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Fears Rise That Congress Could Open More Units Of National Park System to Hunting

Nov 21st - 08:32am | John

"... a vehicle to revive Americans' interest in hunting and fishing?"  That is ridiculous.  Anyone can see, without even trying, that interest in hunting and fishing is quite healthy and strong -- perhaps stronger than it has ever been since, for most people, those activities ceased to be necessary for survival.  The statement by one of the measure's sponsers, Rep.

Nov 21st - 05:12am | michael

This is even more insane than the proposed legislation to exempt the Border Patrol in national Parks in Border States. Can you imagine the first time a hunter's bullet strikes the Robert E. Lee or Goerge Meade Statues at gettysburg. Or how about a tour bus window at the Bloody Lane at Antiuetam.

Visitation Down At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Nov 21st - 05:19am | michael

"They speculated that the decline might be related to a combination of a flat economy and higher fuel prices"...

Clinton Birthplace Home Needed New Roofs

Nov 20th - 21:47pm | J Longstreet

No doubt the buildings needed the attention, but let's not forget that this site came into the National Park System last year with no additional funding. Hence the project money spent to replace these roofs was in lieu of some other critical needs in the NPS Midwest region. It's a zero sum game. J Longstreet a national park superintendent

NPCA Report Paints Somber Portrait Of An Underfunded National Park Service

Nov 20th - 16:46pm | Lee Dalton

Ranger Lady -- I'll have to disgree a bit with your assertion that a "majority" of people (I'm thinking you mean Utah people) hate the NPS.  Based on my experience, it seems they are probably a rather small group of loud people who hate anything Federal because some of what the Feds do may interfere with some of their specialized interests.

Nov 20th - 15:05pm | RangerLady

Lee I understand your frustration with our Utah legislators. Last time I wrote to one of them I recieved a scalding letter back completely bashing my beliefs. It also doesn't help that the majority of people out here hate the NPS so I'm sure the state legislators recieve many more letters against us.

By the Numbers: Homestead National Monument of America

Nov 20th - 15:48pm | jessstryker

As fall comes the tallgrass praire at Homestead turns a sepia tone and takes on a different type of beauty.  This photo was taken a few weeks ago, in late October of this year while hiking the Upland Prairie Loop Trail through the tall grass praire.  The Heritage Center and Education Center can be seen in the distance.

Nov 18th - 11:11am | Jill

Beatrice is, indeed, a great little town. An old-fashioned main street, with plenty of lodging and restaurants on the outskirts. Homestead National Monument is located approx 40 miles south of Lincoln, NE or 90 miles southwest of Omaha. After spending the night in Beatrice last May, I drove west on the Heritage Highway (U.S. 136) to Red Cloud, the hometown of Willa Cather.

Nov 18th - 08:37am | Lee Dalton

I had the privilege of visiting HOME (what a fitting abbreviation) in 2009.  It was a delightful experience.  I had planned to spend just a few hours there and then move on, but discovered I needed a full day.  Exhibits in the VC are fascinating and filled with more than just facts.  They tell a story of people just like us who faced some incredibl

Yellowstone National Park Officials Reviewing Proposal To Boost Lodging At Old Faithful

Nov 20th - 12:19pm | RangerLady

After seeing the type of housing Xanterra puts their employees in, I'd feel sorry for the Yellowstone employees if they were forced into a dorm (although I don't know what it's like to live in the cabins). My fiance works for Xanterra and the dorm situation is horrible.

Nov 19th - 09:47am | ecbuck

Ironic that this comes on the heels of the "Vital Signs" report reflecting concerns of over crowding at YNP

Nov 18th - 19:24pm | Anonymous

When you plan a trip to Yellowstone National Park, do it early, and you will not have a problem.  Leave the park as it is!

Nov 18th - 13:26pm | Lee Dalton

There was a campground at OF back in the 1960's and before.  But when the new four lane "Interstate Highway" bypass was built, the campground was paved over.

Nov 18th - 12:42pm | Anonymous

A campground would make too much sense.  NPS is into buliding huge buildings designed with the largest footprint available (new OF VC, "Justice" Center, Heritage and Resource Center).  Also, the YNP experience is made sweet by having a core group of people that have lived here for years, investing their lives for little pay.

Nov 18th - 10:23am | stormy

Have they considered putting a campground or RV park (a la Fishing Bridge) near OF instead?  I would think it would be less expensive & may free up some lodging.  I've always been curious as to why there is no camping available in the OF area, since all the other 'village areas' have a campground. Can anyone enlighten me?

Nov 18th - 09:15am | James Milligan

I really like it when the park service sticks to their mission of preservation.

