July 20, 2010 – For immediate release

Contact: Samantha Richardson, Samantha_Richardson@nps.gov, 303-969-2825

From the Brooklyn Bridge to Osaka, Japan

National Park Service presents park design awards

WASHINGTON: Public, private and international design firms from more than

20 states and five countries vied for honors in the inaugural Designing the

Parks competition. Entries had to engage people, expand beyond traditional

boundaries and demonstrate reverence for place, sustainability, informed

decision-making and an integrated development process.

“The entries prove that great park design can change derelict factory sites

to ecologically responsible social spaces and old dairy barns to

LEED-certified conference facilities,” National Park Service Director Jon

Jarvis said. “Because the National Park Service has a community and

sustainability mission outside the national parks, it is inspiring to

recognize these exceptional park designs. These places will improve

people’s lives.”

The National Park Service’s Denver Service Center, in partnership with the

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, recognized outstanding examples of

park design in four categories: master planning, site design, building

design and historic preservation design.

Master Planning Awards

Honor: Brooklyn Bridge Park (New York); Michael Van Valkenburgh

Associates, Inc.

Merit: Parklands of Floyds Fork (Louisville, Ky.); Wallace Roberts &

Todd

Merit: Minute Man National Historical Park (Concord, Mass.); Bargmann

Hendrie + Archetype, Inc.

Merit: Flight 93 National Memorial (Somerset, Pa.); Paul Murdoch

Architects and Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects

Site Design Awards

Honor: Waterfront Bunkaza Cultural Plaza (Osaka, Japan); RYUICHI

ASHIZAWA Architects & Associates

Honor: Teardrop Park (New York); Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates,

Inc.

Merit: Eielson Visitor Center, Denali National Park (Denali, Alaska);

Denali National Park and Preserve

Site Design Awards (continued)

Merit: Concrete Plant Park, Bronx River Greenway (Bronx, N.Y.); City of

New York

Merit: Santa Fe Railyard Park (Santa Fe, N.M.); Frederic Schwartz

Architects, Ken Smith Landscape Architects, and Mary Miss, Artist

Merit: Hudson River Park, Tribeca Section (New York); Mathews Nielsen

Merit: Annenberg Community Beach House (Santa Monica, Calif.); Mia

Lehrer and Associates

Building Design Awards

Honor: Pocono Environmental Education Center Multipurpose Space,

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (Dingmans

Ferry, Pa.); Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Honor: Liberty Bell Center, Independence National Historical Park

(Philadelphia); Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Historic Preservation Design Awards

Honor: Blue Ball Barn, Alapocas Run State Park (Wilmington,

Del.);Wallace Roberts & Todd

Honor: Chapultepec Park (Mexico City); Grupo de Diseño Urbano S.C. /

Mario Schjetnan

Honor: Cavallo Point Lodge, Golden Gate National Park (San Francisco);

Architectural Resource Group and Leddy Maytum Stacy

Architects, and Office of Cheryl Barton

An interdisciplinary jury evaluated 69 entries to select the award winners.

Detailed information about the Designing the Parks awards and each project,

including photographs and jury comments, is available at

www.designingtheparks.org.

www.nps.gov

Note: The Denver Service Center is the National Park Service’s centralized planning, design and construction project management office. It works with private industry to provide environmentally responsible and fiscally sound products.

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National Park Service News Release

July 16, 2010 – For immediate release

Contact: Samantha Richardson, Samantha_Richardson@nps.gov, 303-969-2825

From the Brooklyn Bridge to Osaka, Japan

National Park Service presents park design awards

WASHINGTON: Public, private and international design firms from more than

20 states and five countries vied for honors in the inaugural Designing the

Parks competition. Entries had to engage people, expand beyond traditional

boundaries and demonstrate reverence for place, sustainability, informed

decision-making and an integrated development process.

“The entries prove that great park design can change derelict factory sites

to ecologically responsible social spaces and old dairy barns to

LEED-certified conference facilities.” National Park Service Director Jon

Jarvis said. “Because the National Park Service has a community and

sustainability mission outside the national parks, it is inspiring to

recognize these exceptional park designs. These places will improve

people’s lives.”

The National Park Service’s Denver Service Center, in partnership with the

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, recognized outstanding examples of

park design in four categories: master planning, site design, building

design and historic preservation design.

Master Planning Awards

Honor: Brooklyn Bridge Park (New York); Michael Van Valkenburgh

Associates, Inc.

Merit: Parklands of Floyds Fork (Louisville, Ky.); Wallace Roberts &

Todd

Merit: Minute Man National Historical Park (Concord, Mass.); Bargmann

Hendrie + Archetype, Inc.

Merit: Flight 93 National Memorial (Somerset, Pa.); Paul Murdoch

Architects

Site Design Awards

Honor: Waterfront Bunkaza Cultural Plaza (Osaka, Japan); RYUICHI

ASHIZAWA Architects & Associates

Honor: Teardrop Park (New York); Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates,

Inc.

Merit: Eielson Visitor Center, Denali National Park (Denali, Alaska);

Denali National Park and Preserve

Merit: Concrete Plant Park, Bronx River Greenway (Bronx, N.Y.); City of

New York

Merit: Santa Fe Railyard Park (Santa Fe, N.M.); Frederic Schwartz

Architects

Merit: Hudson River Park (New York); Mathews Nielsen

Merit: Annenberg Community Beach House (Santa Monica, Calif.); Mia

Lehrer and Associates

Building Design Awards

Honor: Pocono Environmental Education Center Multipurpose Space,

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (Dingmans Ferry, Pa.);

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Honor: Liberty Bell Center, Independence National Historical Park

(Philadelphia); Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Historic Preservation Design Awards

Honor: Blue Ball Dairy Barn, Alapocas Run State Park (Wilmington,

Del.);Wallace Roberts & Todd

Honor: Chapultepec Park (Mexico City); Grupo de Diseño Urbano /GDU

Honor: Cavallo Point Lodge, Golden Gate National Park (San Francisco);

Architects Resource Group/The Office of Cheryl Barton

An interdisciplinary jury evaluated 69 entries to select the award winners.

Detailed information about the Designing the Parks awards and each project,

including photographs and jury comments, is available at

www.designingtheparks.org.

www.nps.gov

Note: The Denver Service Center is the National Park Service’s centralized planning, design and construction project management office. It works with private industry to provide environmentally responsible and fiscally sound products

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Climate Change Response Program

1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 200

Fort Collins, CO 80525

970-225-3597 phone

www.nps.gov/climatechange

July 1, 2010

Contact(s): Angie Richman, 970-267-2136, Angie_Richman@nps.gov

Lisa Norby, 303-969-2318, Lisa_Norby@nps.gov

Young scholars help National Park Service tackle climate change

George Melendez Wright programs premier this summer

(Fort Collins, CO) – From temperature tolerance of moose to solar energy,

26 young scholars will tackle research and education projects to help

national park managers look at the effects of climate change. The students

will work in national parks from Maine to Alaska and California to Florida

this summer and are the first to take part in the National Park Service

(NPS) George Melendez Wright internship and fellowship programs.

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said, “We need to understand the

effects of climate change in our national parks in order to make better

resource management decisions, and we think the work these young people do

will help accomplish just that. The internships and fellowships are

designed for youth – to harness the energy and creativity of college and

university undergraduate and graduate students – and put them to work

alongside national park managers, scientists and educators.”

Leigh Welling, coordinator of the NPS Climate Change Response Program,

said the first group of interns and graduate fellows will collect data on

natural resources and prepare educational materials about climate change in

national parks. They might be inspired to consider a career with the

National Park Service, too.

Interns will work in national parks for 12 weeks through September. Their

projects include design and construction of a showcase photovoltaic array

at Crater Lake National Park, outreach to urban youth to address climate

change in the Nation’s capital, development of an educational program about

prehistoric climate change at Russell Cave National Monument, and a study

of the moose of Voyageurs National Park. “Moose populations in northern

Minnesota fell from 4,000 to 85 between 1984 and 2007, and scientists

suspect warmer summers and winters may be part of the reason. Here’s a

project to help us understand these changes by monitoring the temperature

tolerance of moose”, Welling said.

The 13 Wright Fellows, all graduate students, will research subjects that

include changes in wetland ecosystems in Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge in

Alaska and climate stress in the American Pika in several western national

parks. “This research furthers stewardship, highlights the effects of

climate change on national parks and enriches public understanding of

America’s natural heritage,” Welling said.

The internship program is facilitated by the National Council for Science

and the Environment, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization. For

more information regarding the internship program please visit:

http://ncseonline.org/CampustoCareers/cms.cfm?id=2233#NPS. The fellowships

are facilitated by Dr Lisa Graumlich, formerly from the University of

Arizona and now the inaugural Dean of the College of the Environment at the

University of Washington.

Welling said there will be Wright Fellows and Interns for years to come.

“The response to our call for projects was overwhelming, from parks and

students. That showed the need for these types of programs. We can afford

the $315,000 cost of this year’s programs because the Congressional

appropriation for the National Park Service this year included funds for

climate science and adaptation.”

Jarvis said, “This program links the emerging knowledge of energetic youth

with the legacy of national park rangers, scientists and technicians and

that’s important for future generations who inherit our stewardship

responsibilities.”

The George Melendez Wright programs are named in honor of the early 20th

-century National Park Service biologist who promoted the idea of

science-based research as central to preservation of national parks and who

envisioned a system of protected areas to promote ecosystem health and

resilience.

