West Virginia's official state motto is "Montani Semper Liberi," which translates to "Mountaineers are always Free" and which might explain U.S. Shelley Moore Capito's move to both rename New River Gorge National River as New River Gorge National Park and allow sport hunting to continue within its boundaries.

There have been quite a few comments this past week or so in light of an incident at Great Smoky Mountains National Park about bear behavior and what to do with a bear that either mauls a human or feeds on a dead body. There are some good books out there about bear behavior, and what you can do to protect yourself from bears, both blacks and grizzlies.

The National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the Presidio Trust have launched the public engagement process for a multi-year effort to revitalize the Crissy Field area of the Presidio. With a growing urban population, unique natural and cultural features, and a changing bay environment, the next chapter of Crissy Field begins.

Two more wolves were moved to Isle Royale National Park this week as efforts continued to ensure predators would be on the island to counter the burgeoning moose population there.