You are here

Home

All Recent Comments

Mount Vernon, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Proposed To Become World Heritage Sites

Mar 31st - 19:57pm | Sabattis

I know that the National Park Service will argue that it doesn't want to take on sites that are already being adequately preserved by other entities, but it seems particularly discongruous that the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site is in fact an Illinois State Park.

Our Endangered National Parks

Mar 31st - 19:33pm | repanshek

I'm not yet convinced that the Centennial Initiative is going to do the job that the park system needs done. For starters, Congress has yet to pass legislation to authorize the initiative.

Mar 31st - 18:46pm | Sabattis

Is a new Commission really needed in light of the Centennial Initiative? Moreover, if the only goal of the Commission would be to make the case that the National Park Service needs more funding, I doubt that it would represent good bang for the buck. You could probably paper-over the city of Washington with Commission Reports that identify the need for more spending on national priorities.

Mar 30th - 20:49pm | Barky

One can only hope that the "green" movement can be enlisted to protect the parks. Their voice and political clout is increasing, if saving the parks can be considered a green initiative, maybe that will turn the tide. ===========================

Mar 30th - 10:12am | Anonymous

Pardon me Kurt, I meant "conscience" not conscious. Sometimes anger gets in the way with words regarding the Bush & Cheney administration. Sorry!

Mar 29th - 18:46pm | fhasti

Yes we do need a commission to keep our National Parks a priority in the minds of any and all who hold the power to give or take away funding. However, have we seen anything in the current roll of potential leaders of our country who have any interest at all in changing anything within our park system??? Do you really believe anyone who says they will make changes?

Mar 29th - 12:48pm | Anonymous

With the Bush administration running out the clock as are do nothing president, expect the worse from the NPS. The next administration will have a monumental task in cleaning up the Bush & Cheney environmental mess with the Park Service. Such a travesty of a administration without a conscious!

Violent Deaths in the National Parks

Mar 31st - 19:17pm | Anonymous

NRA propaganda? Because the country is so "stressed" at the moment?

Mar 29th - 15:31pm | Fred Miller

Nicely said Jim. It is amazing to me that it is so incredibly difficult for some people to understand such a simple concept. Please continue voicing your opinion on this issue. You have a very good way with words.

Mar 28th - 22:39pm | Jim

On the "Parks are safer than cities so you don't need guns." argument; If that is true then drivers in rural areas don't need insurance because there are fewer fatalities - even on a per capita basis.

Entrance Fee Repeal Legislation Would Have Little Impact on National Parks

Mar 31st - 19:11pm | Sabattis

Sens. Baucus and Crapo miss the point - Americans do not already pay to use their public lands through their taxes. While taxes do pay for the protection of public lands, these taxes do not cover usage. A person visiting public lands imposes additional costs on the land, such as wear and tear on the facilities, and the time of Rangers, etc.

Congress Authorized Expansion of Petrified Forest National Park, But Forgot to Fund It

Mar 31st - 18:45pm | repanshek

Sabattis, good to hear from you again. NPT has missed your voice.

Mar 31st - 18:33pm | Sabattis

Kurt,

Battle Mounts Over Off-Road Vehicles at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Mar 31st - 11:43am | Ken

From the Plaintiffs "Memorandum of Law in Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss filed by the Defendant-Intervenors (the “Motion”)." The following is provided to illustrate how DOW, AS, and SELC are misrepresenting certain stated facts in their injunction. It is similar to misquoting or taking verses in the bible out of context.

Mar 27th - 11:16am | Dave

clearly NON of you treehugers have ever been to this beach or you would know that the people that cause the issues are the bird watchers, we fisherman stay on the surf area thats REGURALY underwater, thus any bird eggs in the driving area would be either destroyed by the currents or carried out to sea.

Appellate Court Rules Against Yosemite National Park

Mar 31st - 11:08am | Anonymous

A long term solution would be to restore the Hetch Hetchy valley by removing the dam. This would probably take 50+ years to accomplish, but at least there'd be another valley to visit once it's complete.

Mar 30th - 19:41pm | Kath

A reservations system works well for Denali National Park. The only entry into the park is by reserved seats on the bus, which must be made well in advance. And they aren't exactly cheap either. But it protects Denali from being overrun with vehicles and people. Reservations are required for spaces on the boats to to Channel Islands National Park.

