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National Parks Traveler Podcast

National Parks Traveler Episode 43: Longest Terrestrial Migrations, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park

National Parks Traveler Episode 43: Long Distance Migrations and Jean LaFitte National Historical Park
Kyle Joly, a National Park Service wildlife biologist who long has studied terrestrial migrations in national park units in Alaska, discusses the longest land migrations in this week's show. Caribou and reindeer at the top of the long-distance travelers, but what about wolves? Contributing writer Kim O’Connell, fresh back from a visit to New Orleans, gives us a preview of her time at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

National Parks Traveler Episode 42: Yellowstone's Grizzlies, Fort Matanzas National Monument

How are Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears faring? Kerry Gunther, the park's bear expert, joins the Traveler this week to discuss the current state of grizzlies in the park and whether their population is growing or dropping. Erika Zambello takes listeners on a short audio trip to Fort Matanzas National Monument in Florida.

National Parks Traveler Episode #41: Addressing The Backlog, Out In The Parks, Spaceport Secrecy

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John Garder, the senior director of budget and appropriations for the National Parks Conservation Association, discusses congressional action on legislation to address the roughly $12 billion in backlogged maintenance needs across the National Park System. Becky Lomax, author of Moon USA National Parks, talks about what she's seeing in the parks in terms of that maintenance backlog, and we share thoughts about efforts to build a commercial spaceport just west of Cumberland Island National Seashore.

National Parks Traveler Episode 40: Counting Cacti, An Off-Season Visit To Cumberland Island

The Saguaro Census at Saguaro National Park
How is the health of saguaros at Saguaro National Park? While there's concern that one day Joshua trees might no longer grow in Joshua Tree National Park, or that Glacier National Park might lose its rivers of ice, what about Saguaro National Park and its iconic cacti? Kurt Repanshek travels to Saguaro National Park to discuss the decadal survey of saguaros with park biologist Don Swann. Erika Zambello heads to coastal Georgia for an off-season visit to Cumberland Island National Seashore.

National Parks Traveler Episode 39: Yellowstone's Wolves, National Parks of Lake Superior, Seasonal Migrations

Yellowstone Wolves/NPS
This week Doug Smith, who heads Yellowstone National Park’s Wolf Project, discusses how successful the wolf recovery program has been. We also visit with the executive director of the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation to discuss the five national park units the foundation works with, and end with a look at fall and winter migrations across the National Park System.

National Parks Traveler Episode 38: Afghan Snow Leopards, Protecting Nature, Virgin Islands National Park

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Dr. Alex Deghan, the CEO and co-founder of Conservation X Labs, discusses the challenges to preserve Afghanistan national parks in a war zone. We also outline a Senate resolution to protect a much larger slice of nature in the United States than is currently being done, and highlight a winter’s visit to Virgin Islands National Park.

National Parks Traveler Episode 37: NPS's Fiscal Fitness, Rockets Over Cumberland Island, Death Valley Winter

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Two professors, one from Harvard, the other from Colorado State University, studied the National Park Service's fiscal condition and came up with some suggestions for improving it. Professor Linda Bilmes discusses those opportunities with Traveler this week. We also look at possible impacts to Cumberland Island National Seashore from a proposed spaceport, and end this week's podcast with thoughts of visiting Death Valley National Park this winter.

National Parks Traveler Episode 36: The Elephant Queen, WNPA Honors, Bryce Canyon In Winter

Filmmakers Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone discuss their documentary, The Elephant Queen, which follows the matriarch of an elephant herd as she leads them from the “kingdom,” a lush landscape during the rainy season, to “the refuge,” where a reliable water hole slakes their thirst, came together. National Parks Traveler is honored by the Western National Parks Association, and we close with a look at a winter visit to Bryce Canyon National Park.

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