Politics stalked the national park system throughout 2007. From snowmobiles in Yellowstone to off-road vehicles in Big Cypress, it seemed natural resources and careful stewardship were trumped too often.
We heard both National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne promise that science and careful stewardship would rule the national parks, and yet it seemed those promises fell short.
Not all the news surrounding the parks was negative, though. Congress approved President Bush's hefty funding increase for the parks, the National Park Foundation held a summit to explore partnership and philanthropy in the parks, and the Centennial Challenge was launched.
That said, here's a look at some of the top stories that rippled across the national park system in 2007:
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Yellowstone snowmobiles. Despite scientific reports that detailed how snow coaches were the best alternative for Yellowstone's environment, wildlife, employees and visitors, park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis approved a plan to allow as many as 540 snowmobiles per day into Yellowstone. That decision, which conservation groups have promised to test in court, could have consequences far beyond Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks as I noted back in November.
Rick Smith, of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, speaks of decision (1:00)
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Fran Mainella points finger at Interior Department. A year after leaving her job as director of the National Park Service, Fran Mainella told the Traveler that Interior Department officials, not her office, called the shots on allowing snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park.
Fran Mainella talks to the 'Traveler' (4:34)
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Jet skis. Conservation groups asked the Park Service to reinstate bans against personal watercraft in Gulf Islands and Cape Lookout national seashores as well as Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. If the agency balks, the groups say they'll take it to court over the matter.
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ORVs in Big Cypress National Preserve. A decision by Big Cypress Superintendent Karen Gustin to reopen 20 miles of off-road vehicle routes was greeted by a lawsuit just before Christmas when a coalition of groups filed a lawsuit to overturn that decision.
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Katmai Bear Hunt. A groundswell of public outrage greeted the annual hunt of brown bears in Katmai National Preserve. Though hunting technically is allowed in the preserve, the seeming habituation of bears to humans created the impression that the bear hunt was akin to "shooting fish in a barrel" and prompted calls for the Park Service to end the hunt. Watch Video
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Park Service budget. President Bush proposed, and Congress approved, a hefty funding increase for the National Park Service. True, the $2.39 billion FY08 budget cannibalizes some sections of the agency's budget so its base operations funding will rise $153.4 million. But an increase is an increase.
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Centennial Challenge. In his fiscal 2008 budget request, President Bush proposed a Centennial Challenge with visions of infusing $3 billion, in a mix of public and private funding, into the park system as the National Park Service moves towards its centennial in 2016. Though controversial on several fronts, and falling short of his 2000 campaign promise to spend $5 billion to wipe out the Park Service's maintenance backlog, the initiative gained congressional approval, though not exactly as the president requested it.
Kempthorne Announces Centennial Projects; Podcast (10:50)
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National Park Foundation Leadership Summit on Partnership and Philanthropy. Private philanthropy long has played a crucial role in the construction and health of the national park system. To explore how philanthropy and partnerships can bolster the parks as they head to the National Park Service's centennial in 2016, the National Park Foundation in October convened a summit in Austin, Texas, to examine the possibilities.
NPS Director Mary Bomar addresses Leadership Summit (1:45)
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The Demise of the National Parks Pass. This much-loved $50 pass, which got its holder into as many parks as they wanted for a year, died on January 1 when the $80 America the Beautiful Pass came to be. However, congressional efforts towards the end of 2007 could spur the return of the National Parks Pass.
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Climate Change. In a telling report, the Government Accountability Office said the Interior Department has failed to provide the National Park Service with the tools it needs to cope with climate change and its impacts on the national park system.
Comments
Sorry Kurt, good PR for those 1%'ers that are so villanized by some and through their 1% er guilt support ripping the grounding out of those that actually work with the environment (how the term has been bastardized). White guilt, environmental guilt or whatever some choose to ramp up the dialogue there are some out there that actually live with the environment instead of standing on top and speal verbage of the pop culture decline. People need and want to connect and this deal going on now seperates them from "real" for the sake of PC. I really do get it and have seen the benefits of real with countless numbers of people knowing that they have touched "real" and are forever respectful but not what Secretary Salazar has determined what we should experience. The country is greatly in need of "real", friend. This week has shown that need in spades!! As always, with respect for the discussion that you provide here.
