As Japan reeled from the shock of a magnitude 8.9 earthquake that triggered horrifically destructive tsunamis there, 20 countries prepared to absorb tsunami impacts on their own coasts. Here in America, coastal national parks in Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and northern California are in the bullseye.

Some secondary roads and campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are scheduled to open today, marking the start of the park's summer season as crews work to open roads and facilities that have been closed all winter.

Though it might seem the only stories about nesting shorebirds in the national parks revolve around Cape Hatteras National Seashore, there are nesting shorebirds at Gulf Islands National Seashore, too, and officials are implementing seasonal guidelines to protect them.

At Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea's new eruption, now referred to as the Kamoamoa Eruption, has grown significantly in size and intensity.