For more information about the George Melendez Wright interns and fellows,

their projects and the NPS Climate Change Response Program, please visit:

http://www.nature.nps.gov/climatechange/internshipsresearch.cfm

www.nps.gov

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For Immediate Release – June 17, 2010

Contact: David Barna, (202) 208-6843, David_Barna@nps.gov

Jennifer Mummart, (202) 208-4986, Jennifer_Mummart@nps.gov

First Lady Michelle Obama Asks Junior Rangers to Take It Outside at Our

National Parks

WASHINGTON – “Let’s Move Outside, Junior Rangers!” is First Lady Michelle

Obama’s call to kids across the country this summer. Today, the National

Park Service kicks off Let’s Move Outside Junior Ranger in 20 parks.

National Park Junior Rangers will not only have fun and get exercise but

also receive an extra reward for working up a sweat.

Young people who complete at least one physical activity in pursuit of

their Junior Ranger badge receive a special sticker that designates them as

a Let’s Move Outside Junior Ranger. The activities range from adventures

like hiking with a ranger at Grand Canyon National Park to body surfing at

Canaveral National Seashore and canoeing at Mississippi National River and

Recreation Area.

Let’s Move Outside, led by the Department of the Interior and the

Department of Agriculture, provides tools and information to parents to

make it easy to enjoy the outdoors and be active. It is part of First Lady

Michelle Obama’s nationwide campaign to end childhood obesity within a

generation.

“The Let’s Move Outside program in our national parks provides a wonderful

way for parents to gain a passion for outdoor recreation while teaching

them about our nation’s beautiful lands, our rich cultural heritage, and

our storied past,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

The program engages young people from all backgrounds in a range of

educational programs and self-guided activities on America’s public lands

and waters. From hiking and biking, to swimming, paddling, and horseback

riding, these activities promise to be fun, healthy, and family friendly.

Throughout the summer, Let’s Move Outside! programs and events will be held in conjunction with schools, community groups, and other partners.

“Young people inspire us; we want to help them be vigorous and curious for

life. It starts with family fun. National parks are amazing places where

exercise is disguised as adventure, and we sneak in some learning too,”

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said.

Let’s Move Outside will soon be integrated into other programs, like the

Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Let’s Go Outside” initiative, which seeks to

reconnect kids and families to nature in our country’s 552 national

wildlife refuges, and the Bureau of Land Management’s “Take It Outside”

program.

Primary federal partners in this initiative are the Department of the

Interior’s National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of

Land Management, and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service.

“As a department that manages one fifth of our nation’s land, the

Department of the Interior will play a vital role in Let’s Move Outside!”

said Julie Rodriguez, director of the department’s Youth Office. “Our

parks, refuges, and other public lands are waiting to be explored and

enjoyed by our nation’s young people, and we are eager to help them get

outdoors.”

By summer’s end, 50 national parks will offer Let’s Move Outside Junior

Ranger. Before heading out, visit www.letsmove.gov/outside for more

information about activities and participating parks. This website hub will

link families to the great outdoors and give tips and ideas on how to best

plan and enjoy an active visit.

The 20 parks launching today:

Canaveral National Seashore, Florida

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa

Fire Island National Seashore, New York

Fort Dupont Park, Washington, DC

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnesota

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

Prince William Forest Park, Virginia

Redwood National and State Parks, California

Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

www.nps.gov

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Parktips – June 2010

Parktips is a monthly compilation of newsworthy items and story ideas from the National Park Service. A new edition is posted on the first week of each month at http://www.nps.gov/news/index.htm. Just click on the Story Leads link to access Parktips. You can view past issues of Parktips. You can also receive a personal copy of Parktips, via e-mail or fax, by registering at our website.

Habitat Protectors of Yosemite

(California) — Yosemite National Park is seeking volunteers for the weekly Habitat Protectors of Yosemite (HaPY) volunteer stewardship projects.

Volunteers work with Resources Management & Science Division staff on various projects on Wednesday mornings between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The projects present a great opportunity for families to volunteer together and create memories while helping to manage the park’s resources. Please visit the HaPY webpage for more information:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hapy.htm. Also for more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Learn to Play the Cajun Way

(Louisiana) — Free workshops in playing accordion, fiddle, and guitar Cajun-style, and in Cajun dance, will be offered by the Cajun French Music Association Acadiana Charter Chapter of Eunice at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. The workshops will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 1 through 17.

For more information, please consult www.nps.gov/jela or contact Kristy Wallisch at 504-589-3882 ext. 225.

Summer Night Cruise Tours of Liberty Island (New York) — On eight Thursday nights during June, July and August, Liberty Island will be open to the public. The evening tours will be on June 3 and 10; July 8, 15, and 22; and August 5, 12, and 19. There will be 1,200 tickets available for each night. Ticket prices include round-trip ferry transportation from Battery Park, a full dinner on Liberty Island, and interpretive programs offered on the island. Visitors can tour the grounds but will not be allowed into the statue. They may spend as long as two hours on Liberty Island but can return after one hour. In the event of inclement weather, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum will substitute for the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The National Park Service, Statue Cruises, and Evelyn Hill, Inc. are collaborating to offer this summer program. For more information, please contact Michael Burke of Statue Cruises at 551-655-0405 or Darren Boch of the National Park Service at 212-668-2252.

Arts-y & Craft-y Summer Fun

(Texas) — Join the staff of Chamizal National Memorial each summer month to explore different crafts from Mexico. Participants will learn basic concepts of art while delving into cultures south of the border. June’s craft is Huichol Yarn Art, which teaches an art lesson on lines. Sessions will be held on June 3 at 9:30 a.m., June 10 at 11 a.m., June 18 at 2:30 p.m., June 23 at 10 a.m., and June 29 at 1 p.m. All sessions are free of charge and offered on a first-come basis. For more information, please contact Michael Groomer at 915-532-7273 ext. 124.

Golden Anniversary of Bent’s Old Fort

(Colorado) — An opening reception on Friday, June 4, followed by a day (June 5) with speakers, living history demonstrations, a grand banquet, and a fandango in the plaza of the fort will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the law that established Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, which President Eisenhower signed on June 3, 1960. The event will commemorate the site’s transformation from ruins into one of the premiere living history sites in the United States. For a full schedule of events, please see the park’s website, www.nps.gov/beol. For more information, please contact Rick Wallner at 719-383-5024 or Greg Holt at 719-383-5023.

National Trails Day

(Nationwide) — June 5 is National Trails Day. Events include guided hikes affording breathtaking views at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lower Town). From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Valley Forge National Historical Park’s Betzwood Picnic Area, visitors can hike along the River Trail, participate in educational clinics and fitness assessments, view partner exhibits, and more. The activities at Valley Forge are free and open to the public. For more information about events at Harpers Ferry, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748. For more information about events at Valley Forge, please contact Ernestine White at 610-783-5384 or Ernestine_White@nps.gov. For more information about National Trails Day, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843 or Elise_M_Cleva@nps.gov.

Grand Opening—Victory Woods Trail

(New York) — On Saturday, June 5 at 11a.m., join National Park Service staff at Saratoga Monument for an opening ceremony and a guided walk along the new one-mile Victory Woods Trail in Saratoga National Historical Park.

The new trail features a universally accessible boardwalk. Light refreshments and presentations by community organizations will be offered at the grand opening between noon and 1:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Gina Johnson at 518-664-9821 ext. 227 or gina_johnson@nps.gov.

Ride, and Remember the Trail of Tears

(Arkansas) — Park rangers from Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site will lead bicycle tours along the Trail of Tears (on the Arkansas River Trail) on June 5 and June 19. The tours begin at 10 a.m. on the Arkansas River Trail by the Trail of Tears exhibits in Riverfront Park.

Little Rock and North Little Rock formed a major stop during the removal of American Indians, via the Trail of Tears, from the East to what is now Oklahoma. On the bicycle tours, ranger-guides will speak about the origin of the trail, the methods of travel, the conditions during removal, and slavery on the trail in Arkansas. For more information, please contact Laura Miller at 501-374-1957.

Wildflower Eruption

(Idaho) — Witness the annual eruption of spring blooms on a ranger-guided hike through the volcanic wonderland of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. June is the peak of the wildflower season at Craters of the Moon, and special walks will be offered on Saturdays, June 5, 12, and 19. June is also the start of the daily schedule of ranger-guided activities. Visit http://www.nps.gov/crmo/planyourvisit/events.htm for details. For more information, please contact Ted Stout at 208-527-1330.

Grand Opening of Western Arctic Parklands Visitor Center

(Alaska) — Western Arctic Parklands will celebrate the opening of its new visitor center on June 5 in Kotzebue. The center hosts exhibits and cultural demonstrations by local residents and orients visitors to the four park areas it serves: Bering Land Bridge, Cape Krusenstern, Noatak, and Kobuk Valley. The opening day activities will include children’s programs, Native dancers, a community supper, and presentations in the theater. For more information, please contact John Quinley at 907-644-3512.

Get Back to the American Revolution at Cowpens National Battlefield (South Carolina) — Cowpens National Battlefield will hold several special events in June, all of which are free and open to the public. On June 5 and 6, participants in the 1st Maryland—Southern Campaign reenacting unit will present a living history weekend. These re-enactors, who portray Maryland Continental Soldiers during the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, will demonstrate how soldiers lived in the 18th century. On Saturday, June 12, the South Carolina Independent Rangers will demonstrate musket and rifle firing at 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.

The Independent Rangers portray Revolutionary War backwoods militia and demonstrate military and civilian life in the 18th century in the South Carolina backcountry. On June 27, the park will have volunteers demonstrating a variety of historical or hands-on activities at the Robert Scruggs House from 1:30 to 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Donna Davis at 864-461-2828.

