| Page 1167 | National Parks Traveler

File this one under "Never Gonna Happen" but I'd sure love to see Congress put some restraint on itself (ha!) and place a moratorium on establishing new park units. There are new parks established every five minutes, it seems, but when was the last time a park was abolished? The NPS timeline says 1981. Once a park is established, of course, it's near impossible to abolish.

Dec 16th - 21:29pm | Anon

Each year the NPS comes up with a couple new programs in WASO or Region. For instance, do you know we have a Global Warming Liaison ? Global warming is a problem for Congress and the president to address. Eliminate the new programs that were created in the last 5 years. Cut all travel training that could be put on Tel-Net.

Dec 16th - 18:53pm | Garvin Preston

How about turning the battlefield parks (Gettysburg, Cowpens, War in the Pacific, etc.) over to the Department of Defense, where many of them used to be anyway? Few politicians want to cut the Defense budget, the military has volunteer manpower (read: enlisted men and women) in easy access, and they have a tradition of service.

Dec 16th - 13:56pm | Ranger Pete

Since Ranger Careers was implemented, we have seen a steady rise in ranger pay as well as in the central offices. If we are serious about cutting budgets and reallocating funds to parks and projects that are truly in need, we need to consider a reduction in the pay rates to park service employees.

Dec 16th - 12:03pm | Anonymous

I think the fee to enter National Parks is already too high. I do not go unless I am with my retired parents.

Dec 15th - 23:51pm | RoadRanger

Where to cut the NPS budget? My spouse and I have almost 60 years of service in parks and central offices, so we have some basis for an opinion. Start with the Washington Office, then consider reducing the number of regional offices from seven to five. Some positions will need to go to the field in larger parks where they can support operations in smaller nearby parks.

Dec 15th - 22:10pm | Adam

The Senior Pass is a giveaway, particularly with the Baby Boom generation retiring. Individuals in this group may retire earlier and live longer than any previous group of seniors. Senior discounts may have seemed like a good idea back when seniors were poorer than the rest of population, but I don't think that's the case now.

Dec 15th - 20:44pm | Mike Painter

It's interesting that no one has come up with any suggestions for how to cut the budget, which is what the question asked.

Dec 15th - 19:28pm | Megaera

Find a loophole in the law or regulation or whatever it is that keeps the park service from charging entrance fees to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That alone would raise some significant money, and right a serious wrong, IMHO.

Dec 15th - 18:04pm | Anonymous

Hate to say it but i little better marketing wouldnt hurt.. cant rely on pbs to do it all.

Dec 15th - 15:38pm | Anonymous

I would start with charge backs for search and rescues.

Can Congress Pass Omnibus Land Bill Before Session Ends?

Dec 17th - 10:46am | justinh

Anonymous, The problem is that the uses you mention can often be incompatible. For example, hunting and backpacking obviously don't always do well together in the same space. I'm not sure who constitutes the "elitist group" you mention. It's hard to see how the omnibus bill, which preserves public access, is the worst thing that has ever happened to public access.

Dec 17th - 02:03am | Anonymous

This would be the worst thing to happen to PUBLIC access that has ever happened. The point of having public lands is so that all of the public can use that land as they see fit. Hunting fishing, snowmobiling, hiking, camping, etc. Not so some elitist group dictate how they think we should use these lands

Pruning the Parks: Holy Cross National Monument (1933-1950)

Dec 17th - 10:19am | Chris

Lee- Not heresy at all: I totally agree. You picked the right word: courage. Nobody has the courage to take a reasonable look at the national parks to find ones that maybe aren't of national significance. Add to my list: Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Steamtown NHS, Minidoka NHS (already duplicated subject matter at Manzanar).

Dec 17th - 08:57am | Lee Dalton

This may be regarded as heresy, but might it not be a good time now to inventory all our NPS areas with the eye toward some more pruning? Perhaps if we considered cutting the inventory of some of our assorted parks, monuments, historic sites and whatever other monikers are out there, the Park Service might be able to actually properly care for those that are left.