Mar 30th - 11:50am | Cee

Good! The less people the better I say!, It is less likely to interfere with Nature at it's best with Less People! Cee

Mar 29th - 23:52pm | Tom

This is an excellent ruling! We need to understand that "...in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations" means just what it says. The present NPS leadership seems to be placing visitors ahead of the resource. That's short sighted and damaging to the resource. Again, the courts got it right on this one!

Mar 29th - 03:45am | MRC

Raising the fees for the most admired parks will exclude that part of the people, that has the most limited options anyway. Limit the number of admissions by reserved tickets will lead to a secondary market of tickets with very much the same result. If the NPS wants to have even the most crowded parks open for all, they need to divert part of the visitors to secondary areas.

Mar 28th - 20:14pm | Anonymous

Raise the fees, that will keep the numbers down, and the rif-raf out.

Mar 28th - 10:12am | Kath

There's only one way to limit Yosemite visitors: reserved tickets for entry. A limited number per day. No big block reservations.

Mar 28th - 04:38am | Marylander

If you have ever traveled to Yosemite National Park, then you know that something has to be done in that valley. Out of all of the national parks, Yosemite is my least favorite because of the crowds. You simply can't escape the crowds, it is as simple as that.

Mar 27th - 23:33pm | Anonymous

Why would anyone expect a sensible ruling from the 9th?

Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West

Mar 31st - 10:46am | Nick Mojave

Two words: Invasive Species.

Big Cypress National Preserve: Is More ORV Access In Bear Island Unit Wise?

Mar 30th - 01:58am | ERIK

I have a few things to say one is that i know many OVRer and 98% of them care more about a trail then most vistor because that is there backyard i have seen it from south florida to the northwest. I have lived all over the US and they are in every state and are great people and most adhear to the treadlightly plan.

World War II Sites in the National Park System

Mar 29th - 18:56pm | Truman Sterk

Jeremy, There are a lot of war monuments and memorials that are not in the US Park system. I have been to the two Pacific arena national cemetaries that include memeorials. One is in Honolulu the other is in Manila. Both are very inspiring and a tremendous tribute to the men and women who are buried there.

Whatever Became of the Decommissioned National Parks?

Mar 28th - 23:16pm | Merryland

Who the heck is "Claire Burtons"? If you mean Clara Barton and somehow think that her life and story aren't worthy of a central place from which to tell it, you are sadly mistaken. Now Glen Echo Park -- that's certainly a big question mark...

Mar 28th - 09:59am | Bob Janiskee

Eric, we owe you a vote of thanks for drawing attention to Alan Hogenauer’s article “Gone but Not Forgotten: The Delisted Units of the U.S. National Park System.” It provides an excellent history of sites that have been entirely removed from the national park inventory after having been established. A surprisingly large number of parks have been erased from the inventory for various reasons.

Mar 24th - 21:48pm | Eric

If you are interested in the topic, it is well worth checking out Dr. Alan Hogenauer's interesting, fun and well researched article "Gone, But Not Forgotten: The Delisted Units of the U.S. National Park System" in The George Wright Forum, Volume 7, Number 4, 1991 You can download a copy here: http://www.georgewright.org/074.pdf

Mar 24th - 20:51pm | Barky

Based on encroachment, gentrification, motorized recreation, and other threats to natural and historic treasures, I'd love to see more NPS involvement, not less. The answer to an underfunded and over-worked NPS is to properly fund and staff it, not knuckle under pressure to decommission sites.

Mar 24th - 20:02pm | Anonymous

Regarding the comment about the site devoted to the fur trade, Bent's Fort NHS already does the job. But, as a "faithfully reconstructed" Fort on the footprint of the original fort I might question its national significance.

Electric Map Going Away at Gettysburg National Military Park

Mar 28th - 18:24pm | Rachel G

I saw the electric map on yesterday. I was sad to see on the internet that it would be going away. Having the map puts things into perspective and it gives some a view of what actually took place in Gettysburg.

Valley Forge: Once Again A Battleground, This Time Pitting History Against Development

Mar 28th - 17:58pm | melissam523

The development plans horrify me--what can an average citizen like me do to stop this?