The Case of the Indian Trader: Billy Malone And the National Park Service Investigation At Hubbell Trading Post

Nov 19th - 11:12am | Liz Ross

It is too bad that Mr. [size= 14px; line-height: 18px]Berkowitz compromised his professionalism by profitting upon his poor investigation.  He did not contact all parties.  The Park Service should reopen the case.[/size]

High Water Table, Wetlands Causing Flooding At Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Nov 18th - 16:34pm | SS1

The NPS mangers have this correct. Draining freshwater sedges in a National Park is illegal. 
ORV proponents should pursue constructive alternatives (like raising the road and the campground) rather than draining a productive maritime marsh in a national park. SS1

Adopt A Yellowstone National Park Bison For The Holidays

Nov 17th - 20:32pm | Anonymous

If my bison is hazed into Brogan or Stephens Creek and tests positive for Brucelosis and is sent to the meat market can I get my money back?  Or is my Bison replaced with another one?   Oh wait, sorry, they're plush toys...my bad.   Actually a cute idea.  Should be a popular program for the park.

Park History: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Nov 17th - 15:53pm | justinh

Since mackenzie has revived this thread . . .   Between camping with wild horses in the Painted Canyon and narrowly escaping a bison stampede in the Achenbach Hills, I have to say this is my favorite national park.

Nov 17th - 13:52pm | mackenzie

i love the park i want to come and see the wild horses there i love horses to much i have one of my own she is a palinminow named honey and i love her so much she is the best horse ever she is 20 years old so she cant do much but i am teachen her how to jump and she is also a drillteam horse. and she is used for showing.

Interior, Wyoming Officials Reach Agreement On Hunting Wolves; Critics Say It Will Be Devastating

Nov 17th - 10:28am | Sara Neeley

Twenty-six confirmed kills of cattle in Wyoming in 2010 equals .00195%; 33 confirmed kills of sheep equals .009%.  These numbers far from justify any killing of wolves, much less the killings that are condoned under the August agreement!

Four Men Given Jail Time For Digging Up Gingseng In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Nov 17th - 09:20am | y_p_w

Certainly there are places in the world where poverty and/or opportunity includes poaching for small cash sales or perhaps substance. The hunting of great apes for bushmeat is rather controversial.

Nov 17th - 08:13am | Econ

A truer statement has never been spoken although it's truer now than when Clinton said it almost 20 years ago.  "It's the economy stupid!" http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/11/15/desperate-dad-robs-gamestop-st...

What's A Buck Get You These Days? President James Garfield In Your Pocket

Nov 17th - 09:12am | Garfield as Garfield

Finally, a coin for America's funniest President! And here is the proof: www.garfieldasgarfield.com

National Park Quiz 100: Ringer VI

Nov 17th - 08:54am | Lee Dalton

Well I liked the quiz.  First time I've gotten 100%.

Nov 17th - 08:26am | MRC

I second Mellosy. It's not much fun, if you already know the answer to the whole quiz while reading #2. Otherwise: Thanks a lot to the quizmeister. I really liked the mix of topics and parks.

Nov 17th - 05:16am | Bob Janiskee

Tell you what, Mellosy; If you will forgive me for making the ringer quiz too easy, I'll forgive you for misspelling Bighorn. :o) 

Nov 16th - 21:15pm | Mellosy

That was just too easy. You should have put that question near the bottom. Anybody who has been to the Little Big Horn, knows that Custer is not buried there. Even though the Obelisk still has his name on it, showing were he died.  

Nov 16th - 11:04am | Bob Janiskee

We've been over this ground before. Each of the 397 units of the National Park System is prperly termed a national park. There are consequently 397 national parks. Of these 397 national parks, only 58 are National Park-designated. The rest are designated something else. For example, 10 national parks are National Seashore-designated and 11 national parks are National Battlefield-designated.

Nov 16th - 10:11am | Kurt Repanshek

The professor's away today, Anonymous, so I'll have to stand in for him. In theory, you're correct...but it might have been more incorrect if the question had been written, "...in a unit of the National Park System designated as a 'national park.'"

Nov 16th - 09:32am | Anonymous

Your question # 3 is also false as it was written.  There are only 58 National Parks and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is not one of them.  If the question had asked "....which....ship...in the San Francisco waterfront is a national park service area or used the term National Historical Park"  then the answer would be true.

Survey Says National Park Service Is Far from the Best Government Agency to Work For

Nov 17th - 08:49am | Lee Dalton

To the last two anonymous posters -- these words I clipped from this morning's NPS Digest still ring true for the vast majority of NPS personnel:

Nov 16th - 21:18pm | Anonymous

"[size= 14px; line-height: 18px]Our senior "leadership" is dismal. Never in a 30+ year career has there been such shallow field experience at both WASO and in most of the regional offices. Regions have reverted back to the bloated entities that they once were and yes, jobs still get created out of thin air for the spouses of regional office employees.

