Buckrun Outdoors » Louisiana

Unified Area Command and Audubon Nature Institute Co-host “Turtle Talk” Roundtable Discussion for News and Online Media

Blog Master — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:30:13 +0000

DATE: July 15, 2010 16:57:29 CST

MEDIA ADVISORY: Unified Area Command and Audubon Nature Institute Co-host “Turtle Talk” Roundtable Discussion for News and Online Media – First Event Bringing Together Major Agencies Involved in Sea Turtle Protection

Key contact numbers Deepwater Horizon

Report oiled shoreline or request Incident

volunteer information: (866) 448-5816 Joint Information

Submit alternative response technology, Center

services or products: (281) 366-5511

Submit your vessel for the Vessel of

Opportunity Program: (866) 279-7983 Phone: (713)

Submit a claim for damages: (800) 323-1670

440-0858 (713) 323-1671

Report oiled wildlife: (866) 557-1401

WHAT: “Turtle Talk” is the first event to bring together the lead agencies involved in turtle protection efforts in one forum to discuss the status of sea turtles affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Unified Area Command is co-hosting Turtle Talk with Audubon Nature Institute, bringing together sea turtle experts from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service for a roundtable discussion. Additionally, wildlife expert, Jeff Corwin, will provide a video introduction to the event, sharing his concern for sea turtles.

Media will be able to join the discussion virtually, having the option to ask questions via conference line or participate via a live webcast enabled with a chat function.

WHO: NOAA Fisheries national sea turtle coordinator, Barbara Schroeder, National Park Service Chief of Science and Resource Management, Rick Clark, Fish and Wildlife Service sea turtle expert, Dr. Debby Crouse

Moderated by Karyn Kearney, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Audubon Nature Institute’s Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

Video introduction provided by wildlife biologist and NBC and MSNBC’s science and environmental expert, Jeff Corwin

WHEN: Friday, July 16, 2010, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. CDT

WHERE: This event will take place online at – turtletalk.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

Dial-in at (866) 304-5784 domestic and (706) 643-1612 and use passcode #

88759207 or use the live chat function within the Turtle Talk web page to pose questions to our panel.

The event will be streamed live from the Audubon Nature Institute’s Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. Audubon serves as coordinator for the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program and is responsible for rescuing and rehabilitating sea turtles and marine mammals stranded in Louisiana.

The Unified Command will be live tweeting the event at @Oil_Spill_2010, in addition to posting updates on the Deepwater Horizon Response Facebook page.

My Tags: America, Louisiana, News, Park, Rat, Video, Wildlife

$1.2 Million Awarded to Preserve Battlefields National Park Service announces 25 grants

Blog Master — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:54:34 +0000

National Park Service News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 9, 2010

Contact: David Barna (202) 208-6843

$1.2 Million Awarded to Preserve Battlefields

National Park Service announces 25 grants

WASHINGTON – More than $1.2 million in National Park Service grants will be used to help preserve and protect America’s significant battlefield lands.

The funding from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) will support projects at more than 100 battlefields nationwide.

“These grants will help safeguard and preserve American battlefield lands,”

said Jonathan B. Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service. “These lands are symbols of individual sacrifice and national heritage that we must protect so that this and future generations can walk these places and understand the struggles that define us as a nation.”

The grants fund projects at endangered battlefields from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, World War II, and Indian Wars. Grants were made to projects in 17 states and territories to support archeology, mapping, cultural resource survey work, documentation, planning, education, and interpretation.

Projects include underwater archeology at the Battle of the Atlantic during WWII in North Carolina; documentation of the Second Seminole War Fort Defiance and Fort Micanopy in Florida; a statewide comprehensive GIS database of Civil War sites that will include 38 battlefields in Tennessee; a preservation plan for the U.S. Dakota War of 1862 Woodlake Battlefield in Minnesota; and development of a new battlefield preservation, and planning website in Virginia for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District.

Priority was given to the preservation of nationally significant battlefields. The majority of grants were given to battlefields listed as Priority I or II sites in the National Park Service’s Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields and the Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States.

Federal, state, local, and Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions are eligible for the battlefield grants which are awarded annually. Since 1996 more than $12 million has been awarded by ABPP to help preserve significant historic battlefields associated with wars on American soil. More information is available online at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp. Brief descriptions of funded grant projects follow.

Year 2010 Grants

Arkansas State Parks, Department of Parks and Tourism $82,000

The Civil War Battle of Prairie Grove (1862) was the last time two armies of equal strength fought for control over northwest Arkansas. With archeological investigation and GIS mapping, this project will delineate the locations and extent of major battlefield features within Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center (Connecticut) $19,000 The Battle of Saybrook Fort consisted of more than a dozen discrete battles, ambushes, and actions that are a part of the Pequot War (1636-1637). This project will identify areas for future archeological testing, revise maps of Study and Core Areas, develop a preservation advocacy partnership, and educate the public about this important event in American history.

Gulf Archeology Research Institute (Florida) $49,500

The opening battles of the Second Seminole War occurred in and around the town of Micanopy. This project will identify and document the nature and extent of Fort Defiance and Fort Micanopy through field archeology, archival research, and data analysis.

LAMAR Institute (Georgia) $40,000

In December of 1864, the Confederacy suffered a devastating loss at the Battle of Monteith Swamp. Union troops broke through the Confederate defenses and took Savannah. This project will conduct archeology fieldwork to identify and document the battlefield as well as foster public outreach.

Ball State University (Indiana) $70,000

The Battle on the Wabash (1791) and the Battle of Fort Recovery (1794), which occurred in Ohio, represent the largest engagement of the American Army and Native American forces in the history of the United States. Little is known about these battles. The site identification and documentation plan will define the battlefield boundaries – a first step toward diminishing the threat of private development and looting at these battlefields.

Madison County (Kentucky) $35,000

The Battle of Richmond is the second largest Civil War site in Kentucky and is one of three major battles that are part of the “Confederate heartland offensive” within Kentucky. A preservation plan will address the needs of local government and will suggest ways to partner with the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD), as well as other organizations, agencies, and the community, to develop ways to protect threatened battlefield land.

Tebbs Bend Battlefield Association (Kentucky) $35,000

The Civil War Battle of Tebbs Bend was the first major engagement of Confederate General John Morgan’s Great Raid, a push into the northern Midwestern states intended to capture supplies and erode support for the Union war effort. Building on the work of a previous ABPP grant, an archeology survey will be developed for the Tebbs Bend Battlefield.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana $41,000

During the Red River Campaign of 1864, a fierce engagement occurred between Admiral David Dixon Porter’s fleet, the Confederate land batteries, and several hundred sharpshooters on Deloach’s Bluff Battlefield. This project will identify the location of subsurface resources and the extent of the historic battlefield through a cultural resource survey, GIS/GPS fieldwork, remote sensing, and minimal archeology testing.