Decommissioning National Parks: Some History, And Some Ominous Clouds

Mar 28th - 16:00pm | Bob

This has been an interesting discussion. I have followed it here and on our “retirees” group site. I would not be surprised if some movement is made in this area; the public certainly needs to know.

Mar 28th - 13:29pm | Chas

We wouldn't need this discussion if we weren't spending $12,000,000,000 (thats 12 billion!) a month on our Iraq occupation not to mention the half trillion dollar defense budget. When will we realize that the military industrial complex is the 800 lb gorilla of our federal budget?

NPS Retirees Oppose Carrying Guns in National Parks

Mar 28th - 12:37pm | Anonymous

That's funny that you think that folks who carry have any intention of harming another human or wildlife in a national park. Will you be thinking that when when of those "fools" is saving your life when you're being attacked by a bear?

FY2008 Budget Provides Seasonal Increases At Glacier National Park, But Hamstrings Other Operations

Mar 28th - 12:23pm | ReBecca

Excellent! I am glad to hear Glacier is going to be able to hire more people (even if they are seasonal) and will be able to keep moving forward. It is such a wonderful park!! It is too bad there are some short falls, but at least they are able to do more than some can.

Encyclopedia of Life Debuts

Mar 27th - 21:10pm | Anonymous

I consider this new website another important tool in the endless struggle to conserve and protect our slowly dwindling natural heritage. A definite must for all college resource majors, professionals in the field of wildlife sciences and those who cherish our natural history.

Group's Lawsuit Says Wolves, Not Bullets, Should Control Elk at Rocky Mountain National Park

Mar 27th - 15:37pm | repanshek

Well, wolves have been roaming the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and central Idaho since the mid-1990s, and the Glacier NP region as well as Isle Royale NP for much longer, and I think you'll be hard-pressed to find a single incident of a wolf attacking a hiker -- or any human, for that matter -- in those areas.

Mar 27th - 15:34pm | Anonymous

Before restoring wolves to the American west I would recommend allowing us "Westerners" to carry a loaded fire-arm for protection. Wolves are very efficient predators and will naturally attack the easiest of prey, hikers.

Mar 27th - 11:30am | Autoversicherung

Great comment and my favorit Blog. Thanks and Best Regards

Virgin Islands National Park: Another Park Threatened By Inbounds Development

Mar 27th - 10:20am | Kath

Either the government or private conservation groups should buy the private land and donate it to the park. But if the landowners bought the land before the national park was created with zoning that permitted building homes, they have to be compensated or be permitted to build.

National Parks Conservation Association: Interior Buckled to NRA Over Park Gun Laws

Mar 26th - 20:24pm | Anonymous

Fred, feel free to use any of my comments.

Mar 26th - 15:46pm | Fred Miller

Mr Anonymous - I only wish I could make a point as well as you do. Your statements here are right on the dot. May I use some of your stuff in my own arguments? If I do, I will be honest enough to say, "I didn't say that, but I wish I had!"

Mar 26th - 14:52pm | Anonymous

"We believe that enabling individuals to carry loaded guns in national parks will alarm families visiting the parks, and heighten the possibility for deadly visitor conflicts." You believe or you have empirical evidence to support this statement? The presence of a firearm does not imply a greater level of danger.

Studies Show Bear Spray More Effective Than Guns Against Grizzlies

Mar 26th - 19:17pm | fhasti

So here's a few questions to throw out for everyone to chew on...if this proposal passes should something be done to change current laws to deter careless citizens from discharging their firearms whenever they feel threatend by wildlife within the park?

Should Anything Be Done With Angel's Landing?

Mar 25th - 18:28pm | Anonymous

I just hiked Angels Landing for the first time on Easter last week and I was more afraid watching the confusion of people not being able to get around each other on the last part than the fact its a long way down. It felt like 'any moment now' something bad is going to happen. And like Lea said about the audio recording on the shuttle, inviting everyone!

Critics: Changing Gun Laws in National Parks Would Open a "Pandora's Box" of Problems

Mar 25th - 10:56am | Lone Hiker

With 90 registered firearms per 100 people in this country, I'd say we pretty well qualify as an "armed society".

Missing Cavers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park Ill-Prepared

Mar 24th - 20:48pm | Anonymous

Hey guys...I have been caving and cave diving all of my life. Caving is like climbing a mountain...Most of the careless misstakes happen on the way out or down. In this case "Out and Up!"

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.