Buckrun Outdoors » Ranch

BLM TRAILHEAD PROVIDES ACCESS TO COLORADO’S LARGEST BAT COLONY

Blog Master — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:52:40 +0000

BLM TRAILHEAD PROVIDES ACCESS TO COLORADO’S LARGEST BAT COLONY

MONTE VISTA, Colo. — Easy trail access to one of Colorado’s most fascinating natural wonders – the bat roost at the Orient Mine in the San Luis Valley – has been provided through a team effort of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Orient Land Trust and the Saguache Field Office of the BLM-U.S. Forest Service.

During July and August, about 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats make their summer roost in the former iron-ore mine. Just before dusk each evening, the bats – mostly males – make an out-flight to begin their daily search for food. The column of bats during the out-flight continues for nearly an hour.

A viewing area near the mine allows wildlife watchers to witness this daily event at Colorado’s largest bat colony. Entering the mine is prohibited.

"This is a safe place for people to observe bats," said Kirk Navo, a DOW conservation biologist and bat expert. "Entering old mines is dangerous for people. But also, disturbing bats in their sensitive habitat environments can cause problems for these animals."

In other areas of the U.S., "white-nose syndrome" is killing bat colonies. The disease is caused by a fungus and appears as a white dusting around the muzzle and elsewhere on the bats. It was first found in bats in a cave in New York in 2006 and has been spreading south and west. It has been found in bats as close to Colorado as northwestern Oklahoma.

There is concern nationally that humans who explore caves and mines used by bats can inadvertently spread the spores that cause the disease. Navo said that’s not a concern at the Orient site because people are not allowed to enter the mine.

"The spores cannot be spread by viewing the out-flight. The fencing keeps people at a safe distance from the mine opening and there is no direct contact with bats," Navo said.

Navo recommends that people stay out of mines and caves to prevent any inadvertent spreading of the fungus.

The Orient Land Trust and the DOW worked in cooperation with the BLM-USFS field office to ensure that the public could park at the Black Canyon Trailhead and hike from there along a marked trail to the Orient Mine and bat roost site. The trail can be accessed from Saguache County Road GG, which is located just north of the intersection of U.S. Highway 285 and Colorado Highway 17. To get to the trail go east on Saguache County Road GG and follow the signs to the BLM Black Canyon trailhead. The trail to the mine is just over a mile from the parking area and is a moderate walk.

Hikers and backpackers can access the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness from the trailhead.

The mine can also be accessed farther up the road through the Valley View Hot Springs. Hikers are cautioned that the hot springs facility is clothing optional.

Through August, guides will be at the Black Canyon trailhead a few hours before dusk or about 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. They’ll then lead wildlife watchers on an interpretive hike to the viewing area. The trail is also open the other days of the week.

"This is a very unique and interesting glimpse of nature," said Amy Trainer, land conservation specialist and former executive director of the Orient Land Trust. "The best viewing opportunities are during July and August. By mid-September the bats have left for the south and warmer weather."

The land trust received a financial grant from the DOW and Great Outdoors Colorado to ensure improved public access to the mine viewing area.

The Orient Land Trust owns 1,800 acres in the area, including a working cattle ranch, the Valley View Hot Springs and the Orient Mine site. The Colorado Division of Wildlife owns 10 acres adjacent to the mine.

For more information, go to www.olt.org.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

My Tags: Colorado, Conservation, DOW, Forest, New York, Oklahoma, Outdoors, Park, Ranch, Rat, Wildlife

WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER TO MEET PUBLIC IN HOTCHKISS

Blog Master — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:09:07 +0000

WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER TO MEET PUBLIC IN HOTCHKISS

HOTCHKISS, Colo. — Mark Smith, a member of the Colorado Wildlife Commission, will hold a public meeting to discuss wildlife issues in Hotchkiss at Memorial Hall, 149 E. Main St., 6:30 p.m., July 26. The hall is one block north of Colorado Highway 92.

Smith is a ranch manager in the San Luis Valley and has been active with wildlife issues in Colorado for many years. The public is invited to talk about any and all issues concerning wildlife, hunting and fishing at the meeting.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission is a volunteer board that sets regulations and policies for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. There are nine wildlife commissioners who represent five different districts in Colorado. They are appointed from each of the following groups: livestock producers; agricultural or produce growers; sportsmen or outfitters; wildlife organizations; and boards of county commissioners. The remaining three commissioners are appointed from the public at large.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

My Tags: Colorado, Fishing, Hunting, Ranch, Wildlife

National Park Service Parktips – July 2010

Blog Master — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:27:09 +0000

National Park Service

Parktips – July 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.

147th Anniversary of Battle of Gettysburg

(Pennsylvania) — On July 1, 2, and 3, park rangers provide special programs on the fields at Gettysburg to commemorate the anniversary of the battle. “Real Time” programs will follow and explain the events of the battle in chronological order and at as close a time as possible to the real time they occurred. Please visit www.nps.gov/gett and look under Things to Do. For more information, please contact Katie Lawhon at Katie_Lawhon@nps.gov or 717-334-1124 ext. 3121.

Music in Nature Concerts

(Wyoming) — Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton Music Festival will offer a concert series called Music in Nature, in which a string quartet will perform 30-minute recitals inspired by nature. The free public concerts will run June 28 through July 23. The string quartet was established by the Grand Teton Music Festival to showcase promising young musicians with the festival orchestra that plays each summer at Walk Festival Hall. The quartet will delight listeners and continue a musical tradition inspired by the beauty of Grand Teton National Park and its majestic scenery. The times and park locations are:

Tuesdays and Thursdays

11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Colter Bay Visitor Center (back

deck)

Wednesdays and Fridays

2 p.m. and 3 p.m., Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center

(terrace)

5 p.m. and 6 p.m., Jackson Lake Lodge (lobby)

Public: For more information, please contact the Colter Bay Visitor Center at 307-739-3594 or the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at 307-739-3399. Media: For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393.

