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08/09/2005 - 12:32pmBLM Backs Off on Leasing Lands Near Canyonlands for Energy ExplorationYou make a good point regarding the Democrats' complicity on the energy bill. However, what can't be ignored or diminished is that both President Bush and Vice President Cheney were oil men before they took office. Also not to be forgotten are the closed-door sessions Cheney held with energy industry ...
09/03/2005 - 7:42amCooperative Conservation UpdateJon, I'm guessing the president made that videotape BEFORE the handiwork of Paul Hoffman at Interior became wideknown. Obviously, if Bush thinks we need to make our parks "more accessible and inviting," then he hasn't visited one in quite a while for a little peace and quiet and spent a ...
11/07/2005 - 6:36amWhen It's Time for TightsJoan, The base material of the tights blends four-way stretch 80 percent Coolmax and 20 percent Lycra, while the conditioning web itself is two-way stretch 80 percent nylon and 20 percent Lycra. The insulated models debuting this fall also offer anti-bacterial properties which should help with the odor problem. I'm ...
11/09/2005 - 7:02amManagement Policies PrimerCindy, I do have a call in to the National Park Foundation. However, I'd be surprised to see them comment on what's going on with the Management Policies, as the foundation was created by Congress and isn't likely to bite back.
12/06/2005 - 11:48amSlowly Starving the ParksKathy, a great way to get involved is to comment on what Park Service officials in Washington are trying to do. Read my post on the former NPS executives asking that the proposed Management Policies revisions be tossed out, visit the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees' website (www.npsretirees.org) to ...
01/01/2006 - 4:25pmShould Park Entrance Fees be Eliminated?Thanks for your feedback, Supt. Longstreet. You raise some good points regarding the financial struggles the Park Service is grappling with. Before I address them, I must correct myself. Scott Silver is not advocating that park entrance fees be eliminated. He merely raised the question to spur debate and dialogue, ...
01/03/2006 - 5:11pmWho's Viewing Traveler?Hey Robot Vegetable, Great photos! You're absolutely right about Little Wild Horse Canyon, too. Back in the '30s, I believe, there was talk about turning the San Rafael Swell into a national park, but it never got off the ground. Now the BLM is struggling to preserve it from rambunctious ...
01/10/2006 - 8:55amLegacy of a Grizzly Attack Jeremy, I haven't heard about this particular book. It sounds heart-wrenching. For folks interested in bear attacks and how to avoid them, I'd recommend "Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidances," by Stephen Herrero, a biologist from British Columbia. His book includes some riveting details about bear attacks and is ...
01/13/2006 - 9:08amWords Matter Jeremy, This same nomenclature issue arose a decade ago over the wolf restoration project in Yellowstone. A word I think best describes these projects is "recovery." Kurt
01/25/2006 - 9:54amHow Big Is the Park Service's Backlog?Excellent question. I should have included some examples to reflect the maintenance problems. The three parks you mentioned -- Acadia, Zion and Bryce, along with Cedar Breaks National Monument -- are all small operations with relatively little overhead, compared to places like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, etc. I was to ...
02/02/2006 - 9:41amAre Park Inholdings Good Partnerships?Thanks for clarifying the status at Isle Royale, Supt. Longstreet. The distinction between inholders and leaseholders is major, one I had overlooked. With dwindling federal dollars, and more on-the-ground necessities to address, parks no doubt will have to search for those innovative partnerships you mentioned to preserve places like the ...
02/16/2006 - 4:37pmSecretary Norton Urged by 36 House Members to Stop Management Policies OverhaulJeanne et al, The other signatories are: Nancy Pelosi Sam Farr Raul Grijalva Rush Holt Vic Snyder Chris Van Hollen Tom Udall Mark Udall Pete Stark Ed Case William Delahunt Bob Filner Ed Markey George Miller Ellen Tauscher Major Owens Jay Inslee Barbara Lee Allyson Schwartz Michael McNulty Ben Chandler ...
02/18/2006 - 8:56amShould Glacier NP Be Considered Endangered?Are Glacier's glaciers remarkable? Probably not when compared to the areas cited by John. But I think most folks associate glaciers with the far, far north, remote and wild lands, not the Lower 48, and so Glacier NP conjures all these incredible images of somewhat mystical places (mystical in terms ...
02/25/2006 - 1:33pmBlue Ribbon Coalition Takes Offensive On Yellowstone Snowmobile DebateI don't think casting aspersions is the answer to solving West Yellowstone's problems. As Alan points out, the town exists solely because of the park, like so many other gateways towns across the national park landscape. They exist to serve the parks with lodgings, restaurants, gift shops, etc., and to ...