Wood Lake Battlefield Preservation Association (Minnesota) $47,000

Wood Lake was the final major battle of the U.S. Dakota War of 1862.

Preoccupied with the Civil War, the U.S. Government violated treaties with Minnesota’s Dakota Indians, leading to hardships for these tribes. Building on the work of a previous ABPP grant, a comprehensive preservation plan will be developed for the Wood Lake Battlefield.

Frontier Heritage Alliance (Montana) $68,800

The final battles of the Sioux Indian Wars were against the Northern Pacific Railroad survey expedition on the Yellowstone River in 1873. This project will indentify and document the Stanley-Custer Battles with Sioux Warriors, produce a historical report and a National Register nomination, and educate land owners about the historic significance of their properties.

Natural Heritage Trust (New York) $75,000

British General Burgoyne surrendered his sword to Colonial General Gates during the end of Battles of Saratoga on October 17, 1777. As a defining military engagement during the Revolutionary War, the sword surrender proved to the French Government that Colonial forces were capable of winning the war. This led the French to ally with the Americans. The project will produce a cultural landscape treatment plan and site development plan for the preservation and interpretation of the Sword Surrender site.

Research Foundation of State University of New York at Binghamton

$50,723

The Revolutionary War Battle of Newtown was among the Continental Army’s most significant battles during the Sullivan and Clinton Campaign against British allied Iroquois in the New York frontier. This project will conduct an archeological field survey to identify material remains associated with the Battle of Newtown to better define the integrity and the battlefield’s main defining features. Findings will be used to formulate a preservation plan for the battlefield.

East Carolina University, Maritime Studies (North Carolina) $80,000

Following America’s entry into WWII, a protracted naval conflict was waged between German and Allied naval vessels along the U.S. eastern seaboard during the Battle of the Atlantic. This project will conduct an archeological inventory of the submerged cultural resources from naval conflicts to supplement current historical records.

Rutherford County (North Carolina) $40,000

Between 1776 and 1783, Gilbert Town was a staging ground and campsite for various British and Patriot commands. It played an important role in several Revolutionary War campaigns in the Carolinas. This project will complete an archeological survey of key properties that will most likely be impacted by development at the Gilbert Town Battlefield site. In addition, a long-term archeological plan for the site will be produced.

County of Chester (Pennsylvania) $40,000

The Battle of Paoli was George Washington’s third and final attempt to prevent the British from taking the colonial capital city during Howe’s Philadelphia Campaign of 1777. This project will identify and inventory threatened parcels at the Paoli Battlefield. The project findings will be used to update the county’s historic atlas and create a predictive model for preservation by using GIS technology.

Coastal Carolina University, Center for Historical Studies (South Carolina)

$60,000

Horry and Georgetown Counties contain Revolutionary War and Civil War battlefield sites that will be identified and documented through this project. The findings of this project will be used to increase the awareness of battlefield sites in these two counties for future preservation planning efforts.

South Carolina Research Foundation $64,200

In 1865, the Union Army, led by General William T. Sherman, began a campaign to subdue South Carolina. Sherman’s army marched across the state fighting battles and skirmishes, disrupting rail traffic, and destroying property. This project will identify and document multiple battlefields, skirmish sites, and camps associated with this campaign to provide the South Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial Advisory Board with baseline data for preservation.

Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (Tennessee) $32,100 In 1863, the Federal Army ended Confederate control of Chattanooga, a vital transportation hub, after several key battles during the Campaign for Chattanooga. Building on the work of a GIS database developed with funding from a previous ABPP grant, this project will work toward preservation advocacy and consensus building among local planners, landowners, developers, and other stakeholders within the Chattanooga Battlefield boundaries.

Tennessee State Library and Archives $40,750

This statewide project will take a comprehensive GIS database of 38 Civil War sites and make it available online for federal, state, and local planning agencies and preservation organizations. The geospatial database with economic and demographic overlays will be accessible to the public on the web through the Tennessee GIS server. Greater access to historical information should lead to increased public interest.

University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College $26,000 The Siege of Fort Brown during the U.S.-Mexican War highlighted traditional siege tactics and earthwork construction techniques, and featured numerous men who would assume important military leadership roles in subsequent battles in American history. This project will produce a cultural landscape inventory that will include GIS mapping, a historical overview, military terrain analysis, and an analysis of present conditions on the site.

St. Thomas Historical Trust (U.S. Virgin Islands) $44,500

In 1801, Fort Frederik participated in a battle with two British ships – the only well documented battle with an enemy force on St. Thomas, U.S.

Virgin Islands. This project will conduct an engineering study for the stabilization of ruins at Fort Frederik as it is threatened by frequent hurricanes and other natural forces. There will be documentation of Fort Frederik, the battle, and the ships, as well as an underwater survey of the adjacent seabed.

City of Burlington, Community and Economic Development Office (Vermont) $45,000 During Burlington’s engagement, the British were repelled and Thomas McDonough’s Fleet moored below the Burlington Battery. This project will delineate Burlington’s War of 1812 resources and develop an archeological management plan for Burlington Battlefield. Field techniques of archeology and GIS mapping were used during the completion of a previous ABPP grant project. This plan will assist the community to preserve and protect the battle remains discovered by that work.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (Virginia) $61,500

This project will create a new battlefield preservation and planning website for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation in preparation for the Civil War Sesquicentennial. The website will build awareness and support for the preservation of 15 battlefields in the Shenandoah Valley and will include a mapping application.

Shenandoah Valley Network (Virginia) $21,500

The goal of this advocacy project is to secure improved local zoning and planning in two Shenandoah Valley counties. This effort will preserve the rural character, agricultural base, and natural and historic resources on which the future of six nationally-significant Civil War battlefields depend. The project will include public outreach, GIS mapping depicting the impacts of proposed local ordinances, and technical support for preservation programs.

Stafford County (Virginia) $77,700

The Battle of Aquia Creek was one of the first naval engagements in the Civil War. Union vessels and Confederate batteries exchanged roughly 1,000 rounds over Aquia Landing, which was a pivotal gateway between the capital cities of Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, DC. This project will conduct an archeological survey that will include underwater archeology, and will produce a National Register nomination application.

Total $1,246,273

My Tags: America, Arkansas, Community, Connecticut, DOW, Features, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, New York, News, North Carolina, Ohio, Park, Pennsylvania, Rat, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington

Herp Report: Reptiles in the Gulf

Cindy Steinle — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:55:45 +0000

We have all heard about the recent BP Oil Spill situation by now. The horrible pictures of Pelicans are showing the disasters truest casualties. But what about the other animals? The Gulf coast states had a very hard winter and numerous animals perished in the cold. This caused problems for both native species as well as invasive reptiles through out the State of Florida. Now all wildlife is being effected by yet another disaster.