Summer Seminars at Historic AMK Ranch

(Wyoming) — Each summer, the University of Wyoming-National Park Service Research Center offers educational presentations from graduate students and research professors at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. The public seminars are free, and each session is preceded by a barbecue dinner at 5:30 p.m. (cost of $5). The schedule for July includes:

July 1: Jake Griffin will discuss the ecological consequence of bark

beetle disturbance in the Greater Yellowstone Area.

July 8: Ken Cannon will speak about humans, bison, and elk under the

umbrella-topic of the archeology of Jackson Hole.

July 15: Hank Harlow will talk about the adaptations to winter hibernation and summer “walking hibernation” found in black bears and polar bears.

July 22: Ken Barrick will give a presentation entitled “Towards a New National Policy for Protecting Old Faithful Geyser and Yellowstone’s Hydrothermal Features.”

July 29: Michael Dillon will give a presentation called “Flying Mt.

Everest: How Alpine Bumblebees Fly Where Helicopters Fail.”

Public: For more information, please contact the park at 307-739-3300.

Media: For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393.

American Indian Artists Share Their Heritage

(Wyoming) — For the past 35 years, artists from diverse tribes have demonstrated their traditional and contemporary art forms to allow visitors to Grand Teton National Park to gain a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, American Indian art and culture. Participating artists represent tribes from across the United States. Among the art forms demonstrated are painting, weaving, pottery, beadwork, and music. Guest artists exhibit daily, Monday through Sunday, from approximately 9 a.m. to

7 p.m. in the lower level of the Colter Bay Indian Arts Museum. Artists also offer items for purchase. The dates and guest artists scheduled for the 2010 season are:

June 28-July 4 Charlotte Tendoy (Shoshone) beadwork

July 5-11 Ted Moran (S’Klallan) Northwest coastal carving

July 12-18 Eddie Two Bulls (Ogalala Sioux) painting

July 19-25 Maynard White Owl beadwork & jewelry

(Nez Perce-Cayuse)

July 26-Aug. 1 Dolly & Bonnie Woodie (Navajo) weaving, clothing, &

beadwork

Public: For more information, please contact the Colter Bay Visitor Center at 307-739-3594. Media: For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393.

Celebrating the Fourth at Cowpens National Battlefield (South Carolina) — Cowpens National Battlefield will offer “Fireworks and Family Fun” on July 3. In addition to battlefield walks, firing demonstrations of 18th-century weapons, and fireworks, there will be patriotic music played by the 246th Army National Guard band. For more information, please contact Donna Davis at 864-461-2828.

Three Marys of Manzanar: Exploring Women’s Lives in a Layered Past

(California) — Join Owens Valley author and historian Jane Wehrey at Manzanar National Historic Site on July 3 and 4 at 2 p.m. and July 5 at 11 a.m. as she introduces, through historic photographs and first-person accounts, three young women who once called Manzanar home. In this program presented by the Manzanar History Association, the lives of a Paiute daughter in 1904, a girl of the orchard community in 1924, and a young Japanese American internee of the World War II relocation center are windows into the past of this layered landscape where communities of diverse peoples have come, lived, and departed over more than 150 years.

Wehrey will be available at Manzanar after the program to answer questions and sign books. This program is part of “Celebration of Women of Eastern Sierra California,” a multi-venue project of exhibits, lectures, and programs that began in March 2010 and will conclude in September. For more information, please contact Maggie Wittenburg at 760-878-2411.

Celebrating the Glorious Fourth, 1860-Style (West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia) — Join us from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 4 in the Lower Town at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

Experience how 19th-century Americans celebrated the nation’s birthday with picnics, band concerts, and patriotic speeches honoring the Founding Fathers and the glorious republic. The celebration features the Wildcat Regiment Band and the Regimental Band of the 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. For more information, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748.

50 Years of 50 Stars

(Maryland) — Fort McHenry is world-famous as the birthplace of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” written by Francis Scott Key about the fort’s 15-star, 15-stripe flag. Even today’s 50-star flag, however, had its moment of fame at Fort McHenry. Fifty years ago, on July 4, 1960, the very first 50-star flag was raised “o’er the ramparts” of Fort McHenry before it flew anywhere else in the country. On July 4, 2010, come celebrate a Hawaiian Fourth of July at Fort McHenry. At noon, a ceremony begins with the hoisting of a huge 20-by-38-foot, 50-star flag in a reenactment of the 1960 moment. The Aloha Boys will perform traditional Hawaiian music, while the flags of all 50 states line the fort’s ramparts. At 2 p.m., a music program entitled “From Patapsco to Pacific” will highlight both the fifes and drums of 1814 and traditional Hawaiian music. The Hawaiian Fourth of July comes to a close at 4 p.m. Visitors are welcome to help rangers lower the giant flag. For more information, please contact Vince Vaise or Jim Bailey at 410-962-4290.

Independence Day Commemoration

(Pennsylvania) — On Sunday, July 4 from 11a.m. to 4 p.m., join rangers at Valley Forge National Historical Park for a living history demonstration at the Muhlenberg Brigade huts. Enjoy children’s crafts and a traditional Fourth of July barbeque at the visitor center. The July Fourth programming is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Phil Sheridan at 215-597-0865.

Celebrate Independence Day with National Parks of New York Harbor (New York) — Several of the national parks in New York City are celebrating this pivotal American holiday. Castle Clinton National Monument will be the site of the Veterans Corps of Artillery-State of New York Fourth of July flag-raising ceremony at noon on the Fourth. The flag-raising includes a cannon-firing demonstration at Battery Park.

