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Latest Posts tagged with "National Park Service"

New guidelines help clear smoke on California wildfires

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a reporter at the Redding Record Searchlight. He wanted my response to an agreement between the air quality regulators and the land management agencies that could spell relief for Californians inhaling smoke from forest fires. The Record Searchlight’s readership is pretty much the part of northern California that had 800,000 acres burn in 2008. Much of that burn occurred under conditions that funneled smoke right into the towns of northern California. So smoke is a big deal to the folks who read this newspaper. Region:  California Read more

Earth Day 2011: What are you doing this year?

Earth Day 2011, this April 22, reminds us that even in this time of unprecedented environmental challenge, every citizen has the power to affect change on a local, national and global level. Read more

Overrun by vehicles: Why Cape Hatteras’ birds and sea turtles need a break

Tire prints on Cape Hatteras beach in North Carolina. Photo by Walker Golder.

Stretching over 64 miles of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, Cape Hatteras National Seashore has a rich history as our nation’s first National Seashore. Once known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” the Seashore is famous for its tumultuous storms and currents that wreaked havoc on ships. Read more

Remembering Stewart Udall’s Conservation Legacy

Stewart L. Udall with Lady Bird Johnson on a trip to Snake River in 1964. Courtesy NPS.

One of the great voices of conservation has passed away. Stewart Udall, who  served in Congress and as Secretary of the Interior under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, died last weekend at the age of 90. Read more

Honoring Buffalo Soldiers’ role in establishing the National Parks

African-American participation in the armed forces dates back to the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War over 180,000 black men fought for the Union Army in volunteer regiments. The stirring movie “Glory,” starring Morgan Freeman, dealt with that period. Read more

Peace and Quiet: Can you still find it in our National Parks?

Kurt Fristrup and Karen Trevino. Photo by Damon Joyce.

This article first appeared in Wilderness Magazine. To read more great articles like this one, become a member today. It is getting louder all the time. It used to be easier to escape the din, and national parks and our other public lands were among the spots you could find peace and quiet. Most of these places remain the best prospects for basking in natural sounds, but the decibel level is on the rise. Read more

Yellowstone opens to fewer — but still too many — snowmobiles

Snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by David Long.

The winter season at the world’s first national park has begun, and thanks to recent snowstorms, anyone dreaming of a white Christmas should be able to find it at Yellowstone. This time of year can be especially peaceful — at least if you manage to steer clear of the snowmobiles that roar through this national park (and nearby Grand Teton National Park). Read more

Helping Ken Burns uncover National Parks' diversity

Lancelot Jones. Courtesy NPS.

Our own Frank Peterman had a hand in helping documentary maker Ken Burns find  one of the interesting characters portrayed in Burns’ much-anticipated series on national parks (The National Parks: America’s Best Idea), to begin airing on PBS on Sept. 27. Read more