Sinking morale among the National Park Service ranks and accumulating human waste and garbage are just some of the symptoms of the ongoing government shutdown that has left many national parks open but without adequate staffing. Not so visible are the impacts being suffered in long-term environmental monitoring, work on visitor management plans and environmental impact statements, and even potential setbacks to the hiring of next summer's seasonal rangers.

Like a slowly toppling row of dominoes, areas around the National Park System are closing to the public during the ongoing government shutdown because of the absence of maintenance crews to deal with garbage and human waste. At Joshua Tree National Park, officials also said resources were being damaged "by driving off road and other infractions."

A National Park Service plan has been finalized to protect the natural and cultural resources of Big Bend National Park from the harmful effects of non-native plants, such as African buffelgrass, Lehman lovegrass, and tamarisk (saltcedar).

'Tis the season for winter visits to national parks, when the face of the landscape may have markedly changed, and visitation is lower. In addition to all the neat activities you can do in a national park, such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding and ice fishing, photographer Rebecca Latson wants to remind you to add photography to those activities. This month's article provides tips and techniques for capturing awesome images as well as prepping yourself and your camera for the elements.