Nov 16th - 19:37pm | Anonymous

I am a park ranger and I agree entirely with the description of issues above.

Guest Column: The Keystone XL Pipelines And Coal Hollow Mines Of America

Nov 16th - 19:07pm | Kurt Repanshek

OK folks, we're going to cut things off with that last comment. Things are straying a wee bit too far from the parks. Also, that Fox story fails to mention, I believe, that the Solyndra loan actually started with the Bush administration, so there's likely enough blame to go around.

Nov 16th - 18:39pm | Anonymous

Keeper:  This is related because it's a part of the bigger picture about the decisions involving the Keystone effort. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/16/solyndra-case-reveals-gateway...

Nov 16th - 16:06pm | Keeper

There's a bigger picture here to be considered.  Seriously hope the environmental  community and their representatives can experience a breakthrough of reason.  

License Tag Law Threatens Support for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Nov 16th - 16:26pm | smokey

The conspiracy theorists, like the poor, will always be with us. If you question the need for this law, just look t the photo of the bottom plate. Anything missing .... like the state name? Anyone think black numbers on a dark green background are easily seen? ... at night ? G et a grip.

Nov 16th - 16:17pm | Virtual Blue Ri...

Hey Ridinwind... just wanted to let you know that such a plate for motorcycles does exist for the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We were involved with helping the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation get enough initial plate signups so that it could be produced.  It's now been in production for a little over a year.

Nov 16th - 15:58pm | John

What does this have to do with it?????? .... Yes it's all about politics. The state rep who introduced this bill wants to get rid of plates such as Friends of the Smokies, Blue Ridge Parkway and the ATC. Yet he wants to keep his anti abortion plate.

Nov 16th - 15:43pm | Regina

Hello, I myself LOVE the  Friends of the Smokies Tags and will continue to Support the  Smokies.Besides the purchase of the tags I also a  member of the Friends of the Smokies.My Family  and I  do alot of  Camping at Cades Cove.So the money is  well spent on the camp grounds and bathrooms ect.The tags are really cool looking and I will continue to support the Smokies.Thank you

Nov 16th - 15:27pm | Danny Bernstein

Hi ecbuck:   Yes, I am referring to NC house bill 289. Thanks for clarifying this. The Friends groups most affected by this legislation has been meeting with various legislators to see if there's any kind of a compromise. Any North Carolinian can write to their legislators and voice their opinion. Danny Bernstein

Nov 16th - 14:29pm | Concerned Taxpayer

The author in support of their position wrote: "The legislature has added a "Respect Life" plate without adding a "Respect Choice" plate. Mitch Gillespie, the Republican who sponsored the legislation, really wanted an anti-choice plate and some say it's all a cover for getting an anti-choice plate approved. Of course, the

Nov 16th - 12:49pm | PRoyer

To find the reason for such legislation, one should always "follow the money." I suspect that campaign contributions by the companies that profit from traffic camera fines are the real motivation behind this legislation.

Nov 16th - 12:00pm | RidinWind

I would hate to see those plates go away. It would be cool to have one similar for a Motorcycle. Now that's the way to enjoy the Blue Ridge Pkwy!

Nov 16th - 08:31am | ecbuck

I assume you are referring to  SESSION LAW 2011-392  HOUSE BILL 289?  I must say it is very confusing.  At one point it says they (the existing specialty plates you refer to) are exempt and then it seems to say they need to be replaced but they are not listed on the acceptible replacements.  Are you sure the intent is to replace these plates?  Have you talked to the sponsoring legislators to ge

How Much Did Those New Units Of The National Park System Cost You?

Nov 16th - 12:34pm | d-2

-- a sustainable strategy SHOULD be a factor in considering new parks, especially in urban areas or in the midst of places people live. 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Underrated and Understated

Nov 16th - 10:59am | Anonymous

Cuyahoga Valley ISN'T worthing of being a National Park. In fact, designating it as a National Park denigrates the other parks which are worthy. CV is not a bad place, has some nice places, but overall doesn't meet the grandeur, majestic or uniqueness criteria for being a National Park (think Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, Arcadia, Crater Lake, Denali, etc).

BLM Considering Proposal To Expand Coal Mine Near Bryce Canyon National Park

Nov 16th - 09:34am | MarkM

Please don't let them "ignore it to death". Investigate it. Report it. We want to know the whole truth!

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