President Clinton's Birthplace Now A National Historic Site

Dec 17th - 09:47am | Anonymous

Democratic presidents or their supporters seem more willing than Republicans to donate property to NPS. As I understand it, the Reagan Boyhood Home is awaiting purchase (not donation)--and the asking price is much more than the NPS appraisal.

Dec 16th - 18:03pm | Kurt Repanshek

Ecbuck, I would tend to agree...

Dec 16th - 15:44pm | ecbuck

Kurt - I'm not "blaming" anybody in particular I'm just noting the irony. What historical significance does Clinton's birthplace hold? What resource needs to be protected? And this is not a political statement (though the absence of recent Republican Presidents from the park list is notable), I would be just as skeptical of a Bush or Reagan birthplace site.

Dec 16th - 11:21am | Kurt Repanshek

Wonderly00, that, too, is Congress's doing....It is long, that's for sure!

Dec 16th - 11:19am | wonderly00

Is it just me, or is this park name ridiculously long? This is the only president's home that has the word "President" in the name. There isn't a President Harry S Truman NHS, or a President Jimmy Carter NHS. "Clinton Boyhood Home NHS" or "Clinton Birthplace NHS" would much easier to say.

Dec 16th - 11:03am | Garvin Preston

Quite a coup for a living president to get his own NPS site. Makes me wonder if I can ever go there and actually run into the guy; that'd be a feather in my National Parks traveling cap -- actually seeing an historic character at his or her site. Not quite Lincoln, but you gotta take what you can get.

Dec 16th - 08:27am | Kurt Repanshek

Ecbuck, you have to remember that it's Congress, not the Park Service, that creates these sites.

Dec 16th - 08:11am | Jon Merryman

The George W. Bush National Historic Site would have also opened soon, but due to a maintenance and brush clearing backlog, it will only be open on even numbered Mondays that coincide with a full moon.

Dec 15th - 20:44pm | ecbuck

And we complain about the Park Service not having enough money to operate properly?

Piping Plover Production Up At Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Dec 17th - 09:43am | Dave

Hey Anonymous....Good point! Did you also know that just over 10,000 years ago the three biggest cats to ever walk the earth, including the saber-tooth tiger, all lived in N.C.? They hunted mammoths, camels, giant sloths, and mastodons. For some reason I don't think everything is suppose to be here forever.

Dec 17th - 09:15am | Anonymous

Most everyone agrees that Cape Hatteras is the most southern breeding range of the piping plover. Dozens of birding books say the same thing. Is it really possible to have increased numbers in that area as global warming drives most other species farther north?

Dec 16th - 14:53pm | Ryan

Although I can certainly empathize with the people in that videos plight, that is one side of the story.

Dec 16th - 13:39pm | Anonymous

Google ''Piping Mad'' and watch it on the vimeo site. There's more truth in that than anything the environmental lawyers throw out. Also remember it's not just an ORV issue...it's about pedestrian access to historic places within your National Park. I certainly would not want anybody in an seasonal enclosure.

Dec 16th - 09:08am | Ryan

That you for the link...I don't really know what to think, but this white paper was put together by a pro access group, so I am inclined to believe that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Dec 16th - 08:32am | Anonymous

Google ''White Paper Report-The Truth about Predator Control''. However, it does not talk about the endless killing of ghost crabs or the number of incidental diamond-back terrapins killed. There's a lot of things going on in your National Park that they won't tell you. Everyone needs to wake up. It's not the seasonal enclosures that are shutting your Park down.

Dec 15th - 16:45pm | Ryan

I would like to know more about the NPS killing all other animals to protect the plovers, is this documented anywhere? Does the park have a written policy to destroy predators, or is this one incident that we do not know all the details about? Thank you.

UPDATED: Hoodoos, Winter Solstice, and Lunar Eclipse Converge At Bryce Canyon National Park

Dec 17th - 09:42am | Lee Dalton

"Dark Ranger. . . ." I LOVE that!

Groups File Appeal To Block Coal Mine Near Bryce Canyon National Park

Dec 17th - 09:15am | Pittsburgh in t...