Families can enjoy a traditional Independence Day celebration at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site on July 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day’s events include music, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, the tolling of the church’s 250-year-old bell 13 times, speeches, and light refreshments. And while the Founding Fathers might have declared independence on July 4 in Philadelphia, it took five days for the news to reach New York. Federal Hall National Memorial will celebrate the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in New York City in 1776 with lectures and interactive programs on July 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Sagamore Hill Celebrates Independence Day 2010 (New York) — Sagamore Hill will hold free festivities on July 4 and 5 in honor of Independence Day. This holiday was important to Theodore Roosevelt, who often spoke at festivities in Oyster Bay and then gathered his extended family and friends at Sagamore Hill for a day of celebration.

The National Park Service and the Friends of Sagamore Hill invite you to dress in your best patriotic attire and bring your family and friends to the two days of festivities at Sagamore Hill, all of which are free and open to the public. For more information and a full schedule of events, please visit www.nps.gov/sahi or contact Shaun Roche at Shaun_Roche@nps.gov.

Family Sunday

(Massachusetts) — Every Sunday this summer is a Family Sunday at the Longfellow National Historic Site. From 1 to 3:30 p.m., come and enjoy free activities for children and families. Play 19th-century games, paint and draw, make crafts, and read and write poetry. Other special activities that are part of this series include:

July 4: Hands-on History with the Massachusetts 7th Regiment. Learn about the Revolutionary War through period artifacts and uniforms.

July 11: Cinderella presented at 2 p.m. by the Tanglewood Marionettes.

July 18: Norwegian wheat-weaving.

July 25: Watercolor and drawing workshop with artist Diana Tatz.

For more information, please contact Nancy Jones at nancy_jones@nps.gov or 617-876-4491.

Gloucester Hornpipe and Clog Society at Longfellow NHS

(Massachusetts) — Enjoy a rollicking performance of songs and tunes from the American colonial era, including Celtic jigs and reels and sea chanteys, on Sunday, July 4 at 4 p.m. This free event offers fun for all ages. For more information, please contact Nancy Jones at nancy_jones@nps.gov or 617-876-4491.

A Flag for the Fourth

(Massachusetts) — On Sunday, July 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., visit the visitor center of Boston National Historical Park and learn about the flags of the Revolution that have a Boston connection. Also, make a flag of your own. This program is free, and the visitor center is located on the second floor at 15 State Street. For more information, please contact Sean Hennessey at 617-242-5616 or sean_hennessey@nps.gov.

“Wendy the Welder!”

(Massachusetts) — Learn about the contributions of women in the nation’s shipyard before, during, and after World War II. This free program will take place on Sunday, July 4 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center at Boston National Historical Park. For more information, please contact Sean Hennessey at 617-242-5616 or sean_hennessey@nps.gov.

Lunch and Learn Series

(Pennsylvania) — The Friends of Valley Forge Park will offer the following installments of the group’s Lunch and Learn Series in July. Talks take place on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. in the education center. Bring a brown-bag lunch; lemonade will be provided.

July 7: “The Park Has Gone to the Birds!!” Carrie Ashley, Education and Program Coordinator for the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, presents.

July 14: “The Navies of World Powers During the Revolution.” Park ranger George Matlack will lead a discussion.

July 21: In the final lecture of the summer series, Carris Kocher, a Friends Board member, and park volunteers will present on the topic of Patrick Henry and discuss the activities of this Founding Father during the park’s encampment.

For more information, please contact Phil Sheridan at 215-597-0865.

Jamaica Bay by Boat

(New York) — Take a ranger-guided ecology boat tour of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, part of Gateway National Recreation Area, from 7:15 to

8:45 p.m. on July 8. As you coast along, you’ll see verdant marshes. Expect waterfowl and other shorebirds, and don’t miss the sunset over the bay. The cost is $6. For more information, please call 718-318-4340.

30th Annual Kilauea Cultural Festival

(Hawaii) — On July 10, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park celebrates the culture of Hawaii’s first people. Participate in hands-on Hawaiian arts and crafts. Enjoy the beauty and rhythm of the hula. Savor the sweet sound of Hawaiian music, taste Hawaiian food, and play Hawaiian games and the ukulele. One purpose of this national park is to perpetuate Hawaiian culture and promote the appreciation of traditional values. Since 1980, this festival has epitomized the true spirit of ‘ohana (family). The festival provides the ideal occasion for the kupuna (elder), the keiki (child), the kama‘aina (native-born), and the malihini (newcomer) to come together for a day of fun and sharing. For more information, please contact Mardie Lane at 808-985-6018.

“1901 San Francisco Waterfront Strike!”—A Living History Reenactment

(California) — Gather at Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park on Saturday, July 10. The reenactment occurs at noon and repeats at 3 p.m. The park’s costumed living history interpreters reenact the momentous 1901 waterfront strike. Join the march of striking sailors, hear impassioned speeches by strikers and ship-owners, and voice your own opinions for or against the strike. Information is available at 415-447-5000. Members of the media, please contact John Cunnane at 415-561-4049.

Wildlife Ecologist Discusses Latest Book, Urban Carnivores

(California) — On July 10 at 2 p.m., join Dr. Seth Riley, National Park Service wildlife ecologist and co-editor of Urban Carnivores: Ecology, Conflict and Conservation, at the National Park Service Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area headquarters in Thousand Oaks. Dr. Riley will share the latest findings on the mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes in the Santa Monica Mountains, as well as his research on the future prospects of these local carnivores. After the presentation, he will sign copies of his new book. For more information, please contact Lauren Newman at 805-370-2343 or lauren_newman@nps.gov.

Meriwether Lewis Returns to Harpers Ferry (West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia) — On July 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Lower Town at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, discover the role of Harpers Ferry in the Lewis and Clark expedition. Richard Cheatham appears as Captain Meriwether Lewis. For more information, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748.

