S&R Blotter
Search and rescue season is heating up in the parks, with rangers having to respond to a visitor who fell off the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and one lost in Yosemite.
National Parks Traveler
What's Your Vision for the Centennial Initiative?
How do you think the National Park Service's Centennial Initiative (or Challenge, depending on whom you ask) should be funded? And how do you think those funds should be spent? There were quite a few suggestions tossed about in Washington today as both the House and Senate held hearings on legislation proposing ways to fund the Centennial Initiative.
Protecting Grand Teton from Drilling Projects
Wyoming is home to some of the Lower 48's greatest energy resources, particularly natural gas. The southwestern corner of the state currently is the hot spot in terms of energy exploration, and one area companies have their eyes on is the Wyoming Range. Some Interior Department officials, however, are opposed to drilling there, saying it could be detrimental to Grand Teton's wildlife and scenery.
Setting Precedents in the Parks
There's a passage in Director's Order 53, one of the many documents that guide National Park Service management decisions, that warns of proverbial icebergs ready to assail superintendents who truly believe their mission is to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."
RS2477 And the National Parks
The other day a federal judge tossed out a lawsuit that aimed to open Surprise Canyon in Death Valley National Park to ORV traffic. That post generated a lot of debate over the propriety of a road in that rugged canyon. Those who filed the lawsuit claimed they had a right to the road thanks to a Civil War-era statute known as R.S. 2477. Well, Death Valley isn't the only park that could suffer from this statute.
Y2Y On Display in Seattle
Seattle-area residents who've heard about the Yellowstone to Yukon initiative but want to learn more have a golden opportunity from now through the end of the year. A collection of Florian Schulz's photographs that captures the heart and soul of Y2K are on display at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle.
- August 1st, 2007
New Movie for World Ranger Day Today (Jul 31)
Today (Jul 31) is World Ranger Day, an international day of recognition for park rangers around the world. In honor of the day, a new movie called "The Thin Green Line" will premiere around the nation and world to celebrate the work of rangers everywhere.
Hidden Hall of Records at Mount Rushmore
Hidden out of public view, behind the heads of Mount Rushmore is a room called the Hall of Records. The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, envisioned a room to store America's most important documents. Time and money ran out before it could be completed, but part of his vision remains. Read on for more details and photos of the room.
- July 31st, 2007
Art Allen's Parkland Watch
Looking for more news about the National Parks? Art Allen has created a new email list / discussion group / news service which brings park related news from around the country into one easily accessible format. Art had provided the same service as a private list, but has just reconfigured the settings to make this list available to everyone.
Website Administrative Note about Comment Spam
Over the weekend, our website was swamped with something called 'comment spam'. Like the unwanted stuff you get in your email, this spam is just as annoying and difficult to get rid of. The best solution so far has been to run comments from unregistered visitors through an approval queue. These 'anonymous' comments will be filtered for spam, then released onto the web a short time later.
INN Member
The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.
Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
