If the National Park System had an "injured reserve" or "disabled list," as professional sports teams do, how might things look heading into the high summer season? Let's imagine...

While the federal hiring freeze has been lifted by the Trump administration, its guidelines for Reforming the Federal Government and Reducing the Federal Civilian Workforce, as a memo sent out last week from the executive director of the Office of Management and Budget stated in its subject line, carries an ominous message for the National Park Service.

President Trump's executive order Tuesday calling for a ramp-up in coal production from federal lands and a scrapping of President Obama's Climate Action Plan was quickly criticized by conservation and environmental organizations. Unclear, however, was how the move might directly impact national parks and the National Park Service's climate change initiatives.

Delicate trilliums, glorious columbines, and flamboyant redbuds are some of the harbingers of spring found across the National Park System. This is a favorite season for birds, bees, and photographers. Wildlife is more easily seen in the spring in many parks, too, making the coming three months idyllic for exploring the parks.