National Parks Traveler

Should grizzly bears be allowed to recover their presence in the North Cascades? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service are holding a series of meetings on a Grizzly Bear Restoration Environmental Impact Statement that examines whether they should work toward grizzly bear recovery in the region. In the following opinion piece, Rob Smith, senior director of the National Parks Conservation Association's Northwest Region, speaks out in favor of the bears' recovery.

All signs point to spring: warm winds, green budding trees, flowering bulbs, and... skiing? Sure enough! Spring’s a great time to spend some time sliding around on those broad bowls, snow-covered roads, and long ridges. The weather is mild, the skies are blue, and the days are long: it’s just a lot more comfortable spring-skiing than going on a mid-winter slog in a blizzard through deep snow.

The winter and early spring seasons are especially fine times to enjoy birding at Everglades National Park, and the staff has invited the public to participate in several "citizen science" activities to help count birds in the park. The final two "Big Day Birding Adventures" programs for this year will be held on March 14 and 28, 2015