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Everglades fights invasive species
The current Everglades National Park contains 20 percent of the land of the original Everglades region, which is experiencing an onslaught by invasive species. Maintaining the native variety of plants, trees, birds and fish has become difficult because of an incredible increase the number of exotic species in the park.Read More…
Mining threatens park wildlife, water, air
Mining poses serious threats to national parks. Although no longer permitted inside park borders, existing mines near and around national parks threaten wildlife, damage water quality and induce air pollution. One of the most prominent issues today deals with uranium mines that surround the Grand Canyon. Click on the videoRead More…
Some win, some lose during shutdown
BAR HARBOR, Maine — The 16-day government shutdown in October did not just affect those people who worked for the government. The businesses and residents of Bar Harbor felt the effects of the shutdown when the nearby Acadia National Park was closed. The government shutdown was the result of aRead More…
Relax, view wildlife while whale watching
BAR HARBOR, Maine — Cruising through choppy water, our boat captain came over the loudspeaker to tell us to look out. A pod of porpoises were swimming near the boat. A crowd of people ran to the side of the ship. Sam Howard, 6, was excited . “They wereRead More…
Hemlock woolly adelgid threatens Smokies
CHEROKEE, N.C. – An invasive insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid is prominent in many national parks, but specifically in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park located on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. The hemlock woolly adelgid feeds on hemlock trees from the root causing the entire tree to die. TheRead More…
Visitors have own history in Everglades
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Early on a Saturday morning, the Everglades are teeming with life. The roseate spoonbill wades through the shallow mangroves while it looks for food. A Florida alligator suns itself on the banks of one of the Everglades’ many canals, and an anhinga spreads its wings and takesRead More…
Hole-in-Donut restoration moves forward
The national parks in the United States have long served as beacons of history, patriotism and diversity. The pride that comes from the existence of these parks is unmatched, as they provide Americans with views into the past and symbols of culture as well as astounding nature. That’s why preservationRead More…
Park visitors must be wary of Lyme disease
Ticks are just the approximate size of a sesame seed but are capable of feeding upon large animals. Their small size makes it very difficult for one to recognize the tick’s presence, but early detection of these disease-spreading creatures could reduce the chance of transmission of Lyme disease. Click onRead More…
Wildbirds feel impact of humans in parks
Most of the time, people don’t think much about the impact their behavior can have on what surrounds them. For example, we don’t often notice that tourism in popular national parks is affecting the natural environment. At right, a campsite on Garden Key at Dry Tortugas National Park. Below, aRead More…
Biking at Shark Valley offers wildlife views
SHARK VALLEY, Fla. – An alligator is on the bike path – again. Sunning itself languidly, the gator pays no regard to passersby as they snap photographs at a dangerously close distance, preferring instead to focus on filling its cold blood with the sun’s warm rays. “We’re from Canada. We’veRead More…
Vehicles diminish air quality in Smokies
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the 59 national parks that is most significantly affected by air pollution. Research conducted for more than 30 years shows that park resources such as streams, soils, vegetation, and visibility have degraded. At left, Ramsey Cascades, at 100 feet high, isRead More…
Muir Woods shares history with parks
SAN FRANCISCO – The roots of Muir Woods National Monument are tied to National Park Service history. William Kent and his wife, Elizabeth Thatcher Kent, purchased the land in 1905 in order to protect the redwood trees in the area. Kent would eventually serve in the U.S. House of RepresentativesRead More…