Party with the Stars

(Arizona) — The 20th annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held from Saturday, June 5 through Saturday, June 12 on the South and North rims of the eponymous feature of Grand Canyon National Park. Amateur astronomers from across the country will volunteer their expertise. Free slide programs will be offered, and numerous telescopes will be set up to view planets, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies at night, and the sun by day. For more information, please contact Public Affairs Specialist Shannan Marcak at 928-638-7958.

Summer Saturdays Return to Federal Hall

(New York) — Summer Saturdays are back by popular demand. Federal Hall National Memorial will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the following days:

June 5, 12, 19, and 26; July 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31; and August 7, 14, 21, and 28. This summer, the National Park Service teams up with the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy to offer the guided audio walking tour New York Freedom Trail. The tour will be offered at 11 a.m. each Saturday.

To learn more about the New York Freedom Trail, please visit www.nyharborparks.org. For all other information regarding Summer Saturdays, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

A Landscape Gardener’s Time in Maine

(New York) — On Sunday, June 6 at 2 p.m., renowned landscape architect Patrick Chassé will give an illustrated talk entitled “The Maine Work of Beatrix Farrand.” He will discuss the landscape gardener’s life and work in Maine from her childhood through her retirement at Garland Farm. The lecture covers a number of private commissions that are rarely seen by the public. The talk, one of the Bellefield Design Lectures, will be held in the Henry A. Wallace Visitor Center, located at the Home of Franklin D.

Roosevelt National Historic Site and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. The lecture will be followed by a garden party at Bellefield (a house from the 1700s that now provides workspace for the National Park Service) amid hundreds of peonies in bloom. Heirloom plants, books, and garden treasures will be on sale at the party. The fee for the lecture is $30 per person and $25 for members of the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association & Garden Conservancy. For more information, please call

845-229-9115 ext. 26.

Grand Opening of New Exhibits at Hampton

(Maryland) — One of the oldest buildings in Hampton National Historic Site will soon boast new exhibits. The lower house, which sits among surviving farm buildings, was first constructed in the mid-1700s. It will re-open with brand new interpretive exhibits on June 10. With these exhibits and other efforts, the National Park Service is trying to diversify the stories told at Hampton National Historic Site, which was once part of a 25,000-acre estate owned by the Ridgely family. The public is invited to attend the grand opening of the exhibits on Thursday, June 10 between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, please contact Hampton National Historic Site at 410-823-1309 ext. 251.

Science Café

(Texas) — Come join the fun at Beaumont’s first Science Café from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on June 10 at Sertinos Café (5657 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont). Dr.

Paul Tinerella will present a five-minute PowerPoint presentation on aquatic truebugs, followed by a five-to-10-minute talk. The evening will conclude with a 20-minute group discussion. Begun in Europe in the early 1990s, science cafés offer a relaxed forum for the exchange of scientific ideas. Anyone can come to this friendly setting to sharpen his or her knowledge of the modern sciences. No reservation is required. For more information, please contact Leslie Dubey of Big Thicket National Preserve at 409-951-6700 or leslie_dubey@nps.gov, or Linda Brindle at 936-274-1181 or Director@bigthicket.org.

White Sands Institute

(New Mexico) — White Sands National Monument and New Mexico State University—Alamogordo (NMSUA) are teaming up to offer two field seminars focused on New Mexico’s extraordinary White Sands. In “New Discoveries! The Moths of White Sands” (June 11 to 12), participants can set traps and make their own discoveries. Join entomologist Eric Metzler for this exciting field class and learn about the 14 species of moths that have been recently discovered at the White Sands and the moths’ amazing adaptations to this unique environment. Friday evening will include setting moth traps.

Saturday morning will hold a collection of the traps and a wrap-up lecture.

On June 18, postdoctoral researcher Jeanne Robertson will teach “Evolution in Black & White: White Lizards at White Sands.” Robertson is a biologist specializing in animal adaptations. Students can participate in supervised hands-on activities during this field lecture at White Sands National Monument. Dr. Robertson will present both indoor and outdoor lectures about the current research in animal adaptations presently occurring at White Sands. Each seminar costs $55 per person. For more information or to register, please call Community Education at NMSUA at 575-439-3842 or send an e-mail to commed@nmsua.nmsu.edu.

Big Thicket National Preserve Biodiversity Day

(Texas) — Celebrate Biodiversity Day at Big Thicket National Preserve.

Learn more about the biodiversity of Big Thicket and the on-going All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) of the national preserve. The activities begin on Friday, June 11 with night walks and continue on Saturday, June 12 with seminars, demonstrations, scientist-led field trips, and other events.

Saturday events will meet at the Field Research Station in Saratoga. The Friday night walks will be by reservation only, and attendees will meet at a designated location. Space will be limited; make your reservations early.

For more information, please contact Leslie Dubey at 409-951-6700 or leslie_dubey@nps.gov, or Linda Brindle at 936-274-1181 or Director@bigthicket.org.

Species Count … Can You?

(New York) — Come to Gateway National Recreation Area’s Jamaica Bay Unit from 3 p.m. June 11 to 3 p.m. June 12 to measure the health of one of the most important urban national parks. Work closely with teams of scientists and naturalists as part of BioBlitz 2010. A BioBlitz is part contest (racing against a 24-hour clock), part educational event, and part scientific endeavor. By observing as many plants and animals as you can, you’ll help to create a snapshot of the biodiversity and wildlife in our own backyard. To register to participate in the scientific survey or related public programs, please visit http://jamaicabay.ciesin.columbia.edu/bioblitz. For other information, please call 718-354-4607 or e-mail jane_ahern@nps.gov.

Experience Colonial Life with St. Paul’s Church (New York) — Join the staff of St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site for colonial music, dancing, crafts, games, and arms from noon to 4 p.m. on June 12. There will also be special tours of the church’s bell tower and of the colonial section of the cemetery, and a recital on the historic pipe organ. For more information, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Ride the Rockies

(Colorado) — Colorado National Monument will be Day One for “Ride the Rockies,” a major cycling tour sponsored by the Denver Post that changes routes annually. More than 2,400 cyclists will ride historic Rim Rock Drive on Sunday, June 13 as their Day One ride.

The tour last rode in the Monument in 2005. Cycling has dramatically increased at Colorado NM since that time. The park sees approximately 15,000 cyclists annually, with more each year. The website www.nps.gov/colm offers additional information for cyclists regarding the nature of Rim Rock Drive, the three unlighted tunnels, and the necessity of lights on bicycles going through the Monument’s tunnels. For more information, please contact Joan Anzelmo, Superintendent of Colorado National Monument, at 970-858-3617 ext. 301.

“Sunday Concerts in the Park”

(California) — The concert series kicks off at Peter Strauss Ranch on June

13 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Come out for an afternoon of rousing music and family fun! Join Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Topanga Banjo and Fiddle for an afternoon of Southern California bluegrass, old-time, and folk music in the mountains. The free concert series will continue throughout July, August, and September. For more information, please contact Lauren Newman at 805-370-2343 or lauren_newman@nps.gov.

“Barking Up a Tree” at Biscayne National Park Gallery

(Florida) — Close-up photography of the patterns and textures of some of South Florida’s trees will be on view at Biscayne National Park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center Gallery from May 24 through August 22. A “Meet the Artists” reception slated for Sunday, June 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. will feature a talk by the artists as well as refreshments. While searching for national champion trees (the largest of their species in the United States), South Florida naturalist Bob Showler began to notice the special qualities of each tree’s bark. He teamed up with photographer Tim Taylor to produce this unusual exhibit, titled “Barking Up a Tree.” For more information, please contact Ranger Gary Bremen at 305-230-1144 ext. 007.

Public Archeology

(California) — From June 14 to 23, members of the public can help the National Park Service conduct archeological investigations and stabilization of World War II-era landscaping at Manzanar National Historic Site. Volunteers can work at Merritt Park, the largest internee-built landscape feature remaining at any of the country’s 10 World War II relocation centers. There will also be archeological jobs within the residential blocks at Manzanar, at the sites of gardens created by internees. For more information, please contact Manzanar Volunteer Program Manager Carrie Andresen at 760-878-2194 ext. 2714 or Carrie_Andresen@nps.gov.

LEED and Historic Buildings Training

(Louisiana) — The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

(NCPTT) is partnering with the Louisiana National Guard to provide training to National Guard members from across the country on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. NCPTT will also help identify ways in which the National Guard can incorporate sustainability and energy efficiency into its buildings. The training is scheduled for June 14 to 18 at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans. For more information, please contact Andy Ferrell at 318-356-7444 or Andrew_Ferrell@nps.gov.

Science Month

(Texas) — In June (Science Month), Chamizal National Memorial is offering two workshops for teachers about science and the memorial. “The Science of Sustainability” (June 15, 9 a.m. to noon) covers the topics of recycling, renewable and non-renewable resources, the wise use of lab materials, and the National Park Service’s focus on sustainability. “All About Earth Science” (June 16, 9 a.m. to noon) will help teachers incorporate new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards in a field trip to Chamizal National Memorial. Each workshop is free of charge and limited to 25 participants. Chamizal is CPE-certified, and all teachers from Texas will earn three Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for attending each of these sessions. For more information, please contact Michael Groomer at 915-532-7273 ext. 124.

