Fireworks will be igniting the night sky over Mount Rushmore National Memorial this Fourth of July as the National Park Service has come up with guidelines to allow the displays to return after an 11-year absence. However, planning for forest fires that might be set by the fireworks, managing visitors to the memorial during the event, and dealing with environmental contamination are issues that must be addressed.

When the gates to national parks swing open in the coming weeks, expect to find initial restrictions as to what you can do and where you can go, restrictions that will be eased based on the current coronavirus status. In some cases, states might require non-residents coming into their states for non-work-related purposes to self-isolate for two weeks.

Once upon a time, in the last century, there were big ideas for a huge jetport in the swamps of Florida. The project was known as the Big Cypress Swamp Jetport. Those who produced an environmental impact statement on the project said it would, in short, kill Everglades National Park.

Seated in Jackson Hole, just south of the main entrance to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, the town of Jackson is another gateway community struggling with the impact of curtailed tourism, with business owners wondering how long they can survive.