Recent Stories
Popular with visitors, lionfish a problem
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — As it turns out, one of Biscayne National Park’s main attractions today, is also one of its biggest problems. The park, which is 95 percent water, was initially set aside to preserve the natural and cultural resources that lie beneath the ocean. Within that responsibility, Biscayne NationalRead More…
Park hosts Alternative Break cleanup
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – While some college students spend their spring break partying on South Beach, others prefer to use the week off to be productive. Biscayne National Park’s (BNP) Alternative Break program offers these students the opportunity to participate in a nationwide initiative to commit to “a substance-free, service-oriented experience.”Read More…
Acadia carriage trails popular with bicyclists
BAR HARBOR, Maine – Let’s all take this time to say “thank you” to the creator of Acadia National Park’s famous carriage roads, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Not only did he make biking possible in the national park, but he also made it one of the top bike riding parksRead More…
Efforts underway to clean Grand Canyon air
The Navajo Generating Station emissions continue to pollute the Grand Canyon air. Grand Canyon National Park is the one of the most affected. Its main South Rim Village Visitor Center is located just 70 miles by air to the west of the coal-fired power plant, located in Page, Ariz. ClickRead More…
Urban sprawl has growing impact on parks
The extent to which humans affect the environment is largely underestimated. To help conserve the environment, the United States government has designated 59 areas as national parks and has assigned an agency to protect these areas. Although these areas are supposed to be safe from the negative influences of humans,Read More…
Parks damaged by Sandy work to recover
More than $71 billion of damage, 87 fatalities and nine months later, the United States is still recovering from Hurricane Sandy. America’s national parks are not immune from the destruction associated with these high-powered storms. A total of 70 national park sites, including all 15 located in New Jersey andRead More…
Visitors have impact on ecosystems
Something as innocent as keeping tree leaves, flowers or even small rocks as natural souvenirs can bring harm and significant consequences to a park’s environment, even to the extent of upending nature’s balance. It might seem like visitors help parks progress and persist and thus removing a flower or feedingRead More…
Eradication of Brazilian pepper not simple
The Brazilian pepper tree is one of the most widespread and powerful invasive species in the Florida Everglades, and is spreading to other parts of the country, mainly the Southwest United States. It has yet to be eradicated by human methods. When the Everglades were visited by early settlers inRead More…
Red tide takes toll on Florida’s manatees
A bloom of red tide in the Gulf of Mexico is responsible for the deadliest spring in history for the Southwest Florida manatees, killing nearly 10 percent of the population. The bloom has killed 256 manatees since April 8 and continues to kill 10 or more manatees per day, expertsRead More…
Park running events contribute to wellness
Yosemite Falls, the Grand Canyon, Old Faithful— icons of America the Beautiful. Since the establishment of National Parks, these sacred and protected lands stand as monuments and tributes to the great nation of the United States. Our national parks are a reminder of the natural wonder and the unfettered wildernessRead More…
Park battles litter in trying to protect bay
Encompassing an area of 95 percent water, Biscayne National Park is the “biggest marine national park in the country,” says park ranger Gary Bremen. The National Park Service defines it as a park that “protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs.” Established in 1980,Read More…
Remoteness creates smuggling opportunity
America’s national parks offer vast wildernesses intended to be enjoyed for their scenery and wildlife. Unfortunately, many criminals see the remote areas of national parks as perfect venues for smuggling. Everglades City, a tiny town on the Southwest coast of Florida and near Everglades National Park, has gained notoriety forRead More…