“Views & Visitors: the Yosemite Experience in the 19th Century”

(California) — This exhibit, featuring paintings, prints, artifacts, and ephemera from Yosemite National Park’s early years, will be on display this summer in the Yosemite Museum gallery. Photographs and paintings of visitors and the landscape, early publications and memorabilia, historic hotel registers, and the Grand Register of the Cosmopolitan will be on view. The exhibit, made possible by a grant from The Yosemite Conservancy, includes an interactive kiosk featuring entries from the Cosmopolitan Register and a digital slideshow of historic views of Yosemite visitors and hotels. The opening reception on June 15 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. is open to the public. The exhibit will be open from June 16 to September 30 daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and from October 1 to 31 daily from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Barbara Beroza, Curator of Collections at Yosemite National Park, at 209-372-0297.

Horse Sense and Survival

(North Carolina) — Cape Lookout National Seashore’s first wild horse tour of the 2010 season will be on Wednesday, June 16. Trips in the Horse Sense and Survival program are walking tours following the wild Banker horses of Shackleford Banks. Join Dr. Sue Stuska, a wildlife biologist who specializes in horses, for a day-long walking trip. Dr. Stuska’s intimate knowledge of the horses makes for an exciting and enlightening glimpse into the relationships, family bonds, behavior, and daily life of these animals.

For more information, please contact Wouter Ketel at 252-728-2250 ext.

3005.

Lectures, Lunch, and Lemonade

(Pennsylvania) — The Friends of Valley Forge Park’s Lunch and Learn Series begins June 16. The talks take place in Valley Forge National Historical Park’s Education Center on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m., according to the following schedule. June 16: “The Philadelphia Campaign” * June 23:

“Carpenter’s Hall” * June 30: “Archaeology,” for which Joe Blondine will be the guest speaker. Participants should bring their own brown bag lunches.

Lemonade will be provided. For more information, please contact Kimberly Szewczyk at 610-783-1014 or Kimberly_Szewczyk@nps.gov.

Anniversaries—Bunker Hill and Now We Are Enemies

(Massachusetts) — On June 17, American History Press will publish a 50th anniversary edition of Now We Are Enemies: The Story of Bunker Hill by the distinguished historian of the American Revolution Thomas Fleming.

Originally published in 1960, the book launched Fleming’s writing career and is still considered the most complete account of the battle that took place on June 17, 1775. On Wednesday, June 16, 2010, Mr. Fleming will make an appearance at the Battle of Bunker Hill Museum in Charlestown for a reading and a book signing. On Thursday, June 17, he will be a guest at the official ceremony commemorating the 235th anniversary of the battle at the Bunker Hill Monument in Boston National Historical Park. For more information, please contact Sean Hennessey, Public Affairs Officer, at

617-242-5616 or sean_hennessey@nps.gov.

Celebrate Juneteenth with the National Parks of New York Harbor (New York) — On Juneteenth (June 19, 1865), General Gordon Granger brought news of the Emancipation, and a force of Union soldiers, to Texas roughly three years after Abraham Lincoln declared American slaves free on September 22, 1862. This year marks the 145th anniversary of that day, when the Civil War ended in Texas and slavery with it. New York is among the 31 states that recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. Join the National Park Service on June 19 to celebrate this important date. African Burial Ground National Monument will mark the day with a special talk by Dr. Joy DeGruy on the history and significance of Juneteenth at 11 a.m. Nicola and Rufus James will lead a presentation of poetry, music, and dialogue commemorating the official end of slavery in America at Castle Clinton National Monument at 1 p.m. For more information, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Governors Island to Celebrate Army Heritage Day (New York) — Discover more than 150 years of army history at Governors Island National Monument on June 19. National Park Service rangers, the 319 th U.S. Army Band, Revolutionary and Civil War living historians, and members of today’s military will provide re-enactments, children’s programming, musical demonstrations, and lectures that pay tribute to army life on Governors Island. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/gois, call 212-668-2208, or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

March-Out of the Continental Army Commemoration

(Pennsylvania) — To honor those soldiers who left Valley Forge and went on to secure our nation’s independence, interpreters from the Oneida Indian Nation, park rangers, and volunteers will host a living history encampment at the Muhlenberg Brigade huts at Valley Forge National Historical Park on Saturday, June 19. The encampment will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cannon firings are scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. The encampment is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact William Troppman at 610-783-1075 or William_Troppman@nps.gov.

Second Translocation of Endangered Fish

(Arizona) — On June 23, the National Park Service, in conjunction with the Bureau of Reclamation, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, will move an additional 300 juvenile humpback chub to Shinumo Creek in Grand Canyon National Park. The multi-year translocation experiment began in 2009 with the successful translocation of 300 juvenile humpback chub to Shinumo Creek. The second translocation will augment the humpback chub population in the creek and provide an opportunity for rearing humpback chub in a natural environment outside of the Little Colorado River. For more information, please contact Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer, at 928-638-7779.

“Get Dirty After Dark”

(Pennsylvania) — Calling Young Friends of Valley Forge Park for an exclusive event! Come “get dirty after dark.” At Washington’s Headquarters on Thursday, June 24 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., you can learn about archeology from Temple University’s archeological field school leaders, try your hand at finding artifacts, and feast on a Pig Daddy’s Southern BBQ picnic. For more information, please contact Graham Dellinger at vfyoungfriends@gmail.com

Full Moon Hike

(New Mexico) — Have you ever wondered what gypsum dunes look like under the glow of the moon? Join a ranger for the June Full Moon Hike at White Sands National Monument and see the dunes in a whole new light. The hike is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, June 25. Reservations are required and can only be made via www.nps.gov/whsa. Reservations will be accepted starting two weeks in advance of the scheduled hike, which is limited to 30 participants. Although the hike is free, entrance fees at the monument apply. For more information, please contact John Mangimeli at 505-679-2599 ext. 230.

Music by Moonlight

(New Mexico) — Cowboy singer/musician Skip Gorman and Celtic singer and poet Connie Dover will combine their down-deep, heartfelt interpretations of the traditional music of the American West, Ireland, and Scotland under the brilliant light of the full moon on Saturday, June 26 at 8:30 p.m.

Their performance is part of Full Moon Nights Summer 2010 at White Sands National Monument. Full Moon Nights are held in the monument’s amphitheater and are free, although the monument’s entrance fees of $3.00 per person 16 years and older apply. For more information, please contact John Mangimeli at 505-679-2599 ext. 230.

Lake Lucero Tour, 5 p.m., Saturday, June 26 (New Mexico) — Take a tour to Lake Lucero, part of White Sands National Monument, with a ranger and learn about the formation of the white sands.

These three-hour tours to the playa (dry lakebed) of Lake Lucero are offered once a month, and reservations are required. The tour fee is $3.00 per adult (16 years and older) and $1.50 for children and America the Beautiful Senior and Access pass holders. Please call 575-679-2599 ext. 236 for reservations. For more information, please contact John Mangimeli at

505-679-2599 ext. 230.

Ninth Annual Don Redman Jazz Heritage Concert and Awards (West Virginia) — Enjoy a free concert featuring Harold Mabern and Mickey Roker with the Howard Burns Quartet on June 26 at 6 p.m. The venue is Camp Hill at Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. For more information, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748 or Marsha_Wassel@nps.gov.

“A Revolutionary War-Era Panel Discussion”

(Pennsylvania) — Join George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin for “A Revolutionary War-Era Panel Discussion” on Saturday, June

26 at 7 p.m. This event, which closes the Friends of Valley Forge Park and Washington Memorial Chapel’s lecture series, will take place in the theater at Valley Forge National Historical Park. For more information, please contact Nancy Loane at nancyloane@comcast.net.

A Change in Climate that Touches Wyoming

(Wyoming) — Grand Teton National Park will host an informative program about global climate change on June 30 at 9 p.m. in the Colter Bay Amphitheater. National Weather Service Meteorologist Arthur Meunier will talk about large-scale changes in weather and describe how those global changes may affect the plants, animals, and other resources of Grand Teton National Park and Wyoming. Meunier will provide educational background and share interesting weather-related photos during a PowerPoint presentation.

For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393 or Bobbie Visnovske at 307-739-3431.

Help for Communities from RTCA

(Nationwide) — Is someone in your community trying to protect local rivers, save an unspoiled landscape, or build trails to help others enjoy nature? Through the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, the National Park Service provides staff who can guide communities in conserving waterways, preserving open space, and developing trails and greenways. Applications for the next round of technical assistance can be submitted until August 1. Potential applicants should discuss their project ideas with RTCA staff in their area before submitting an application.

Please visit www.nps.gov/rtca for complete information and the application.

For more information, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843 or Elise_M_Cleva@nps.gov.

“Grand Canyon’s Green Heart: The Unsung Legacy of Plants”

(Arizona) — Although better known for its grand vistas and geologic wonders than for its botanical riches, the Grand Canyon is home to more plants than any other national park and to nearly half of all the plants that grow in Arizona. Often beautiful, sometimes treacherous, plants transform sunlight into energy and thus serve as the basis for all animal life on Earth. A special exhibition opening at Kolb Studio in Grand Canyon National Park introduces the fascinating world of canyon plants and the botanists who have studied and protected them, and celebrates the art of botanical illustration. “Grand Canyon’s Green Heart: the Unsung Legacy of Plants” can be seen at Kolb Studio, July 2 through August 31. For more information, please contact Vegetation Program Manager Lori Makarick at 928-638-7455.