Support is coming in the oddest of places. In a recent press release from Build-A-Bear:

Build-A-Bear Workshop(R), the interactive entertainment retailer of customized stuffed animals, announced initiatives today to provide support to the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program (LMMSTRP) within Audubon Nature Institute to help marine mammals affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation is contributing $5,000 to Audubon Nature Institute to aid the organization’s efforts of helping marine mammals affected by the spill. Additionally, between June 8 and June 27, Guests are invited to help support this cause by making a $1 donation at checkout registers in any Build-A-Bear Workshop retail location in the United States.

From the Bellingham Herlad, a story about two Sea Turtles who are currently receiving aid:

Two young sea turtles pulled from Alabama waters, covered with oil, have been cleaned and were recovering in Gulfport on Tuesday.

The yearling sea turtles, each about 6 inches long, were found last week when that state was wrestling with oil threatening its shorelines. They are the first sea turtles treated in Mississippi that are confirmed victims of oil contamination. The little Loggerhead was pulled from Perdido Bay on Thursday and the Hawksbill from Gulf Shores, Ala., on Saturday.

My Tags: Alabama, Donation, DOW, Florida, Gulf Oil Spill Wildlife Disaster, Hawk, Louisiana, Mississippi, Mouse, News, Pictures, Wildlife

Herp Report: Reptiles in the Gulf

Cindy Steinle — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:55:45 +0000

Support is coming in the oddest of places. In a recent press release from Build-A-Bear:

Build-A-Bear Workshop(R), the interactive entertainment retailer of customized stuffed animals, announced initiatives today to provide support to the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program (LMMSTRP) within Audubon Nature Institute to help marine mammals affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation is contributing $5,000 to Audubon Nature Institute to aid the organization’s efforts of helping marine mammals affected by the spill. Additionally, between June 8 and June 27, Guests are invited to help support this cause by making a $1 donation at checkout registers in any Build-A-Bear Workshop retail location in the United States.

From the Bellingham Herlad, a story about two Sea Turtles who are currently receiving aid:

Two young sea turtles pulled from Alabama waters, covered with oil, have been cleaned and were recovering in Gulfport on Tuesday.

The yearling sea turtles, each about 6 inches long, were found last week when that state was wrestling with oil threatening its shorelines. They are the first sea turtles treated in Mississippi that are confirmed victims of oil contamination. The little Loggerhead was pulled from Perdido Bay on Thursday and the Hawksbill from Gulf Shores, Ala., on Saturday.

My Tags: Alabama, Donation, Florida, Gulf Oil Spill Wildlife Disaster, Hawk, Louisiana, Mississippi, Pictures, Wildlife

Parktips – June 2010

Blog Master — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:57:08 +0000

National Park Service

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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Write “subscribe npsnews” in the body of the message. You should receive a confirmation message shortly thereafter. Contact: NPS Communications Office, 202-208-6843.

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Christmas Tree Worms, Guns, & More Parktips May 2010

Blog Master — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:49:02 +0000

Christmas Tree Worms, Guns, & More

Parktips May 2010

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.

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Parktips – April 2010

Blog Master — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:05:26 +0000

Parktips – April 2010

“Saga of the Acadians”

(Louisiana) — George Rodrigue pays tribute to his Cajun heritage in a special exhibition of paintings at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Internationally known for his “Blue Dog” series, Rodrigue, with “Saga of the Acadians,” tells the story of the Acadians from their exile from Nova Scotia to their settlement in Louisiana. The exhibition runs though April 24 and is free. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Dupree at 504-589-3882.

Doppelganger Poes

(Pennsylvania) — Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site celebrates National Poetry Month by hosting Doppelganger Poes on April 10, 2010, at 10 a.m. See what happens when a group of scholars accidentally summons two conflicting versions of Poe. Poe feels compelled to perform his best works while vying with himself for literary honors. This event will be held at the German Society of Philadelphia, located at 611 Spring Garden Street, across the street from Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site. For more information, please contact Jane Cowley at 215-597-0060.

Anniversaries at Independence

(Pennsylvania) — Independence National Historical Park is celebrating three anniversaries during April. Celebrate Thomas Jefferson’s 267th birthday by joining a park ranger at the Second Bank Portrait Gallery for a gallery tour on April 10 and 11 at 2:15 p.m. On April 15 at 2:15p.m., join a park ranger at the Second Bank Portrait Gallery to celebrate the life and artistry of Charles Willson Peale on his birthday. Commemorate the life and contributions of one of our most compelling Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who died April 17, 1790. Join a park ranger on April 17 and 18 at

2 p.m. for the Franklin’s Legacy Walking Tour. The tour begins at the Underground Museum entrance. For more information, please contact Jane Cowley at 215-597-0060.

22nd Annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup

(Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia) — The National Park Services teams with the Alice Ferguson Foundation in the annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup, held on Saturday, April 10 from 9 a.m. to noon. Since 1989, over 50,000 volunteers have joined 375 partner organizations to tug over three million tons of trash from the watershed’s streams, rivers, and bays. The 2009 haul included over 290 tons of trash, with more than 27 tons of recyclables; 41,122 plastic bags; 2,095 tires; 17 bicycles; 16 shopping carts; 9 metal and plastic barrels; five TVs; and five refrigerators. Service projects, interpretive programs, and cleanups will take place in a number of parks in Greater Washington. People interested in volunteering should contact a park ranger at one of the participating parks. For more information, please contact Toni Braxton at 202-619-7174.

National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade

(Washington, D.C.) — Come out Saturday, April 10 from 10 a.m. to noon for a spectacular event for adults and children of all ages. Cherry Blossom queens from the United States and Japan will add royalty to the procession, which will include clowns, horses, antique cars, and mascots. This event, produced by the National Park Service and the National Cherry Blossom Festival, is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but grandstand seats will be available. Standing room along the parade route (Constitution Avenue between 9th and 15th streets, N.W.) is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Toni Braxton at 202-619-7174.

50th Annual Sakura Matsuri (Japanese Street Festival) (Washington, D.C.) — It’s fun, free, and family-friendly! There’s something for everyone. The Cherry Blossom Festival closes with the Sakura Matsuri, a large street festival featuring Japanese food; music; Sumo wrestling demonstrations; the making of silk; and the chance to learn about traditional kimono garments. The Sakura Matsuri is the largest Japanese street festival in the United States. Come out from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 10. Held on Pennsylvania Avenue between 10th and 14th streets, N.W. For more information, please contact Toni Braxton at 202-619-7174.

