For the past 10 years, attendance at Shenandoah National Park has been declining and last year was no different.
The park saw about 1.09 million visitors in 2008, down 2.8 percent from the previous year, according to Karen Beck-Herzog, the park's public affairs officer.
Park officials say the dip in visitation was primarily due to weather, which always plays a major role in attendance.
http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=35164&CHID=1

Rocky Mountain NP:
Craig briefs: Wildlife workshop is Thursday
Colorado’s big game season structure, Division of Wildlife budget projections and an update on Rocky Mountain National Park’s elk culling effort headline the agenda for the Colorado Wildlife Commission’s February workshop in Denver.
http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2009/feb/02/craig_briefs_wildlife_workshop_thursday/

RMNP revising fire management plan
Changes in Rocky Mountain National Park’s ecosystem, and the way wildfires behave there, are prompting park officials to create a new fire management plan.
http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?id=21304

Omnibus bill will protect Colorado lands
It’s called an omnibus bill because it contains a lot of different things, but for many in Colorado one feature of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act stands out.
http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=14193

Yellowstone NP:
Yellowstone activity not precursor to eruption
The largest swarm of earthquakes in more than 20 years struck Yellowstone National Park recently, but experts say the seismic activity shouldn't be viewed as a prelude to a major volcanic eruption.
http://www.idahopress.com/news/?id=19462

There was literally TONS of news over the last couple of days which I am glad to share with everyone. Some of the threads have some similar information (such as the wolves threads in Yellowstone NP thread). Having said that, I felt they were different enough to publish together.

James


Acadia NP:
Commission supports stimulus help
Members of Acadia National Park Advisory Commission approved a resolution urging Congress to fund projects in Acadia as part of its stimulus package. The resolution will be sent to members of Maine’s Congressional delegation.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8757&Itemid=36

Snowmobile fair set
Mount Desert Island Hospital Emergency Department and the Acadia National park rangers and emergency services will join to offer the Ride Right Snowmobile safety program at the park headquarters on Eagle Lake Road on Saturday, Feb. 21, starting at 8:30 a.m. The program is open to the public.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8753&Itemid=36

Arches NP:
Salazar Cancels Contested Utah Drilling Leases
The Interior Department yesterday announced that it would cancel leases issued under the Bush administration that would have allowed oil and gas drilling on more than 100,000 acres of Utah wild lands, much of it surrounding iconic treasures like Arches National Park.
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17614

Lawsuit on federal gas and oil leases is left in limbo
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to cancel 77 disputed federal oil and gas leases in Utah has left a lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Interior Department in a holding pattern.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11639480

Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
The National Park Service says the public can view its 2008 reports on protected species found within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
http://www.newsobserver.com/1565/story/1395881.html

Denali NP:
Rangers to lead weekend snowshoe hikes in Denali Park
If you’re looking for a change of pace and an excuse to get out of town, you might consider heading to Denali Park to tromp around on a pair of snowshoes for the day or weekend.
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/feb/05/rangers-lead-weekend-snowshoe-hikes-denali-park/

Everglades NP:
U.S. Sugar Land Vital for Everglades
Florida is positioned to take a giant leap forward in our effort to protect the Everglades. On the table is a deal that would allow the state to purchase more than 182,000 acres of property in the Everglades Agricultural Area that is owned by the United States Sugar Corp..
http://www.theledger.com/article/2009020..._for_Everglades

To avoid 'giant python in Everglades,' lawmaker working to ban import, trade
It reads like the plot to a budget horror flick: Pythons fill up the Everglades and spread across the southern third of the United States.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/hp/content/local_news/epaper/2009/02/04/a1b_pythons_0205.html

Grand Teton NP:
Forest: Don’t poach powder
Bridger-Teton National Forest officials are asking Jackson Hole residents to keep an eye out for skiers in closed areas after a series of violations were reported this week.
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4222

