One of Alaska’s most treasured bear-viewing sites is about to be turned into a destination theme park, sacrificing grizzly bear habitat on the altar of commercial development. After a decade of development planning, EIS and public input, once aimed at major improvements in resource protection, the National Park Service has aborted earlier plans for removal of facilities at Brooks River in Katmai National Park. Protection of a unique population of bears at this premier site is now seriously compromised, going against 50 years of research-based recommendations

Our public lands protect resources that belong to everyone yet some people decide to steal our resources for their own personal enrichment—robbing this and future generations.

User fees are becoming more and more prevalent on public lands used for recreation. Are they worth it? Occasional contributor Lee Dalton, retired from a National Park Service career, muses on that matter after visiting Timpanogos Cave National Monument in central Utah.

There is a place to start coming together on the federal budget, and Sen. Patty Murray is well-suited to lead the way as chairwoman of the Senate Budget Committee and a leader in the current, difficult budget negotiations. Shutting down the government — and our national parks — is simply not a reasonable choice.