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Discovering Grizzlies and Wolves at Yellowstone National Park

Nov 18th - 12:17pm | y_p_w

Why do you keep on using the word "specie"? The definition of "specie" is of coin money or something that is of a "like kind". It's also a nonstandard variation on "species", but that frankly wouldn't apply to different variations of wolf species. I'm guessing you're trying to say "subspecies". Or is the use of "specie" deliberate?

Nov 17th - 19:26pm | Kevin Watson

We have come to a corner in this wolf war. This is where the wolfaboo's start calling people names, throwing out the door facts of how hunters, ranchers, farmers, etc, etc, see the truth unfolding right before their very eyes. Truth wolfaboo's will fight tooth and nail to hide. Truth about a specie wrong for the region from the very start as warned by professional wolf bio's.

Nov 17th - 11:21am | MT Resident

If you do not come from an ag. background, don't talk about ranching. If you are not a geneticist, don't "explain" the genetics. If you don't live near Yellowstone, don't speak about seeing or not seeing how many elk/deer there are. If you have never seen a cow killed by wolves, don't talk about it not mattering.

Nov 17th - 11:11am | Anonymous

If you do not come from an ag. background, don't talk about ranching. If you are not a geneticist, don't "explain" the genetics. If you don't live near Yellowstone, don't speak about seeing or not seeing how many elk/deer there are. If you have never seen a cow killed by wolves, don't talk about it not mattering.

Nov 17th - 10:37am | Kevin Watson

What or who is paying you to repeat such lies as these 2 entirely different specie of wolves be genetically identical? That is the lie. They are not genetically identical? Here is a thought. How about we trap every one of the wolves, test their genetic's, and if they are not 99% wolf or above, removed from the gene pool.

Reader Participation Day: What is the Greatest Threat To Our National Parks?

Nov 18th - 12:02pm | Fred Fagergren

I agree with this comment about mismanagement or lack of management. I wouldn't limit it to Superintendents although they must hold the foundation of the problems. I cannot help but recall the NPS decision to respond to employees' concerns about poor supervision by providing "required" training courses for all supervisors and leaders.

Nov 18th - 11:24am | Kurt Repanshek

Andrea, A bureaucratic monster has indeed risen up over the parks, just like those around many other government agencies (states included). However, how do you get superintendents at parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or Great Smoky to put blinders on to political pressures?

Nov 18th - 10:29am | Andrea Lankford

Greatest threat to the park system as a whole? The sluggishness and waste of a bureaucracy. The cry of GREAT THREATS (on a macro level) to the entire park system will only encourage the bureaucractic monster to waste loads of money trying to fix the unfixable. Superintendents should operate on a micro (one park/problem at a time) level.

Nov 18th - 09:53am | Dave Crowl

Personally I agree with "Barky" I think he summed up my feelings. I also would comment that the buses at Zion are amazing and I did not miss having to find parking at each stop. At Glacier we drove around a parking lot at "Trail of Cedars" for about 20 minutes waiting for someone to leave. But I actually enjoy the bear jams and would miss the photo opportunity if i just rode by in a bus.

Nov 18th - 08:55am | Wayne Koskela

Chains, gates and padlocks.

Nov 18th - 07:38am | Mary Delaney Krugman

On November 17, 2010 at 11:07pm, Colorado Cowboy wrote:

Nov 18th - 05:26am | Anonymous

In my opinion the issue of relevancy to the American public is one of the biggest challenges that the NPS faces. It's obvious that most on this board are park users and supporters, sadly that's not the case across society. As demographics continue to change, there are huge segments of our society that either know nothing about the National Park System or worse they care nothing about it.

Nov 17th - 22:01pm | PM

I think the greatest threat is failing to realize what a precious resource we all have in the varied units in the park system. We have a great treasure and if we fail to pass it on to future generations in a condition where they will also be able to enjoy it is a great travesty.

Nov 17th - 21:48pm | JerryC

Bureaucracy, both Democrat and Republican. The park service has taken personal ownership of the parks and forgotten that they were established for the use of the people. Every time we visit the major parks like Yellowstone, Zion, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and others we find closed trails, roads, campsites, etc.

Nov 17th - 21:07pm | Colorado Cowboy

We, the people, who enjoy the parks are the parks' greatest threat. Our impact on the wildlife and park environment is rearely good. One thing I experienced just recently at Zion National Park was my first introduction to a MANDATORY bus system for visitors to use. Before I got there, I thought I would hate it, but once there, it was terrific.

Nov 17th - 16:12pm | Lee Dalton

Wow. The diversity in opinions here is as diverse as our parks themselves. pkrnger -- re: your thinking outside the box, that was an awesome comment and spot on.