A Golden Rose for a Poet

(Massachusetts) — At the Longfellow National Historic Site on Sunday, July

11 at 4 p.m., the New England Poetry Club presents this year’s Golden Rose Award to Mark Strand for his collection Blizzard of One. Strand, former Poet Laureate of the United States (1990) and winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1999, will read from his work. This free event includes book sales and a signing. For more information, please contact Nancy Jones at nancy_jones@nps.gov or 617-876-4491.

To Kill a Mockingbird at LBJ National Historical Park

(Texas) — Come and enjoy “Movies Under the Stars at the LBJ Ranch.” There will be a free showing of To Kill a Mockingbird at 7 p.m. on July 12. The movie will play outdoors beginning at sunset. Gates to the LBJ Ranch open at 7 p.m. Bring a picnic supper and lawn chairs. There will be free popcorn, sodas, and water. For more information, please contact Liz Lindig at 830-868-7128 ext. 231.

The Life & Legacy of Alexander Hamilton

(New York) — Alexander Hamilton was one of the most influential Founding Fathers, and a strong presence in both the American Revolution and the creation of the early republic.

The National Park Service will celebrate Hamilton’s life and legacy at Federal Hall National Memorial from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on July 12 with a series of talks and a special wreath-laying ceremony. For more information, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Weird Sandy Hook

(New Jersey) — Explore the weird and wacky facts and myths surrounding the history and mysteries of Sandy Hook, part of Gateway National Recreation Area, at 8 p.m. on July 13. The program features parts of the Army proving ground, a maritime graveyard, and other sites. For more information, please call 732-872-5970.

The Power of Teton Weather

(Wyoming) — Grand Teton National Park will host a program about the powerful and dramatic Teton weather at 9 p.m. on July 16 in the Colter Bay Amphitheater. National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Jones will talk about snowstorms and cold fronts, lightning storms, temperature extremes, and the intricacies of weather in the Teton Range and Jackson Hole. Did you know that the record low temperature for the state of Wyoming—a bone-chilling minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit—occurred in 1933 in what is now Grand Teton National Park? Meteorologist Jones will provide similar fascinating tidbits and share impressive weather photos during his PowerPoint presentation. Public: For more information, please contact the Colter Bay Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park at 307-739-3594.

Media: For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307-739-3393.

Oregon Trail Contradance

(Washington) — Join park staff and volunteers for the 20th annual Oregon Trail Contradance at Whitman Mission National Historic Site on July 17 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Experienced callers teach and call the dances, which include couples dances, line dances, and square dances. Enjoy the evening under the stars by dancing to the jigs and reels played by the Wednesday Night Contraband. For more information, please contact Roger Trick at 509-522-6360 or visit http://www.nps.gov/whmi/whats-new.htm.

Celebrating the Music of Violinist Ole Bull

(Massachusetts) — Karl Orvik and friends pay homage to this world-renowned 19th-century Norwegian violinist at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 18 at the Longfellow National Historic Site. Bull served as the inspiration for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Musician in Tales of a Wayside Inn. This performance, 200 years after Bull’s birth, will highlight his music and that of Edvard Grieg and other Norwegian composers. The concert is free.

For more information, please contact Nancy Jones at nancy_jones@nps.gov or 617-876-4491.

“Slavery, the Abolitionist Movement and Reflections of Jefferson”

(West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia) — Listen to this insightful, dramatic presentation on the issue of slavery. There are performances in the Lower Town at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on July 24. Bill Barker plays Thomas Jefferson. For more information, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748.

Medical Weekend: Giving Aid and Comfort in 1864 (West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia) — From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 24 and 25, spend a “medical weekend” in the Lower Town at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Hear the story of the national and local efforts by civilians and the military to sustain the Union army as General Philip Sheridan prepared his troops for the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. For more information, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748.

A Great Day in Harlem at Grant’s Tomb

(New York) — Each year, Harlem Week offers an all-day public event on the plaza of General Grant National Memorial to celebrate family unity. This year, A Great Day in Harlem will take place on July 25 from noon to approximately 8 p.m. and will feature international exhibitors and vendors, cultural and gospel performances, an outdoor fashion show, a concert, and more. For more information, please call 212-668-2208 or e-mail mindi_rambo@nps.gov.

Marge Piercy and Garden Poetry

(Massachusetts) — Have some cultural and horticultural fun at the Longfellow National Historic Site on Sunday, July 25 at 4 p.m. Poet and novelist Marge Piercy, joined by poets Teresa Cader and Victor Howes, celebrates nature through poetry. This free event includes book sales and a signing. For more information, please contact Nancy Jones at nancy_jones@nps.gov or 617-876-4491.

Reading, Writing, & Thinking the Hudson Valley (New York) — Read, write, and think the Hudson Valley from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 27 to 29. Though aimed at educators, the program, held by Teaching the Hudson Valley at the Wallace Center at the Home and Library of Franklin D. Roosevelt in Hyde Park, is appropriate for anyone interested in the Hudson Valley. Take a three-day learning vacation and discover the region’s culture, environment, and history. For more information, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843.

“John Brown’s Boston”

(Massachusetts) — Every Wednesday in July at 11 a.m., join a ranger from Boston African American National Historic Site for this walking tour focused on John Brown’s connections to Boston. The free, 90-minute tour will take you to places where Brown met with the Secret Six and other supporters, as well as to prominent sites relevant to Boston’s struggle to end slavery. Tours will start at the Samuel Adams statue in front of Faneuil Hall and conclude at the Museum of African American History’s African Meeting House on Beacon Hill. For more information, please contact Sean Hennessey at 617-242-5616 or sean_hennessey@nps.gov.

