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Marine Wilderness at a Crossroads In Point Reyes National Seashore

Nov 5th - 20:56pm | Neal Desai

Hayseed:

Nov 5th - 19:39pm | y_p_w

Actually - the evidence I've heard is that eelgrass proliferation is aided by the reduction of turbidity via the oysters' filter feeding. The areas near the oyster racks have excellent eelgrass growth. Occasionally a boat propellor might clip some eelgrass, but I doubt it's too severe.

Nov 5th - 17:08pm | Mike Painter

"The Point Reyes Wilderness Act of 1976 made specific provision for continuing the oyster farm's lease, another fact conveniently omitted from your unbalanced, biased article." ---

Nov 5th - 16:22pm | countrygal

Fact: the 1976 Point Reyes Wilderness Act makes absolutely no provision for continued oyster operation. Fact: Best available science shows a clear negative impact from oyster operations on harbor seals Fact: Drakes Bay Oyster Company was fined $61,500 in December 2009 for illegally operating within long-known harbor seal protection areas after being warned of this violation.

Nov 5th - 15:35pm | Hayseed

You conveniently ignore all the obfuscation, distortion of fact, cover-ups of exculpatory data (e.g., the spy cameras) and outright lying on the part of PRNS's previous supervisor, its chief scientist and Jon Jarvis, now the chief of the National Parks, in regard to the Drakes Bay Oyster Company, as well as the fact that the oyster farm has been on that site since before WWII, long before PRNS

Nov 5th - 11:30am | MRC

If I may correct one issue: Point Reyes is not the only marine wilderness on the West Coast, at least the Rocks and Islands Wilderness, south of Cape Mendocino exists since 2006.

Nov 5th - 09:26am | pkrnger

Point Reyes National Seashore offers great relief from the traffic and confusion of an over-crowded San Francisco Bay Area. The urgency to remove the Drakes Bay Oyster Farm will be dependent on the extent to which its operations constitute an ecological and aesthetic impact of significance.

Republicans On House Natural Resources Committee Planning Big Changes For Public Lands

Nov 5th - 20:08pm | Anonymous

I guess an environmental conservationist visionary could be described as one who takes two thousand people with him on a trip to SE Asia. Most of us who spent a year there would tell him he should save the resources that will be expended in this junket. The dollars spent per day would go a long way towards NPS maint backlogs.

Nov 5th - 14:24pm | Spirit Coyote

Ron, Great reply. I actually know virtually nothing, no...actually nothing, about the Cape Hatteras Sea Shore. The lands near and dear to me are all on the high plains, rockies, and Colorado western slope. Anyways, your original comment makes a lot more sense to me now that I know that you're talking about management policy for a much more specific area.

Nov 5th - 13:45pm | Ron Saunders

"What did you mean"

Nov 5th - 13:23pm | justinh

To Ron Saunders, This wave election was no more a rejection of wilderness policy than the 2008 wave election was an embrace of it. There's absolutely no polling data to support your claim.

Nov 5th - 09:51am | Spirit Coyote

I never understood why, as an environmentalist, i'm the one who's responsible for the actions of the energy companies, their ORV industry partners, and any other wilderness enemies. I'm not being hostile, i'm just wondering if you can give a clearer explanation.

Nov 5th - 07:56am | Kurt Repanshek

Sabbattis, We certainly appreciate your holding our feet to the fire. Regarding your points:

Nov 4th - 21:16pm | Sabattis

The summary of Representative Bishop's record in this article strikes me as being largely misleading. For instance it pairs "Opposed the National Landscape Conservation System" with "which would not create any new Federally-owned lands" - but is there any indication that Rep. Bishop's opposition to the NLCS has anything to do with whether it would create new Federally-owned lands or not?

Nov 4th - 20:18pm | Ron Saunders

Well, I'd like to say that I'm for all the great initiatives to insure that the wilderness stays wilderness and is to be enjoyed by all to it's fullest. But I can't. Because I, as have so many, have experienced the push that the environmental groups have brought about. I have always tried to be open minded and look at both sides of the issues with compassion for all involved.

Nov 4th - 15:39pm | Rangertoo

It is interesting to note that a major sponsor of the 1916 bill that created the National Park Service was Senator Reed Smoot of Utah. A Republican and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Horace Albright credited Smoot for his work in getting the bill passed. Smoot's house is a National Historic Landmark.