Fourth-Grade Quilts Tour National Parks of Kansas

(Kansas) — National Park Service rangers and local quilting guilds helped fourth-grade students learn how stories are told through quilts. The five national parks in Kansas, local elementary schools, and quilting guilds within each park community collaborated on the project “Building Common Ground Through the Quilts of Many Hands,” which is funded by a National Park Foundation grant. After visiting their local park, students composed essays describing quilt blocks that they would make and the stories, relating to the school’s local park, that the blocks represent. Each student then designed and produced a 12-inch quilt block with the assistance of local quilt guilds and park rangers. Once the blocks were complete, the guilds helped the students complete the quilts. From May 28 through August 4, the quilts will go on tour and be displayed at each of the five National Park Service sites in Kansas. Visitors can vote on their favorite quilt. All participating students will receive prizes; however, the quilt receiving the most votes will be awarded a grand prize and honored with a formal presentation at the winning school in September. The schedule for the quilt tour follows.

Fort Larned National Historic Site: May 28 through June 9 Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: June 11 through 23

Fort Scott National Historic Site June 25 through July 7

Brown v. Board of Education NHS: July 9 through 21

Nicodemus National Historic Site: July 23 through August 4

For more information, please contact Mark Weaver at 785-839-4321.

Manzanar Launches Virtual Museum of Artifacts and Archives

(California) — The National Park Service (NPS) has launched a “virtual museum” highlighting more than 200 items from Manzanar National Historic Site’s collection. These items reflect Manzanar’s past: centuries of Owens Valley Paiute life; the ranching and farming era; the confinement of 11,070 Japanese Americans during World War II; later pilgrimages; and the eventual establishment of Manzanar National Historic Site. Most of the items featured online have never been seen by the public. In addition to artifacts, artwork, documents, and photos, the museum includes a virtual tour, oral history interview clips, photo slideshows, and “Teaching with Museum Collections” lesson plans. The virtual museum—the 41st to be created by the National Park Service—may be found at http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/manz/index.html. To explore other NPS virtual museums, visit www.nps.gov/history/museum. For more information, please contact Alisa Lynch at 760-878-2194 ext. 2711.

Experts Prepare for Possible Threat to Cultural Resources on Gulf Coast

(Louisiana) — Representatives of the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) and colleagues from other branches of the National Park Service discussed how to respond to possible effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on cultural resources. Over 120 National Register properties, including 15 National Historic Landmarks, are located along the Gulf Coast from Texas to the Florida Keys. Areas of concern include porous masonry materials and shipwrecks. The NCPTT’s Kirk Cordell and Mary Striegel worked with representatives of the National Capital Region of the Park Service and the University of Texas, Austin, to draft advice for mitigating oil damage to Fort Massachusetts. For more information, please contact Mary F. Striegel, Chief of Materials Research, at 318-356-7444 or mary_striegel@nps.gov.

See What’s “Now in Bloom” in Yosemite

(California) — Follow a new Yosemite National Park feature called “Now in Bloom,” which offers a weekly bloom list. Learn more about Yosemite wildflower walks at http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/wildflower-walks.htm and common wildflower species at http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/common-wildflowers.htm. See the “Now in Bloom” webpage, http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/bloom.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

International Visitors to Yosemite: 1 in 4

(California) — The 2009 Visitor Use Survey found that international visitors came to Yosemite National Park from 33 countries and comprised about 25% of total visitation. In other words, visitors from other countries accounted for about 1 million of the park’s nearly 4 million visitors. Of the international visitors, 14% were from the United Kingdom, 13% from Germany, 11% from France, and 11% from Belgium. Eighty-eight percent defined their race as white; 11% as Asian; one percent as black; and one percent as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/visitor-use.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Sierra Nevada: Impacts of Fire Management on Carbon Stocks

(California) — Two Sierra Nevada national parks plan to assess the impacts of fire management on carbon stocks. Yosemite National Park and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, through collaborations with the U.S.

Geological Survey, the Western Ecological Research Center, and university partners, have initiated research to quantify and understand both the

short- and long-term effects of fire on forest carbon stocks. The 2010 climate-related project aims to gather quantitative data on the amount and resiliency of carbon in places where pre-settlement fire regimes have been restored versus areas where they have not yet been restored, and to create project-scale maps of park carbon stocks, including maps of areas at risk from fire. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

If These Stones Could Speak, They’d Say, “Thank You!”

(Louisiana) — The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

(NCPTT) is developing and testing new polymers for use in conserving stone.

NCPTT is also developing a nanotechnology-based stone conservation system that is quicker to place and more reliable than current treatments. For more information, please contact Mary F. Striegel, Chief of Materials Research, at 318-356-7444 or mary_striegel@nps.gov.

Stop Invasive Didymo from Spreading in Yosemite

(California) — Recreationists, including fishermen, can spread a freshwater alga called Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) from one body of water to another in Yosemite National Park. Didymo results in massive blooms that carpet streambeds. Called “rock snot” due to its slimy appearance, this alga historically occurred in cool, low-nutrient waters in North America. Its ecological niche has recently expanded to include a wide range of water temperatures and nutrient levels. Didymo has been documented in several locations along the Tuolumne River, including locations in Yosemite National Park below the O’Shaughnessy Dam. The alga can produce thick mats that make swimming, fishing, and other water-based activities undesirable. Recreational equipment and clothing can become contaminated and encourage the spread of Didymo if not cleaned properly.

See

http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/upload/Didymo-fact-sheet-04-10.pdf

and http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/fish.htm%0b. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Yosemite to Study Sky-Island Flora

(California) — In 2010, 2011, and 2012, staff at Yosemite National Park will conduct a botanical inventory of the park’s sky-island floras. These specialized plant communities occupy dry, cold plateaus at the crest of the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite south to Sequoia-Kings Canyon. The plants are highly vulnerable to the drying and warming predicted by many climate forecast models. Data from this project will assist park managers in protecting resources. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

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Related posts

• National Park Service Parktips – July 2010 (0)
• Parktips – January 2010 (2)
• National Park Service Parktips – March 2010 (1)
• Parktips – April 2010 (0)
• Parktips – October 2009 (0)

Parktips May 2010

Parktips is a monthly compilation of newsworthy items and story ideas from the National Park Service. A new edition is posted on the first week of each month at http://www.nps.gov/news/index.htm. Just click on the Story Leads link to access Parktips. You can view past issues of Parktips. You can also receive a personal copy of Parktips, via e-mail or fax, by registering at our website.

Christmas Tree Worm, Spinycheek Sleeper, Mosquitofish…

(Florida) — Join the National Park Service and the National Geographic Society at the Biscayne BioBlitz on April 30 and May 1. Teams of scientists, naturalists, community leaders, students, and members of the public will set out to discover and record as many living organisms in and out of the crystal-clear water at Biscayne National Park as possible in 24 hours. The event will increase awareness of the diverse—and, in some cases, fantastically named—species found in Biscayne—home to the perfumed spiderlily and the sargassumfish, among others—and afford stewards a better understanding of how to protect the natural environment. Activities will continue throughout the two days at the main “base camp” at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center and at a smaller “base camp” on Elliott Key. A festival celebrating biodiversity will follow the species count on May 1 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Linda Friar at

305-242-7714 or Linda_Friar@nps.gov.

Fête at Valley Forge

(Pennsylvania) — On Saturday, May 1, 2010, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Revolutionary War re-enactors will hold an encampment to celebrate the 232 nd anniversary of America’s pivotal alliance with France in 1778. Visitors can speak with officers, enlisted men, women, and children about what they experienced at Valley Forge and what the French Alliance meant to the American Revolution. At the park’s visitor center, children can create tri-corner hats and French flags. The next day, Sunday, May 2, a Washington Memorial Chapel service at 11:30 a.m. will commemorate the Alliance and the French and American soldiers who fell in combat with the British. A special wreath-laying ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m. at the Daughters of the American Revolution Monument. For more information, please contact Jeffrey Oates at 610-783-1009.

Guns in a Park—But Not to Demonstrate Constitutional Rights

(Mississippi) — Civil War re-enactor and retired history teacher Curtis Makamson will discuss his collection of replicas of Civil War-era weapons at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center of Gulf Islands National Seashore on May 2. Come at 2 p.m. for this approximately one-hour talk. The collection includes muskets, pistols, and edged carbines. For more information, please contact Susan Blair at 228-230-4106.

Santa Fe Trail Caravan

(Colorado) — Take a three-mile hike down the Santa Fe Trail behind an ox-driven Conestoga wagon. Interpreters from Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site will demonstrate trail life in the 1840s. The caravan will leave Sierra Vista Overlook on Highway 350 at 10 a.m. on May 8 and travel to the Timpas Picnic Area. For more information, please contact Rick Wallner at 719-383-5024 or rick_wallner@nps.gov.

Denali Thaws Out

(Alaska) — As days lengthen and temperatures rise above freezing, Denali National Park and Preserve is springing back to life. The Denali Visitor Center opens for the summer season on Saturday, May 15. Rangers will be on hand to provide general park information and interpretive programs, which include the 2 p.m. sled dog demonstration. Other facilities in the park’s entrance area, including the Denali Bookstore, Morino Grill, Wilderness Access Center, and the Backcountry Information Center, will also open for the season on May 15. One campground is currently open (Riley Creek), and others will open on May 19 and May 20. Denali Natural History Tours begin on Wednesday, May 12, and the Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT) shoulder season trips begin on May 15. The shuttle bus system begins its seasonal operations on Thursday, May 20. The system provides access beyond the Savage River (Mile 15) as far west as the Toklat River (Mile 53). Buses will run farther west, as far as the Eielson Visitor Center (Mile 66), beginning on Tuesday, June 1, and the entire 92-mile length of the park road will open for bus travel on Tuesday, June 8. The first 15 miles of the park road will remain open to visitors in private vehicles throughout the summer season. For more information, please contact Kris Fister at

907-683-9583 or Kris_Fister@nps.gov.