“Star-Spangled” Ceremony at Fort McHenry

(Maryland) — Come to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine on July 31 at 6 p.m. for a special twilight tattoo ceremony featuring patriotic music, military pageantry, and living history. The program begins with a performance by the U.S. Navy Band, Drill Team, and Color Guard. The U.S. Navy Drill Team will perform modern rifle exercises. The team’s split-second timing and precision marching have dazzled audiences around the world. For a flavor of history, the Fort McHenry Guard, representing the 1814 defenders of Baltimore, will demonstrate battle tactics of the War of 1812. The Guard offers a unique historical experience at every free twilight tattoo ceremony at Fort McHenry. At the July 31 ceremony, the Guard, dressed in the uniforms of the 1814 defenders of Baltimore, will perform a cannon drill, a musket exercise, and a bayonet demonstration. The program concludes with the audience folding the 30-by-42-foot Star-Spangled Banner Flag. The ceremony is free, and parking is provided on site. For more information, please contact Vincent Vaise at 410-962-4290 ext. 201.

I Will Follow Them to the Death: Sheridan’s Soldiers, 1864 (West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia) — Come to the Lower Town at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 31 through August 1. The 11th New Jersey will demonstrate Union army garrison duties such as guard mount parade; searching citizens; searching and arresting spies, deserters, and traitors; processing prisoners of war; and maintaining military security in an occupied enemy town. For more information, please contact Marsha Wassel at 304-535-6748.

Sail Aboard the Scow Schooner Alma

(California) — Sail San Francisco Bay aboard the restored scow schooner Alma, built in 1891. Haul on lines to raise sails and discover maritime history through onboard talks by rangers during the three-hour trip. Alma sails on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays in July. Meet at the dock at Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park at 12:30 p.m. The trip lasts from 1 to 4 p.m. Adults: $40; discounted fees for youth and seniors. Advance reservations required. For information and reservations, please call 415-447-5000. Members of the media, please contact John Cunnane at 415-561-7049.

Living on the Edge

(Florida) — Discover the significance of the underwater world of Gulf Islands National Seashore. You can “live on the edge” at the Naval Live Oaks Picnic Area on Sundays, June 20 to August 8, at 1 p.m., and on Mondays, June 21 to August 9, at 2 p.m. For more information, please contact Gail Bishop at 850-934-2618 or Steamer Lawhead at 850-934-2629.

Civil War in Pensacola

(Florida) — This auditorium program runs at Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center at 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from June 7 to August 13. For more information, please contact Gail Bishop at 850-934-2618 or Steamer Lawhead at 850-934-2629.

Habitat Protectors of Yosemite in Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove

(California) — Yosemite National Park is seeking volunteers for the Habitat Protectors of Yosemite (HaPY) stewardship program. Volunteers work beside Resources Management and Science Division staff on restoration projects in the Yosemite Valley on Wednesday mornings between Memorial Day and Labor Day. On special dates in July and August, volunteers help protect the giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove in Wawona. HaPY provides a great opportunity for families to volunteer together and create memories while helping to manage the park’s resources. Please visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hapy.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Sunset at the Seashore

(Florida) — Gulf Islands National Seashore offers two ways to enjoy this spectacular time of day. Discover amazing facts and folklore about our closest star and how it affects life on Earth through the program “Sunset at the Seashore.” Location: Battery Payne. Date and time: Mondays, June 7 to August 9, 7 p.m. to sunset. Also, take a sunset walk on the beach. On Saturdays, from June 12 to August 14, at 7:30 p.m., join a park ranger for a 1.5-mile, hour-long walk around the west end of Santa Rosa Island to Pensacola Pass. Meet at Battery Payne for the walk. For more information, please contact Gail Bishop at 850-934-2618 or Steamer Lawhead at 850-934-2629.

New Scout Ranger Program Attracts Attention at Jewel Cave (South Dakota) — In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, Jewel Cave National Monument has crafted and implemented a new Scout ranger program. The program offers hands-on learning experiences and volunteerism for troops and packs spending time in the Black Hills of western South Dakota. Participants must perform at least three hours of volunteer service at Jewel Cave and take part in a ranger-guided activity.

An activity booklet allows the Scouts to learn how the National Park Service manages the surface and sub-surface resources of the monument. Upon completion of the program requirements, Scouts receive an embroidered patch. The National Park Service and Boy Scouts of America are teaming together to offer this program year-round. For more information, please contact Bradley Block at 605-673-8330 or bradley_block@nps.gov.

Common Ground

(Nationwide) — The latest issue of the magazine Common Ground: Preserving Our Nation’s Heritage will soon be online. Please see http://commonground.cr.nps.gov/Index.cfm. For more information, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843.

What’s That in the Sky? Is it a Bird? A Plane? It’s an Archeologist!

(California) — A Yosemite National Park fire archeologist is learning to be a smokejumper through a detail to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Smokejumper Program in Missoula, Montana. While training, Jun Kinoshita has begun to blog his experience. He aims to use the knowledge he gains to further the National Park Service’s protection of cultural, natural, and wilderness resources in fire situations. Read his blog at http://npsfam.blogspot.com/ to learn more about how fire is managed on public lands. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Frazil Ice Podcast Entertains Yosemite Followers

(California) — View the latest episode, “Frazil Ice,” of the Yosemite Nature Notes video podcast series. Frazil ice flows are dramatic natural events that occur in the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley during March and April. Please visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/ynn9-frazilice.htm. For more information, please contact Scott Gediman at 209-372-0200 and Niki Nicholas at 209-372-0472.

Yosemite Scientists to Use Lichen to Study Air Quality

(California) — Scientists at Yosemite National Park will use lichen diversity to measure impacts on air quality. Scientists will research how lichen serves as an indicator of nitrogen deposition, which varies over areas of the park. Most pollution that causes high ozone concentrations contains or ends up containing nitrogen after it reacts with sunlight in the atmosphere. Measurements suggest that the deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the Sierra Nevada, especially in the fragile high elevations, is up to five times higher than it was in the 19th century.

