Hey Folks,

Lots of small articles today. For me, the most interesting new has to do with the Wilderness Bill (Otherwise known as the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 - Bill S.22). It is located in the Misc. National Parks news section.

-JM

Canyonlands National Park News:
Pilot error caused fatal plane crash
The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that a plane crash in Canyonlands National Park last year that killed a former Bureau of Reclamation commissioner was caused by pilot error.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11878570

Cuyahoga Valley National Park News:
Guest Column: Park's wildflower season begins with spring blooms
With March comes the beginning of the wildflower season in Cuyahoga Valley National Park -- a season that extends well into late fall. Watching the progression of wildflowers will deepen your awareness of nature and should keep you coming back to the park with the changing seasons. It is also a wonderful window into the habitat diversity that enriches this area.
http://www.the-news-leader.com/news/article/4543117

Denali National Park News:
Tri-Valley trio shares ideas, time with legislators in Juneau
Visiting the state’s capital was “the chance of a lifetime” for three students from the Denali Borough School District, who learned first hand how state government works.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/mar/11/tri-valley-trio-shares-ideas-time-legislators-june/

Grand Teton National Park News:
Salazar taps Shafroth for fish, wildlife and parks deputy post at Interior
MOOSE - Teton Park Road through Grand Teton National Park will be plowed Sunday for the first time this year. The plowing will put an end to skiing and snowshoeing on the road this season, although people will continue to be able to ski and showshoe elsewhere in the park.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/03/11/news/wyoming/70-grandteton.txt

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Smokies begins spring opening of facilities
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) -- The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is shaking off its winter slumber and has posted a schedule of when park facilities will reopen.
http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/27b3a361-www.wlos.com.shtml

Misc. National Parks News:
House defeats wilderness bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Wednesday defeated a bill to set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ja3vNS7u_ovPaeUpzrEKqDzs5TjAD96RV2VO0

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Tiny Aruba's peaceful island beauty offers sand, sea and sunsets
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Given a choice between a snowy mountain and a sandy beach, I prefer the cold. But my wife is from Miami and my infant son howls when exposed to a chill. So this year I deferred to them, and we headed to Aruba.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ik8OEV7rcoKq2sC1wGMakTmT4nUg

Shenandoah National Park News:
Skyline Drive Shooting Still Under Investigation
The FBI continues to investigate a deadly standoff that happened along Skyline Drive near Front Royal over the weekend. Investigators still have not released many details about what led up to shots ringing out at the north entrance to Shenandoah National Park on Sunday morning.
http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/headlines/41015097.html

Yellowstone National Park News:
Back to Yellowstone for Nordic skiers
30th annual Rendezvous attracts 547
Crisp temperatures and scenic Yellowstone trails brought 547 cross-country skiers including 34 from the Wood River Valley to West Yellowstone, Mt. Saturday, March 7 for the 30th annual Yellowstone Rendezvous races at four distances.
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005125144

Yellowstone bears emerging from slumber
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Bears are waking up from hibernation and emerging from their dens in Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=9982027

Lots of news today. Of particular note for me is the on-going drama over the Park lands bill...and boy, does there appear to be a lot of drama.

James

Boston Harbor Islands National Park
The federal government has approved $5 million for the construction of the first building on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a 2,500-square-foot pavilion that is intended to serve as a gateway to the Boston Harbor Islands National Park area.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massach...lands_pavilion/

Everglades National Park News:
Crist Receives National Wildlife Federation Conservation Awar
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today received the National Wildlife Federation’s “Conservation Achievement Award for Government,” in recognition of his work to position Florida as a leader in addressing climate change and protecting the environment. Governor Crist thanked NWF members for the work they do to protect Florida’s natural beauty, and he stressed he is more committed than ever to building on the preservation initiatives of the past two years.
http://www.fosterfollynews.com/news/2009...vationAward.php

Glacier National Park News:
Glacier eyeing a decidedly uncertain future
In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the "Organic Act” which created the National Park Service. In that bill, it said the Service has a purpose "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."
http://www.hungryhorsenews.com/articles/2009/03/11/news/doc49b7ebc3e0546572017140.txt

New “Glacier National Park” Released as Free Notecast
TimeStream Software is offering free downloads of its new Glacier National Park Notecast for the iPod Classic and iPod nano on www.Notescasts.com. With 110 interactive pages, complete with photos, it’s a comprehensive new guide to Glacier National Park…all on the iPod. Portland, OR – The new Glacier National Park Notecast for the iPod Classic, iPod 5th Generation and iPod nano is now available on the Application Store for the iPod, www.Notescasts.com. At 110 pages of interactive content, complete with photos, it’s a cutting-edge guide to all of Glacier National Park…and it’s all on the iPod.
http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=183211&Itemid=31

Grand Canyon National Park News:
The essential guide to Grand Canyon National Park and it's free
Information is usually the most pressing need of visitors to Grand Canyon National Park. For first time visitors, and sometimes even old pros, getting answers to essential questions is a must. Time is always a factor; so knowing where to go and what to expect allows visitors to concentrate on the extraordinary beauty of the canyon.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-Grand-Can...rk-and-its-free