Thanks
Op-ed from historian Richard White:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-white-oysters-point-reyes-20121127,0,249503.story
Uh, back to the wilds? Does that mean one needs to buy oysters from Asian suppliers or from a local environmental friendly supplier that in the process of actually growing oysters cleans the environment of evil toxins (documented) and supports health to the ecosystems (intelectual lingo:) but actually true. What is also true here is elitest BS lording over those that actually work (deriving worth) and providing a product that connects individuals to the resource. Where exactly do all these governors of commerce derive their paychecks? Off the backs of these people actually working and paying taxes which connects them to the food chain in the most real and if I may use a term that's not often used to describe people of the earth, soulful enterprise:)! There is a connection that locals and visitors to Drakes Bay Oyster Co. experience that increases their knowledge of the food chain in the most natural of settings. If that is lost to PC disconnect it is a huge tragedy with the culture further damaged, I believe. It's not enough to Google all the intelligence of mankind. What's needed is to waller in the mud if need be and touch it. Not just read about it or accept some directive on how we should feel about the environment. We're getting to far detached from it as it is with the result showing up in ever more dire ways. Leave Drakes Bay Oyster Co. as it is. It is doing a service far more important than what it's given credit!
I wouldn't really worry about imports from Asia. It would be impractical to import live oysters from Asia. The would take too long to economically transport, and they'd probably die and/or dry up in transport.
The oyster production in Washington state is considerably more than in California and in most years they could easily pick up any demand. Still - DBOC pretty much only sold in the Bay Area. Other local oyster companies (Hog Island) had some customers as far away as the East Coast. It's going to require further transport. Washington is having issues with seeding and Hog Island says they've had issues with their seed too. I've read that they don't like this decision in Washington; Hama Hama Oyster and Taylor Shellfish are on the record as hating this devision. The oyster suppliers in Tomales Bay aren't too happy. DBOC was one of their suppliers. They can't always harvest after heavy rains but still have oyster bars/restaurants to operate as well as selling to people coming in to buy oysters.
I said goodbye today with a plate of Drakes Bay oysters bought at a local market. They were a little bit dry, but I'm guessing they stopped harvesting.
Silly bureauocrats but then the decision does dovetail nicely with administration policy. Put people out of work and dependent. This decision does succeed at that at the very minimum. Does not seem to me a very good trade. Can't have that independent "I did that" attitude gumming up the plans. If only Lunni would have donated to the campaign like John Corzine or any of the other bundlers.
So, the options have run out in your opinion, Y_P_W?
Trailadvocate, this is not part of an "administration policy." It's been in the works, quite literally, for decades, at the request of Congress. Indeed, during the Bush administration the Interior Department's solicitor came to the same conclusion, that the intent was to have Drakes Estero designated as official wilderness.
Not a great time to kill jobs whatver the Congress decided decades ago (unclear on that). So now in Wilderness Drakes Bay will outboard/inboard motors not be allowed or is that going to be another exeption that will be allowed. There are more exeptions/waivers being given lately than I have ever seen. Just not in this case where 30 individuals no longer have jobs in the worst job market since the Great Depression. Just 30 jobs you say? There is not much you can say that will make this pass the smell test that this is a good thing, to me anyway. The blinding ideology that supports this action is destructve and I'm sure will have unexpected consequences in the future. What are the 30 oyster workers going to be retrained for? I know, government jobs most likely. Nice world we're building.
Respectfully
It's pretty amusing to see all the Salazar supporters hide behind Congress' intent. What about the real issue at hand? Whether removing the oyster farm makes the place any wilder or more pristine? That being said, I fully expect the NPS to get its way. Common sense clearly does not have any sway at the NPS.