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Environmental, Cultural Center Proposed at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Core to the mission of the National Park Service is opening the eyes of visitors to the wonders that can be found within the National Park System. At Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, officials hope to expand their efforts in that arena through construction of an environmental and cultural center at the King Gillette Ranch.

2009 Piping Plover Nest Count at Cape Lookout National Seashore Down Slightly, But Fledglings High

When it comes to piping plovers, a threatened species, the nesting habitat at Cape Lookout National Seashore is some of the best in North Carolina. That's evidenced by the fact that in 2009 the 37 nests counted at the seashore represented 70 percent of all piping plover nests in North Carolina. While the tally reflected a slight decline from 2008's record high of 46 nests, the number of chicks that fledged was a record high.

Montana Senators Plan Bill to Ban Mining and Energy Development Near Glacier National Park

Both U. S. Senators from Montana say they will introduce a bill to ban mining and oil and gas development on federal lands in the North Fork Flathead drainage, which forms the western boundary of Glacier National Park. The announcement comes after Canadian officials took similar steps north of the border.

The Impact of Olaus, Mardy and Adolph Murie Can Still Be Felt Today in Our National Parks

They are Jackson Hole’s first family of environmental protection, this valley’s version of Aldo Leopold, John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, Margory Stoneman Douglas, and St. Francis rolled into one clan. Newcomers soon discover the progeny of the Muries, both the amazing children and grandchildren connected to them directly by bloodline and the eminently larger number of ideological descendants.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Rangers Counted 104 Sea Turtle Nests in 2009

While the number of sea turtle nests observed on Cape Hatteras National Seashore in 2009 slightly declined from 2008, the 104 verified nests were far above the 43 counted just five years ago. Those 2009 nests also produced roughly 5,000 turtle hatchlings, according to the seashore's annual sea turtle report.
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15 Years Into Yellowstone National Park's Wolf Recovery Program

Deep in Yellowstone National Park's backcountry, our sleep and the predawn darkness was startled by a sound that long had been alien to the park. But on that mid-September day in 2008 the sound was unmistakable. A lone wolf had raised its muzzle to the sky and released a rich, baritone howl that pierced the inky stillness. A long-missing aspect of the park's wildness had very much returned.

Much-Needed Changes at Grand Canyon's Mather Point Start Next Month

Those traffic snarls and endless searches for a parking place at Mather Point at Grand Canyon National Park should soon be a distant memory. Work will get underway next month on the second and final phase of improvements planned for the spot where most visitors get their first look at the Grand Canyon.

"Disabled Traveler's Companion" Offers Valuable Accessibility Insights for Visiting National Parks

Let's face it, the National Park Service is making strides in addressing ADA needs, but has a ways to go. One couple that frequently travels to parks is making it easier for disabled travelers to anticipate what their visits will be like through websites that assess individual park's accessibility factors.

Progress on Protecting Wyoming's "Path of the Pronghorn" Underscores Broader Issues

The annual migration of pronghorn from the vicinity of Grand Teton National Park south to winter range in the Red Desert has been dubbed the "Path of the Pronghorn," but the vital lifeline has been at increasing risk from oil and gas and other development. Recent efforts to protect key parts of that route are paying off, and they underscore broader issues in the West.