BIBLE VS. GEOLOGY
Kimble: Is the Grand Canyon only 6,000 years old?
With Bible in mind, river guide reshapes theory on rock of ages
Forget that hooey about the Grand Canyon being really, really old. And forget that rumor that it took a couple million years for the Colorado River to cut the mile-deep canyon.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/opinion/111936.php

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
National Park Service to repave road in Smokies
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – An 18 month-long project to repave 6.5 miles of Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) through Great Smoky Mountains National Park is set to begin Monday. Some traffic delays are possible during the project, which is expected to be complete by September 2010.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009903120335

Great Smoky Mountains National Park announces spring schedule
With spring just around the corner, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is gearing up for visitors.
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=80881&catid=2

Misc. National Park News:
Top 10 Mountain Towns in North America
Many of us cling to the dream of ditching the urban rat race and moving to a funky town in the mountains where we can hike, bike, climb, paddle, and ski to our heart’s content. In fact, for every person with the “check out” mentality, there are ten more who simply want to get away, and are looking for a good home away from home, where familiarity and escapism merge in equal proportions to create the perfect experience. Ultimately it’s a continuous spectrum, ranging from selling your house in San Francisco or New York and moving whole-hog, to buying a vacation home where you return year after year, to simple scheming for a regular trip to the mountains. And while not every mountain town can be optimal for each spot along that spectrum, there are clearly some that stand out above the rest, for their combination of local flavor and culture, incredible natural surroundings, and enough of an economy to make semi-regular escapism a viable alternative. I hereby present my top 10:
http://www.tipsfromthetlist.com/article8677.html

Lands bill suffers setback in House
Pair of wilderness areas left in limbo after narrow defeat
A bill that enjoyed some bipartisan support and seemed set for approval, setting aside nearly 276,000 acres in Mesa County as wilderness and conservation areas, was narrowly defeated Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/03/11/031209_1a_Dominguez_canyon.html

Congress chops down wilderness expansion
Protections would have benefited Colorado and eight other states, but opponents called the overall bill "deeply flawed."
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday defeated a bill that would have set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness, including 315,000 acres in Colorado.
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_11892627

Coffman, Lamborn blasted for vote on wilderness
DENVER (Map, News) - Environmentalists are accusing Republican Reps. Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn of ignoring Colorado's interests in favor of partisanship by voting against a federal wilderness bill.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1899217~Coffman__Lamborn_blasted_for_vote_on_wilderness.html

Public lands bill falls short, embarrasses House Democratic leaders
WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders suffered an embarrassing defeat Wednesday as the House failed to pass a public lands bill.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/politics/story/63786.html

Forest Service dogs trained in Kalispell
KALISPELL, Mont. — Nero, a 21-month-old German shepherd, lies motionless but alert on the varnished hardwood floor as his handler, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer Kayla Jaquith, cautiously approached a man playing the role of an irate and unpredictable suspect.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/IdahoNews/story/695017.html

National Park Service is doing its share on shuttle
THIS IS IN response to the IJ's March 2 editorial, "Park service must pay its fair share of Muir shuttle."
http://www.marinij.com/opinion/ci_11893984

Firearms Industry Calls National Park Service Ban on Traditional Ammunition Over-reactive
NEWTOWN, Conn.-The National Shooting Sports Foundation strongly encourages the National Park Service to reconsider its policy banning the use of traditional ammunition made with lead components on park lands and points out that neither humans, wildlife populations nor the environment are harmed by the use of such ammunition.
http://www.rightsidenews.com/20090311396...r-reactive.html

Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone tower threatens to fall, trails closed
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Yellowstone National Park has closed two trails popular with skiers and snowshoers because an unused communications tower is threatening to fall over.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9993800&nav=menu554_2

Yellowstone bears emerging from slumber
Park rangers say be careful. The bears in Yellowstone National Park are waking up from hibernation and emerging from their dens. Rangers say those bears are hungry and will aggressively defend any dead bison or elk they find to eat.
http://www.ktakradio.com/news/2009/mar/11/yellowstone-bears-emerging-slumber/

Wolf Delisting: The Neverending Story
If Wyoming would've played its cards differently, it could have gotten everything it wanted, but the wolf delisting issue would still be far from over.
There isn’t much agreement when it comes delisting the wolf from the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but alas, it seems there might be one point pro-wolfers, anti-wolfers, wolf agencies, and a whole lot of people who’d like to see something different in the news can agree on. We should call it, “The Neverending Story.”
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/wolf_delisting_the_neverending_story/C41/L41/

Yosemite National Park News:
Man recently convicted, commits suicide
A 37-year-old Waterbury man despondent over his Feb. 18 federal court conviction in Bridgeport committed suicide in Yosemite National Park in California Monday night after falling into the tributary of the park's highest waterfall following five hours of attempted negotiations by park rangers.
http://www.connpost.com/ci_11889523

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Alternative spring break at Grand Canyon National Park
If you’re visiting the park this month, you’re likely to see teams of volunteers working on plant restoration under the Alternative Spring Break program sponsored by the Student Conservation Assn. and American Eagle Outfitters.
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/alternative-spring-b-4241/