The Best Family Fun Fest EVER Crowns 10 Years of Event at Biscayne

(Florida) — Biscayne National Park’s Family Fun Fest began as a way to keep local audiences coming back to the park. The first event, run by two rangers and three volunteers, drew about 50 people. Family Fun Fest has grown to an event that draws nearly 1,000 each year and is staffed by over 20 volunteers, many of whom are former Family Fun Fest participants. Family Fun Fest takes place on the second Sunday of every month from December through April. The 50th Family Fun Fest (Sunday, April 11, 2010) will feature some of the best activities from the past 10 years, nominated and chosen by participants; hence the title of the event, The Best Family Fun Fest EVER! The event is free and takes place at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center from 1 to 4 p.m. Stations located around the visitor center will provide a variety of interactive learning opportunities, including Food Factor (2006), a look at the stomach-turning—well, human-stomach-turning—diets of some animals; Paddle Puzzle (2008), an activity that uses canoes to track down clues to answer a question about mangroves; Meet the Beetles! (2009), an introduction to dung beetles; and Breaking News! (2005), a crazy newscast that teaches viewers what NOT to do when a hurricane’s coming. For more information, please contact Gary Bremen at 305-230-1144 ext. 007.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President!

(Washington, D.C.) — Well, happy birthday Mr. Former President. A military color guard will observe Thomas Jefferson’s 267th birthday at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13 at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Patriotic wreath tributes followed by the sounding of Taps will conclude the program. For more information, please call 202-619-7222.

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site

(Washington, D.C.) — At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14, James Swanson, author of Manhunt, will read and will lead a discussion about the events that took place at the Petersen Boarding House, across the street from Ford’s Theatre, after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln died in the Petersen House. The events discussed will be part of Mr. Swanson’s upcoming novel. For more information, please contact Kym Elder at 202-426-6924.

The British in Valley Forge

(Pennsylvania) — The Friends of Valley Forge Speaker Series at the Chapel will host researcher Tom McGuire on Thursday, April 15, 2010, at 7 p.m. in the Bishop White Library of the Washington Memorial Chapel on Rt. 23 in Valley Forge National Historical Park. Mr. McGuire will present A Rare

Story: The British Occupation of Valley Forge September 18-23, 1777. This talk focuses on the little-known British occupation of the Valley Forge area in September 1777. Using watercolors and a journal from a young British officer unearthed during a research trip to England, McGuire will discuss the action-filled events that occurred just after the Battle of Brandywine and before the Battle of Germantown. For more information, please contact Nancy Loane at nancyloane@comcast.net.

Reflections of the 60s at LBJ Ranch

(Texas) — Come and remember the 1960s at the historic LBJ Ranch. On April 16, starting at 9 a.m., authors, educators, and period experts will gather in Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park for lectures and book signings focusing on LBJ’s legacy and the significance of the 1960s.

Visitors will gather near the Texas White House to hear speakers on topics such as civil rights, Vietnam, and the impact of President Lyndon B.

Johnson on the 1960s and the world. Speakers include Tom Striegler, a U.S.

Army artillery officer in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968; Allen Clark, Vietnam veteran and author of Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior; and Wilhelmina Delco, the first African American Texas State Representative for District Fifty. Books will be available through Western National Parks Association at the signing. The event will include 1960s cars and music and will continue into the evening with an outdoor screening of Forrest Gump under the stars. For more information, please contact Sherry Justus at

830-868-7128 ext. 245.

Revolutionary Times Weekend in Greater Morristown Area (New Jersey) — On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 16 to 18, 2010, various historic and cultural sites in the greater Morristown vicinity will present a weekend of programs related to the American Revolution. The schedule includes a military encampment at Jockey Hollow, a naturalization ceremony at Washington’s Headquarters Museum, the arrival of General Washington on the Morristown Green, an Alexander Hamilton symposium, and activities for children. For more information, please contact Randy Turner at 973-539-2016 ext. 200.

First Annual Santa Monica Mountains Science Festival

(California) — On April 16 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and April 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the National Park Service will host a night and a day of family fun at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is holding its first annual science festival.

Experiment with radio-telemetry and learn how to track mountain lions and bobcats; visit the black light station and discover which bugs come out at night; take a hike through rolling hills and identify wildflowers. The event website is http://www.nps.gov/samo/sciencefestival.htm. For more information, please contact Lauren Newman at 805-370-2343 or lauren_newman@nps.gov.

National Park Week

(Nationwide) — All 392 national parks will have free admission during National Park Week, April 17 to 25. Also during this annual celebration, parks will feature family-friendly activities and special offers on tours, lodging, food, and souvenirs. For example, Mammoth Cave National Park will offer free Mammoth Passage cave tours throughout the week. The tours follow a route along Houchins Narrows, the Rotunda, the nitre mining artifacts, Audubon Avenue, and Rafinesque Hall—some of the mammoth passages for which the cave was named. Also at Mammoth Cave, April 17 is designated as Wildflower Day. Please see www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/maca_events.htm

for a full listing of scheduled activities, such as nature walks, birding hikes, a family scavenger hunt, an art workshop, and other ranger programs.

Mammoth Cave Hotel will offer a 10 percent discount on all regularly priced gift shop merchandise during National Park Week. * At Minute Man National Historical Park, National Park Week culminates with Junior Ranger Day and Battle Road Heroes on Saturday, April 24. * Starting at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 18, 2010, a five-mile run, a three-mile walk, and a one-mile youth fun run begin the celebration of National Park Week at Valley Forge National Historical Park. A listing of parks and National Park Week promotions is available at www.nps.gov/npweek. For more information, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843 or Elise_M_Cleva@nps.gov.

Operation Clean Sweep! Volunteer Day

(Virginia) — Q: How do you clean 150 historic cabins in one day? A: With a whole lot of help. Come out to Prince William Forest Park on April 17 from

9 a.m. to noon. Join park staff and fellow volunteers in an attempt to clean all 150 of the park’s historic cabins in one day to get them open for the summer season. Dress to be messed. The park will provide all safety equipment (gloves, dust masks, etc.). For more information, please contact Jenn Kays at 703-221-7181 or Jenn_kays@nps.gov.

Patriot’s Day at Minute Man National Historical Park

(Massachusetts) — Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriot’s Day. Patriot’s Day is a special Massachusetts state holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. The holiday (officially observed on Monday, April 19) and the entire weekend is celebrated with parades, reenactments, and commemorative ceremonies. The Battle Road event, with hundreds of Colonial militiamen and Minute Men and British Redcoats, is on Saturday, April 17 and forms the biggest day of commemorations within Minute Man National Historical Park. For more information, please contact Lou Sideris at

978-318-7833 or lou_sideris@nps.gov.

Wildflower Walk at the Natchez Trace Parkway

(Mississippi) — Join a park ranger on Sunday, April 18 at 2 p.m. at the Chickasaw Village Site (milepost 261.8 on the Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo, Mississippi) for a wildflower walk. This one-hour program will take participants through both prairie and forest ecosystems and will include wildflower identification and ecology. This program is free to the public.