Nov 17th - 14:26pm | ecbuck

I see that anon at 11:03 is following the normal liberal rhetoric.He complains about oil and gas leases near parks but provides no evidence they endanger the parks in any way. Further he identifies "one high ranking member" to condemn the entire party. Anon at 12:33 does the same. One person at one point "jokes" about selling the parks and he is ready to condemn the entire Republican party.

Nov 17th - 14:02pm | Robert Mutch

Habitat fragmentation.

Nov 17th - 13:39pm | Anonymous

I find it very troubling that anyone would suggest that a political party is a danger to National Parks. No one is going to shut them down, open them to extractive industries, or anything else. Regardless of what they say in a campaign, it is poltically impossible to shut down our national treasures the way it is described by partisan fear-mongers.

Nov 17th - 13:33pm | Anonymous

See this page from the National Parks Traveller: /2010/10/reader-participation-day-which-works-harder-national-parks-republican-or-democratic-congress7114

Nov 17th - 13:20pm | Linda

I resent people blaming Republicans. I am a Republican (Conservative). I love and support the National Parks. The only danger is when nature is put ahead of the best interests of humans. I do NOT mean that people are free to do whatever they want in and with National Parks. Of course there have to be rules & regulations.

Nov 17th - 12:58pm | Anonymous

Every taxpaying citizen owns the National Parks, but sadly, huge chunks of the parks are CLOSED to the PUBLIC. Elitist biologists deem some areas to be too important for the public to see. NPS staff are the only ones who ever witness some of the most amazing aspects of the parks. Unless a particular area is truly unsafe for visitors or untrained persons, they should be open.

Nov 17th - 12:03pm | Anonymous

Let's begin with all the oil, gas, mining leases granted right on the doorstep of several National Parks during the Bush/Cheney administration. At least one high ranking Republican (Boehner or McConnell) has already mentioned preservation money as something that can be cut from the budget.

Nov 17th - 11:57am | pkrnger

Thinking outside the box for a moment, I would add that perhaps the greatest threat to the parks is a national system of values that places a very low priority on the importance of preserving lands and landmarks of significance to our natural and cultural heritage.

Nov 17th - 11:35am | Smoky Mtn Hiker

Imagine how much less pollution there would be if we were only allowed to replace coal fired power plants with nuclear power? The Europeans have managed to utlilize this solution on a large scale....

Nov 17th - 11:33am | Anonymous

I was going to make the same comment! The first thing I thought of: Republicans are the greatest threat to our National Parks (and the enviroment, any wilderness area, wildlife)!!

Nov 17th - 10:38am | pkrnger

"Over crowding is an easy fix, drop campsite and back country permits by 25% and up costs/fees by 30%. And drop motorized activity by 40%. Done deal. Cleaner, quieter and less crowded w/ out losing much revenue. JRM"

Nov 17th - 10:36am | pkrnger

Industrial tourism, motorized recreation, and over-development, especially in Gateway communities.

Conservation Groups Question Cape Hatteras National Seashore's Preferred ORV Management Plan

Nov 18th - 11:12am | Karen Johnson

Paul, since you live in Va. Beach I would assume you have been out to the point? If you have then you also know it is not likely anyone will be walking or hiking out there on foot. And not due to laziness. I'm not a fisherman, a sportsman, a tailgater or a haul everything you own to the beach type of person.

Nov 18th - 10:16am | Another Anon

Anonymous ... It appears the Park Services has done just. This plan isn't what the environmentalists want, and I know the OBPA and their ilk are apoplectic. It would be real nice if all sides would just stand down and live with this plan for a few years.

Nov 18th - 09:38am | Anonymous

I would prefer that someone (NPS) acted like the adult rather than a neutral observer, set the two sides in a corner and then did what is best for the Park for now and future generations. Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands won't be destroyed and plenty of visitors will enjoy the Seashore and business people will make plenty of money from the people that come to visit the Park.

Nov 18th - 08:44am | Paul Burke - Au...

Windwalker...the rub is that the beach is being treated like a parking lot because people want to haul so many coolers, grills and basically tailgate like they are in a parking lot waiting for kickoff - its ridiculous - and excessive, not to mention lazy - a true fisherman wouldn't mind a hike on foot with his tackle bag - but what is going on is not fishing - if sunbathers can haul their stuff

Nov 18th - 06:00am | Windwalker

Perhaps we should just close all of the seashore... dynamite the Oregon Inlet Bridge and discontinue ferry services. Evict all the residents of Hatteras and close it permanently to any human visitation. Prior to closing, remove all buildings, lighthouses, vehicles, boats, etc. that are on the island and let the island return to it's pre-1500 splendor.