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

Archeology News

(Nationwide) — The most recent (winter 2010) issue of CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship publicizes the finding of evidence that the expedition of Vázquez de Coronado passed through what is now El Morro National Monument in New Mexico. An article by Clay Mathers, Charles Haecker, James W. Kendrick, and Steve Baumann discusses the evidence. For more information, please contact Elise Cleva at 202-208-6843.

Seashore Works to Preserve Headstones

(North Carolina) — At Cape Lookout National Seashore, there is an ongoing project to document, repair, straighten, and clean headstones within the cemeteries of Portsmouth Village and Shackelford Banks. For a week during March 2010, Dr. Frances Gale of the University of Texas at Austin, Historic Preservation Program, and several graduate students completed a condition assessment of these cemeteries. For three weeks in May and June, graduate students Jessica Ugarte and Kelley Russell returned to Cape Lookout to begin cleaning the headstones and making repairs. Dr. Gale and the graduate students will return this fall to complete additional restoration activities. For more information, please contact Wouter Ketel at 252-728-2250 ext. 3005.

National Fossil Day, October 13, 2010

(Nationwide) — The National Park Service and the American Geological Institute will hold the first annual National Fossil Day this year during Earth Science Week (www.earthsciweek.org). National Fossil Day is a celebration organized to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational values. More than 228 national parks contain fossils. The National Park Service is partnering with museums, professional organizations, and other groups to plan outreach activities across the country on October 13. For more information, please contact Vince Santucci at 703-289-2531.

Last Dam Summer

(Washington) — The largest dam removal in U.S. history will begin next year in the Elwha Valley of Olympic National Park. The project will free the Elwha River after 100 years. Salmon populations will swell as all five species of Pacific salmon return to more than 70 miles of river and streamand to a still-wild ecosystem. The return of fish will draw back bears, eagles, and other animals, while removing the dams will reestablish the natural flow of sediment from the mountains to the coast. The movement of sediment will rebuild wetlands, beaches, and the estuary at the mouth of the Elwha River. The returning salmon and restored river will renew the culture of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, whose members have lived along the Elwha River since time immemorial. Tribal members will have access to sacred sites that are now inundated, and cultural traditions can be reborn.

The National Park Service and the tribe are primary partners on the dam removal. For more information, please contact Barb Maynes at 360-565-3005.

Saguaro National Park to Host BioBlitz 2011

(Arizona) — Saguaro National Park, bordering Tucson, will host the 2011 National Park Service/National Geographic BioBlitz, scheduled for October

21 and 22, 2011. Part scientific endeavor, part festival, and part outdoor classroom, a BioBlitz is a two-day celebration of biodiversity centered on a 24-hour race to count species. During a BioBlitz, teams of scientists, schoolchildren, and the general public work together to find and identify as many species as possible in a given location. For more information, please contact Andy Fisher at 520-733-5139.

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

The National Park Service has created an e-mail mailing list called NPSNews. NPSNews subscribers receive, via e-mail, Parktips, as well as other timely, national-park-related news items. If you would like to receive NPSNews, just send an e-mail to majordomo@webmail.itc.nps.gov.

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

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA ™

The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

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

My Tags: America, Arizona, California, Community, Conservation, DOW, Elk, Features, Florida, Game, Gun, Hawaii, Law, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, News, North Carolina, Oregon, Outdoors, Park, Pennsylvania, Photos, Podcast, Public Lands, Ranch, Rat, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Video, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wildlife, Wyoming

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve America’s Best Idea: National Park Getaway

Blog Master — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:54:24 +0000

National Park Service News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2010

Contacts: Heather Brown, Tallgrass Prairie, Heather_Brown@nps.gov,

620-273-6034

Elise Cleva, NPS Headquarters, Elise_M_Cleva@nps.gov, 202-208-6843

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

America’s Best Idea: National Park Getaway

STRONG CITY, Kan. – Let “hopeful green stuff” cushion your soles as you

walk. Come play with “the produced babe of the vegetation,” breathe the

fresh scent of “the beautiful uncut hair of graves,” and listen to the wind

rustle “so many uttering tongues.”

In his exuberant poem Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman assigns these wild

identities to one of the most ordinary plants in America. Although we pay

attention to it—keeping off it if a sign warns us to do so and checking its

growth with our lawnmowers—we may forget to give grass its due. A visit to

this week’s National Park Getaway, however, will prod us to take a second

look at the green blades.

At Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, you can head off on a hike or bus

tour to observe, and familiarize yourself with, the prairie’s most abundant

plant. At the same time, you can de-familiarize the grass and rival Whitman

in imagination by dreaming up your own identities for the blades and

expanses of green. You can also learn about the geologic features that lie

beneath and have protected the national preserve and hear about the fate of

other areas of the Great Plains.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve offers zoological and manmade, as well

as botanic, items of interest. Watch the bison and visit the barn cats.

Tour an 1881 ranch house and other historic buildings. If you’re traveling

with children, show them these animals and structures, and then let them

touch fossils and birds’ nests and participate in other activities at the

Junior Ranger station.

This week’s travel article in the National Park Getaway series, found at

www.nps.gov/getaways, can help you plan a visit to the national preserve.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the 54th Getaway destination. The

series introduces readers to places of natural and cultural significance

where they can connect with family and friends.

Before launching into his series of new perceptions of grass, Whitman

writes: “A child said, What is the grass? fetching it to me with full

hands; / How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is, any more

than he.”