Nov 4th - 14:09pm | justinh

To TJM, Which means Americans own 65% of the land. It's wonderful that Americans have the freedom to access this great land. It's a great argument for American Exceptionalism.

Nov 4th - 12:43pm | TJM

Remember, the federal government already owns 65% of the land in the west.

Nov 4th - 11:35am | Rick B.

I'm ashamed that Hastings comes from my state. We have beautiful parks in Washington, as do most other states. These apologists for moneyed interests truly dismay me.

Nov 4th - 09:49am | Bob Janiskee

DEF, paying attention to the national park-related pronouncements and behavioral dispositions of high-level elected officials and appointees is something that we take very seriously here at Traveler. In this case, the relevant information has been available for years. It's a bit disingenuous for you to imply that we have acted in haste.

Nov 4th - 09:41am | tahoma

Representative Hastings is one of the worst examples of political meddling in park management. It's depressing to think someone with a 2% lifetime score from League of Conservation Voters will Chair the Natural Resources Committee.

Nov 4th - 09:26am | DEF

Wow! That headline. Did that "committee" already tell you that? in only one day's time? That was really fast work.

Nov 4th - 08:56am | Lee Dalton

Excuse me while I go vomit.

Oprah Went Camping in Yosemite National Park, But Will She Remain A Fan of the National Parks?

Nov 5th - 19:21pm | y_p_w

I think fishing is legal, just not from a bridge in most of Yosemite Valley. It might also only be catch and release in the Valley.

Nov 5th - 17:58pm | Cyn

As far as I know, you cannot fish in the valley except for in the little steams. I remember seeing people fish near North Pines, at the split.

Nov 4th - 17:50pm | Anonymous

If you've heard Gayle's and Oprah's comments since then, it wasn't a pleasant experience and they won't be back. I always thought Gayle was the trooper between the two but she was more negative than Oprah. Oprah at least had a passing interest in fly fishing. But that's OK - less competition for my favorite campsite in Upper Pines.

Update: My Yahoo! Seems Rewired With the Traveler

Nov 5th - 15:11pm | Kurt Repanshek

Jonathan, That might be the result of our attempts to figure out the My Yahoo! woes. We shortened the feed, thinking that the additional sentences were impeding the feed. Unless it's a big problem, we might want to leave it as is. Let us know.

Nov 5th - 14:55pm | Jonathan

Speaking of feed problems. Something strange has happened in my Google Reader feed with your site. It used to show the first few sentences along with a picture, if there was one. Now it only displays the headline. Any ideas on why this is, or if I can fix it? Thanks! Love your site!

National Park Quiz 88: Potpourri V

Nov 5th - 13:35pm | pkrnger

Actually, the Roosevelt elk are merely a race of Cervus canadensis canadensis; DNA testing shows that the Tule elk, Roosevelt elk, and Wapiti or Rocky Mountain elk are so closely related genetically that it's difficult to assign official subspecies status to any of these races.

Nov 4th - 21:37pm | Sabattis

Bob - I was tripped up by #11. Despite just having read some of Traveler's coverage of the Blue Ridge Parkway, I didn't always remember the names...

Nov 4th - 06:17am | Bob Janiskee

Which one did you miss, Sabattis?

Nov 4th - 06:14am | Sabattis

Yay, 11 out of 12 !

Nov 3rd - 13:59pm | Bob Janiskee

Alas, tis true. My national parks course is now open only to University of South Carolina students. I've deleted the course advertisement from all quizzes, past and present.

Yosemite Nature Notes: Glaciers

Nov 5th - 09:19am | pkrnger

The series of professional-quality videos produced by the NPS in cooperation with the Yosemite Conservancy is outstanding and an effective way to reach out to a public who have not yet had the chance to visit Yosemite National Park. For those of us who have summited Mt. Lyell, this video brings back wonderful memories.

Nature's Rock Stars in the Spotlight on National Fossil Day

Nov 5th - 09:13am | Anonymous

My family really enjoyed our recent visit to Washington DC. My sons wanted to visit the Smithsonian Museum to look at the fossils. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that our visit was on National Fossil Day. My boys were able to talk with rangers, become Junior Paleontologists, and even find fossils that were identified by scientists and they could take the fossils home.

Add Cataloochee Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park To List of Reservation Sites

Nov 4th - 20:49pm | Sabattis

It will be nice to be able to reserve these sites in advance.... I just hope that the sites don't all fill up six months in advance, leaving no sites available for those who can't make their travel plans that far out...