Nov 17th - 12:00pm | Anonymous

Kurt you have this article framed perfectly. The issue is about ORV access in the National Park (CHNS). The ORV advocates making all the noise view CHNS as some type of hybrid ORV recreation/fishing byway, not a National Seashore.

Fish And Wildlife Service Says ORV Plan for Cape Hatteras National Seashore Could Be Helpful to Plovers, Sea Turtles

Nov 18th - 09:52am | Kurt Repanshek

Anonymous, read a bit more of this sentence: Vehicles can, and do, run over piping plovers and their fledglings as well as sea turtle hatchlings and buried nests in these settings...

Nov 18th - 09:38am | Anonymous

Please provide documentation of any case of "Vehicles can, and do, run over piping plovers and their fledglings". To my knowledge, there is no documented case of this happening at CAHA.

Foundation Just About Set For New Visitor Center At Dinosaur National Monument

Nov 18th - 06:42am | Jon Merryman

Glad I got to see many of the old visitor centers throughout the country before they were replaced. Gives you a real appreciation of how dated some of them were, both structurally, and in their ability to engage & educate the public.

Affiliated Area Review: Chicago Portage National Historic Site

Nov 17th - 21:07pm | Sabattis

I agree, Chicago Portage's role in the development of Chicago as one of the most important cities in the United States makes it a premier Affiliated Area.

National Park Service Officials Again Debating What To Do With Historic Officers' Quarters at Fort Hancock

Nov 17th - 20:59pm | Jon Merryman

They can rent it out for rave parties like they did at Alcatraz.

Nov 17th - 14:00pm | Kurt Repanshek

Richard, No doubt, lawsuits can tie up projects. Gateway is not exclusive to them. The snowmobile issue in Yellowstone has been tied up for a decade due to them, with no end in sight, and the Park Service has been saddled with spending more than $10 million on studies due to those lawsuits and politics, money that could have been better spent on other needs.

Nov 17th - 13:39pm | Richard King

This article ignores the overriding fact that the saving and reuse of the Fort Hancock buildings, with the exception of the Chapel, Theater, and one administrative building which have been beautifully restored, was tied up for the entire period by a group opposed to their resoration, with whom Rep. Pallone was allied.

Trail Ridge Road Across Rocky Mountain National Park Closed for Winter

Nov 17th - 19:57pm | Marshall

Hello! Thanks so much for the helpful article! I have a quick question: I'm taking my girlfriend to Colorado over Thanksgiving -- she's never been to the Rockies and I'm desperate to show them to her.

By the Numbers: Affiliated Areas

Nov 17th - 19:56pm | Bob Janiskee

Weasel-worded? Moi? The very idea!

Nov 17th - 17:05pm | Sabattis

I'm curious about there being only 2 former affiliated areas. I have memories of seeing somewhere that the Arnold Aboretum in Boston was formerly an affiliated area.... but have never been able to find a corroborating source. I guess you weasel-worded it to only be those added to the National Park System "in recent years." ;-)

National Park Mystery Photo 28: Shelter from the Elements

Nov 17th - 16:53pm | Sabattis

On Port Chicago, my understanding is that the Naval base is in the process of being decommissioned - so eventually access should open up.

Nov 17th - 13:39pm | Kurt Repanshek

Congrats to Catherine for getting the answer right, and to Ranger, despite being distracted by more important things, like work. Tomorrow we'll provide some history on Bunkhouse Row. Also, Ranger, re affiliated areas, the professor delved into that perilous topic earlier this year: /2010/01/numbers-affiliated-areas5243 And a year earlier:

Nov 17th - 13:21pm | Ranger

Dang it. Here's a contest I actually could have won. Should have checked NPT when I first came to work this morning. Just for the record: it's Bunkhouse row at GRKO http://home.nps.gov/grko/photosmultimedia/Exploring-the-Ranch.htm

Nov 17th - 10:47am | Kurt Repanshek

We have a winner, folks, but we're going to hold off on announcing it to give you all a bit more time to ponder this puzzler.

Reader Participation Day: How Many of the 392 National Park System Units Have You Visited?

Nov 17th - 13:39pm | Linda

Looks like we're at 93 and adding more each summer. I have stamps from almost all of them. The only reason is the park visitor center was not open. I love visiting our country's National Parks. Each one has something unique to investigate and enjoy.

National Park Service Establishing Protocols For Dealing With White-Nose Syndrome in Bat Populations

Nov 17th - 10:40am | Anonymous

In the last four years of research, not one smidgen of factual evidence points to the human transmission theory. Martians possibly will invade earth or so they say. Money is what is keeping the caver transmission theory alive and well. I have seen twelve full time federal jobs created with regards to White Nose Syndrome, at a yearly cost of over a million dollars.

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