03/07/2006 - 4:59pmFire Recovery in Yellowstone Unnatural? I haven't read the Washington Times article, though it sounds interesting. I was in Yellowstone in 1988 covering the wildlfires for The Associated Press, an assignment I'll never forget. While my first trip to the park that summer was breathtaking for the "damage" that seemed to be raining down ...
03/14/2006 - 5:20pmDo We Need to Rethink The NPS?John, The Dixie National Forest in south-central Utah has much more impressive lava fields, in my opinion. Perhaps not as large, acreage-wise, but definitely more beautiful, what with groves of aspen interspersed among the black crusted lava beds. In fall, with the golden aspen leaves, the contrast is just gorgeous. ...
04/13/2006 - 6:14amPark Visitation, Part TwoJohn, while you raise questions in need of answers, I didn't intend to suggest that NPS trends mirrored those at New Mexico's state parks or vice versa. Rather, it was simply to point out that just as NPS visitation goes up and down, so does that at New Mexico's state ...
04/13/2006 - 6:27amPark Visitation Trends: Is There a Problem?For what it's worth, after NPS visitation peaked at a record 287.2 million in 1987, it plummeted all the way down to 255.8 million in 1990, rebounded a bit to 274.7 million in 1992, and then slid again to 265.8 million in 1996 before climbing back up to 287.1 million ...
04/15/2006 - 10:32amYellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to RoamVal, I hear where you're coming from. My wife is a second-generation Wyoming native, and her dad was a rancher for a long time. At the same time, the Y2Y proposal does not call for removing humans from the landscape to create "an unrestricted corridor from Wyoming to the Yukon." ...
04/25/2006 - 2:57pmCar Camping and Quiet are a Challenging Pair Great pointers for selecting campsites in Olympic, Jeremy. There's nothing worse that pulling into what you think is an idyllic site only to be overrun by others who quickly pollute the setting with blaring stereos, generators, and all-night parties. Another good reason to focus on shoulder-season visits to the ...
05/04/2006 - 6:48amWatch Out for Those Recreation FeesJohn, methinks you're venturing onto a slippery slope. Congress created the national park system for all Americans to enjoy and benefit from. It didn't create the system only for those who could afford the fees. You ask whether those who often or frequently visit the parks should pay more than ...
05/16/2006 - 11:49amCan National Parks and Video Games Find Common Ground? Jerry, You're obviously a member of the Millennial Generation, those youngsters born roughly between 1978 and 2003, give or take a few years. That generation is notorious for getting its kicks from gaming, not experiencing. I have two sons in that niche, and they both feast on video games. ...
05/26/2006 - 9:47amCell Phones in Wilderness Areas Jerry, I see your point about tossing the phone in for safety, but my concern, and there are rangers out there who no doubt would agree, is that these instill a false sense of confidence in people who don't have all the skills they need to be in the ...
06/13/2006 - 2:39pm"Deals Can Still Be Had"Sabbatis, that's great to hear the Mesa Verde special trips have been sold out. How many families bought tickets? Do you really think your "average" park visitor and her/his family of four is going to shell out $800 for a horseback ride? Perhaps if the Park Service was adequately funded ...
06/13/2006 - 2:46pmTurning the National Parks Over to VolunteersSabbatis, in all fairness, Ms. Mainella is supposed to be an advocate for the NPS and the entire national park system. It's a role I have yet to see her embrace. True, she has to play the budget she's dealt, but perhaps if she voiced some concern over the plight ...
07/18/2006 - 4:39pm"Human-Powered" Recreationalists Applaud Dirk and FranMike, Glad to have your two cents. Obviously, when it comes to national parks we disagree on what is and isn't appropriate. And that's fine. My whole intention is to spur debate. There are a couple things you need to understand so you'll see where I'm coming from. The U.S. ...
07/20/2006 - 10:39amOf Bugs, Buzz Off, And RepellentsThat's a damn good solution, but I'm not quite ready to resort to it...
09/09/2006 - 2:23pmBackpacker's Chocolate: A Trailside LuxuryHey Parkaholic, let me know next time you head into the backcountry in Utah, Wyoming or Idaho. I definitely want to pack with a guy who hauls in fresh coffee and steaks! I usually only haul that kinda grub when I'm canoeing. As for your mantel lantern, keep an eye ...
09/21/2006 - 4:45pmNational Geographic: Over The Top?We're moving in the right direction, folks. The question is whether this will be merely a ripple in cyberspace or the beginning of a groundswell? There is a dire need for a constructive, national debate on what direction our national park system should be taken during its second century. So ...
10/03/2006 - 1:53pmYosemite's Merced River Plan, And Other Legal ContortionsJames et al, You can find details of the park's plans at: http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/planning/mrp/ Kurt
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