Great Smoky NP:
smokies seeks volunteers for non-native plant control project
Great Smoky Mountains National Park managers are recruiting volunteers to help carry out a one-day assault on two very invasive non-native plants to be conducted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat., Feb. 21, at the Park’s Big Creek Campground and Picnic Area.
http://seymourherald.com/news/2009/feb/05/smokies-seeks-volunteers-for-n/

Park could benefit from stimulus package
In 1933, as the nation was suffering a staggering amount of unemployment, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Emergency Conservation Work Act. The legislation created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), supplying millions of unemployed Americans with jobs.
http://www.thesmokymountaintimes.com/articles/2009/02/05/news/news03.txt

What’s bone-chilling cold? 22 degrees below zero
Think it’s been frigid in Knoxville with lows close to single digits? That’s balmy compared to the conditions atop Mount Leconte.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/feb/04/whats-bone-chilling-cold-22-degrees-below-zero/

Misc. Parks News:
Bill would put federal tax on state mine operations
The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 (H.R. 699) would change the 1872 mining law by imposing a federal royalty on the production of hardrock minerals on federal lands similar to the royalties paid by coal, oil and gas industries.
http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2009/02/05/news/doc498b74014eb61102794040.txt

Rocky Mountain NP:
Rocky Mountain National Park begins culling elk herd with marksmen
Members of the media were invited to Rocky Mountain National Park’s east side on Wednesday to witness an activity unprecedented inside the Park’s borders: the shooting of a wild animal.
http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20...with%20marksmen

Elk culling is now under way in Colorado's largest national park.
The practice, used as a conservation tool to reduce an animal's population, is the result of an 11-year process which included, community meetings, research and planning.
"Culling is an activity we don't take lightly," said Ben Bobowski with the National Park Service (NPS).
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=109212&catid=339

Saguaro NP:
Saguaro National Park expanding trails
Saguaro National Park is getting ready to expand its trail network by 20 percent.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/278956

Yellowstone NP:
The wolf-dog connection
Scientists discover genetic link between black wolves, first domesticated dogs
The black wolf trotting across Yellowstone National Park's Lamar Valley can trace its heritage back to the first domesticated dogs that crossed with humans from Asia 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/06/news/wyoming/18-hungrylike.txt

Dog gene heeds call of the wild
Wolves may inherit their coat color from their domesticated cousins
Dogs flash back to their wild ancestry when they howl inexplicably at the full moon or pace a circle before lying down. These behaviors may be vestiges of the dogs’ early days as wolves. But new research shows that some wild wolves probably inherited a trait from their domesticated cousins. Black wolves received a gene for coat color from domesticated dogs through interspecies breeding, suggests research in the Feb. 6 Science.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40621/title/Dog_gene_heeds_the_call_of_the_wild

Biologists solve mystery of black wolves
Why do nearly half of North American wolves have black coats while European wolves are overwhelmingly gray or white? The surprising answer, according to teams of biologists and molecular geneticists from Stanford University, UCLA, Sweden, Canada and Italy, is that the black coats are the result of historical matings between black dogs and wild gray wolves.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/uoc--bsm020509.php

Operation: Dark Wolf
Many millennia ago, man created dog. As the story goes, gray wolves in East Asia took to the comforts of human camp life somewhere between 15,000 and 40,000 years ago. People bred their new canine companions for docility and other favored traits. Dogs then accompanied humans crossing the Bering Strait into the Americas 12,000–14,000 years ago.
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-02/operation-dark-wolf?page=

New bison plan rejected
A plan to turn bison management over to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks was shot down Thursday.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/05/news/state/18-bison.txt

Today was a relatively quiet news day, though it was there to be found. :P On a related note, the stimulus bill looks like it now has 'bipartisan' support (LOL, a non filibusterable majority) and will pass. I am curious to see how the parks came out in the process...

