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Padre Island National Seashore Offers Lots of Fun for Visitors and Lots of Problems for Managers

Padre Island National Seashore celebrates its 46th anniversary on September 28. Extending along the Texas Gulf Coast from Corpus Christi to the Mexican border, this narrow coastal barrier offers plenty of high quality recreation. There are many managerial difficulties, though, and some may get lots worse.

National Accessibility Achievement Awards Recognize Accomplishment in an Area of Vital Concern to the National Park Service

The National Park Service began making National Accessibility Achievement Awards in 1999 to recognize outstanding accomplishments in architectural design, program design, and sustained efforts to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities. For the FY 2008 awards round, a five-member panel of experts will vet 14 nominations in four categories.

Grand Canyon Railway May Expand Rail Service to the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon Railway currently operates two trains daily between Williams, Arizona and the Grand Canyon’s South Rim tourist hub. Now the Park Service is considering whether to allow a third daily train and an evening excursion trip from the South Rim.

Appellate Court Upholds Lower Court Ruling on Development at Gateway National Recreation Area

A federal appellate court in New Jersey has upheld a lower court's finding that the National Park Service was within its rights to lease nearly three dozen historic buildings at Gateway National Recreation Area to a commercial developer.

Public Hunt Scheduled to Reduce Grand Teton National Park Elk Herd

It's that time of year grizzly bears and hunters love in Grand Teton National Park -- time for the annual elk reduction hunt. Mandated by the park's enabling legislation and fueled, more than a few believe, by the state of Wyoming's elk feedlots and the National Elk Refuge, the hunt is scheduled to open October 11.

At Statue of Liberty National Monument, Save Ellis Island, Inc., Works to Restore Ellis Island’s Time-Ravaged Buildings

When Ellis Island became part of Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965, its buildings were in terrible condition. By 1990, only the Main Building and some other north side buildings had been restored. In 2000, Save Ellis Island, Inc. and its partners began the expensive task of stabilizing and restoring the south side buildings.

Heavy Rains and Flooding from Hurricane Ike Remnants Left a Mess at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

The torrential rains, high winds, and flooding that plagued northwest Indiana as the remnants of Hurricane Ike passed through were some of the worst on record. They left a big mess at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, too. The big storm came at an awkward time, necessitating hurry-up cleanup and repairs to get the new Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk ready for dedication ceremonies on October 16.

Update: At Grand Canyon National Park, an Abandoned Uranium Mine Must be Cleaned Up

The Orphan Mine, which produced uranium during 1956-1969, is situated on and below the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park. Abandoned in 1969, the site is contaminated with hazardous materials, some of which are radioactive. Now the site must be cleaned up, and it’s a time-consuming, complicated process.

Devils Tower National Monument has a Climbing Management Plan that Takes Native American Cultural Values into Account

Devils Tower National Monument, the first national monument, celebrates its 102nd birthday on September 24. The tower is a mecca for climbing, but managing the sport requires the National Park Service to respect Native American cultural values and traditions. The annual June closing of recreational climbing is designed to do that.