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
State makes recommendations for ozone non-attainment areas
State officials recommended today that three high-elevation areas in Western North Carolina and Great Smoky Mountains National Park be considered in violation of federal standards for ozone.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990312047

Misc. National Park News:
Wilderness bill fails in Senate vote
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Wednesday defeated a bill to set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness. The bill also included language involving water in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20...20Senate%20vote

Livestock producers allowed to ‘take aim’ at wolves
The ping-pong ball that has become the hallmark of wolf management efforts bounced once again.
http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/articles/index.cfm?id=15984&section=homepage

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Ill-fated RMNP bill snagged again (Editorial)
Wilderness designation held up by rules change
Once again, an ongoing attempt to designate most of Rocky Mountain National Park as wilderness has been caught up in a net of political dysfunction.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090312/OPINION01/903120326/1014/OPINION

Early season climbing in Estes Park
As we drop into the Estes Park Valley the whole world seems to open up as early morning light covers Sundance Buttress in the distance, slowly working its path west across Lumpy Ridge.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5379-Denver-Ou...g-in-Estes-Park

Rocky Mountain National Park snowshoers explore hidden winter ecology
Driving up the Big Thompson Canyon on a recent morning, the only snow visible was in the mountains looming to the west.
http://www.reporterherald.com/features/Feature-Story.asp?section=Outpost&ID=22006

Yellowstone National Park News:
Win a Trek Bike and Cycling Vacation to Yellowstone
Several of the Clear Channel Communication radio stations in Louisville, KY have teamed up with Trek Bicycles and Scheller’s Fitness and Cycling for a fantastic vacation contest giveaway.
http://hikinginthesmokys.blogspot.com/2009/03/win-trek-bike-and-cycling-vacation-to.html

Protecting wolves (Editorial)
Predators vulnerable to hunters
It's disappointing that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has removed protection for the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountain states. We were hoping for better from the Obama administration.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11898739

Dog Sledding in Montana’s Wilderness
DOG sledding is an exercise in changed states, of chaos turning to order. One moment dogs were barking, yapping, whining, snarling, scrapping, jumping, biting and all the other things dogs do. The next moment they were straining at the gang line, and with a burst of acceleration, all turned silent but for the hiss of the runners on the snow and the sound of my own exhilarated breathing.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/travel/escapes/13dogsled.html?hp

Web Extra: Yellowstone rangers set up checkpoints
Yellowstone National Park rangers will be conducting safety and sobriety checkpoints on Highway 191 inside the park between Friday, March 13, and Sunday, March 15, 2009.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9997577

Big Bend National Park News:
Texas: Clearing Big Bend air will take 146 years
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas — Growing up in Terlingua, a speck of a desert town in the heart of Texas' Big Bend region, Delia White once had picturesque views of rugged mountains in every direction.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6310928.html

Congaree National Park News:
Spending bill includes funds to expand Congaree Park
An earmark in the $410 billion spending bill approved by Congress this week will allow Congaree National Park to expand again.
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/714574.html

Denali National Park News:
Snow could affect clearing of park road
DENALI NATIONAL PARK -- Crews will begin clearing Denali Park Road on Monday, and the snowy winter could give them more work than usual.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/722648.html

EA for Replacement of Chemical Toilets in Denali Available for Public Comment
Environmental Assessment for Replacement of Chemical Toilets in Denali National Park and Preserve Available for Public Comment
http://alpineinstitute.blogspot.com/2009/03/ea-for-replacement-of-chemical-toilets.html

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Grand Canyon spring break update
Spring break has definitely arrived at Grand Canyon National Park. On Wednesday, you could feel the excitement. Students, from kindergarten to college, rode the shuttles, hiked the rim and participated in ranger programs.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-Grand-Can...ng-break-update

Grand Canyon makes Forbes most visited attractions
According to the Forbes Traveler list of America's Most Visited Tourist Attractions, National Park Service destinations did well. Seven national parks, recreation areas and seashores were among the 25 attractions on the most-visited list for 2008.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-Grand-Can...ted-attractions

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Arbor Day Comes to the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area
American Chestnut Trees and Other Hardwoods to Be Planted
The 138,000-acre North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area — whose hardwood forests were protected in 2007 as part of Tennessee’s largest single conservation transaction since the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — will be the site of a significant tree planting project to reclaim decades-old strip mines on Saturday, March 28. Volunteers who wish to assist in the planting are invited to join the day-long event.
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/tennessee/press/press3936.html

State: Parts of WNC fail federal ozone standards
RALEIGH – North Carolina recommended to the federal government that three high-elevation areas in Western North Carolina and Great Smoky Mountains National Park be considered in violation of federal standards for ozone.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009903130327

Misc. National Park News:
Not the same old story
In my first month as the National Energy Examiner at Examiner.com, I have been thrust into the world of citizen journalism; it is a learning process. In that time, I have received a moderate amount of feedback from readers. I have learned throughout the course of the first month about many ideas and concepts pointed out by the readers afforded me at Examiner.com; I will resume posting on March 22 and will continue to track some of the trends in American and global energy policy.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2903-Energy-Examiner~y2009m3d12-Not-the-same-old-story