British Columbia, Montana Officials Sign Agreement to Protect Glacier, Waterton Lakes National Parks

Nov 4th - 20:03pm | Boston DUI Lawyer

This is really good to see. I love seeing nature get protected and things being put into place to try and correct the damage that humans have already inflicted on this earth. I like that they are trying to preserve these two national parks, work on climate change effects and try to enhance renewable energy technology.

Fall Into Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Kills California Woman

Nov 4th - 16:29pm | Anonymous

Does anyone have a picture of Charlotte? I know she was in Beverly Hills.

Help Ken Burns Chronicle the Parks

Nov 4th - 10:09am | Sylvia Taylor S...

Orson Burlingame, your grandfather, not your uncle, was my great grandfather. His oldest child from his first marriage, Helen Virginia Burlingame Taylor, was my grandmother. Her son, George Orson Taylor, was my father. I would love to know more about the family from the years in Tennessee and North Carolina.

A Major Overhaul at Ford's Theatre National Historic Site Raises a Few Eyebrows

Nov 4th - 09:15am | Gene Taylor

I would like to know when the adjoining tavern, (next to Ford's theatre) was demolished/done away with. Whilst visiting the theatre years ago, (as a boy scout) I was informed that Booth, and other actors/stagehands would slip next door thru a passageway for the occasional drink. Would this tavern not hold any historical significance ?

Climbing Fees Proposed to Increase at Denali, Mount Rainier National Parks

Nov 4th - 06:15am | Sabattis

Its good to hear that the Park Service is seeking a self-sustaining alpine climbing program for each of these Parks!

Gloryland Brings Yosemite National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson Full Circle

Nov 3rd - 23:39pm | Janice

I too just watched Oprah's visit to Yosemite. I am ready to see Yosemite as well as the other great NP's in the world. I thought the Grizzly Giant was spectacular. It gave me chills when I saw it, I can only imagine seeing it in person, I would love to plan a trip in the coming year to go with my sister Gail and have a blast as did Oprah and her Gayle. Janice

Nov 3rd - 19:09pm | ttommy

Dear Ranger, I just watched the Oprah show. I grew up in this area all my life. My partner is African American as I myself am a Native American mix. I have tried to get him out into the park and he has no idea what it has to offer. I am going to show him this Oprah and see if I can change his mind.

How Might Fatal Attack By Mountain Goat Change Backcountry Dynamics in National Parks?

Nov 3rd - 23:25pm | Ivan Phillipsen

I consider myself a pretty experienced explorer of natural places, but I am guilty of having been too relaxed around mountain goats, deer, and elk. Boardman's death was a sobering reminder for me that any big animal is potentially dangerous (many smaller animals too!).

Reader Participation Day: Do You Love Fall Colors, or Spring Blooms?

Nov 3rd - 21:37pm | Cornell

In south Louisiana where I live, we don't get much in the way of fall colors and our wildflowers are more in abundance in the in the fall. However, getting back to your question, I believe that there should be a third choice, which is closer to how I feel: both.

Nov 3rd - 16:24pm | Jan

That is really hard! We are wildflower fanatics ( own a dozen wildflower identification guides) and have a life list, (just like birders). Fall color is incredible, as newly retired teachers we haven't been able to travel in the fall but northern Michigan and beloved Superior National Forest can not be beat.

Nov 3rd - 16:22pm | Jon Merryman

There's nothing more spectacluar than a single sugar maple tree in all it's fall glory.

Bird Nests and Closures Spurring Civil Disobedience at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Nov 3rd - 16:59pm | Anonymous

If the beach closures help the wildlife then it is a small price to pay to have some areas closed periodically for wildlife breeding. After speaking with several fishermen on the beach, and some in the tackle shops, I was initially left with the impression that the NPS and "environmentalists" were trying to eventually close all NP beaches on Hatteras to ORV's and pedestrians all the time.

Vet Removes Snare From Neck of Wolf in Denali National Park and Preserve

Nov 3rd - 15:18pm | XinCi

I like it. I think the same thing. If I catch whoever snared those wolfs I will make him/her wear a tight snare on his/her leg for a year(maybe not his/her neck, he/she might die that way)!Just looking at the poor wolf's picture make me want to find the moron right now!

To Drill Or Not To Drill For Oil Beneath Big Cypress National Preserve, That Is The Question

Nov 3rd - 15:17pm | Ken

I recently visited the area, there is a full blown oil drilling operation now.

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