I agree, U.S. 89 is not meant to handle that capacity of heavy equipment and it would endanger the Utah tourism industry. It appears as though the mine would not be a threat to the park itself or an eyesore to those visiting the parks. Is it possible to mandate that the coal truck traffic be re-routed?

Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks Ready for Winter Season to Open

Dec 17th - 08:18am | Connie Hopkins

dear Anonymous, You will LOVE it! We went n January of 2009 as well as spent Christmas 2009 there! It's a magical place any time of year but Winter is even more special!

Dec 16th - 13:41pm | Anonymous

Going to Yellowstone in January...cant wait!

Shenandoah National Park Ranger Roy Sullivan Set the World Record for Being Hit by Lightning

Dec 16th - 20:18pm | CZeke

I wonder if you can shed some light on a part of this story that confuses me. Most sources say that Sullivan killed himself over unrequited love... so what about his wife? Her own lightning strike gets brought up, but nobody even mentions her name, let alone what happened to her.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agrees Wolverines Need ESA Protection, But They'll Have to Wait

Dec 16th - 16:05pm | Keeper

Just had a thought that seems to be true. Get the Wolverines the vote and we might have something. Illegals seem to have it better!

Dec 15th - 21:29pm | Keeper

Did Salazar give any reasons? It's puzzling to me!

Dec 15th - 17:30pm | Anonymous

Days after endorsing the killing of more wolves, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has added the wolverine to his hit list in the war on endangered species.

Chefs' Holidays Coming To Yosemite National Park In January

Dec 16th - 09:25am | Lee Dalton

I guess this is why we need all those tax breaks for the most wealthy.

Give Someone A Yellowstone National Park Wolf for Christmas!

Dec 16th - 05:13am | Anonymous

What a great idea. My wife just last night ask me what she could give me for Christmas and although I am not a stuffed animal sort of guy, I believe I will ask her to give me get us two or three of these.

Accidents Happen at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Usually Because People Break Commonsense Water Safety Rules

Dec 16th - 03:38am | Anonymous

I still can't believe what happened to Marissa. I wasn't a close friend but I had been in classes with her for 3 years and talked to her often in class. She was a very sweet person and would befriend just about anyone. It still makes me very sad when I think about her. It was really devastating because of who she was and the fact that she was the first person I had ever known to pass away.

Miserable Weather Makes for Tough Climbing Rescue in Yosemite National Park

Dec 15th - 22:47pm | Marty Koch

I may agree with you Destroyerman if the climbers in question had done something stupid. A falling 200 pound rock had decided, after millions of years of clinging to the wall, to fall. This is an unavoidable incident. The weather turned bad, as I read it, long after the climb would have concluded were it not for a once in a million years rock fall.

Dec 15th - 20:22pm | G. Gacia

What a great job these people do during these kinds of rescues. I don't climb or anything like that, however, I enjoy the parks as a visitor and appreciate having them available to those who may get into a difficult situation.

Dec 15th - 18:34pm | destroyerman

maybe the climers should have to pay the rescusers,i cannot understand why people put theirselfs in such positions..and put rescue in a bad situations,there should be some kind of plan in place to not allow climing in certain months,;and the rescued should have to pay for their rescue.thank you.

Study Says Half Dome Permit System In Yosemite National Park Apparently Does Not Enhance Overall Hiker Safety

Dec 15th - 20:26pm | Anonymous

I'm not sure that a permit system is the best solution. However, if a permit system is going to be used then some sort of fee structure makes a lot of sense.

Dec 15th - 20:20pm | Anonymous

Did you talk to any of the people who were denied the experience because they could not get a permit? Did you talk to the people who planned appropriately on non permit days and were able to have a perfectly wonderful experience?

Mission

Dec 15th - 13:19pm | Kurt Repanshek

Thanks so much for your kind words, Lana. We try, and some days it's a bigger struggle than others.

Dec 15th - 13:09pm | Lana

I just want to say thank you so much for such a wonderful site. I've been following this blog for at least a few years and am always so impressed with the depth of the content. Accurate information and stunning images make for a great resource on our national treasures.

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