Why Ocmulgee National Monument should be designated a national park (Editorial)
In 1825 the Treaty of Indian Springs between the United States and a small faction of Creek leaders, led by William McIntosh, essentially gave away most of the Creek-owned lands in Georgia.
http://www.macon.com/203/story/649743.html

Parks service wants to get the lead out
Deadline of 2010 for lead-free fishing, hunting draws fire
The United States National Parks Service announced Tuesday it would begin taking action to phase out the use of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle in parks under its jurisdiction by the end of 2010. The announcement brought forth opposition, especially in the hunting and firearms industry.
http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2009/mar/13/parks-service-wants-get-lead-out/?sports

Shenandoah National Park News:
Man dressed like The Joker slain by police in park
roanoke,va - Details are emerging about an incident in Virginia last weekend in which police shot and killed a soldier who was dressed and wearing face-paint like the Batman villain The Joker. An FBI affidavit says Army Spc. Christopher Lanum was shot in the Shenandoah National Park after he pointed a loaded shotgun at police following a chase.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29674768/

Yellowstone National Park News:
Yellowstone setting up checkpoints
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Rangers will be manning safety and sobriety checkpoints in Yellowstone National Park this weekend.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090314/NEWS01/903140309

Congaree National Park News:
National Park Expanding
Charleston, SC -South Carolina's only national park is planning to expand.
http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0309/603877.html

SC's only national park to get $2.7M to buy land
South Carolina's only national park plans to expand again.
http://www.thesunnews.com/575/story/820251.html

Crater Lake National Park News:
Secrets of the Phantom Ship
The genesis of one of Crater Lake's signature features has been clear since 1941 — until a pair of SOU students explored other possibilities.
When it comes to pioneering research on the formation of Crater Lake, world-famous volcanologist Howel Williams has long towered among earth-science experts.
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090315/NEWS/903150334

Everglades National Park News:
Everglades National Park schedules Turner River tour
To celebrate Florida Archaeology Month, an Everglades National Park ranger will lead a special boat tours to prehistoric shell mounds in the Ten Thousand Islands region near Everglades City on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 29.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1435-Miami-Tra...rner-River-tour

Everglades restoration eyed as an engine for up to 3,000 jobs
Decades-old ideas to restore the Everglades have been given new life these days because of interest in creating jobs.
http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/03/16/story5.html

Glacier National Park News:
Event supporting Glacier Park
The Glacier National Park Fund is giving people a reason to come out to support the park.
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10006249&nav=menu227_7

Planning Board backs two projects
A West Glacier training center and a Lakeside subdivision received green lights Wednesday from the Flathead County Planning Board.
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/03/14/news/local_montana/news_8762999437_05.txt

Great Smoky Mountains National Park News:
Outdoor Journal: Early spring fishing fast approaching
Never mind interruptions from blowing snow, heavy rains, bud-nipping cold snaps, and the like, rest assured that the warm days and gentle breezes of spring lie not far distant. Indeed, we’ve already had a sampling or two. With their coming optimism and anticipation characterize the angler’s world. This is especially true in South Carolina, where the biggest problem for many fishermen is to decide just what they want to do. Here’s a sampling of some of spring’s angling splendor.
http://www.goupstate.com/article/2009031...ast-approaching

Misc. National Park News:
Botswana, Alaska top this year's dream destinations
Despite tough economy, now might be the time to take a grand tour
People always ask me how I decide where to go. I read, I see movies, I stare at maps, I dream.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/world/bal-tr.world15mar15,0,7876997.story

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
National Park Sees A Stampede For Free Elk Meat
Rocky Mountain National Park officials expected some controversy when they culled the park's elk population last month. What they didn't expect was thousands of people signing up for free meat.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101873144

Students Track Mountain Lions As Class Project
The hike into the high country has taken more than hour. Their big minute has finally arrived.
http://cbs4denver.com/local/mountain.lions.estes.2.958848.html

Activities for families traveling in Colorado
Colorado is a state for getting the kids up and getting them going. Whether a family traveling in Colorado wants fresh air and sunshine outdoors, or the excitement of learning new things indoors, the Centennial State has a huge variety of options.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4706-Denver-Fa...ing-in-Colorado

Past, present, and future of Estes Park at CIA’s week five
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Week five of the Citizens Information Academy (CIA) spanned the ages. Participants were treated to glimpses of growth, development and trends for the future in presentations from the Estes Park Urban Renewal Authority (EPURA), Estes Park Conference Center, Museum, Senior Center, and an informal “chat” with town trustees Richard Homeier, Jerry Miller, Dorla Eisenlauer, Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Levine and Mayor Bill Pinkham at the March 4 session.
http://www.eptrail.com/news/2009/mar/13/past-present-and-future-estes-park-cias-week-five/

Death Valley National Park News:
FURNACE CREEK, Calif. -- Every year the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce hosts an art show at the Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley. This year's event will take place March 14 and 15, with a variety of fine arts and crafts on display.
http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2009/Mar-06-Fri-2009/news/27328484.html

Denali National Park News:
Engelhard's book shares truths about 'furry, feathered and finned friends'
When my then-17-year-old daughter came to visit a few summers ago, the first words out of her mouth were: “I want to see a moose and a bear!”
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/mar/15/engelhards-book-shares-truths-about-furry-feathere/

Everglades National Park News:
NOAA Fisheries plans to hold six public hearings, including one in...