For more information, please contact Amy Genke at 662-680-4053 or amy_genke@nps.gov.

Reenactment of Paul Revere’s Row

(Massachusetts) — Boston National Historical Park will sponsor a dramatic recreation of Paul Revere’s historic row across Boston Harbor to Charlestown, where he began his famous midnight ride 235 years ago. The event will coincide with the annual Old North Church lantern service festivities on Sunday, April 18, 2010, and take place during National Park Week. Join the family-friendly festivities at the Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center in Building 5 of the Charlestown Navy Yard. The event begins at 7 p.m. with original dramatic performances and fife and drum music provided by costumed players. There will also be a lively reading of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride,” written 150 years ago.

The event is free, open to the public, and handicapped accessible. For more information, please contact Sean Hennessey at 617-242-5616.

50 States, 50 Parks

(Arizona) — Come to the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park at 7 p.m. on April 22. In celebration of National Park Week, we’ll take you on a whirlwind journey through all 50 states to visit a unit of the National Park System in each—except one. Join Park Guide Jeff Wallner to learn which state doesn’t have a park system area (yet) and to explore both world-famous and lesser-known sites all around the United States. For more information, please contact Melanie Florez at 520-733-5151.

Commemoration of the 1797 British Attack (Puerto Rico) — San Juan National Historic Site will host the second annual commemoration of the 1797 British attack—the British Empire’s third and final attack on San Juan, launched on April 17, 1797. More than 7,000 troops were repelled by a meager force composed of Spanish soldiers, members of the Puerto Rican Fixed Regiment, local militiamen, and citizens.

The commemoration will take place from April 23 to 25, 2010, in and on the grounds of Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal. Living history volunteers dressed as members of 18th-century Spanish, French, and German military units, along with local volunteers from Puerto Rico and San Juan NHS will participate. Activities will include military drills, firing demonstrations, and educational programs. An 18th-century military encampment will be featured. For more information, please contact Dilcia González at 787-729-677 ext. 239 or dilcia_gonzalez@nps.gov.

Paws in the Park

(Virginia) — Celebrate responsible dog ownership in the great outdoors with Paws in the Park at Prince William Forest Park on April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dog exhibitors of all types, military and working dog demonstrations, and a ‘faux’ dog show will bring together dog lovers and nature lovers. For more information, please call 703-221-7181 or e-mail Stephanie Pooler at Stephanie_Pooler@nps.gov.

Spring Planting Festival

(Tennessee) — The Spring Planting Festival (April 24, 9 to 4 EDT) at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Oneida celebrates spring and provides an opportunity to see a bit of our ancestors’ way of living.

Demonstrations will be provided of old-time skills, including quilting, flint knapping, woodcarving, chair caning, soap making, basket weaving, hand spinning (of yarn), chicken scratch embroidery, blacksmithing, plowing with mule and horse teams, planting sorghum seed, and making fence palings.

Displays allow visitors to learn about herbs and their uses and antique tractors and farm equipment. Historic photographs of people who once lived in Big South Fork will be shown. For more information, please contact Howard Duncan at 423-569-2404 ext. 260.

National Junior Ranger Day

(Nationwide) — The National Park Service runs its Junior Ranger program for young visitors. National Junior Ranger Day is Saturday, April 24.

Contact a park of interest to you to find out what it has planned for the day. A sample of planned activities follows. * Kids can dig in the dirt at Yosemite National Park as “Habitat Protectors of Yosemite” from 2 to 4 p.m.

* In Acadia National Park from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., hands-on activities will guide exploration of animals, plants, and history for children age 12 and under as they discover how to protect the park. * Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, Maryland, will hold a demonstration of fly casting from

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children ages six to 11 are invited to join a ranger at the park’s visitor center for an introduction to fly-fishing. * In Saguaro National Park’s Rincon Mountain District, kids can earn a Saguaro Junior Ranger badge and special patches in recognition of National Junior Ranger Day when they learn about the challenge of the Earth’s changing climate in national parks. Participants will watch films, play games, and join in other activities. * If you would like to be put in touch with someone who can provide information about the activities above or if you would like more information about National Junior Ranger Day around the country or in a particular park, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843 or Elise_M_Cleva@nps.gov.

Yosemite Fire Symposium on April 27-28

(California) — Yosemite National Park’s third biennial Fire Science Symposium will pass the results of recent research on to park staff, land managers throughout the Sierra Nevada, and interested stakeholders. The symposium takes as its theme adaptive management—understanding that strategies can change to include better fire information. Space is limited for this free event at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite Valley. To register, please send your name and organization affiliation to leland_tarnay@nps.gov or call 209-379-1422. Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Celebrate Wildlife at Grand Canyon National Park on May 1

(Arizona) — Join Grand Canyon rangers and wildlife biologists for a fun and educational celebration of the park’s wildlife. Special programs, interactive exhibits, educational demonstrations, and live animals from the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center of Phoenix, Arizona, will be highlights of this day-long event. This year’s special evening program will be “Condor Recovery at Grand Canyon,” presented by Chris Parish of the Peregrine Fund.

For more information, please contact Shannan Marcak at 928-638-7958 or visit http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/wildlife-day.htm.

Manzanar NHS Recruiting Youth Conservation Corps Members

(California) — Manzanar National Historic Site will sponsor an eight-week Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program this summer. The YCC team will work at Manzanar National Historic Site under the supervision of National Park Service staff. The four-person YCC team will focus on the preservation of resources associated with the Native American occupation of the site, the Manzanar orchard community, and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. In addition, the crew will have opportunities to visit other historically significant areas in the Owens Valley and will gain a more complete understanding of the history of the valley. Youths ages 15 to 18 are encouraged to apply, provided that they do not reach their 19th birthdays before August 13, 2010.

Application forms are available at Manzanar National Historic Site Interpretive Center. The completed application must be postmarked no later than May 3, 2010. For more information, please contact Anne Ashe at

760-878-2194 ext. 2702.

Fish Removal to Help Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog

(California) — Scientists removed fish from nine alpine lakes in Yosemite National Park in summer 2009 to assist the declining Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae). Because of the frog’s 95% population decline, it is listed as a candidate species under the federal Endangered Species Act. The experimental project begun last year aims to restore habitat by removing non-native fish from a handful of remote sites. Fish removal has focused on lakes in four areas. Only two are thought still to contain fish and will be the focus of a 2010 field effort. Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/frog.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

New Website from Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (New York) — The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area has launched an interactive website. The website includes the exciting new partnership with National Geographic, The Hudson: The River that Defined America, and features interactive maps, image galleries, videos and educational resources, and a renewed guide to sites throughout the Hudson River Valley.

Please visit the website at www.hudsonrivervalley.com.

