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National Parks: Valuable Assets In Efforts To Conserve Birdlife

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 12, 2009 - 2:40am
Peregrine Falcons, once teetering on extinction, are regulars at Acadia National Park. Bald Eagles, also once feared to be ready to blink out, have rebounded incredibly and are highly visible in many national parks. During a week-long canoe trip in Yellowstone National Park last fall I was blown away by the birdlife. But how is the overall "state of birds" in America these days? Unfortunately, things aren't entirely as they appear.

Off to the Seastar Races At Acadia National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 8, 2009 - 3:48am
It's not often you can watch a seastar, aka starfish, move. Most of the times I've spied them they've been stuck in place. But this short video shows one on the move at Acadia National Park.

Tracing The Postage Stamp-Sized History of the National Park System

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 29, 2009 - 2:57am
You could call it a postage stamp-sized history of the National Park System, but the history of park scenes on U.S. postage is really quite colorful and carries a few stories with it.

It's That Time of Year: Peregrine Falcons Are Nesting At Acadia National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 26, 2009 - 3:04am
It's that time of year again -- the peregrine falcons are the Precipice Cliff in Acadia National Park. And while that means you can't head up the Precipice Trail, you can get a good look at these raptors that once were thought on the way to extinction.

National Park Quiz 46: Glaciers

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on March 18, 2009 - 2:30am
This week’s quiz is all about glaciers and glaciation in the national parks. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we’ll make you write on the whiteboard 100 times: “Eskers, depositional landforms composed of stratified gravel and sand, characteristically exist as long, narrow, sinuous ridges with steep sides.”

National Park Quiz 45: Green

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on March 11, 2009 - 2:30am
St. Patrick’s Day is less than a week away, so this week’s quiz will see if you’re ready to start thinking green. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we’ll make you write on the whiteboard 100 times: “The shamrock of Irish legend is a three-leaf clover symbolizing the Holy Trinity.”

Five Units of National Park System to Benefit From Trails Dollars

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 4, 2009 - 5:17pm
A coming infusion of $330,000 will help five units of the National Park System improve their trail networks.

National Park Quiz 43: Names

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on February 25, 2009 - 4:00am
Take this week’s quiz and find out if you’re up to snuff on national park names. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we’ll make you say Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau over and over until you can pronounce it correctly.

Maine-based Groups Join Fight to Overturn Gun Rule for National Parks

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on February 8, 2009 - 4:09am
Two groups in Maine have joined the legal bid to overturn the Bush administration's decision to allow national park visitors to arm themselves.

National Park Quiz 39: Winter

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on January 28, 2009 - 4:00am
This week’s quiz will find out if you are a winterwise park visitor. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we’ll make you explain why the Bergeron-Findeisen process grows snowflakes only because the equilibrium vapor pressure of water vapor with respect to ice is less than that with respect to liquid water at the same subfreezing temperature.