NOAA Fisheries plans to hold six public hearings, including one in Miami, on measures to deal with illegal fishing in United States and international waters. A proposed rule would identify which nations are poaching fish and protected species, such as marine mammals and sea turtles. The Miami meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 12 at the Miami Airport Marriott, 1201 N.W. LeJeune Rd. in the Caribbean room. For more information, visit noaa.gov.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/950299.html

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Scientists rushing to save Canyon artifacts
Excavation begins amid fear tribal pieces may wash away
FLAGSTAFF - Archaeologists are excavating sites along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon in hopes of saving artifacts before they wash away.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/03/16/20090316grandcanyon0316.html

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Spate of new construction marks Smokies' anniversary
As it marks its 75th year, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeing, for it, a veritable spate of construction activity after going 45 years without a major new building project.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/16/spate-of-new-construction-marks-smokies/

Misc. National Park News:
Politics derailed wilderness plan
After decades of bipartisan work, wilderness designation for Rocky Mountain National Park failed by two votes last week.
It had taken years and much negotiating, but Colorado's congressional delegation had come to agreement on the wisdom of giving Rocky Mountain National Park the protection of an official wilderness designation.
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11920696

WPA: Depression-era projects had lasting impact (Editorial)
Parks, sidewalks part of New Deal legacy
President Barack Obama wants to save or create four million jobs through federal projects and spending costing hundreds of billions of dollars - more than enough to inspire right wing charges of socialism.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2009/03/15/news/4569798.txt

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Hot Water Discovered in Vatnajökull National Park

Hot water was discovered in a 300-meter deep hole that was drilled near the campsite in Skaftafell national park at the base of Vatnajökull glacier last week. Until now, Skaftafell has been categorized as a “cold area” geologically.
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16567&ew_0_a_id=321351

Elephant tramples woman in national park
Bijnor (Uttarakhand), Mar 16 : A 60-year-old woman was trampled to death by a wild elephant when she was collecting firewood in Ranipur Range of Rajaji National Park
http://www.samaylive.com/news/elephant-tramples-woman-in-national-park/613951.html

Flooding keeps outback national park closed
Ranger Don Rowlands says the park has been closed over summer because of the danger posed to tourists travelling in the remote region during the hot weather.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/16/2516891.htm

Yellowstone National Park News:
Man loses appeal in Yellowstone elk shooting case
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction and four-year prison term for a southwest Montana man who pleaded guilty in an elk poaching case.
http://www.kxmc.com/News/344699.asp

The Virtuous Traveler: Yellowstone National Park – Hot(ter)and Bothered
While the winter weather was cold beyond compare, Virtuous Traveler Leslie Garrett learned that climate change is warming up Yellowstone National Park in dramatic and devastating ways.
http://www.petergreenberg.com/2009/02/27...erand-bothered/

Lots of interesting news today - and not from just 'the big names' as well, which is cool. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

James

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area News:
Increased visitors push DWG park higher on list
If tourism is down in the United States and the Poconos, don't tell that to officials at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090317/NEWS/903170325

Glacier National Park News:
Motorized travel banned in Badger-Two Medicine (Glacier Region)
Citing the need to protect unspoiled wildlife habitat and lands with cultural significance to the Blackfeet Tribe, the U.S. Forest has banned motorized travel on almost 200 miles of trails in northcentral Montana's Badger-Two Medicine area.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090317/NEWS01/903170302/1002

Grand Canyon National Park News:
Meet Your Neigbors: Jim Corson survives POW experience, raises family in nation’s crown jewels
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Jim Corson said he was never the same after waking up one morning on the edge of the Grand Canyon.
http://www.gjfreepress.com/article/20090...OW%20experience,%20raises%20family%20in%20nation%92s%20crown%20jewels

Visit Grand Canyon during 2009 National Park Week
"This year, take a moment, an hour, a day to visit the national parks near you," from the National Park Service announcement of National Park Week, April 18-26, 2009. "National Park Week is an annual Presidentially proclaimed week for celebration and recognition of Your National Parks."
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-Grand-Can...ional-Park-Week

UCSC students to take an (alternative) break, volunteer at Grand Canyon
SANTA CRUZ -- A week of pulling weeds and scrubbing graffiti may not sound like a fun vacation. But for UC Santa Cruz students and nature enthusiasts Michael Suttner and Gina Archer, it's a spring break to look forward to.
http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_11919421

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Your chance to study black bears with an expert in the Smoky Mountains
Looking for an interesting and educational alternative for a vacation this year? You may want to check out the Black Bear Field Study Course offered by the Wildlife Research Institute.
http://hikinginthesmokys.blogspot.com/2009/03/black-bear-field-study-workshops.html

Tennessee state parks ready for spring wildflowers
CHATTANOOGA (AP) -- Spring wildflower programs are planned at Fall Creek Falls and other state parks starting this month and continuing through May.
http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=10013188