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Write “subscribe npsnews” in the body of the message. You should receive a confirmation message shortly thereafter. Contact: NPS Communications Office, 202-208-6843.

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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Kinks in time funded by National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Blog Master — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:01:42 +0000

National Park Service News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 15, 2010

Contact: David Barna 202-208-6843

Kinks in time funded by National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

WASHINGTON – With financial support from the National Park Service, universities, non-profit organizations, federal departments, and state agencies will seize time and bend it, looping the present and the future backward and applying them to the past.

Researchers at the University of Mississippi, for example, will receive $25,000 to digitally recover water-damaged manuscripts with a futuristically-named portable multispectral imaging lab. The same amount of money will go to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, where scholars will employ portable Raman spectroscopy to study windows and headgear in historic aircraft.

In all, $320,000 of federal grants recently gave historic preservation efforts a shot in the arm for technology and training. The grantees, selected by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training—a National Park Service program based in Natchitoches, Louisiana—will develop and use technology, methods, and training materials for preservationists.

Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service, praised the award recipients. “They’re honing the skills and technology we have today,” he said, “and then deploying those skills and pieces of equipment to preserve the treasures of yesterday.”

Awards went to the following institutions, in addition to the University of Mississippi and the National Air and Space Museum:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park to test and augment new standards that will make Geographic Information Systems more useful for managers of cultural resources ($25,000).

Bandelier National Park to improve the method of repairing wooden structural beams within the park’s Civilian Conservation Corps National Historic District ($6,000).

University of Massachusetts to protect Gullah land and community through the development of a website for tourism, community planning, and education ($24,000).

Clemson University for structural health monitoring of America’s cultural heritage ($25,000).

Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History to create a website and online community forum for Osteoware software ($20,000).

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to evaluate nanoparticles (quantum dots) in order to tag and determine penetration depths of consolidant treatments ($25,000).

Carnegie Mellon University to develop a micro-fading tester with near UV capability ($25,000).

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to create a Massachusetts heritage landscape atlas ($25,000).

Pennsylvania State University to develop techniques that incorporate air-coupled impact echo-methods and facilitate the assessment of historic concrete and masonry ($25,000).

Louisiana Landmarks Society for the development of the workshop “Preservation Reengineering: Finding Green Environmental Management in Vernacular Historic Buildings” ($25,000).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service to develop a Preservation Protection of Historic Wooden Structures user guide and online tool ($25,000).

Library of Congress to further materials characterization techniques utilizing advanced spectral imaging methods ($20,000).

The award recipients can provide more information about their projects.

The National Park Service, which awards the grants under Title IV of the National Historic Preservation Act, received 41 complete applications for funding. Proposals underwent peer review and national panel review, leading to the selection of the 14 awardees above.

The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, which will administer the grants, creates technologies to preserve prehistoric and historic resources and develops training opportunities for preservationists. Since its founding in 1994, NCPTT has awarded over $7 million in grants for research that advances the use of science and technology in historic preservation.

-NPS-

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National Park Service Parktips – March 2010

Blog Master — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:47:23 +0000

National Park Service

Parktips – March 2010

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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Parktips – January 2010

Blog Master — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:50:54 +0000

National Park Service

Parktips – January 2010

Outdoor Activities on New Year’s Weekend at Fire Island (New York) — Guided nature hikes and lighthouse tower tours are among the special activities offered at Fire Island National Seashore to help start 2010 off on the right foot. On New Year’s Day, the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society is offering a naturalist-guided hike to acquaint visitors with barrier islands. The hike will be at 10 a.m. Throughout the afternoon, the society will provide guided tours of the Fire Island Lighthouse. A 192-step climb to the top of the light station tower affords a spectacular view of Fire Island. Reservations are required for Fire Island Lighthouse programs (631-661-4876), and nominal program fees are charged. On Saturday, January 2, a free, three-hour, three-mile ranger-guided hike into the Fire Island Wilderness starts at 9 a.m. For more information, please contact Paula Valentine at 631-687-4859 or visit www.nps.gov/fiis.

January 2010 Proclaimed Volcano Awareness Month

(Hawai’i) — The County of Hawai’i proclaimed January 2010 Volcano Awareness Month. Throughout the month, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and the University of Hawai’i-Hilo will sponsor guided hikes, evening talks, teacher workshops, and other programs focusing on the importance of understanding and respecting the volcanoes on which we live. Volcano Awareness Month begins on Saturday, January 2 at 10 a.m. at the Jaggar Museum Overlook.

For more information, please visit http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/ or contact Mardie Lane at mardie_lane@nps.gov or 808-985-6018.

Join the Continental Army

(Pennsylvania) — On the first Saturday of each month from January to April 2010, from 11 a.m. to noon, children ages six to 12 are invited to “enlist”

in the Continental Army at Valley Forge National Historical Park. A period-costumed interpreter musters in the recruits, who learn how to stand, march, and drill like soldiers. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Kimberly Szewczyk at

610-783-1014 or Kimberly_Szewczyk@nps.gov.

Gulf Islands National Seashore Offers January 2010 Programs

(Mississippi) — Ranger-led programs are offered each week in Ocean Springs. All programs are free and open to the public. On Sunday, January 3, learn about sea turtles. Which species might you see in our own coastal waters? What do they eat? Join a ranger to find out more about these creatures in a program suitable for all ages. Meet at the William M.

Colmer Visitor Center auditorium at 2 p.m. On Sunday, January 10 at 2 p.m., we will show the film Aliens of the Sea. The leafy sea dragon, pipe fish, and other wonders of the deep appear on our new, large screen. The 50-minute film will be shown in the William M. Colmer Visitor Center auditorium. On Saturday, January 16, join a volunteer naturalist, Dr.

Libby Graves, and a park ranger for Winter Bird Walk at 8 a.m. What birds live in Davis Bayou in the winter? Which are only passing through? Join us to learn the answers to these questions and more. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. A few pairs of binoculars will be available to borrow. On Saturday, January 23 at 1 p.m., discover the plants and animals that thrive in our southern marshes. Meet at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center for Boat Davis Bayou and enjoy the salt marsh with a ranger on a flat-bottomed boat. You must sign up prior to this 45-minute tour. On Friday, January 29 at 6 p.m., explore the park by moonlight. Learn about nocturnal animals, phases of the moon, moon lore, and making the most of human senses in reduced light. Meet at the campground amphitheater for this one-hour event, the Full Moon Fever walk.

Dress appropriately for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them.

For more information about the above material, please contact Susan Blair at 228-230-4106.

Battle of New Orleans Recurs

(Louisiana) — Cannons will roar at the 195th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans. Visitors are invited from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, January 8 and from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 9 to Chalmette Battlefield (part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve).

