Applause are being extended after Sen. John McCain withdrew an amendment that would have substantially redrawn the ground rules for Grand Canyon National Park overflight tours.

Parks have long provided places of inspiration for artists, and for nearly two decades, Joshua Tree National Park has hosted an annual art festival to highlight work featuring that area's dramatic desert landscapes. The 2010 Art Festival will be held at the park April 2-4.

Tree ring data obtained from 52 ancient trees in Sequoia National Park has provided scientists with 3,000 years of record. It didn’t come easy, though. Working with the gargantuan trees required special equipment, ingenuity, and heavy labor.

You’d think that a mucus-covered, shell-less, forest-dwelling gastropod whose diet includes animal droppings couldn’t get much love, but the lowly banana slug has acquired a huge fan following. Among other things, it is the star of a community festival, official state mollusk of California, and one of America’s most beloved sports mascots.