Acadia NP:
Maine groups join lawsuits to stop guns in parks
Two Maine groups have joined two federal lawsuits seeking to overturn a new policy that allows people to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090206-NEWS-90206042

Charles Pinckney National HS:
Gullah heritage highlighted at national park site
The National Park Service celebrates the South Carolina's Gullah heritage with a series of weekend programs during the next two months.
The programs, presented with the help of the town of Mount Pleasant, are being held at 2 p.m. each Saturday at the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site in the town.
http://www.thestate.com/statewire/story/677380.html

Everglades NP:
Tour of missile site terrifies all over again
HOMESTEAD
As I traipsed through the tall grass during a tour of the long-closed missile base in Everglades National Park, chatting with other baby boomers who were kids when our nightmares included a mushroom cloud, I suddenly remembered my dad's dilapidated orange crate.
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article973801.ece

Great Smoky NP:
Mapping the Mountains: The Photographs of George Masa Opens at Asheville Art Museum
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=28824

Two N.C. men jailed in Smokies ginseng dig
Two North Carolina men accused of illegally digging American ginseng in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been sentenced to jail terms.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/feb/05/tw-nc-men-jailed-smokies-ginseng-dig/

Misc. Parks News
Stimulus bill (Editorial)
Last October, Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, issued a statement opposing the Congressional bailout.
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090206/OPINION/902060303


Mountain bike group asks members to support national parks rule change
IMBA, the International Mountain Bicycling Association, is urging all mountain bikers to support a proposed rule change under which it will be easier for the U.S. National Park Service to expand trails for mountain biking in various parks.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2707-NY-Cyclin...rks-rule-change

Redwood NP:
Park, timber company to share some roads
Redwood National Park and the Green Diamond Resource Co. will be able to use some of each other's roads to access land in the Redwood Creek area.
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_11651798

Yellowstone NP:
Thus far,bison stick to the park
After a deadly winter last year that saw their ranks thinned by more than a third, Yellowstone National Park's bison haven't ventured outside the park so far this winter.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/07/news/wyoming/18-bison.txt

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (Hey, that looks one of Roman's shot!)
Oregon's 150 best: Columbia River
This section of the Columbia River, from Wasco County downstream to Columbia County, has one of the most beautiful locales in Oregon _ the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2009/02/oregons_150_best_columbia_rive.html

State finalizes land plan amendments near Denali
On January 20th, the State of Alaska issued a notice of adoption of the Tanana Basin Area Plan Amendment. The lands included in the document were from Cantwell, north to Anderson and west of Cantwell on the Denali Highway. The amendments were needed in order to convey lands from the state to the Denali Borough.
http://ktna.org/2009/02/06/state-finalizes-land-plan-amendments-near-denali/

Grand Canyon NP:
Mohave County leaders back mining in Arizona Strip
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) - Mohave County supervisors will urge Congress to allow uranium mining in a section of the state northwest of Grand Canyon National Park.
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=9802552

Canyon deaths likely murder-suicide
Two people, whose bodies were recovered just after midnight Thursday at the Grand Canyon, likely died as a result of a murder- suicide, the National Park Service announced Thursday.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/02/06/news/20090206_front_190404.txt

Outside the US/Canadian NP System:
Elephant festival to begin at Kaziranga National Park
GOLAGHAT (Assam): The seventh elephant festival would begins on Monday in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, a world heritage site and home to the highly endangered one-horned rhinos.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Flor...how/4095076.cms

Rocky Mountain NP:
What's going on: Winter Trails day is Saturday
Winter Trails day will take place from10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090208/ENTERTAINMENT06/902080308

Yellowstone NP:
Bison staying in Yellowstone this winter (Reported Previously)
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Only one bison has been shot by a hunter after wandering out of Yellowstone National Park this winter.
http://www.wtte28.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/3e657a3b-www.wtte.com.shtml

Professor to talk about park quakes
BOZEMAN - University of Utah geophysicist Robert B. Smith is scheduled to talk about Yellowstone National Park's earthquake and volcanic activity on Feb. 19.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/08/news/stat/60-professor.txt

Wolves tied to elk decline in parts of state
A study released Friday confirms what some hunters have long suspected — that the elk population in some areas of Montana has dropped dramatically due to wolf predation.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/07/top/80st_090207_wolves.txt