The battlefield is located at 8606 West St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette, Louisiana. Over 100 living history experts dressed as British and American troops and civilians from 1815 will present military drills, cannon and musket firing, and craft and cooking demonstrations. On Friday at 7 p.m., St. Bernard Parish will host a reenactment of the night battle fought on December 23, 1814. On Saturday evening, visitors can experience “the night before the battle” on a lantern tour of British and American camps. All events are free except for the lantern tour. For more information, please call 504-589-2636 ext. 1 or visit www.nps.gov/jela.

Gettysburg National Military Park Winter Series

(Pennsylvania) — “Gettysburg: Perspectives on the Battle and Campaign,” a series of free, one-hour programs on Saturdays and Sundays, begins on January 10 at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center’s Ford Education Center. The lectures will be at 1:30 p.m. on January 10, 16, 23, 24, and 30 and on February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28. For more information, please go to www.nps.gov/gett or call

717-334-1124 ext. 8023.

“Winter Signs” Programs

(Montana) — Glacier National Park will offer guided snowshoe walks.

Participants can explore the winter environment and find out how plants and animals survive the rigors of winter. These free weekend programs begin on Sunday, January 10 and run through Sunday, March 21, 2010, at 10:30 a.m.

and 1:30 p.m. For more information, please call the Apgar Visitor Center on weekends at 406-888-7939.

Happy Birthday Hammie!

(New York) — Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, known to friends and colleagues as “Hammie,” served as the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and created the foundation for the economic development of the new United States. Join the National Park Service (NPS) on January 10, 2010, at Morris Jumel Mansion in New York City from noon to 5 p.m. for a birthday bash for the man on the $10 bill. The day will include re-enactors portraying Alexander Hamilton and other people of the Revolutionary War era, a presentation by a NPS ranger on Hamilton Grange National Memorial, and period music. This free event is suitable for all ages. For more information, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Revolutionary Birthdays

(Pennsylvania) — George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thaddeus Kosciuszko—what do all of these men have in common? Winter birthdays!

Come celebrate with Independence National Historical Park. In the beautiful Second Bank of the United States at 420 Chestnut Street, a park ranger can take you on special birthday tours of the portraits in the exhibit “People of Independence.” All of the following tours are free and run from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The bank is easily accessible via the west side entrance ramp. The tours begin on Saturday, January 16 and Sunday, January 17, 2010, with “Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin.” Despite his 304 years, Franklin remains ageless in his many portraits. The tour features Ben, his many friends, and some of his enemies. On Sunday, February 7, 2010, come out for “Generally Speaking—Celebrate Thaddeus Kosciuszko’s Birthday.” On the tour, see Kosciuszko and other notable foreign generals who helped America win independence. Also join us on Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14, 2010, for “The Many Faces of George Washington.”

Celebrate Presidents’ Day weekend with this special tour of Washington portraits. The portrait gallery also features images of Martha Washington and the first president’s many friends and comrades. Join a park ranger to see the generals, diplomats, and congressmen he knew. For more information, please call 800- 537-7676 or visit www.nps.gov/inde.

Victory at Cowpens Commemorated

(South Carolina) — On January 16 and 17, 2010, re-enactors will bring the 18th century to life at Cowpens National Battlefield. To celebrate the 229 th anniversary of the decisive American victory over the British on January 17, 1781, at Cowpens, the park staff is planning free activities from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The park is planning demonstrations of 18th-century weapons and Revolutionary War cavalry; ranger-led battlefield walks; author talks; book signings; a guided, lantern-lit walk; and the arrival of the participants in Morgan’s March. Visitors should dress appropriately for the weather. A detailed event schedule is available at http://www.nps.gov/cowp/planyourvisit/events.htm, and information on Morgan’s March is available at http://www.palmettoconservation.org/. For more information, please contact Donna Davis at 864-461-2828.

Friends of Valley Forge Park Speakers Series

(Pennsylvania) — On Thursday, January 21, 2010, Harvard doctoral student and Bruce A. Baky Fellow Phil Mead presents “Joseph Plumb Martin: Radical Founder.” (Martin was a soldier in Washington’s army.) The presentation will be held at the Washington Memorial Chapel. For more information, please contact Nancy Loane at nancyloane@comcast.net.

Frost Faire

(New York) — Saratoga National Historical Park will host its 15th annual Frost Faire on Saturday, January 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reminiscent of 18th-century “frost faires,” in which people would gather for warm treats and outdoor activities, Saratoga’s free, family-friendly event boasts wintertime fun, past and present. The Frost Faire will offer a bonfire, hot refreshments, a nature hike, snow-shoeing, Native American storytelling, the chance to tube the “Big Hill,” and more. For more information, please contact Gina Johnson at 518-664-9821 ext. 227.

Explore Grounds of William Floyd Estate at Fire Island on January 23 and 24 (New York) — Winter is often the best time to explore the William Floyd Estate, a 613-acre remnant of the ancestral home of one of New York’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence. Ranger MaryLaura Lamont will guide hikers down paths long-used by the Floyd family to access the old bay. Along the way, as participants pass fields and woods, mounds and ditches, cultural plantings and freshwater creeks, they will learn about the natural and cultural history of this landscape. Sunday’s program

focuses on the identification of winter birds. Walks of three miles

roundtrip are offered on both Saturday and Sunday, January 23 and 24, from

9 to 11 a.m. Both programs are free. For more information, please call the William Floyd Estate at 631-399-2030 or visit www.nps.gov/fiis.

“Pets, Parks, and You”

(Texas) — To open the new exhibit “Bred to Death” in the Abrazos Gallery, located in the visitor center, Chamizal National Memorial is sponsoring “Pets, Parks, and You,” a free, pet-friendly public event on the memorial grounds on Saturday, January 30, 2010, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event will provide information that will make pet-ownership rewarding and will highlight the role pets play in experiences in national parks and the impact of feral animals on public lands. Chamizal National Memorial is partnering with local organizations, including the City of El Paso Department of Public Health, Valley Feed & Supply/Pet’s Barn, the Humane Society, and Animal Rescue League, to provide the public with an enjoyable and educational morning of tips on how to choose the right pet and be the best pet owner possible. For more information, please contact Dora Veracruz Martinez at 915-532-7273 ext. 128.

How to Be a Citizen Scientist at Santa Monica Mountains NRA

(California) — On Saturday, January 30 at 2 p.m., join Brian Haggerty and Dr. Susan Mazer as they show how citizen scientists are observing the effects of climate change on plants and animals and contributing their research to the scientific community. Citizen science is a simple, fun way that families, classrooms, and scout groups can benefit the planet. The lecture will be held at the National Park Service Visitor Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. For more information, please call 805-370-2301.

