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What's Driving Rep. Issa's Opposition to Tackling the National Park System's Backlog?

Feb 7th - 09:02am | Hobblefoot

While I agree with Frank C. that the national park system is "Broke", it seems to me it's only broke in a financial way due to the lack of funding from the politicians. The public doesn't really seem to have a problem with funding it. It's only politicans who hold up putting the money where it's supposed to go.

Feb 6th - 18:29pm | Rick Smith

I have known Craig Obey for years. He does outstanding work for NPCA. Both he and his father are professionals and I doubt their relatiionship affects the work they do either as a US Representative or as an employee of NPCA. It seems strange that Issa never thought this relationship was suspect previously.

Feb 6th - 18:08pm | Bugsyshallfall

"Merit"? wow thats so over rated :(

Feb 6th - 15:52pm | Kath

There needs to be a rule prohibiting any organization that lobbies Congress from hiring a close relative of the Congressman or Senator. Does anyone really think that these kids and wives of our elected officials got those lobbying jobs on merit alone?

Feb 6th - 13:54pm | Betty H

Great points, Kurt.

Feb 6th - 13:19pm | Dan

Daily Show clips? You're parodying yourself, Kurt.

2008 Visitation to the National Parks Up and Down, But Essentially Flat

Feb 7th - 08:52am | hobblefoot

While I believe the increase of visitors to Cuyahoga Valley N.P., I have to wonder how they know. There is no entrance station to the park and there are no user fees. I hike there 3 or 4 times a week and yes, it was much more crowded than it has been in the past, although I think it's part of a longer term trend for the area. So many people!

Volcanics in the National Parks: They Ain't All Tied to "Redoubt"

Feb 7th - 00:30am | Ray Bane

Don't forget Katmai. When it comes to volcanism it is hard to beat the Valley of 10k Smokes and the several other volcanic features found in the park. A far less visited park is Aniakchak Nat. Monument. A never-to-be forgotten experience was landing on Surprise Lake with a NPS float plane in the caldera.

Feb 6th - 18:20pm | Barky

You missed two in New Mexico: El Malpais, which preserves lava flows from 10,000 to 2,000 years old. It's not quite as impressive as Craters of the Moon, but it's close.

Feb 5th - 13:32pm | Kurt Repanshek

Ah, that one's too obvious;-) Also not mentioned initially was Death Valley -- Ubehebe Crater is volcanic in nature.

Feb 5th - 13:21pm | tahoma

What about Crater Lake, Kurt? The catastrophic eruption of prehistoric 12,000' Mt. Mazama around 6,850 years ago is the largest known in the Cascades, at least ten times as large as St. Helens in 1980. It left the deepest lake in North America and deposits of ash in eight western States and three Canadian Provinces.

Feb 5th - 09:21am | Kurt Repanshek

Thanks for the suggestion, MRC. The list was not intended to be comprehensive, but merely to show some examples. That said, if others mention sites to add we can build a new list for the next volcanic occasion;-)

Feb 5th - 08:16am | Bob Janiskee

I agree that Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is an outstanding example of a volcanic-themed resource. The thing is, it's not a National Park System component. Proclaimed by President Reagan in 1982, it was placed under U.S. Forest Service administration (which made a good deal of sense, since it's in a national forest).

Feb 5th - 08:00am | Catherine F Clark

What about Mount St. Helens National Monument? Is this not volcanic? Erupted in 1980? I did not see it on the above list! How on earth could you leave that off?

Feb 5th - 05:57am | MRC

How about Lava Beds MN? If you add it, you can delete this entry.

Discounted Lodging Available in Glacier National Park this June

Feb 6th - 22:23pm | JimB

These are some nice discounts if you want to stay in the park. Early June lets you miss some of the crowds, but as late in June as possible gives you more options in the high country.

That's Cold, Doubly So When You Realize the Temperature Was In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Feb 6th - 18:54pm | Anonymous

Global warming (or cooling for that matter) deals with the overall climate of the planet, not with the weather at one particular place on one particular night.

Feb 5th - 23:06pm | chris m

Obviously a "global warming" thing. Yeah right...

Feb 5th - 12:37pm | rattsrd

lets hope we dont see the penguin from cut bank montana on u.s. 441.

