Three Western Maryland national parks this month concluded operations to reduce overabundant white-tailed deer that threaten the historic scenery of two Civil War battlefields and a 5,810-acre hardwood mountain forest. This season, more than eight tons of venison were donated to the local Maryland Food Bank, the Thurmont Food Bank, the Help Hotline and the Lunch Place soup kitchen.

Ring in spring with a visit to a national park during National Park Week, April 15 through 23. Throughout the country, hundreds of programs and events will encourage visitors to explore new places and enjoy new experiences. More information is available at this website.

"Starve the beast," a phrase fashionable with fiscally conservative politicians dating to the mid-1980s, has returned in full force to Congress, where U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva worries about how national parks and public lands in general will fare if Republicans aren't checked.

Grand Canyon National Park on Monday will begin daily closures of the North Kaibab Trail at Redwall Bridge to remove debris from a storm-caused rockslide. During this time, rim-to-rim travel will be restricted.