Hit the Beach, Broom in Hand

(Puerto Rico) — San Juan National Historic Site will hold its annual spring cleanup on Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to noon. The cleanup will take place on the north beach of Castillo San Cristobal, which features the historic Garita del Diablo and the community of La Perla. Usually, the Garita del Diablo and the stretch of beach along San Cristobal’s north walls are off-limits to visitors. Volunteers will be given the opportunity to visit the fortifications at San Juan NHS free of charge after participating in the cleanup. For more information, please contact Dilcia Gonzalez at 787-729-6777 ext. 239 or dilcia_gonzalez@nps.gov.

Botanic Bonanza

(California) — On May 15 from 8 a.m. to noon, come enjoy the wonder and beauty of native plants in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Then, take some of those species home. The annual Santa Monica Mountains Native Plant Fair offers native plants for sale, educational materials on gardening with natives, and tours of the National Park Service’s ethnobotanic garden and native plant nursery. There will be a special planting event at 10 a.m. to help restore parkland. For more information, please contact Lauren Newman at 805-370-2343 or lauren_newman@nps.gov.

Creative Expression Where Freedom Was Denied

(California) — Visitors are invited to enjoy “Selected Artists from the Henry Fukuhara Annual Alabama Hills and Manzanar Workshop,” an art show and sale sponsored by the Manzanar History Association and held in the Manzanar Interpretive Center through May 16. For more information, please contact Alisa Lynch at 760-878-2194 ext. 2711.

GPS Demystified

(California) — On May 22 at 2 p.m., join Ranger Mike at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to learn how to use GPS to explore the Santa Monica Mountains. The class will cover the nuts and bolts of the device, field applications, and rules and regulations for use at different park sites. Participants will then head out into the park for a field session. For more information, please contact Lauren Newman at 805-370-2343 or lauren_newman@nps.gov.

Great Gyotaku

(Mississippi) — Visitors can learn gyotaku, a traditional form of Japanese fish printing used by fishermen to record their catches, at Gulf Islands National Seashore on May 23. For more information, please contact Susan Blair at 228-230-4106.

Paddle from Virginia to Louisiana

(Southeast) — The National Park Service and partners are working to identify a saltwater paddling trail that will take canoeists and kayakers along the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia; connect to the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail; and, picking up where the Florida trail ends, extend along the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Many access sites and accommodations for canoes and kayaks already exist along the route, but paddlers lack a database and map of all safe, legal access points, as well as a guide to dangerous conditions and gaps in the route. For more information, please contact Charlotte Gillis at 404-507-5692 or charlotte_gillis@nps.gov.

Little Cabin in the Woods

(Alaska) — No Blackberry or iPhone service. Yikes, is that possible?

Absolutely! Journalists, consider staying at a remote National Park Service cabin and then, upon your return to civilization, bringing your readers, viewers, or listeners the story of an unwired piece of an Alaskan vacation.

There are public-use cabins along the coast of Kenai Fjords, which provides a perfect refuge for kayakers. Along the Yukon River lie historic mining and roadhouse cabins that now host river travelers. For the fly-in enthusiast, a dozen cabins await in Wrangell-St. Elias, America’s largest national park. Ironically, all the information on these very unwired cabins is available online at www.nps.gov/kefj ( http://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/publicusecabins_summer.htm),

www.nps.gov/yuch (http://www.nps.gov/yuch/planyourvisit/publicusecabins.htm

), and www.nps.gov/wrst (

http://www.nps.gov/wrst/planyourvisit/upload/Backcountry%20CABINS%20book%20Updated%2012-3.pdf

). For more information, please contact John Quinley at 907-644-3512.

There’s No Place Like Home, But a Hospital Makes a Good Consolation Prize (New York) — When a group of architecture students from Sweden were stranded because of the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull, they got a tour of Ellis Island’s south side. This area contains a U.S. Health Hospital not open to public visitation, where the students learned about pavilion-style medical architecture and early 20th-century construction techniques. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212-668-2208.

Would you like to receive Parktips in your e-mail?

The National Park Service has an e-mail mailing list called NPSNews.

NPSNews subscribers receive, via e-mail, Parktips, as well as other timely, national-park-related news items. If you would like to receive NPSNews, just send an e-mail to majordomo@webmail.itc.nps.gov. Write “subscribe npsnews” in the body of the message. You should receive a confirmation message shortly thereafter. Contact: NPS Office of Public Affairs, 202-208-6843.

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For the latest news and press information from the National Park Service, visit www.nps.gov and select the “More News” link.

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Sue Husari, sue_husari@nps.gov (510) 817-1320

Point Reyes Superintendent Named

Seasoned Professional to Lead National Seashore

WASHINGTON – National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis today announced

Cicely Muldoon as the new superintendent of Point Reyes National Seashore

in northern California. She will report to the park in mid-May.

“Cicely brings an incredible mix of professional expertise, creativity, and

common sense to every assignment,” Jarvis said. “Whether working in

parks, a regional office, or headquarters in Washington, DC, she

personifies the very best of what it means to be a public servant. She is

dedicated to the mission of the National Park Service and committed to

making that mission serve her fellow Americans.”

Point Reyes boasts 80 miles of spectacular, undeveloped coastline and

protects more than 90,000 acres of land including more than 30,000 acres of

wilderness. The history-rich landscape important to ranchers and the Coast

Miwok people boasts biological resources as well. The park is home to a

tremendous diversity of native plants and wildlife – more than 1,000

species – and offers extraordinary recreational opportunities on nearly 150

miles of trails, backcountry campgrounds, and wild beaches.

“Point Reyes is simply a stunning place,” Muldoon said. “It has natural

beauty, a powerful conservation legacy, active youth education programs,

and a wide array of community partners. The park’s accessibility and

proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area offers a tremendous opportunity to

introduce seven million city-dwellers to a spectacular wilderness – all

within an hour of home. I can’t wait to get started.”

The park, created by Congress in 1962, welcomes more than two million

visitors every year. Geologically, the park is a land in motion. The San

Andreas Fault separates the Point Reyes Peninsula from the rest of the

North American continent. Granite bedrock found here matches the bedrock

in the Southern Sierra Nevada, indicating that the peninsula has moved more

than 300 miles northwest over a period of 100 million years.

The park, an important link in a chain of protected areas, shares

boundaries with the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine

Sanctuaries, Tomales Bay State Park, Marin Municipal Water District Lands,

and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Combined, these places constitute

one of the few remaining biologically diverse Mediterranean climate regions

on Earth.

Cool things about Point Reyes:

More than 45 percent of North American avian species and nearly 18

percent of California’s plant species are found at Point Reyes

because of the variety of habitats and unique geology.

In 1988 the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere program named the park

part of the Central California Coast Biosphere Reserve.

The cultural history of Point Reyes National Seashore reaches back more

than 2,000 years to the Coast Miwok Indians who were the first human

inhabitants of the peninsula. More than 100 known archeological sites

exist within the national seashore.

According to many experts, Sir Francis Drake landed here in 1579, the

first European to do so.

Muldoon, 44, has served as a deputy regional director of the National Park

Service’s Pacific West Region since 2005. The region encompasses more than

50 national parks in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and the

Pacific Islands.

Muldoon began her career with the National Park Service in 1985. She has

worked at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Presidio of San

Francisco, and Pinnacles National Monument in California; San Juan Island

National Historical Park in Washington State; Sitka National Historical

Park in Alaska; Buffalo National River in Arkansas; and the National Park

Service headquarters office in Washington, DC. Muldoon served as

superintendent of Pinnacles National Monument and San Juan Island National

Historical Park prior to her posting in the Pacific West Regional Office.

Muldoon is a native of Sausalito, California, and is a graduate of the

University of California, Davis.

She replaces Don Neubacher, who was named superintendent of Yosemite

National Park in February.

-NPS-

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Parktips – March 2010

Parktips is a monthly compilation of newsworthy items and story ideas from the National Park Service. A new edition is posted on the first week of each month at http://www.nps.gov/news/index.htm. Just click on the Story Leads link to access Parktips. You can view past issues of Parktips. You can also receive a personal copy of Parktips, via e-mail or fax, by registering at our website.

Endangered World and 80.15 W

(Florida) — The installation Endangered World: Biscayne National Park and the exhibit 80.15 W by artist Xavier Cortada are now on view at Biscayne National Park’s Convoy Point and the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. Both works of art call attention to the impact that humans can have on animals.

Cortada conceived of the installation, which members of the local community executed, and created the works on paper that make up 80.15 W. This exhibit and Endangered World mark the International Year of Biodiversity declared by the United Nations and help Biscayne count down the time to BioBlitz—a 24-hour inventory of the species in the park, sponsored by National Geographic—on April 30 and May 1. For more information, please contact Gary Bremen at 305-230-1144 ext. 007.

Get Ready to Run This Spring!

(Pennsylvania) — The Young Friends of Valley Forge and REI Conshohocken will co-sponsor a clinic, “Introduction to Running,” on Tuesday, March 2 at

7 p.m. at REI Conshohocken. If you’re thinking about running your first 5K or 10K but are unsure how to get started, this clinic is for you. Join the Young Friends of Valley Forge, who are training for the fifth annual Valley Forge Revolutionary 5-Mile Run, and REI for this “Intro to Running” clinic.

Essential gear, including footwear and clothing, will be discussed. Come out to learn more about training programs and workout ideas as well as to discover great local places to run. The Young Friends of Valley Forge will be on hand with information about the Revolutionary Run. Learn more at http://valleyforge.org/info/rev-run/. For more information, please contact Graham Dellinger 610-783-1062.