Olympic National Park Proposing to Erase the Old Boulder Creek Road

Feb 6th - 12:33pm | Fred Miller

Thanks for this good information. The trail restoration sounds like a good thing to me in several ways. First, I suspect that it would be grossly expensive to turn this trail back in to a road. Secondly, it would much better for the environmental conditions of this area to have all this deteriorating asphalt removed.

"Inland Tsunami" at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area Wasn't the First of Its Kind

Feb 5th - 21:49pm | Tina Wynecoop

We spend a lot of time on the nearby Sandbar and just upstream from the slide on the Reservation side. We wonder if the recent irrigation projects by the Hutterites on rented land on benches above the sandslide might have affected the area...there are layers of clay interspersed with the sand and water could have reached those layers and triggered some action.

Four "Natural Landmarks" Added to National Natural Landmarks Program

Feb 5th - 14:44pm | Bugsyshallfall

REALLY!!!! Someone did the right thing for once and decided not to make it a national park but a NNL like more places should be

If Science in Lake Clark National Park Is Good, Is It Also Good in Yellowstone National Park?

Feb 5th - 10:24am | robmutch

Let's hope the bar (for science) hasn't been set so low (by Bush) that anything Secretary Salizar does (or says) is viewed as good enough. We need concrete actions taken and we need to keep in mind that just because it's more than President Bush did, doesn't necessarily make it enough. Nice write-up Kurt.

On Stimulus Packages, Lobbyists, and Congressfolk

Feb 5th - 10:12am | Kath

This all begs this question: Other than being the Congressman's son, what qualifications did Craig Obey have to be hired as a senior vice-president of NPCA? And the NPCA's comment that no one talks to Obey on behalf of the parks? Yes, I believe that the son doesn't talk to his father about his job. (Sarcasm)

Feb 3rd - 13:00pm | RoadRanger

I have to agree strongly with Kurt's comment that the senior executives at NPCA should be talking directly to Appropriations Chairman Obey. Do they at least communicate with members of the committee? They must, although that in itself would seem to border on conflict as members often curry favor with the chairman in order to bring more pork to their districts.

Feb 2nd - 17:41pm | Anonymous

Kudo's to the congress if they will stick to the already identified backlog (there is plenty of it there). I fear that what is happening is parks are writing new projects and moving quickly on other projects in their infancy because they see funding opportunities. Just because there is money available doesn't mean you can bypass the processes that ensure they are doing the right thing.

Secretary Salazar Scuttles Oil and Gas Leases Near National Parks in Utah

Feb 5th - 10:06am | ScottG.

That's good news. I petitioned against this through IMBA, so I am also very pleased that the new administration is taking a closer look at this proposal.

Feb 5th - 07:43am | brettgross

Ray, I couldn't agree more. It is good to see that these protected lands will, indeed, be protected!

Feb 4th - 18:25pm | Ray Bane

I am a great fan of the parks and other public lands in southern Utah, so I am pleased with this action. The resources in question may eventually be developed, but this administrative action may give a bit more breathing room to better decide how to best protect important natural and cultural areas and balance competing public interests.

Elk Culling Under Way in Rocky Mountain National Park

Feb 5th - 08:02am | Bob Janiskee

Kirby and Jim: One possible reason for the one-a-day cull is limited manpower for handling the carcass and butchering. Anybody who has ever tried to field dress, transport, and butcher one of these huge animals knows what a big job that is. I'd guess that there could also be limited facilities for handling the meat during and after processing. Just some thoughts.

Feb 5th - 01:40am | Jim Clark

I am a hunter and live about 80 miles from where this story is from. And I am with you it looks like a lot of shooters and a lot of elk, why one a day. If they would let me I would like one to eat this winter. Jim

Feb 4th - 23:50pm | Kirby Adams

OK, I'm not a hunter, so maybe someone can enlighten me. Is there a reason they're shooting only one a day? Seems like in that picture if three of those people had rifles there would've been three elk culled that day. -Kirby.....Lansing, MI

National Park Quiz 40: Mission 66

Feb 4th - 19:39pm | Anonymous

With regard to #9 and the Cyclorama Center, it should be noted that the NPS is not going to remove all of the parking lots from Cemetery Ridge as originally promised. It seems like their stated plan of returning the site to its 1864 appearance was just a ploy to demolish the Cyclorama Center. There were no parking lots there in 1864....

Feb 4th - 12:06pm | Anonymous

FYI - The old "spaceship" Henry M. Jackson visitor center at Mt. Rainier has already been demolished. Contractors got a head start on the project since the park was in a dry spell this fall. All that was left prior to the snow falling was the rock wall base and a big hole in the ground. The actual "ball dropping" was very uneventful! [Ed: Thanx for the update.]