MSU hosts Yellowstone Supervolcano talk on Feb. 19
Yellowstone's past and present earthquake activity is the subject of a talk by geophysicist Bob Smith set at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at Bozeman's Emerson Cultural Center. The event is sponsored by Montana State University.
http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=6789

Horse Butte homeowners head to Helena
The ceiling of the old Supreme Court floor in Helena is covered with paintings depicting defining points in Montana's history. Among these scenes are Lewis Meriwether's first view of the Rockies, the approval of our state constitution, a depiction of a wagon train under attack by Indians and a Native American bison hunt.
http://www.westyellowstonenews.com/articles/2009/02/06/news/news1.txt

Acadia NP:
Grounds for Appeal
Two-book set traces the birth, evolution of two treasured Mount Desert Island gardens
Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are,” wrote English poet Alfred Austin in the late 19th century.
http://www.bangornews.com/detail/99067.html

Badlands NP:
Badlands National Park receives green rating
Badlands National Park is one of 15 parks in the Midwest Region of the National Park Service that has been rated green, the highest mark a park can get on the Environmental Management System Scorecard, superintendent Paige Baker said.
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20090209/NEWS/902090320/1003/BUSINESS

Denali NP:
An Alaska life lived large
Daryl Miller came home to Alaska not sure of where he was going.
http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/683375.html


Everglades NP:
Exotic fish pose threat to native species in Everglades
The small pond six miles deep in Everglades National Park suddenly began bubbling like a pot aboil -- a telltale sign of air-slurping walking catfish.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/environment/story/894861.html

Glacier NP:
Climate change most affecting the mountains
The swift meltdown of the glaciers in Glacier National Park has led scientists to a surprising realization: Mountains are more susceptible to global warming than the lowlands around them.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090209/NEWS01/902090301

Now, then photos capture glaciers' steep decline
Sometimes it takes a picture to see what isn't there.
Lisa McKeon and Dan Fagre have been watching Glacier National Park's glaciers shrink from their U.S. Geological Survey offices in West Glacier for years. They've downloaded the satellite data, dug the ice cores and analyzed the tree rings, stacking up the evidence that climate change will erase the park's iconic landmarks within their own lifetimes.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/02/09/news/mtregional/news06.txt

Grand Canyon NP:
People of the blue-green water
For the last nearly 1,000 years, the inhabitants of the canyon have been Havasupai. This ancient tribe is now sharing its unique and ancient origins, history, art and culture with the general public.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/...unda_190449.txt



Great Smoky NP:
Governor focuses on plant invaders
Gov. Phil Bredesen has issued a state proclamation declaring Feb. 22-28 as Invasive Weed Awareness Week in Tennessee.
http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090209/NEWS01/902090311

Misc Parks News:
Turner: The long journey to wilderness
A half-million abandoned mines litter the American West, many dribbling poisons into rivers and streams. But after more than a century of healing, one such place is poised to become one of America's newest wilderness areas. It's a testament to the resilience of nature and the vision of the people who fought to preserve it.
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/feb/09/the-long-journey-to-wilderness/

Burns' next effort visits U.S. parks
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- Before the national forests were designated or the interstate highways conceived, Congress made national parks.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/con...7O.html?sid=101

Rocky Mountain NP:
RMNP officials, area residents to work on plan for a changing forest
ESTES PARK — Residents whose properties abut Rocky Mountain National Park look with alarm at the patches of trees on the mountainside killed by bark beetles.
http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?id=21437

Shenandoah NP:
People Take Advantage of Weather at Shenandoah National Park
February isn't always the ideal month to go hiking at Shenandoah National Park.
http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/headlines/39290377.html

Yellowstone NP:
Study details wolf role in elk losses
Wolves aren't the elk eliminators some people paint them to be - nor are they blameless in the reduction of Montana's elk population, a new report says.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/08/news/state/24-study.txt

Dogs gave wolves, coyotes black coats
Black wolves and coyotes, often the villains of cartoons and children's fairy tales, apparently inherited their color from a much more warm and fuzzy animal: the dog.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008719874_woof08.html

A bit of a quiet news day, but here are a few headlines that folks may find interesting.