If you, too, can afford to deepen your knowledge of this commonplace and

underappreciated plant, come to Tallgrass Prairie. You’ll have fun while

finding an answer to the question “What is the grass?”

www.nps.gov

My Tags: America, Features, Law, News, Park, Ranch

Parktips – June 2010

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

National Park Service

Parktips – June 2010

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.

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

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.

My Tags: Alaska, America, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Community, Conservation, Denver, DOW, Features, Fishing, Florida, Forest, Game, Gun, Hawaii, Health, Idaho, Jobs, Kansas, Law, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, News, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Park, Pennsylvania, Photos, Ranch, Rat, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wildlife, Wyoming

WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER TO MEET PUBLIC IN HOTCHKISS

Blog Master — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:57:04 +0000

WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER TO MEET PUBLIC IN HOTCHKISS

HOTCHKISS, Colo. — A member of the Colorado Wildlife Commission will hold a public meeting in Hotchkiss, 6:30-8:30 p.m., May 25 at Memorial Hall, 175 N. 1st Street.

Mark Smith, who has been a commissioner for more than a year, will provide updates on regional and state wildlife issues and hear input from the public on any issues concerning wildlife, hunting and fishing at the meeting.

Smith is a ranch manager in the San Luis Valley and has been active in wildlife issues in Colorado for many years.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission is a volunteer board that sets regulations and policies for the DOW. There are nine wildlife commissioners who represent five different districts in Colorado. They are appointed from each of the following groups: livestock producers; agricultural or produce growers; sportsmen or outfitters; wildlife organizations; and boards of county commissioners. The remaining three commissioners are appointed from the public at large.

For more information, call the DOW office in Gunnison at (970)641-7060.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

My Tags: Colorado, DOW, Fishing, Gun, Hunting, Ranch, Wildlife

National Park Service Receives National Award Training Program for Facility Managers Recognized

Blog Master — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:56:48 +0000

National Park Service News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 30, 2010

Contact: Gerry Gaumer (202) 208-6843

Ralph Coury (202) 513-7019

National Park Service Receives National Award

Training Program for Facility Managers Recognized

WASHINGTON – A training program developed by the National Park Service

(NPS) and Indiana University’s Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands has received a national award for excellence.

The W. Edwards Deming Award is presented annually to a federal government program or civilian branch of the military in recognition of significant accomplishments in workforce development or training initiatives that have quantifiably benefited the organization’s overall performance.

The award recognized the Facility Management Leaders Program, for its proven success in developing and retaining a dedicated workforce to manage the more than 70,000 buildings, roads, utilities, bridges, trails, campgrounds, monuments, fortifications and other assets found in 392 national parks across the country.

“Our ability to sustainably manage all resources – cultural, natural and ‘built’ – starts with an aggressive, informed, and capable facility management workforce,” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis.

“This program provides our facilities staff with a critical foundation and we are very proud of not only those who graduate from the program but those who created it.”

Aspects of the rigorous program are currently being evaluated by the Indiana University Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies Department for graduate and undergraduate credit.

NPS Park Facility Management Chief Tim Harvey, a primary architect of the FMLP strategy, accepted the award on behalf of the NPS and the Eppley Institute. It is the first Deming Award ever received by any bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The award is named for Dr. W. Edwards Deming who is considered the father of the Total Quality Management movement. Deming taught at the Graduate School, the government’s continuing education provider, and the institution that presents the award.

For additional information on the Facility Management Leaders Program, contact Betsy Dodson at 843-856-3531, email Betsy_Dodson@nps.gov, or Stephen A. Wolter at 812-855-3095, email sawolter@indiana.edu.

-NPS-

My Tags: Indiana, News, Park, Public Lands, Ranch, Rat, Washington

CONTROLLED BURN NEAR SOUTH FORK SCHEDULED

Blog Master — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:00:49 +0000

CONTROLLED BURN NEAR SOUTH FORK SCHEDULED

SOUTH FORK, Colo. — The Colorado Division of Wildlife, in cooperation with the Rio Grande National Forest, plans to conduct a prescribed burn north of South Fork during the month of May. The burn will be on the Coller State Wildlife Area and adjacent U.S. Forest Service lands along the Rio Grande River between the Masonic Park subdivision and Riverside Ranch.

The objectives of the burn are to reduce the amount of fine fuels and rejuvenate growth of vegetation to improve winter range for big game. It will also help to better protect nearby residential areas from wild fires.

Burning will occur during daylight and is not expected to exceed eight hours duration. Exact dates will be determined based on weather and logistical conditions. Smoke impacts on adjacent landowners will be monitored and mitigated according to state rules.

Call the Colorado Division of Wildlife with questions or concerns at (719)587-6900.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

My Tags: Colorado, DOW, Forest, Game, Park, Ranch, Rat, Wildlife

Point Reyes Superintendent Named Seasoned Professional to Lead National Seashore

Blog Master — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:27:30 +0000

National Park Service News Release

For Immediate Release

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

Point Reyes Superintendent Named

Seasoned Professional to Lead National Seashore

WASHINGTON – National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis today announced

Cicely Muldoon as the new superintendent of Point Reyes National Seashore

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

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

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

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

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

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

making that mission serve her fellow Americans.”

Point Reyes boasts 80 miles of spectacular, undeveloped coastline and

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

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

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

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

species – and offers extraordinary recreational opportunities on nearly 150

miles of trails, backcountry campgrounds, and wild beaches.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

North American continent. Granite bedrock found here matches the bedrock

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

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

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

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

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

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

one of the few remaining biologically diverse Mediterranean climate regions

on Earth.

Cool things about Point Reyes:

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

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

because of the variety of habitats and unique geology.

In 1988 the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural

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

part of the Central California Coast Biosphere Reserve.

The cultural history of Point Reyes National Seashore reaches back more

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

inhabitants of the peninsula. More than 100 known archeological sites

exist within the national seashore.