Haleakala National Park News:
The Nature Conservancy is donating 34 acres near Haleakala National Park in East Maui to the National Park Service.
http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=17413

Misc. Parks News:
Jobs at Parks Canada: More than just a walk in the park
When people think of working for Parks Canada, many think of park wardens and biologists out in the field. There are many more opportunities available—from snow ploughing to accounting, and from interpretation to environmental restoration.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/revelstoketimesreview/lifestyles/41340304.html

Lead Ammunition No Longer OK in National Parks
WASHINGTON, DC, March 16, 2009 (ENS) - The National Park Service is stepping up efforts to eliminate poisonous lead from national parks by persuading hunters and fishermen to use shot and sinkers made of less toxic metals.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2009/2009-03-16-093.asp

Helicopter wolf kill worries Park Service
FAIRBANKS: Fish and Game program called into question.
A new predator control effort that has the state shooting wolves from helicopters east of Fairbanks is raising alarms with the National Park Service.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/wolves/story/725545.html

Mammoth site considered for National Park entry
The Waco mammoth site, believed to be the world's largest known concentration of prehistoric mammoths dying in the same natural event, is nearing its entry into the National Park System.
http://www.baylor.edu/lariat/news.php?action=story&story=57129

Misplaced priorities (Editorial)
National parks and guns don't mix
Ken Salazar, secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, will review the eleventh-hour decision of the Bush administration to allow loaded guns to be carried in national parks and wildlife refuges.
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_11927022


Yellowstone National Park News:
Poison? Nah: Algae that can tolerate arsenic discovered in Yellowstone National Park
The element arsenic, infamous in history as a poison – perhaps claiming the life of Napoleon Bonaparte – is a modern problem as well. The U.S. government lists arsenic as the most common toxin in the natural environment.
http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-scie...ne-a-2009-03-16


Last night's TV: Yellowstone
Why can't the humans in Yellowstone lighten up? It's the animals that have all the fun (Editorial)
I like the fox in Yellowstone (BBC2, Sunday), the one that jumps high into the air, flips over, and then plunges headfirst into the soft snow. Like Greg Louganis, but hairier. A perfect 10 for entry.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/mar/16/last-nights-tv

Yosemite National Park News:
Yosemite sure: Ahwahnee retrofitting is needed but about five years away
Fixing Yosemite National Park's famed Ahwahnee Hotel so it won't collapse in a major earthquake will not begin for at least five years, the park's top official said Monday.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11927854

It's good to be back. :P

James


Cuyahoga Valley National Park News:
Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Section of Towpath Trail closed starting Monday
BRECKSVILLE -- The National Park Service is closing a section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Towpath Trail from Station Road north to the Frazee House is closed Monday, March 23 through Thursday, March 26, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Repairs will be made to the cofferdam at the Frazee flood control gates. Orange safety fence and signage will be in place.
http://www.cleveland.com/sunnews/index.ssf/2009/03/cuyahoga_valley_national_park_12.html

Denali National Park News:
Denali Park road could open early
FAIRBANKS — Tour buses won’t begin rolling into Denali National Park and Preserve for another two months but there’s a chance motorists will be able to drive into the park as early as this week.
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/mar/23/denali-park-road-could-open-early/

Everglades National Park News:
Landmark hotel in Everglades now pile of rubble
Wreckers have torn down Everglades National Park's only hotel, and the prospects for replacing it any time soon are bleak.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/962972.html

Great Smoky Mountain National Park News:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrates 75th anniversary with music, special programs
Layered folds of dusky purple mountain peaks stretch to the horizon, pockets of blue haze settling softly between the ridges of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifesty...08?OpenDocument

Shooting suspect arrested in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Larry Allen Riddell of Estill County, Kentucky, was arrested in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Saturday, March 21, after a traffic accident and is awaiting extradition to Kentucky from a North Carolina jail.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5817-Great-Smo...s-National-Park

Alexander wants Obama to come to Smokies park to mark FDR's visit
WASHINGTON - On a coffee table in his office, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander keeps a map of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a photo book whose cover is an 1890s black-and-white snapshot of a mountain family in Spence Field on a Sunday afternoon.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/22/alexander-wants-obama-come-smokies-park-mark-fdrs-/

Joshua Tree National Park News:
Go treasure hunting at Joshua Tree National Park this spring
A scenic drive up Highway 62 to Twentynine Palms leads to the north entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. Comprised of more than 800,000 acres of high-desert wilderness and hosting “forests” of namesake Joshua trees, desert wildlife, inspiring vistas and a colorful history, the nearby national park is a natural treasure for valley dwellers. And, springtime is an ideal time to hike, camp, view spring blooms, migrating birds, take a guided tour and, perhaps, even spy a desert tortoise emerging from hibernation.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090322/LIFESTYLES08/903220304/-1/newsfront

Lake Clark National Park News:
Off the beaten path--Alaska's spectacular Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
his true wilderness area, accessible by air only, became a national park in 1980 as part of the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, covers more than four million acres of spectacular wilderness that stretch from the coastal rainforest of Cook Inlet to the tundra of the western plateau. At its heart are the Chigmit Mountains formed where the Alaska and Aleutian Ranges come together. Within this wild area of glaciers and rugged peaks, are two active volcanoes, Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna. The many rivers that run through the area and the turquoise lakes, including Lake Clark, offer stunning views and unsurpassed fishing opportunities. The park and preserve are home to dozens of subarctic wildlife species, ranging from bear and caribou to tundra swans and Dall sheep.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-National-...-Park--Preserve