Cheers
James

Arches/Canyonlands NP:
Salazar decision a blow to Utah's economy, energy security
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to reject 77 bids from the Bureau of Land Management's December lease sale was a serious blow to Utah's struggling budget and economy, and signals that the new administration is not serious about its stated goal of increasing our energy security.
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_11665995

Everglades NP:
Everglades Cleanup Threatened by Financial Crisis
Despite financial uncertainties and legal challenges, Florida officials are proceeding with a U.S. $1.34-billion plan to restore the Everglades to something approaching its natural state.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/090206-everglades-plan.html

Glacier NP:
BILLINGS - Advocates of returning grizzly bears to the Bitterroot and Cascade mountain ranges have been heartened by the shift in the political climate in Washington, D.C.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/02/10/news/mtregional/news08.txt

GNP officials propose improvements
Glacier National Park officials are proposing improvements to restrooms, the shuttle stop and a power system at Logan Pass.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9816249

Snow pack of 2009 creates unique challenges
This winter has avalanche forecasters across the province on their toes. They are trying to predict and manage the kind of snow pack that has not been seen since the 1980s. Long periods of cold dry weather, followed by heavy snowfall in early January caused the closure of many highways across the province. These conditions created many challenges for decision makers in Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park. Between December 25 and January 14, 230 cm of snow fell on a snow pack that had been weakened by extended periods of dry cold weather, all of which sat on a deep crust from a November warming period.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/revelstoketimesreview/lifestyles/39341144.html

Grand Canyon NP:
Storm wreaks havoc on area highways
The snow northern Arizona was expecting Saturday finally arrived early Sunday morning -- and though it had been expected, it still created problems for travelers, especially on the highways.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/02/09/news/local/20090209_local_190605.txt

Misc Parks News:
What would Thoreau do? (Editorial)
Our histories will be authored when we’re dust, penned in the full sunlight of what we’ve left for those after us.
http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2009/02/10/opinion/editorials/doc49910c5595897381957063.txt

Rocky Mountain NP:
Colorado delegation should support Omnibus Lands bill
A huge package of land conservation legislation, the S22 Omnibus Lands Bill, passed the Senate January 15 by a 73-21 vote and awaits a vote in the House. It could go to a House committee first or head directly to the floor and the voting is likely to move fast.
http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2009/02/10/opinion/editorials/doc49910caa69fd0355653537.txt



Saguaro NP:
Saguaro National Park could soon have a comprehensive trails plan
A proposed trail management plan for the entire Saguaro National Park closes some trails and opens new ones to protect the desert landscape. Some continue to watch closely with their comments ready for the final result.
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=9816827

Another big news day today...

James

Death Valley NP
(JM Note - Do I hear another potential flower bloom coming?)
Storm dumps 27 inches of new snow on Mount Charleston
A weekend storm that brought cooler weather and more than half an inch of rain to the Las Vegas Valley also brought 27 inches of fresh snow to Mount Charleston and smiles to at least one ski resort operator.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/39357652.html

Everglades NP:
Florida Invasive Fish Problem “10 Times Worse Than the Python”
Florida’s Everglade’s National Park has faced an invasion from giant pythons that prey on nearly any animal, big and small. But according to park biologist Dave Hallac, the problems caused by the spread of pythons pale in comparison to the proliferation of exotic fish species in the Everglades.
http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/02/10/florida-invasive-fish-problem-10-times-worse-than-the-python/

Glacier NP:
Airport, highway work still ahead this year
Glacier Park International Airport is poised for an upswing in activity this year.
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/02/11/news/local_montana/news_8765669012_03.txt

A Luminous Forecast
Climate change at the local level
http://riverjournal.com/vivvo/News/520.html

Park officials release Logan Pass study
WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) Glacier National Park officials have released an environmental assessment for proposed projects on the park's Logan Pass.
http://www.kxmc.com/News/330672.asp

