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Don't Stand in the Way of NPS and Its Logos

May 14th - 13:00pm | Claire Walter

I wouldn't have imagined this particular scenario, but why am I not surprised by the general wrong-headedness that seems to accompany almost every government decision these days? Elected/appointed officials are loose cannons more often than not, while the bureaucrats become increasingly bureaucratic.

May 14th - 11:56am | retreadranger

I saw this article this morning, by way of the NPS retirees' listserv, and commented on my own blog. It's a sad day when the Service seems to be more interested in "protecting its intellectual property" than in promoting awareness and appreciation of park resources.

Bryce Hoping to Give Visitors View of the Cosmos

May 13th - 15:09pm | jr_ranger

Backpacker magazine just did a article on the NPS's Nigh Sky Team. Check it out in the June 07 issue of the magazine.

Big Cypress: Wilderness or ORVs?

May 13th - 10:02am | Tom Hanson

Having grown up in the Big Cypress even before it was a national preserve, I find it very frustrating that people that know nothing about the area or it's history submit comments for consideration and this information is used by the NPS planning departments. Swamp buggies have been used for over 50 years as necessary for travel in the Everglades.

May 11th - 16:15pm | repanshek

Richard, I appreciate the time you took to comment. There is always more than one side to an issue; often there are at least a good half-dozen. And there also are many sets of "facts."

May 11th - 14:59pm | Richard Harvey

Kurt,I read your article and must say I disagree with alot of your opinions.My family and I have been visiting Big Cypress Bear Island unit for many years and have not seen buggy ruts like your picture shows.We have traveled down every trail and for the most part they are kept clean of trash and people are obeying rules.I have seen deer,panther and many other animals in the same area over and over

May 11th - 11:14am | c.mogelvang

Retired Physician, lover of outdoors,WITH endangered species concerns. Take away the sense of freedom and the ability to be familiar with sometimes risky activities(e.g: exposure to panthers and even rattlesnakes), as well as being comfortable with guns, from our citizens, and the YOUNG PEOPLE they take with them to the rugged outdoors, and eventually you take away our means of national defense.

May 9th - 09:59am | Wayne Jenkins

The above comments were posted by Wayne Jenkins, not Bruce Ward. I don't know how the error occurred.

May 9th - 09:53am | Wayne Jenkins

Once again, instead of of all user groups working together to allow everyone to protect and enjoy their favorite recreation, we have a group pushing their agenda with mis-representation of the facts.

May 6th - 04:51am | Bruce Ward

I find it interesting that for all of the damage you claim ORV's cause, two of the three pictures in the article show buggies doing no damage to the ground. It is only the same picture with the wheel ruts filled with water,you continually see in newspaper articles. Historically you could enter Big Cypress with an ORV in many different points of access. They narrowed it down to just a few.

May 5th - 09:17am | Eric Kimmel

The Additon lands are to be managed with the traditional cultural uses as is the original part of the BICY this is the law and was promised o those who went to Washington to create the Preserve. The historical cultual uses including buggies ,airboats, hunting, fishing, frogging and camping was supposed to be allowed.

Santa Barbara Newspaper Capsulizes Yosemite Fight

May 11th - 14:42pm | Lindsay Buhles

The Santa Barbara Independent story provides a great overview of this issue.

Fee Creep Reaches Olympic National Park

May 11th - 12:52pm | Onca NOCA Ranger

Historically, roughing it in the backcountry has been the preferred--and usually free--alternative for many younger visitors visiting parks. I've always considered this a good incentive--it helps scouts and others develop a strong lifelong appreciation for nature and our parks.

The "Real" Cost of Visiting a Park

May 11th - 10:43am | MS Kennedy

Seems like the general public's lack knowledge of other public lands (at low or no fee levels) is part of the problem. NFS and/or BLM lands surround many of the "crown" parks and have myriad free or low-cost options for recreation.

May 10th - 12:16pm | kath

Done that. Requires a back country permit which at busy times you have to get well in advance. There can be no spur of the moment trips anymore to Yosemite, Yellowstone, Sequoia etc. So you won't see me shedding any tears over dropping visitation levels.

May 10th - 09:39am | Snowbird

Kath, I do sympathize and I do know that feeling...try lite back packing in a few miles and see if your luck changes. You be suprised at the empty camp sites. Most vistors and campers don't venture off the beaten trails less then a few miles anyway. Good luck!