Misc. National Parks News:
National Scenic designation likely for Pacific Northwest Trail
The Pacific Northwest Trail is likely to be designated a National Scenic Trail this week, after a legislative journey that for advocates seemed as arduous as parts of the 1,200-mile trail.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/traveloutdoors/2008905690_trail23m.html

Park Service gets lead out of bullets
Development: Let them eat copper: Park Service bans lead ammo
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/21/INJL16JMMB.DTL

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
Galapagos Islands adds a new sponsor: movie star Richard Gere
United States movie star Richard Gere has offered to campaign to save the Galapagos Islands from development and tourism. During a weekend visit to the Islands, Gere, 59, met Lonesome George, the last tortoise of his species, who was greeted by Prince Charles last week.
http://en.mercopress.com/2009/03/23/galapagos-islands-adds-a-new-sponsor-movie-star-richard-gere

Touring a land of beauty and beasts
From city swirl to savanna to otherworldly splendor -- mind the road
HOBAS, Namibia - Across the barren horizon, the only hint of life was a trail of dust kicked up by wild ostriches. The only sound was the hiss of an arid wind scouring the vast plains. As our scrawny rental car rumbled over the craggy desert road, casting long shadows as the morning sun sent the temperature over 100 degrees, we felt an ominous thud.
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/af...uty_and_beasts/

Yellowstone National Park News:
Distemper has run course in Yellowstone wolves
POWELL, Wyo. (AP) - An outbreak of distemper seems to have run its course in Yellowstone National Park wolves, a biologist says.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10047441&nav=menu554_2_2

Denali National Park News:
Denali Park road could open early
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - Workers at Denali National Park have begun clearing the park road and could have it open to Mile 15 earlier than usual.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10055755

Glacier National Park News:
Bears waking up in Glacier
WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) - Grizzly and black bears are emerging from their dens in Glacier National Park, park officials said.
http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10060854

Grand Canyon National Park News:
The Most Dangerous Animal of Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is home to a wide assortment of dangerous animals. The mountain lion, with retractable claws and large teeth, patrols vass areas of land within Grand Canyon National Park occassionally wandering into Grand Canyon Village.
http://www.examiner.com/x-5370-Grand-Can...n-National-Park

Grand Teton National Park News:
Park roads open for cyclists, pedestrians
Teton Park, Moose-Wilson and Antelope Flats roads in Grand Teton National Park may now be used for nonmotorized activities such as hiking, biking and in-line skating.
http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=4391

Highway 89 pathway gets stimulus money
A Teton County pathway project will receive $300,000 to complete a route from Jackson to the Gros Ventre River in Grand Teton National Park.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4387

Joshua Tree National Park News:
WHITEWATER CANYON, Calif. — As David Myers scans the rocky slopes of this desert canyon, looking vainly past clumps of brittlebush for bighorn sheep, he imagines an enemy advancing across the crags.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/science/earth/24ecowars.html?ref=us

Lake Clark National Park and Reserve:
Skwentna bears brunt from volcano
SURREAL: Mat-su Borough mostly unaffected; schools open.
WASILLA -- Winds swept Mount Redoubt's towering ash plume toward the Mat-Su Borough Monday, raising fears the area could be deluged with ash.
http://www.adn.com/volcano/story/733896.html

Mount Redoubt Has Erupted First Time Since 1989
Anchorage
(ECN) - Mount Redoubt located in Lake National Park, which is about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska has erupted. The last eruption was recorded in December 1989.
http://www.ecanadanow.com/news/science/mount-redoubt-has-erupted-first-time-since-1989-20090323.html

Update--Restless Redoubt Volcano, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
According to Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), at 10:09 PM AKDT, March 21, 2009, "AVO is raising the aviation color code to Orange and the alert level to Watch. Seismic activity has continued to increase and conditions may evolve rapidly culminating in an eruption within days to weeks."
http://www.examiner.com/x-4661-National-...-Park--Preserve

Misc. National Park News:
February hotel numbers reflect economic woes
Recession » Occupancy off 9%, revenue even more
Utah hotels felt the recessionary crunch in February.
Occupancy levels statewide and in Salt Lake County were down 9 percent from the same month a year earlier. In the heart of ski season, Utah's mountain resorts did even worse, finishing a full 12 percent off the pace of February 2008, according to figures from the Denver-based Rocky Mountain Lodging Report.
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_11979444

Outside the US/Canadian Park System:
Cape Town to fine baboon feeders
Photo-opportunity hunting tourists caught offering food to baboons will face fines, authorities in the South African city of Cape Town have warned.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7959954.stm

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
Prescribed Burning in Rocky Mountain National Park
Fire is a necessary evil in every natural ecosystem. Fire allows new seeds to grow and thins out the forest. Without fires, underbrush builds up and the recycling of nutrients does not happen.
http://www.examiner.com/x-4483-Rocky-Mou...n-National-Park