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

first European to do so.

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

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

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

Pacific Islands.

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

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

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

National Historical Park in Washington State; Sitka National Historical

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

Service headquarters office in Washington, DC. Muldoon served as

superintendent of Pinnacles National Monument and San Juan Island National

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

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

University of California, Davis.

She replaces Don Neubacher, who was named superintendent of Yosemite

National Park in February.

-NPS-

My Tags: Alaska, America, Arkansas, California, Community, Conservation, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, News, Oregon, Park, Ranch, Rat, Washington, Wildlife

Jarvis names assistant director for American Indian relations

Blog Master — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:41:32 +0000

National Park Service News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 12, 2010

Contact: David Barna (202) 208-6843

Jeffrey Olson (202) 208-6843

Jarvis names assistant director for American Indian relations

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis today named Mount Rushmore National Monument Superintendent Gerard Baker as his Assistant Director for American Indian Relations.

“The National Park Service faces important cultural and natural resource issues with First Americans,” Jarvis said. “I’ve asked Gerard to represent me and the National Park Service with tribes across our country to work on issues I believe will further the goals of the National Park Service and goals of First Americans.”

A full-blood Mandan-Hidatsa Indian from western North Dakota, the 56-year-old Baker has been a park superintendent for 15 of his 30-plus years in the National Park Service. He’s spent most of the past six years at Mount Rushmore, one of America’s icon parks, in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Baker is a widely recognizable figure in Indian Country for his work as a mediator and facilitator on issues that involve tribes and the National Park Service. He’s also a familiar face on American history television programs. Baker was a consultant to and an on-camera historian in the 1997 Ken Burns film “Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.” He toured with Burns, writer Dayton Duncan and the late historian Stephen Ambrose to talk about Lewis and Clark and American Indian perspectives of the Expedition of the Corps of Discovery. He also appears in the recent production by Burns and Duncan, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”

As the first superintendent of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail from August 2000 to June 2004, Baker led planning, development and initial operations of “Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future.” The mobile mini-national park traveled to 100 communities across the United States during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. The exhibit’s “Tent of Many Voices” was an education and entertainment venue that Baker said became particularly important for American Indian voices on history and culture.

More than a half a million people visited the exhibit during its tour.

Baker and other American Indian leaders successfully labeled the Bicentennial a commemoration instead of a Bicentennial celebration. “That remains an important distinction,” Baker said. “The National Park Service recognized that Lewis and Clark coming to Indian Country was no celebration for us. They signaled the end of life as we had known it for eons.”

Jarvis said Baker begins his new assignment April 24 and will keep an office in the Black Hills. “I’ve asked Gerard to take this position because with his skills and contacts I believe we’ll come to resolution on these issues.”

Baker said his new job is to continue the relationship building he did with tribes during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and in his time in South Dakota as he led staff to expand the story of Mount Rushmore to include wider perspectives of history and culture – of the entire Black Hills area that includes the iconic monument to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

Baker said, “This really is a natural next step in my career and it’s what I’ve been doing all of my life: learning about people, our history and culture, talking to others, sharing stories and learning to appreciate other perspectives. It’s an opportunity we in the National Park Service can’t miss.”

Baker began his National Park Service career in 1979 as a park technician at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in North Dakota. In

1981 he moved to the historian position at Fort Union (N.D.) Trading Post National Historic Site before assuming the North Unit District Ranger job at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in 1985.

In 1990, Baker transferred to the U.S. Forest Service where he served at the Little Missouri National Grasslands, also in North Dakota, at the Beartooth District in Red Lodge, Montana, and the Ashland District of Montana before returning to the National Park Service in 1994 as superintendent of Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Crow Agency, Montana.

In 1997 Baker received the National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director’s Award for Cultural Resource Management and a team performance award for his work with the Indian Memorial at Little Bighorn Battlefield.

He was named superintendent of Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma in 1998, and received the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Honor Award for Superior Service during his service at the park.

Although Baker left the Lewis and Clark Trail halfway through the Bicentennial to become superintendent at Mount Rushmore, he appeared as a speaker in the Tent of Many Voices on occasion and was on hand for the end of the tour when the exhibit made its final stop under the Arch of Westward Expansion on the Mississippi River waterfront in St. Louis. Baker was recognized with the Department of the Interior’s Superior Service honor award for his management of Corps of Discovery II.

Baker is from Mandaree, N.D., on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The reservation is the home of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Tribes. Born and raised on his father’s cattle ranch, he spent his early years in a traditional Indian home and learned his culture through oral histories shared by clan relatives.

Baker attended reservation schools and was graduated from St. Mary’s High School in New England, N.D. He is a graduate of Southern Oregon State University, Ashland, Ore. Baker and his wife, Mary Kay live in the Black Hills. They have four grown children, a son, three daughters and seven grandchildren.

- NPS-

Editor’s note: Superintendent Baker can be reached at (605) 574-3121

My Tags: America, Forest, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, News, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Park, Ranch, Rat, South Dakota, Washington

Buckrun Outdoors » Ranch

BLM TRAILHEAD PROVIDES ACCESS TO COLORADO’S LARGEST BAT COLONY

Related posts

WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER TO MEET PUBLIC IN HOTCHKISS

Related posts

National Park Service Parktips – July 2010

Related posts

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve America’s Best Idea: National Park Getaway

Related posts

Parktips – June 2010

Related posts

WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER TO MEET PUBLIC IN HOTCHKISS

Related posts

National Park Service Receives National Award Training Program for Facility Managers Recognized

Related posts

CONTROLLED BURN NEAR SOUTH FORK SCHEDULED

Related posts

Point Reyes Superintendent Named Seasoned Professional to Lead National Seashore

Related posts

Jarvis names assistant director for American Indian relations

Related posts