Help Test Yosemite’s Water Quality

(California) — Individuals who care about water quality can volunteer in Yosemite National Park’s program for monitoring the Merced River.

Volunteers sample water for nitrates and phosphorous. Volunteers participate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month except December and February. The next date is March 3. Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/naturalfeaturesandecosystems.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Fiesta de Saguaro

(Arizona) — Saguaro National Park will host the fourth annual Fiesta de Saguaro on March 6, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park’s Rincon Mountain (East) District. The event highlights the Hispanic history, culture, and heritage of Saguaro National Park and the surrounding area.

Activities include craft demonstrations, traditional Mariachi music and Folklorico dancing, children’s arts and crafts, and guest speakers.

Traditional Mexican food will be available for purchase. For more information, please contact Melanie Florez at 520-733-5151.

Backcountry Tours at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

(Arizona) — In honor of the Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month in March, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument will host special tours of the park’s backcountry area that is normally closed to the visiting public. Highlights include the Prehistoric Ballcourt, Compound B, and an ancient roasting pit or “horno.” The tours will be offered on Saturday and Sunday mornings, starting on Saturday, March 6 and ending on Sunday, March 28. For more information, please contact Superintendent Karl Cordova at 520-723-3172.

Women’s History Month in National Parks of New York Harbor New York — The National Parks of New York Harbor are celebrating Women’s History Month with a variety of special programs. A musician specializing in historic songs will recreate Jenny Lind’s performance at Castle Garden, now Castle Clinton National Monument. Women’s suffrage is the subject of a discussion being held at the Fort Wadsworth Visitor Center in the Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area on March 6. On March 12, visitors to St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site can learn about lives of women in 18th-century America based on symbolism and inscriptions on gravestones, including several in the historic burial yard at St. Paul’s.

Join the National Park Service at Federal Hall National Memorial on March

22 for “Symbols, Soldiers, Spies,” a day filled with tales of triumph and tragedy as National Park Service rangers and costumed re-enactors bring to life the women who helped shape 18th-century North America. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212-668-2208 or mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Celebrating the Life of Dolley Todd

(Pennsylvania) — Independence National Historical Park and the National Constitution Center celebrate Dolley Madison: America’s First Lady. In honor of Women’s History Month and the enduring legacy of Dolley Todd Madison, the Todd House will be open for special tours on Monday, March 8 between 1 and 5 p.m. Built in 1775, the Todd House was occupied from 1791 to 1793 by lawyer John Todd and his wife, Dolley Payne. Following her husband’s death in 1793, Dolley married James Madison. At 6 p.m., the National Constitution Center hosts Dolley Madison: America’s First Lady, a 90-minute portrait from PBS’s American Experience. Following the screening, there will be a short conversation with executive producer Catherine Allan, producer and director Muffie Meyer, writer Ronald Blumer, and historian Holly Shulman, director of the Dolley Madison Project at the University of Virginia. For more information, please contact Jane Cowley at 215-597-0060 or visit www.nps.gov/inde.

King of the Lobby: Sam Ward, Longfellow’s Friend of Half a Century

(Massachusetts) — Author Kathryn Allamong Jacob, curator of manuscripts, Schlesinger Library at Harvard University, speaks about her newest book, King of the Lobby: The Life and Times of Sam Ward, Man-About-Washington in the Gilded Age. Ward was a statesman, orator, and author and one of Henry Longfellow’s closest friends. Ward’s major impact on American history, however, came from his role as a lobbyist in Washington. Book sales and signing to take place on Wednesday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Longfellow Carriage House. Please call 617-876-4491.

Night Prowl at Sandy Hook

New Jersey — Set out from the Sandy Hook Visitor Center to explore a habitat on a nighttime hike from 7 to 9 p.m. on March 13. For more information, please call 718-354-4606 or e-mail GATE_Public_Affairs@nps.gov .

Eighteenth-Century Tea and Fashion Show

(New York) — On Sunday, March 14 at 1:30 p.m. in the Saratoga Town Hall, numerous volunteers and staff from Saratoga National Historical Park will present an afternoon tea and fashion show. The show will feature clothing worn by lower, middling, and upper class men, women, and children of the late 1700s. The program (Project Runaway) will also include music and visual images to enhance the atmosphere of the time. A social “tea”

follows, in which treats using original 18th-century recipes will be served. The event is a “Friend-Raiser” cosponsored by the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield. For more information, please contact Gina Johnson, Chief of Interpretation, at 518-664-9821 ext. 227.

Grand Canyon Hosts Third Annual Alternative Spring Break

(Arizona) — Grand Canyon National Park will host the third annual Alternative Spring Break program sponsored by the Student Conservation Association (SCA), in partnership with American Eagle Outfitters. Grand Canyon is the only site hosting an SCA Alternative Spring Break program this year. The program gives college students the opportunity to spend their spring break volunteering in one of America’s iconic national parks.

Students will work with park and SCA staff on a variety of projects directly leading to the preservation and protection of Grand Canyon’s natural and cultural resources. The two one-week sessions begin on March 15. For more information, please contact Kassy Theobald, Restoration Biologist, Grand Canyon National Park, at 928-638-7857 or kassandra_theobald@nps.gov.

Puzzles of Dorchester Heights: Washington Ends the Siege of Boston

(Massachusetts) — Historians agree that placing artillery on the hills of the Dorchester peninsula was decisive in forcing the British military to evacuate Boston on March 17, 1776. But why had it taken so long for either army to seize that high ground? What was General Washington’s role in setting strategy? And what other factors were important at the end of the siege? Dr. Robert Cameron Mitchell, professor emeritus, Clark University, presents this talk on Wednesday, March 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Longfellow Carriage House. Please call 617-876-4491.

Return to Battle of Monmouth Via Archeology

(Pennsylvania) — On Thursday, March 18, 2010, archeologist Dan Sividich presents “Archaeology at Monmouth, the Battle after Valley Forge.” On June 28, 1778, the two great armies of the American Revolution clashed on the plains of Monmouth Courthouse in the largest battle of the war. By using metal detectors, computer mapping, and new field techniques, archeologists have established previously undocumented aspects of the conflict, including the location of Proctor’s Artillery, the gun to which Molly Pitcher attended. The presentation, part of the Friends Lecture Series at the Chapel, will give the audience a comprehensive look at battlefield archaeology being conducted at Monmouth Battlefield State Park. For more information, please contact Nancy Loane at nancyloane@comcast.net.

First Bloom Garden Ceremony

(Louisiana) — Since last fall, students from Thibodaux, Louisiana, and the surrounding area have participated in the national First Bloom program at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. The students have worked with rangers at the center, learned about native plants, and planted the gardens at the center. Stop by for some green thumb fun on March 20 as the kids put the finishing touches on their work and learn a few garden tips to take home. The garden dedication ceremony is at 11 a.m., followed by refreshments. For more information, please contact the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center at 985-448-1375.

Start of Sitka’s Centennial Year

(Alaska) — Designated Sitka National Monument on March 23, 1910, Sitka National Historical Park is the oldest park in Alaska and among the oldest in the United States. This month, the park celebrates its 100-year anniversary, with events on March 21 and 23 kicking off an entire year of celebrations. On March 21, a Raven’s Tail Robe, woven by nationally acclaimed artist Teri Rofkar, will be dedicated and presented to the park.

An original and true form of Tlingit art, these woven robes tell stories and preserve aspects of Tlingit culture. On March 23, the park will open an exhibit of historical photography by E.W. Merrill, depicting life in Sitka in the early 1900s. Dance events by Tlingit and Russian dancers are planned. Information on the centennial is available at http://www.nps.gov/sitk/100-year-anniversary.htm. For interviews, please contact Superintendent Mary Miller at 907-747-6281.

Grand Canyon National Park to Celebrate Archeology Day

(Arizona) — On Saturday, March 27, Grand Canyon National Park will celebrate Archeology Day. This event provides park visitors with the opportunity to learn more about native peoples who inhabited the Grand Canyon long ago. Visitors can gain a greater understanding of what archeologists do and how their work informs an understanding of the past.

Archeology Day will feature a series of special, family-friendly activities at Grand Canyon Visitor Center between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., including opportunities to make clay pinch pots and split-twig figurines and to “sift for artifacts.” There will also be two special evening programs associated with the event: Vanishing Treasures archeologist Ian Hough will share new archeological research in Grand Canyon on March 26, and Park Guide Jennifer Onufer will share her experiences on an archeology trip down the Colorado River on March 27. The event website is http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/arch_day.htm. For more information, please contact Libby Schaaf, Supervisory Park Ranger, at 928-638-7641.

LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour

(Texas) — On March 27, visitors to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park can go on a bicycle ride originating and ending on the LBJ Ranch. Participants may choose from a variety of routes that span seven distances from the ranch into the Texas Hill Country. The longest distance is 100 km. Pre-registration information is available on the internet at www.lbj100bicycletour.org. Luci Johnson will lead an intimate tour of the LBJ Ranch that afternoon. For more information, please contact Liz Lindig at 830-868-7128 ext. 231 or Sherry Justus at 830-868-7128 ext. 245.

Women’s History Month Program: Necessity the Mother of Invention (West Virginia) — Women of Harpers Ferry employed inventions of the Industrial Revolution in their everyday lives. Special exhibits and demonstrations at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park will feature the town’s manufacturing and technological advances in such areas as gardening, preserving food, and manufacturing fabric. The Women’s History Month Program will take place on March 27 and 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Lower Town. For more information, please call 304-535-6224.

Celebrate Spring at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve!