Yellowstone National Park News:
Bill Would Limit Who Gets Quarantined Bison
HELENA – An eastern Montana senator is trying to prevent the Fort Peck Reservation – and anywhere in the state besides the National Bison Range – from getting bison from Yellowstone National Park, even if they’re certified brucellosis free.
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/bill_would_limit_who_gets_quarantined_bison/9087/

Algae in Yellowstone studied for effects on arsenic
BILLINGS (AP) — Although its name may be more well-known as a tasteless poison, arsenic has been employed in gold mining, as a wood preservative and in medical applications.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090323/DC5/903230331

See Yellowstone before the summer crowds arrive
It's barely spring, and there's still snow blanketing the high country, but they're already advertising the switch from snowmobiles to bicycles in Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.mercurynews.com/travel/ci_11977113

Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Peninsula park friend dead at 82
Robert L. Hunker led Cuyahoga Valley effort
Peninsula businessman and preservationist Robert L. Hunker, who played a key role in creating the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, died Monday at Akron City Hospital.
http://www.ohio.com/news/41800572.html

Denali National Park:
Alaska’s Mount Redoubt volcano Blows 4 Times, Is It Eruption (Editor's note...not really about Denali, but it is the park mentioned in the article)?
Volcano erupted four times along night in Alaska’s Mount Redoubt. This erupted burst and resulted ash up to 9 miles to the air. After this accident, the citizens were evacuating for prevented the ash fall from the air.
http://jeffleyland.com/news/alaskas-mount-redoubt-volcano-blows-4-times-is-it-eruptions.html/

Glacier National Park (BC):
BC’s Most Endangered River Needs Permanent Protection
Provincial Government Must Act Immediately to Save Flathead River
A no-staking reserve in the entire Flathead River Valley should be established immediately now that the Flathead has topped BC’s most endangered rivers list for the third year in a row, a coalition of Canadian and American environmental groups said today.
http://www.wildsight.ca/news/472

Glacier National Park News:
First Glacier NP bear spotted
The first bear of the season has been awoken and has been spotted in Glacier National Park.
http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10060803

Glacier Park Seeks Comment on Non-Native Quartz Lake Trout
Glacier National Park is seeking public comment on what to do about the discovery of predatory lake trout, or mackinaw, in Quartz Lake in the park's northwest corner. Quartz Lake was last best natural lake for native fish in the Columbia River Basin.
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/a...ake_trout/9118/

Grand Teton National Park News:
Park roads open for cyclists, pedestrians
Teton Park, Moose-Wilson and Antelope Flats roads in Grand Teton National Park may now be used for nonmotorized activities such as hiking, biking and in-line skating.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4391

Lake Clark National Park News:
Redoubt explodes a 6th time
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Mount Redoubt ended weeks of seismic unrest and suspense with a series of six powerful eruptions late Sunday night and Monday, depositing ash in the Susitna and Kuskokwim valleys.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10051900

Redoubt lava dome could trigger another eruption
A dome is building in Mount Redoubt's crater, which could collapse and trigger another eruption, geologists said Tuesday.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10066164


Misc. National Parks News:
National Park Foundation Kicks Off 2009 Junior Ranger Essay Contest
The National Park Foundation is proud to announce the launch of the 2009 Junior Ranger Essay Contest, asking youth across the country to share their big ideas on how to protect and preserve America's National Parks.
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleas...3942&EDATE=

Olympic National Park News:
A bear walks into a 'burb, but state's new bear dogs scare him out again
Some day this spring, a black bear is going to lumber out of the Cascade foothills in search of food.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008918747_beardogs25m.html

Outside the US/Canadian Parks System:
National park has seen 30 fires since Feb
BORIVLI: More than 30 fires of varying intensity have occurred in several areas of the 103 sq-km Sanjay Gandhi National Park since Mahashivratri
festival (February 23). One of the latest to have broken out was on Wednesday evening when a blaze started at the tiger safari enclosure and plants over about half an acre were gutted.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Citie...how/4311574.cms

Fisherman killed by Komodo dragon
An Indonesian fisherman died after being mauled by a Komodo dragon on an island generally barred to humans because of the dangerous reptiles, officials said.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/03/24/Fisherman_killed_by_Komodo_dragon/UPI-27511237925803/

Where to Find Komodo Dragons in Their Natural Habitat
Once again, the world's animals are not pleased. An Indonesian fisherman was mauled to death by komodo dragons as he was searching for fruit on Rinca Island, a deserted island and UNESCO World Heritage site that serves as a sanctuary for these dangerous lizards.
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/24/1...Natural+Habitat

Fire in Kenya threatens some of the world's most beloved parks
Started by arsonists, fires have swept through Kenya's Great Rift valley, home to some of the world's most treasured parks and millions of Kenyans already suffering from long-term drought.
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0324-hance_kenyafire.html

Rocky Mountain National Park News:
It’s time for Congress to pass the RMNP Wilderness Bill today (Editorial)
Last week, while visiting with residents in Estes Park, Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Fort Collins, said she was inundated with questions about the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Bill, and when it would finally become a reality.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20...%20Bill%20today