May 10th - 09:07am | kath

Speaking for one nuclear family that would like to visit the parks more, I'll tell you our experience. With work and school our times to visit are limited to summer and weekends. For that, in Yosemite and Sequoia, we have to reserve lodging six months in advance. I've tried in recent weeks to reserve space for spring break or Memorial Day --impossible.

May 9th - 20:18pm | matt

Kurt, I know this isn't the response people like to hear but it really is out of Kemp's and Bomar's hands. Until the President and Congress choose to adequately fund the NPS instead of pushing private investment there really is not much they can do - other than resign in protest, which I doubt either of them plan on doing.

May 9th - 14:51pm | repanshek

I *knew* that'd get a comment from you, Jim;-) Sadly, I'm beginning to wonder if it's too late to have this discussion regarding the parks. Is the concrete already set? The larger societal issue you allude to has a much longer, more intricate, life than the one now involving the parks, and I'll leave that for others to debate.

May 9th - 13:48pm | Jim Macdonald

Geez, Kurt, "literary cyber-portal"? LOL...

Canaveral Seashore Charges for Turtle Tours

May 11th - 06:47am | Rick Smith

Kurt--

Visitation Trends

May 9th - 22:28pm | Ranger X

The Chaco Canyon visitation decline makes me want to visit tomorrow. Wait. I can't afford the gas.

May 9th - 07:33am | Snowbird

I don't think it's the user fees for the decline in the National Parks attendence....but a general lack of interest in our natural and cultural heritage...I don't see the Bush administration taking a deep interest in the National Parks.

May 9th - 06:07am | Jim Macdonald

I think it's very, very difficult to show a cause from a statistical correlation. It takes a lot of research and experiments on a lot of different variables. And, let's say that user fees are in part a cause of declining park visitation. A lot of people will still wonder, "So what? Weren't you all just complaining that the parks were being loved to death?"

May 8th - 21:34pm | matt

How much of the decline is due to fees and how much is due to social and cultural changes? People work more and recreate less compared to five or ten years ago. Doesn't it stand to reason that they will have less time to visit national parks? Its easy and convenient to pin the blame on fees, but I believe there is a lot more to it than that.

May 8th - 13:29pm | kath

Visitor traffic to Channel Islands National Park has been up and down since '97. And there's no fee to enter the visitor's center and no NPS fee to visit the islands. Redwoods NP visitation went down after '96 but they have no fee. And in fee-charging parks the record isn't consistent either. Yellowstone went up in '98 and then leveled off to roughly '97 levels.

Some Restraint, Please

May 9th - 12:34pm | Owen Hoffman

As a frequent NPT reader who is interested in open discussion of issues related to national parks and the National Park Service, I find National Parks Traveler to be an outstanding outlet for information and opinion. Thank you for announcing your editorial intention to keep it that way.

Woman Dies in Fall From Angel's Landing

May 8th - 21:56pm | Wade Lippman

I am rather afraid of heights. Would it be possible to run a rope from a climbing harness around the chain and back to the harness with a carabiner? Would that somehow disrupt things for other people?

Is Wilderness Designation near For Rocky Mountain?

May 8th - 21:26pm | matt

Its not everyday that all of the major cities, towns, and/or counties all support designation... Musgrave and Dullard should get out of the way and let it happen.

Canned Audio Tours Replacing Rangers

May 8th - 10:38am | Snowbird

I agree Jim! There's nothing more rewarding then being ushered by a well versed National Park Ranger on various subjects...either it be natural, historical or anthropological...it's feels more personal and less intrusive with all that (plug in the ears) yakked talk.

May 8th - 08:48am | Jim

In Kansas City, we just had a private exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls that made use of "audio wands" to provide commentary on the various parts of the exhibit. These wands were really like big cell phones, so you're wandering around in a room of 50 or so other people who all have this thing up to their ear. It looks like something out of a Kurt Vonnegut story.

Help Ken Burns Chronicle the Parks

May 8th - 06:57am | Jamie Desmond

My mother grew up at Hazel creek North Carolina before that area was established as the Smoky Mountains. Her father, Orson Burlingame was an engineer and managed the Ritter Lumber Company which was the major employer for that area until 1942 when all residence were required to leave. My grandfather and numerous relatives are buried at Bone Valley, the cemetary for that area.

NPS: Public Protests Could Halt Fee Increases

May 7th - 16:37pm | JayC

I've been trying to e-mail a comment to Haleakala and keep getting the message returned by the NPS mail router. Either the Superintendent is on vacation or the mailbox is conveniently full or they are getting a big response commenting on NPS proposed increase for their park. Is there a NPS Washington Office taking comments?