Grand Canyon NP:
DPS opens more roads in storm affected N. Ariz.
Skies cleared over Arizona Tuesday, leaving behind trucks and vehicles scattered across a snow-covered landscape and happy ski resort operators, hopeful that skiers could get to the slopes on the hazardous roads.
http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1041631&r=1

Couple identified in Grand Canyon murder-suicide
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK — Authorities investigating two deaths within the Grand Canyon National Park say an 82-year-old man killed his wife before shooting himself.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/109812.php

Grand Teton NP:
Program to Kill Weeds in Wyoming's Grand Teton
n the "Your Tax Dollars at Work" category, we have a potential $500,000 weed program for Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. An Interior Department contract solicitation seeks landscapers who can inventory then kill weeds along some 250 miles or roads. There's no question the weeds are noxious. Anyone who's touched thistle knows that. But aren't national parks supposed to be natural? And it's not just at Teton. The government also wants them gone in Custer, S.D., home to the Black Hills National Forest.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/wash...rand-teton.html

Great Smoky Mountain NP:
Combining jokes, a little singing, and discussion of her various charitable activities, Dolly Parton charmed a jam packed crowd at the National Press Club today.
http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090210/NEWS01/90210054

Misc. Parks News:
A $2 Billion Shady Deal In the Stimulus Bill?
Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are asking questions about the lobbying activities of Craig Obey, who is the son of House Appropriations Committee chairman David Obey. The elder Obey is, as much as anyone, the author of the giant stimulus bill that passed the House. Craig Obey works for an organization called the National Parks Conservation Association, which describes its mission as "to protect and enhance America's national parks for present and future generations" and to "advocate for the national parks and the National Park Service."
http://www.dcexaminer.com/politics/A-2-Billion-Shady-Deal-In-the-Stimulus-Bill-39375892.html

Flight 93 family plans to complete airplane’s scheduled route
Family and friends of Louis “Joey” Nacke II will ride motorcycles on the route that United Flight 93 was supposed to take on Sept. 11, 2001, for this year’s anniversary of the crash.
http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2009/02/09/news/news/news863.txt

The Nature Conservancy Urges Passage of Omnibus Public Lands Management Act
hile the nation’s attention is focused on the movement of the economic stimulus plan, another important piece of legislation is poised to become law. The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act (S.22) is the most comprehensive public lands bill the Congress has considered in recent years. The bi-partisan Act addresses national, regional and local needs for the conservation of our forests, rivers, coastal and marine resources.
http://www.nature.org/pressroom/press/press3892.html

Rocky Mountain NP:
John Dingell: America's Longest-Serving Representative (Please note, not really an article on RMNP, but he did serve there).
In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, Rock Around the Clock hit the top of the music charts, and John Dingell was elected to Congress. The 29-year-old lawyer won a special election to replace his father, who died in office, and won a full term of his own the following year. On Feb. 11— after 26 more elections— the Michigan Democrat became the longest-serving House member in U.S. history. Dingell, now 82, spoke with TIME about his early days in Washington, the crisis in the American automobile industry and how he does not want to be remembered.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1878671,00.html

Free Snowshoe Tryouts Offered at Winter Trails Day
Estes Park, CO, February 11, 2009 --(PR.com)-- There’s more than one way to experience outdoor winter fun. Many find the thrill and adventure of walking in the snow in pristine areas far outweigh the experience of paying to schuss down an icy slope. For those interested in learning how to experience nature while enjoying the winter landscape, the Winter Trails organization and Estes Park Chamber of Commerce have just the answer: Winter Trails Day in Rocky Mountain National Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 14.
http://www.pr.com/press-release/131607

Shenandoah NP:
Man claims park service harassment
A previously unnamed whistleblower with the National Park Service has come forward, and he claims he was unjustly prosecuted because of disclosures he made concerning the agency.
http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/515639.html?nav=5006

Yellowstone NP:
Talk planned on Yellowstone quake swarm
Yellowstone National Park's recent swarm of earthquakes will be the topic of conversation at a talk in Bozeman later this month.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9780961&nav=menu227_1

