Recent Stories
Bats maligned, but offer much to parks
Due to their unique and unfamiliar appearance, bats have been cast by humans as frightening and ugly. Their nocturnal habits have automatically associated them as dark and evil. Bats can also thank the Romanian legend of Dracula, where a man turns into a bloodthirsty vampire bat at night and fliesRead More…
Roosevelt’s home undergoes major rehab
OYSTER BAY, N.Y. – In 1880, fresh out of his graduation from Harvard College and newly married, a young man named Theodore Roosevelt purchased a plot of land overlooking Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island. The home was built by 1885 and the estate, which Roosevelt named Sagamore Hill, wouldRead More…
Water pollution continues to threaten parks
The greatest concern for environmental protection groups in South Florida, such as Friends of the Everglades, is the introduction of high levels of phosphorus in the waters of the Everglades National Park. “It only takes a tiny amount of phosphorus to change a lot in the environment in the Everglades,”Read More…
Parks accessible for disabled visitors
Disability is not an obstacle for people who want to enjoy what our national parks have to offer. From the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic Coast to the core of the country and our nation’s Capital, the parks are accessible for everyone. Although most of the national parks showcaseRead More…
Parks seek to expand to protect environs
Looking at the Everglades on a map, one could see the system begin with the Kissimmee River and extend itself all the way down to Florida Bay. Yet, only one-seventh of this area is known as the Everglades National Park in South Florida. Click on a video at the leftRead More…
Seafood Depot offers history, cuisine
EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. — While many tourists flock to Everglades National Park each year in order to observe the park’s beauty and wildlife, places like Everglades City still remain where wildlife is a delicacy for tourists and locals alike. Although Everglades City, the western entrance to the park, only boastsRead More…
Invasive plants harm their host parks
In photos, they look like attractive plants you would find in a vase in your living room, but alligator weed, Brazilian pepper trees and water hyacinth are far from the typical house plant. Alligator weed cause a threat to the economic and environmental states of parks internationally and nationally. TheRead More…
Parks seek balance of preservation, use
At a time when many in our country and around the world are worried about endangered species, both animal and vegetable, world warming and climate change, it is important to stop and think about the reasons for the existence of our National Parks. What is the impact of tourism andRead More…
Web cameras take growing role for parks
National parks throughout the United States have begun to make use of webcams to display the attractions they have to offer. It is part of the National Park Service’s initiative to make use of new and developing technology and attract a new audience. One of the parks that has successfullyRead More…
Biscayne ranger lives childhood dream
HOMESTEAD, Fla. —As a kid, just about everyone has a dream to be something larger than life. As kids begin to grow up, the dream they once had slips away and slowly a new one forms. That is not the case for Gary Bremen. Biscayne National Park Ranger Gary BremenRead More…
Lionfish unwelcome visitor to coastal waters
In a country known for its free lands and open waters, it seems odd that not all visitors are welcomed. This is not a reference to tourists with cameras around their necks, but rather the various types of plant and animal species posing a threat to various habitats as aRead More…
Protecting fragile coral reefs is top priority
For Biscayne National Park in Florida, maintaining coral reefs in mint condition is a top priority. Because of this, Biscayne authorities are tightening security in their park with new security cameras and trained personnel to make sure snorkelers are following park rules. Biscayne is not the only park keeping closeRead More…