Candlelight Tours of Fort Barrancas

(Florida) — Gulf Islands National Seashore will present free candlelight tours of Fort Barrancas on Saturdays, January 30, 5 to 7:15 p.m., and February 13, 5 to 7:15 p.m. Costumed interpreters will present the history of Pensacola during the Civil War at different stations inside Fort Barrancas. In addition, the Fort Barrancas Visitor Center, with new museum exhibits, audiovisual programs, and bookstore, will be open. Reservations are required, and visitors should call 850-455-5167 for tour reservations.

Small groups will depart the visitor center every 15 minutes for the hour-long tour. Visitors should arrive about 15 minutes before their assigned tour time. Although the fort will be well-lit with candles, visitors may bring a flashlight. The entrance to the fort includes a steep, 90-yard walkway, and visitors must use narrow staircases to access different levels of the fort. Parking is limited, so car-pooling is recommended. Visitors should enter the Naval Air Station through the back gate on Blue Angel Parkway and dress appropriately for winter weather. For more information, please call 850-934-2600 or visit www.nps.gov/guis.

Winter on the Moon

(Idaho) — The staff of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve created a vibrant winter interpretive program now in its 10th year. The popular winter activities and events provide visitors with an incentive to visit this winter wonderland, where chances to snowshoe abound. For a complete listing of events and activities offered in 2010, please visit http://www.nps.gov/crmo/planyourvisit/events.htm. For more information, please contact Ted Stout at ted_stout@nps.gov or 208-527-1330.

Sitka NHP Readies for Centennial

(Alaska) — The new year marks the start of the centennial year for Sitka National Historical Park in southeast Alaska. Sitka was established as a national monument on March 23, 1910. The park includes the site of the

1804 fort and battleground that saw the last major Tlingit Indian resistance to Russian colonization. The park also features the 1842 Russian Bishop’s House, the best-preserved architecture of the colonial period. The park will mark the anniversary with the carving of a new totem pole beginning in January and will host anniversary events on March 21 and 23. For more information, please contact John Quinley at 907-644-3512.

Filling Prescriptions for Activity

(Nationwide) — The Washington Post article “Take a hike and call me in the morning” (November 17, 2009) calls attention to the growing number of doctors who are telling their patients to get more active—and to how parks, rivers, and trails help efforts to get people to exercise. All over the country, doctors are prescribing physical activity. Programs like Prescription Trails in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Prescription for Physical Activity along the upper Connecticut River valley in New Hampshire and Vermont; and the Arkansas River Trail’s Medical Mile project in Little Rock enable patients to get the tools and information they need to get active close to home. For more information, please contact Alan Turnbull at 202-354-6930.

Distinct Great Gray Owl Population

(California) — New evidence suggests that the Sierra Nevada is home to a genetically distinct great gray owl population, as compared to great gray owls outside of California. Yosemite is the southernmost range and last sanctuary of almost all of California’s great gray owls. Researchers estimate that there are only about 200 to 300 individuals in California, and about 75 percent of the state’s population resides in Yosemite. Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/birds.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Snowshoe Hiking

(Wyoming) — Grand Teton National Park will conduct ranger-led snowshoe hikes during January, February, and March. These two-hour excursions offer the chance to learn about winter ecology, the historic Murie Ranch, and park wildlife while experiencing a classic mode of winter transportation—wooden snowshoes. A trek into the park begins each day at 1:30 p.m. from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyoming, and all skill levels are invited. A donation of $5 for adults and

$2 for children ages eight to 12 is requested. Reservations are required.

Snowshoes are provided. Please call 307-739-3399 to secure a spot. For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393.

Facilities Open, Visitors Welcome at National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa) — The visitor center and administrative offices for the National Park of American Samoa in Pago Pago have reopened. They are now located at the Haleck building in Ottoville, part of this U.S. Territory, eight miles from their former location, which was completely destroyed during the 8.3 earthquake and tsunami of September 29, 2009. Scientists, rangers, archivists, cultural resource experts, and forest crews from the park have been working throughout the islands since the tsunami, assisting village residents; removing debris and trees; monitoring the condition of natural resources, including the largest intact coral reef system in Polynesia; and restoring cultural artifacts damaged by the tsunami. For more information about visiting the National Park of American Samoa, please e-mail NPSA_Info@nps.gov, visit www.nps.gov/npsa, or call 684-633-7082.

Members of the media should contact the Pacific West regional office of the National Park Service at 510-817-1300.

Yosemite Panoramic Imaging Photo Project

(California) — A 3.8-gigapixel photographic map of Yosemite Valley reveals nature’s beauty in one photograph approximately 50 feet wide. The Yosemite Panoramic Imaging Project, a partnership between the National Park Service and xRez Studio, has stitched together a single image of Yosemite Valley by utilizing gigapixel panoramic photography with LiDAR-based digital terrain modeling and three-dimensional computer rendering. Initially designed for geologic study, the image shows the granitic complexity of Yosemite Valley’s walls while conveying the artistic value of the rugged landscape.

Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/panoramic.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Artist in Residence Receives Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant

(Florida) — Everglades National Park is pleased to announce that Sarasota artist Kathy Wright has been awarded a Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant in the amount of $25,000 in support of her Everglades Project, a series of paintings based on her experience as Artist in Residence (AIRIE) in the Everglades National Park during December 2008 and November 2009. For more information, please contact Linda Friar at 305-242-7714.

Boyd Evison Fellowship Applications Available

(Wyoming) — Applications are available for the 2010 Boyd Evison Graduate Research Fellowship. Supported by donations to the Grand Teton Association, the Evison Fellowship provides whole or substantial support for new graduate studies that increase public awareness of the importance of science to parks and of parks to science. Fellowships average $5,000 to $10,000 per project and may include housing at Grand Teton. In addition to a summary report or publication, students will be expected to provide one or more educational products to communicate information beyond the scientific audience. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for research of the intangible and disappearing attributes of Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, and public or private lands surrounding the Greater Yellowstone Area.

Applications for the 2010 Boyd Evison Fellowship must be postmarked by February 12, 2010; the recipient will be announced on April 15, 2010. For further information or to request an application, please write to Boyd Evison Graduate Fellowship, Grand Teton Association, P.O. Box 170, Moose, Wyoming 83012. Applicants may also phone Jan Lynch, executive director of the Grand Teton Association, at 307-739-3406, or Grand Teton National Park Chief of Science and Resource Management Sue Consolo Murphy at 307-739-3481. Members of the media should contact Public Affairs Officer Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393.

New Yosemite Nature Notes Film

(California) — “Tuolumne River,” the seventh installment in the Yosemite Nature Notes film series, has been released. Yosemite Nature Notes is a series of video podcasts that tells unique stories about the natural and human history of Yosemite National Park. In this eight-minute episode, explore the Tuolumne River from its glacial headwaters at 13,000 feet down through Tuolumne Meadows and into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.

Scientists and rangers describe the power this river has over the landscape and visitors. Please see http://www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/ynn7-tuolumneriver.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

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