Glacier NP:
Glacier considering Logan Pass projects
Glacier National Park officials are seeking public comments on a plan for improvements at Logan Pass.
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/02/12/news/local_montana/news_8765583666_05.txt

Misc. Parks News
PBS to air new Ken Burns film
Public Broadcasting Service announced today that it will air the new Ken Burns documentary series, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," in fall 2009.
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20090212/NEWS01/902120326

Mount Rainier NP:
Summit for Someone Announces Emmons Glacier Climb on Mt. Rainier
Backpacker Magazine's Summit For Someone, with Oregon-based Go Trek and Expeditions, is excited to announce a 4-day climb of the Emmons Glacier Route on Mount Rainier for July 19-22, 2009.
http://www.outdoornewswire.com/v/current...349643d35343638

Shenandoah NP:
Don't Cross the National Park Service (or Dan Snyder)
The Journal, a West Virginia news source, has been covering the trials and tribulations of the National Park Service (NPS) whistleblower that called out Daniel Snyder for razing his waterfront trees at his Great Falls mansion.
http://www.hogshaven.com/2009/2/12/756253/don-t-cross-dan-snyder-and

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Dolphins dynamited in Marine National Park
GANDHINAGAR: In a shocking incident, one of the most delicate ecosystems along the Gujarat coast — the Marine National Park near Jamnagar — was
jolted recently when a contractor used dynamite to extract the wreckage of a sunken ship.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmed...how/4115374.cms

Yellowstone NP:
Famous elk found dead just north of Yellowstone
is name was just a numeral, yet he had legions of human admirers and few rivals among his own species.
Mighty bull elk No. 6 has died, victim of a freak accident just north of Yellowstone National Park.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wy_famous_elk_dies.html

Bryce Canyon, Great Basin, and Zion National Parks
Coal opponents praise Ely Energy Center delay
This week's announcement that the Ely Energy Center would not be built until clean-coal technology is developed that's profitable was praised by many. NV Energy said it planned to proceed, however, with the transmission line connecting Northern and Southern Nevada.
http://www.elynews.com/articles/2009/02/11/news/news04.txt

Glacier NP:
MSU study: NW North America warming up
The weather, especially in late winter and early spring, is getting warmer, according to a study comparing two cities that lie 500 miles apart and on opposite sides of the Continental Divide.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9835405&nav=menu227_6

Great Falls native bags another Glacier peak
Jason Robertson, the Great Falls native who in January successfully climbed Mount Stimson in Glacier National Park has added another 10,000-foot-plus peak to his summit list, Mount Siyeh.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090212/LIFESTYLE05/902120351

Misc. Parks News:
Ken Burns Explores Yellowstone in "The National Parks: America's Best Idea"
His team has produced in-depth television studies of the Civil War, the game of baseball, and a number of other subjects. Tonight Ashli Kimenker introduces us to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' next project, which explores America's national parks.
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=9837217

Bill seeks to protect 24M acres
After years of inattention, wilderness advocates hope a new federal bill will finally win national support.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/02/13/news/local/znews02.txt

Stimulus package's impact on environment
How much money: The package includes $750 million for the National Park Service for projects in California and other states. That's far short of the nearly $2 billion proposed in the original House version.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/12/MNPO15T0E5.DTL

Guns In National Parks: Government Documents Show Bush Administration Warned About Ignoring Law
Whether or not you agree with a policy idea, the government is supposed to follow the rules before it can give that policy the force of law. That is essentially the principle now at issue in a case pending in U.S. District Court here in Washington, DC.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/guns-in-national-parks-go_b_166529.html


Rocky Mountain NP:
Step it up, and go along top of the snow
Barely a mile up the Apex Trail on the east side of Lookout Mountain, a visitor on snowshoes was greeted the other day by a young coyote, ambling along the path not 50 feet in front of him.
http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_11682373

Yellowstone NP:
South Entrance visits decline by 31 percent
The number of visitors going through Yellowstone National Park’s South Entrance dropped about 31 percent in January compared with the same month last year.
http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=4251