(Louisiana) — In the Barataria Preserve’s wild wetlands, enjoy “Spring in the Swamp” on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Try canoeing on a brief paddle with a ranger. Meet underwater creatures via dip net, and explore the trails on guided walks. “Spring in the Swamp” is free.

For more information, please contact Jim MacDonald 504-689-3690.

Historian David Hackett Fischer to Speak on American Revolution New York — Acclaimed historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Hackett Fischer, a distinguished Professor at Brandeis University, will deliver the annual Aronson Memorial Lecture about the American Revolution at 2 p.m. on March 27 at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212-668-2208 or mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

2010 Snow Surveys Begin at Yosemite

(California) — Yosemite National Park has begun its 2010 snow surveys.

Measurements are collected four times per year at carefully chosen locations called snow courses. Snow surveys reflect varying levels in precipitation based on climate and changes in climate. The final snow survey is April 1. For more information, please see an online source for the California Cooperative Snow Surveys, http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/index.html. Also for more information, please contact Jim Roche at Jim_Roche@nps.gov or 209-379-379-1446 or Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Meet Abydosaurus mcintoshi

(Colorado, Utah) — Researchers working in Dinosaur National Monument have excavated fossil remains of a previously unknown dinosaur, Abydosaurus mcintoshi, a large plant-eater. The fossils include the only complete sauropod skull in the Western Hemisphere from the last 80 million years of the Age of Dinosaurs—a rare and informative find. For more information, please contact Dan Chure at 801-703-1267.

NC Traditions on the Air

(North Carolina) — The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) is partnering with WNCW radio to develop and broadcast a new series called Living Traditions Moments. These two-minute vignettes, which will air on Fridays just before 8 p.m., highlight stories about the people and traditions of the North Carolina mountains and foothills and about how these treasured traditions are being kept alive. For more information, please contact Kathleen Callahan Durcan, Assistant Coordinator for National Heritage Areas, 202-354-2268.

Exploring the Home Port: New Bedford Whaling Premieres Television Series

(Massachusetts) — On February 14, 2010, during a celebration of the 192nd birthday of Frederick Douglass, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park premiered the first episode of its new television series, Exploring the Home Port. The first episode, “The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass in New Bedford,” explores Douglass’s life in New Bedford, including his escape, name change, work, and political activities. The episode will air on New Bedford Cable Access throughout the month of March. Future episodes will explore diverse themes and stories associated with the park. For more information about New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, please call

508-996-4095 or visit www.nps.gov/nebe.

New Bedford Whaling Expands Costumed Interpretation

(Massachusetts) — Lucy Bly and Judy Roderiques, seasonal rangers at New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, bring the 1850s to life each month as Ruth and Abby, the wives of former whalers. This special program had previously run during summer only. Bly and Roderiques have carried out extensive research, and focus on a distinct topic or area each month.

Recent appearances have included demonstrations of needlework, stories from around the world about monsters of the sea, and the moral dilemma of the

Fugitive Slave Law and abolitionism. For more information about New

Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s programs, please call

508-996-4095 or visit www.nps.gov/nebe.

Quest for Treasure

(Ohio) — A new type of treasure hunt is coming to the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway, which stretches from Cleveland through Akron and Canton to New Philadelphia. Volunteers and teachers are needed to get the new family-oriented recreational program off the ground. Questing involves following a rhyming trail of charming clues and a curious map to find a hidden box. Participants log their finds and collect unique stamps in passport-like booklets while gaining a richer sense of place. For more information, please contact Kathleen Callahan Durcan, Assistant Coordinator for National Heritage Areas, at 202-354-2268.

Yosemite to Study Sky-Island Flora

(California) — In 2010-2012, Yosemite National Park staff will be conducting a botanical inventory of the park’s sky-island floras. These specialized plant communities occupy dry, cold plateaus at the crest of the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite south to Sequoia-Kings Canyon. The plants of these sites are highly vulnerable to the drying and warming predicted by many climate forecast models. Data gathered from this project will assist park managers in protecting resources. For more information, please contact Alison Colwell at Alison_Colwell@nps.gov or 209-379-3295 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Commemoration of Women’s History Month

(Pennsylvania) — Visitors to Independence National Historical Park are invited to celebrate Women’s History Month 2010. A free program will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays in March at 2 p.m. in the Franklin Court Underground Museum. This program, led by a park ranger, highlights the contributions of women to the founding of our nation. For more information, please contact Jane Cowley at 215-597-0060 or visit www.nps.gov/inde.

Hike in the Footsteps of Revolutionary War Soldiers (New Jersey) — The Jockey Hollow and New Jersey Brigade areas of Morristown National Historical Park offer 27 miles of trails through the historic encampment site of George Washington’s army. Winter brings the opportunity to hike or snowshoe to replicas of soldier huts and to envision the sacrifices made by the 10,000 Continental Army soldiers encamped there during the hard winter of 1779 to 1780. The park’s revised, full-color brochure includes trail routes, topography, photos, and descriptions of the hikes, which range from the easy Primrose Brook trail to the strenuous New Jersey Brigade trail. For more information, please contact Jamie Keller, Acting Chief of Interpretation, at 973-539-2016 ext. 210.

New Bedford Whaling NHP Begins 13-Week Volunteer Training Course

(Massachusetts) — New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is currently offering a free 13-week course on local history and culture as well as on the basics of customer service and connecting visitors with the park. Although geared towards current and potential volunteers, the course is open to any member of the public interested in learning more about the local area. There are workshops on the history of whaling, historic structures within the boundaries of the park, the basics of interpretation, and front-desk training and customer service. There is also a crash course on themes and a special training for those planning to assist with educational programs. For more information about New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s volunteer program, please call 508-996-4095 or visit www.nps.gov/nebe.

Woodcock Watch

New York — Come to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to attend a short indoor presentation and then watch the remarkable American woodcock perform his courtship display in the evening dusk. For more information, please call

718-354-4606 or e-mail GATE_Public_Affairs@nps.gov.

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News Release

February 18, 2010

Contact: David Barna, 202-208-6843, david_barna@nps.gov

New Firearms Law Takes Effect Monday

National parks now subject to state and local firearms laws

WASHINGTON – A change in federal law effective Monday, February 22, allows firearms in many national parks. People who can legally possess firearms under federal and state law can now possess those firearms in the national parks in that state. The new law (Sec. 512 of P.L. 111-24) was passed by Congress and signed last May by the President.

Prior to February 22, firearms have generally been prohibited in national parks – except in some Alaska parks and those parks that allow hunting.

State and local firearms laws vary. Visitors who would like to bring a firearm with them to a national park need to understand and comply with the applicable laws. More than 30 national parks are located in more than one state, so visitors need to know where they are in those parks and which state’s law applies.

“For nearly 100 years, the mission of the National Park Service has been to protect and preserve the parks and to help all visitors enjoy them,”

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said. “We will administer this law as we do all others – fairly and consistently.”

Federal law continues to prohibit the possession of firearms in designated “federal facilities” in national parks, for example, visitor centers, offices, or maintenance buildings. These places are posted with “firearms prohibited” signs at public entrances. The new law also does not change prohibitions on the use of firearms in national parks and does not change hunting regulations

Park websites have been updated to include links to state firearms laws to help visitors understand the law and plan accordingly.

-NPS-

Sec. 512 of P.L. 111-24, an amendment to the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act of 2009, also directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to follow state and local firearms laws in national wildlife refuges.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 3, 2010

Contact: David Barna (202) 208-6843

Gerry Gaumer (202) 208-6843

Shackelton Named to National Leadership Team

WASHINGTON – National Park Service (NPS) Director, Jon Jarvis announced

today that Steve Shackelton has been selected as the associate director for

visitor and resource protection. Shackelton, who has been chief ranger at

Yosemite National Park for the last eight years, will assume his duties in

March in Washington, DC. As associate director, he will manage national

fire, aviation, law enforcement, resource protection, wilderness,

regulation development, public health, emergency medicine, and search and

rescue programs. He replaces Karen Taylor-Goodrich who is now

superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California.

“Steve brings incredible field experience mixed with Washington know-how to

this position,” said Jarvis. “He will be a key member of the leadership

team that sets the policies and direction for the entire National Park

Service. As our national chief ranger, Steve will step up the infusion of

science, law, and technology into all disciplines of ranger activities and

ensure that fire management, wilderness, and other programs have the best

information possible as we face a changing climate and other factors that

impact park resources.”

Shackelton will also concentrate on improving workforce conditions –

especially in the area of employee education, and crafting formal programs

to diversify the ranger workforce.

Shackelton has served as superintendent of Pinnacles National Monument in

California and in Washington, DC, in the NPS Office of Legislative and

Congressional Affairs and the U.S. Senate as part of the NPS Bevinetto

Fellowship.

He spent nine years in Alaska and five years in Hawaii in resource

protection management positions. He began his NPS career at Grand Teton

National Park in Wyoming as a ranger working in fire, search and rescue,

emergency medicine, and law enforcement; and six summers as a firefighter

on the Sierra National Forest in California.

Shackelton has bachelors and masters degrees in Criminology from California

State University, Fresno, and a Masters of Public Administration from the

University of Alaska, Anchorage. In 1990, he completed the FBI National

Academy executive management program and served as a Congressional Fellow

from 1997 through 1999. In 2005, he finished the federal Senior Executive

Candidate Development Program – an 18-month program in the Department of

the Interior, completing a detail assignment with the University of

California and time at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the

Stanford Graduate School of Business, Executive Development Program.

Shackelton currently lives in Yosemite and Mariposa with his wife, Jane,

and has a daughter, Dana, at the University of California-Davis, School of

Veterinary Medicine.

-NPS-

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