Feb 4th - 11:04am | Rick Smith

Wow, Bob, that was a tough quiz. I only got 6 right. I may have to enroll.

How Can Yosemite National Park's Magnificent Vistas Be Preserved?

Feb 4th - 17:56pm | Barky

Let me just clarify that I only visited Yosemite in '07, so I personally don't have that childhood view. I was relaying comments from friends of mine from Sacramento & Fresno. Personally, I love trees, and I really loved the way you'd hike a trail in the woods and then BAM you're suddenly staring at a big granite cliff face! =============================================

Feb 4th - 13:15pm | Rick Deutsch

Yosemite has a comprehensive fire management program. This includes prescribed fires, mechanical thinning and wildland fire control. Natural fires are permitted to burn in certain backcountry areas. The Valley is too densely populated to permit uncontrolled burns. The park occasionally does trim back “unnatural” areas.

Feb 3rd - 16:56pm | Barky

I discussed views at Yosemite with some local friends of mine, and one of their complaints is "there are a lot more trees in the valley than I remember when I was a kid." I'm wondering if the amount of park facilities in the valley precludes natural fires from clearing out the growth, instead there are far too many trees & shrubs blocking the view.

Would You Love Zion National Park As Much If It Were Called Mukuntuweap National Park?

Feb 4th - 16:59pm | pondhopper

I visited from the UK last year....it is an amazing place. I would, however, definitely support the Indian name and I was disappointed when I learnt it had been changed. As a previous contributor has said - it was their land, after all.

Rangers Catch Snowmobilers Riding Illegally in Yellowstone National Park's Backcountry

Feb 4th - 08:23am | RAH

Personally I do not see how snowmobiles damage the park when riding on snow. Ray explanation at least gave me some of the reasons for the ban. Whether they are accurate or really sensible I do not know. I am not super knowlwdgable about snowmobiles and the damage they so.

Feb 3rd - 01:21am | MH

Haha, when reading this I thought, "Well at least this is one post that all should agree on!" Little did I know that some people consider even THESE rules to be "arbitrary [and] idiotic."

The World's Top Ten National Parks

Feb 3rd - 12:38pm | Rick Smith

That's a great shot of the backpacker in the WAdden Sea photos. He looks very European. Rick Smith

Feb 3rd - 11:35am | MRC

Rick, Yes, I've visited all three parks I mentioned above. But of course not as long as I would wish, particularly for the Cevennes, where I only got a glimpse, passing through.

Feb 3rd - 09:15am | Rick Smith

MRC--

Feb 3rd - 03:11am | MRC

Galapagos, Great Barrier Reef, Etosha, Okavango and for North America outside of the United States Jasper and maybe Banff. Those are some of the international parks you can expect in a list like this. Let's propose a few less spectacular, but none the less important parks:

Feb 2nd - 18:56pm | Rick Smith

Tahoma--Thanks for the recommendation. I have driven through the park on the way to Alaska one time. It is magnificent but I did not have time to explore the interior of the park. Here is what the Parks Canada website says about Kluane:

Feb 2nd - 18:20pm | tahoma

Surely a representative of the magnificent Canadian Parks should be nominated. Kluane and the Rocky Mountain group are outstanding. Our northern neigbors do an especially good job at interpretation and visitor contact.

Feb 2nd - 17:18pm | Rick Smith

Good afternoon-- We have received only two additional nominations for the best international parks. Come on, NPT readers, we know you are world adventurers and have visited many parks or other protected areas outside the US. We really would like to pick your brains on the best ones out there. Give us your suggestions. Rick Smith

Trigger-happy Man Shoots Another Rustling in the Brush

Feb 3rd - 08:13am | Anonymous

The lift of the ban on firearms in National Parks does not allow everyone to carry a firearm in a National Park. It allows people with a Concealed Handgun License to carry. That is different than the situation being discussed here. To get your CHL you have to go through a class, learn the law, learn safe gun practice, etc.

The Consequences of the Legal Bear Hunt in Katmai

Feb 2nd - 18:20pm | Ray Bane

Let me start by saying that I consider myself a hunter. I have no problem with well managed and regulated hunting taking place in national preserves in Alaska, so long as it is in keeping with the stated mandates and intent of ANILCA.

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