Snowmobiler injured in avalanche near West Yellowstone
A snowmobiler was seriously injured in an avalanche near West Yellowstone Wednesday.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9836200&nav=menu227_3

Yellowstone's bison herd controlled for risk of disease
A century ago, there were only about 25 bison left in Yellowstone National Park due to overhunting. But today’s free-ranging bison herd is so large, the park has been required to reduce the herds size. That’s because of the risk of the bison spreading disease to nearby cattle.
http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/53059/yellowstones-bison-herd-controlled-for-risk-of-disease

Acadia NP:
Rare Bird Alert
Continuing to top the reports this week are TUFTED DUCK, NORTHERN HAWK OWL and VARIED THRUSH.
http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=11316

Friends join in gun lawsuit
BAR HARBOR — Citing concern for the impact on visitors and wildlife of the Department of the Interior’s recent regulations change allowing loaded, concealed firearms in National Parks, Friends of Acadia (FOA) has joined the Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence in opposing the change.
http://mdislander.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8828&Itemid=36

Everglades NP:
Florida Buyout of Sugar Property Is Controversial ... and Expensive
The South Florida Water Management District has narrowly approved a controversial $1.34 billion buyout of lands in the Everglades owned by the U.S. Sugar Corporation.
http://www.heartland.org/publications/en..._Expensive.html

Grand Canyon NP:
Inside Arizona: Grand Canyon hiking trails
If you have ever dreamed about enjoying the Grand Canyon through exploration of its walls, do not be discouraged about it being too vigorous to add to your travel chronicles. There are more than 19 trails into the Grand Canyon, originally made by deer, bighorn sheep, American Indians and prospectors.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/135464

Gros Morne National Park says no to hydro line proposal (Canada)
Officials with Gros Morne National Park on the west coast of Newfoundland are opposing proposed power transmission lines from the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project in Labrador.
http://news.aol.ca/article/park-power/526376/

Misc. Parks News:
National parks will see benefit from final stimulus bill
Should the renegotiated stimulus bill reach final passage in the Senate on Friday, America’s national parks will see benefits from two different appropriations: one that reaches the national parks directly, and one that comes through federal highway infrastructure projects.
http://www.examiner.com/x-682-National-P...l-stimulus-bill

Rocky Mountain NP:
Citizens offer enthusiasm and ideas to take Estes Park to the top in tourism
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Five citizens offered comments and suggestions to the Local Marketing District (LMD) board at its Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Building. They spoke on subjects as diverse as the board’s opportunity to stimulate Estes Park’s economy, local associations’ willingness to work together with the LMD and the potential use of middle school students as user-friendly Web site testers.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/feb/13/citizens-offer-enthusiasm-and-ideas-take-estes-par/

Road work: entering the home stretch
Park Service accepting public comments on Phase 2 of the Bear Lake Road project
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Park officials are accepting public comments on the next leg of the Bear Lake Road upgrade. This phase of the project would complete the reconstruction of the highly traveled Bear Lake Road that was begun in 2003 and finished in 2004.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/feb/13/road-work-entering-home-stretch/

Culling teams removing cows from Rocky’s elk herd
Countdown
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Wednesday’s culling of a cow from an elk herd in Upper Beaver Meadows was not the first animal to be put down as officials begin implementing this phase of Rocky Mountain National Park’s elk and vegetation management plan. It was just the first that was to be announced to the press prior to the actual culling.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/feb/06/culling-teams-removing-cows-rockys-elk-herd/

Yellowstone NP:
FWP study finds mixed wolf impacts on elk
Not all elk populations respond in the same manner when faced with sharing the landscape with wolves, a new report by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks suggests.
http://www.westyellowstonenews.com/articles/2009/02/13/news/news4.txt

January visits down in Yellowstone, up in Grand Teton (Please note there is an annoying music enhanced ad on this page)
JACKSON -- The number of visitors passing through the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park was down by more than 30 percent in January compared to the same month last year.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/02/13/news/breaking/doc4995a7572203c602075671.txt