Plight of the Parks

Antietam, Monocacy Battlefields on 2008 "Most Endangered" List

Development pressures, cellphone towers, and mining threats are among the concerns that landed the Antietam and Monocacy national battlefields, a portion of Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, and seven other battlefields on the 2008 list of "Most Endangered" Civil War battlefields.

2008 Endangered Battlefields.pdf

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 1st, 2008 3:55pm

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

I've told you about private development and Valley Forge National Historical Park, and about private development and Acadia National Park, and about the National Park Service being so poor it has to turn to commercial interests to preserve history. So does it come as any surprise that Congress approved, but failed to fund, expansion of Petrified Forest National Park?

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 31st, 2008 11:34am

2 comments

Our Endangered National Parks

At Yosemite National Park, concern for a river led to a staggering court ruling against the National Park Service. At Grand Canyon National Park, fears of radiation have led to congressional action to protect the park. At Yellowstone National Park, the buzzing of snowmobiles has caused science to be overlooked.

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 29th, 2008 10:59am

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

The good news from Glacier National Park is that there will be more seasonal employees on the ground this year. The bad news is that cyclic maintenance projects will continue to suffer.

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 28th, 2008 9:45am

1 comment

Decommissioning National Parks: Some History, And Some Ominous Clouds

My recent post on decommissioned national parks drew fairly good readership on the Traveler, but it garnered much more outcry on a private listserv delivered to retired National Park Service employees. Which spurs a number of questions, foremost among them being the obvious "Why?"

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By Kurt Repanshek - September 22nd, 2008 2:44pm

4 comments

Virgin Islands National Park: Another Park Threatened By Inbounds Development

Valley Forge National Historical Park isn't the only unit of the national park system threatened by development on private lands that fall within its borders. Far from it. The latest case involves Virgin Islands National Park, where development on roughly 1,400 privately owned acres within the park's borders is harming the park's resources.

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 26th, 2008 5:52pm

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

More than two centuries after General George Washington and his Continental Army somehow endured a bitterly cold and exacting winter at Valley Forge, the landscape is again in turmoil. On one side is a national historical park, one that helps preserve the memory of America's birth. On the other, an organization whose questionable motives could sully that landscape.

VAFO-ARC Briefing Statement.pdf

VAFO-ARC Implications.doc

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 23rd, 2008 8:42pm

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Crews Remove Garbage From Marijuana Farms in Sequoia National Park

Nearly three tons of garbage and almost six miles of hose have been removed from backcountry marijuana farms in Sequoia National Park.

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 18th, 2008 3:28pm

8 comments

Groups Ask Congressmen To Help Halt Killing of Yellowstone National Park Bison

As the killing of Yellowstone National Park bison continues, a coalition of groups is looking for congressional support to fund a solution.

MT Delegation RTR letter 3-11-08.pdf

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 17th, 2008 12:23pm

6 comments

Snowmobilers Continue to Roam Illegally Into Yellowstone National Park

There's a section of Yellowstone National Park not too far south of the park's West Entrance where access is tricky no matter what the season. But in winter, when the snow is deep, rogue snowmobilers find their way into the park to play.

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 13th, 2008 2:10pm

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INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

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

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks