Road construction at Mojave National Preserve, cabin cleaners wanted at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and volunteers sought at Mill Springs National Battlefield National Monument are just some of the items in the news from around the National Park System this week.

Special programs and services will be offered by the National Park Service during the 2023 National Cherry Blossom Festival, including the Cherry Blossom Festival Tidal Basin Welcome Area, the Bloomin’ Junior Ranger program, and cherry blossom-related ranger talks and education programs. National Park Service festival events will be held daily from Saturday, March 18, through Sunday, April 2.

Acadia National Park is just the most recent park to announce a need for employee housing. Previously, both Indiana Dunes and Mount Rainier national parks put all calls for housing seasonal employees could rent. The issue of employee housing is a critical one for many national parks.

Booz Allen Hamilton, the company that operates Recreation.gov for the federal government, has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit against it, arguing in part that it doesn't charge any fees for use of the site that manages a wide array of recreational pursuits across public lands, from camping and hiking permits to climbing and cabin rentals.