Ruts in Big Cypress, Wilderness And Endangered Species

May 7th - 11:39am | Sally

Great post, Steve.... Keep coming back to this blog, we need more reasoned, intelligent conservative voices to quell the incessant whining that many posters here emanate.

May 7th - 11:08am | Steven DeLine

One has to remember that internet photos can have a long life. It would be interesting to know the date these pictures were made, not when they were found on the internet. Also where were they taken? The ORV trail management system, is a ten year implementation. There are about three years left until full implementation. Until then disbursed use is still allowed in certain areas.

May 7th - 09:57am | Random Walker

"But Bruce raises another question, too, one that spurs the philosophical question of whether an environment is wasted if it's preserved as wilderness?" This is an "apt" question? Bull.. I do not think I have to spell it out, I hope not. Kurt, I recommend spending some time (more than your last whirlwind tour) in a National Park Wilderness of your choice. ;-)

Entrance Fees and National Park Attendance

May 7th - 11:29am | YellowstoneJunkie

No hate here...sounds more like LEFT wing BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome) comin' from your end.... In case ya haven't noticed...this President doesn't govern by polls...he couldn't care less what his "approval rating" is...he knows that tough decisions have to be made.

May 7th - 07:39am | Snowbird

Hey! Yellowstone Jack, you must be proud of this President's recent job approval ratings, something like 24%. Stick with the issues Yellowstone that Kurt has set up for us, not this right wing political hate spreel. Have a good day!

May 6th - 22:08pm | YellowstoneJunkie

LOL...guess what? He's STILL our President! So ya just gotta get over it...you are so pathetic, Birdie....

May 6th - 14:00pm | Snowbird

Not hate Yellowstone Junkie, but your blog is purely right wing political crap. Bush's flying records were lost for years as well as him being AWOL...obscured in some hidden airbase far from Nam...known fact! Don't swift boat or sugar coat this man's unmeritorious record.

May 6th - 13:39pm | YellowstoneJunkie

You are filled with way too much hate, Snowbird...it's gonna be funny to see who y'all hate next after the president returns to his beautiful ranch in Texas (which I am sure HE can't wait to do). Actually President Bush was flying the F-102 Delta Dagger with the Texas Air National Guard in a homeland defense interceptor role:

May 6th - 12:13pm | Snowbird

Hey! Yellowstone Junkie, where was Bush during the Nam days? Hiding is Papa's arm pits...with a bottle of booze in his arms.

May 5th - 12:38pm | YellowstoneJunkie

Jon Carry...LOL...the one with the Purple Hearts for a few scratches!!

May 5th - 09:52am | Dan

Vis-à-vis 'Jon Carry.' http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/02/kerry.photo/index.html

May 5th - 08:30am | matt

Jon Carry?

NPCA Opens Southwest Regional Office

May 7th - 07:21am | John Zavodny

Greetings, Do you know anyone (including yourself) who might be prepared to take on the responsibility of training the next generation of conservation law enforcement officers?

National Geographic Channel Looks at Yellowstone, Yosemite

May 7th - 01:09am | Susan

Please can someone tell me when and if these programmes are to be aired in the UK. Thanks

How Are Entrance Fees Affecting Visitation?

May 6th - 08:24am | Jane

I find myself caught in the middle of the fee dilemma. When I was about 10, my parents pulled up to the gates of Rocky Mountain National Park, then turned away when they couldn't afford the fee, opting instead for free campgrounds elsewhere. Our disappointment was huge since we'd driven 800 miles with a borrowed tent and furniture pads for sleeping bags for our first visit to the Rockies.

Public Meetings Scheduled on Yellowstone Winter Use

May 5th - 08:49am | repanshek

Hey Junkie, I don't mind your comments, but I'd appreciate it if you'd eliminate the profanities and try to be just a little constructive.

May 4th - 23:01pm | YellowstoneJunkie

Shaddap Bill Wade...here is my new sled this year: http://www.brp.com/en-US/Products/SkiDoo/Showroom/MachZX.htm Dear Ricky: DUH...where do ya hold a meeting about snowmobiles?? IN SNOWMOBILE COUNTRY...YELLOWSTONE...HEEE-YAAAAAA!!!!! Where do ya wanna hold it...in New York City? How about Miami...dumba$$!!

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