Recent Stories
Grant Tree, Grove popular with visitors
THREE RIVERS, Calif. — Picture a 27-story building that is wider than a three-lane highway. Welcome to Grant Grove, home of General Grant Tree. “Forty five-room houses could be built from the wood of this tree,” said Park Ranger Frank Helling. In addition to this massive tree, there are aRead More…
Four feet of trouble for Everglades wildlife
SHARK VALLEY, Fla.— There’s a new threat crawling around the swamps and sawgrass marshes of the Everglades. As if the ecosystem wasn’t fragile enough, irresponsible pet owners have given the national park another gift that keeps on giving: the Argentine black and white tegu. The South American lizard (usually pronouncedRead More…
Climbing giant sequoias not for everyone
THREE RIVERS, Calif. — Upon my arrival to Sequoia National Park, I was completely awestruck by the giant trees that stood before me, or rather, that I stood before. After picking my jaw off the ground, naturally my first thought was, “Can I climb one?” Turns out, the answer wasRead More…
Biscayne gives visitors nature, adventure
HOMESTEAD, Fla.— You are sitting in a rocking chair, on a porch that wraps around a big, wooden house. You have a view of the vast ocean in front of you. It is warm outside, but it is not a sweltering heat as the ocean breeze provides a smooth windRead More…
Riding under a full moon in Shark Valley
SHARK VALLEY, Fla. — Biking the 15-mile Shark Valley loop in the Everglades National Park is probably something visitors and South Florida residents will do during the day, but biking the route under a full moon is an experience not many have the opportunity to try. The majority of visitorsRead More…
Predator control controversial in Alaska
After a survey conducted last spring in Denali National Park and Preserve, biologists found that the wolf population in the area was drastically decreasing. It was the fourth lowest count found in the past 30 years. In total, there were only 51 wolves counted, among 13 packs in the entireRead More…
Climate changes takes toll on Glacier Park
How would you feel if you saw your favorite park deteriorating before your very eyes due to the change in our climate? The glaciers of Glacier National Park are melting at such a rapid pace that will ultimately change the entire scenery and imagery of the park within a fewRead More…
Endangered redwood restoration difficult
ARCATA, Calif— The redwood forest, despite being populated by the largest trees on Earth, feels surprisingly cozy. Everything is a lush green or deep black brown and the air smells fresh and clean. It’s a far cry from Miami, with its bright sun, sand and vibrant city vibes. In NorthernRead More…
Restoration slowly comes to the Everglades
Since the early 1900s, the State of Florida has invested billions of dollars in changing and then in restoring the Everglades water flow. The impacts of climate change and sea level rise pose a challenge to the Everglades ecosystem and add urgency to accelerate the restoration of freshwater before anyRead More…
Chronic wasting disease threatens park’s elk
After peaking in the early 2000s, the number of elk in Rocky Mountain National Park has returned to a healthy range. The Elk and Vegetation Management Plan was implemented in 2008 to reduce the impact of elk overpopulation on vegetation and animal communities in the park. “The importance of implementingRead More…
Diversity in parks is work in progress
America is the world’s melting pot. People come together in the United States to represent cultures from all over the world and, over time, the population of this nation is also changing. A 2011 study from the U.S. Bureau of Census forecast that, by 2050, the Hispanic population will riseRead More…
Parks work to improve food services
The National Park Service and its contractors serve more than 23.5 million customers each year at more than 250 food and beverage operations operated by concessionaires in 75 parks. The entire park system hosts about 274 million visitors a year. They get hungry and want to eat. At left, someRead More…