Saguaro National Park to Begin Spraying Buffelgrass

Now that monsoon rains have brought dormant plants back to life, staff at Saguaro National Park will again be using herbicides to control buffelgrass. Other city, county, state, and federal agencies are spraying buffelgrass at this time of year as well.Buffelgrass is an aggressive, non-native grass that competes with native plants such as saguaros and [...]

All National Parks to Offer Free Visitor Admission Sept 29th, National Public Lands Day

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - All National Park Service sites, including Grand Canyon National Park, will offer free visitor admission on Saturday, September 29 for National Public Lands Day (NPLD).In recognition of NPLD, entrance fees and commercial tour fees will be waived at Grand Canyon National Park. Recreation “user fees” such as backcountry permit fees, camping [...]

NPS Director on Today Show on Thursday, Sept 13th

Director Mary Bomar will be a Thursday morning guest on NBC’s Today show. Her appearance will be live from Grand Canyon National Park.Look for Director Bomar in the 8 o’clock segment of the show.Several other Grand Canyon features - segments on California condors, geology, a canyon artist and the Grand Canyon Field Institute - will [...]

Truckhaven Off-Road Area to Open Again for OHV Events

BAKERSFIELD, CA (September 07, 2007) In January of 2007 the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Desert Protective Council (DPC) filed a lawsuit claiming that the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) purchased the Truckhaven property without completing the environmental reviews required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As a result, the [...]

Wild Horse and Burro Adoptions Sept 15th, Sept 29th-30th

Wild Horse and Burro Adoption at Camp Pendleton, CA Sept 15th, all day event.Wild  Horse and Burro Adoption, Saturday, September 29, 2007 through Sunday, September 30, 2007 at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop, CA. Phone: (916) 985-4474Wild Horses and Burros are also available from one (or both) of BLM’s California Wild Horse and Burro facilities:The [...]

Key wildlife habitat added to Coachella preserve

Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett joined a group of Federal, State, and local officials and leaders to dedicate a key wildlife habitat acquisition in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs yesterday.The 321-acre parcel is part of a larger acquisition effort that combines available funding from Federal, State, local, and private sources to piece [...]

Flagstaff Festival of Science Sept 21st-30th

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - It had feathers, but scientists don’t think it could fly; it was found deep in an ancient sea, but scientists don’t think it lived in water; it had three long, sickle-like claws on each hand, but scientists don’t know why. So when the therizinosaur (thair-uh-zi’-na-sore) skeleton was found in the southern Utah [...]

National Park Service Remembers Sept. 11, 2001

Today, on the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Bush has directed that flags be flown at half staff and that the day be remembered with appropriate ceremonies, activities and remembrance services - including a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EDT.National Park Service law enforcement, emergency services and other employees were among the [...]

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 3 - Sept 11th Report

National Preparedness Level 3 (On a scale from 1 to 5)September 11, 2007Firefighters continue to make great suppression efforts in the western states. The Grays Creek fire near Council and the Tamarack Resort was contained yesterday at 24,900 acres. Other wildland fires are estimated to be contained later this week as well.Weather Discussion: Warmer and [...]

Employee Attacked And Injured By Bear Outside Yellowstone Park

A park employee was attacked by a bear early last Sunday morning near Gardiner, just north of the park. Ken Meyer, the park’s safety manager, was hunting for black bear when he was mauled by what is believed to have been a female grizzly bear with cubs. Meyer sustained injuries to his arms, legs and [...]

Excellent Breeding Success for Endangered Bolson Tortoises at New Mexico State Park

Nine Eggs Hatch, Nine Others Expected at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State ParkCARLSBAD, NM - Less than a year after four endangered Bolson tortoises were brought to Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park in Carlsbad, nine eggs have hatched with an additional nine expected to come out of their shells by mid [...]

Death Valley National Park Slated for Centennial Dollars

“As part of the Centennial Initiative and Centennial Challenge Death Valley National Park will not only see twenty-two new seasonal and permanent rangers in 2008, but the funding of a park-wide inventory of every species of flora and fauna in the park,” exclaims Superintendent James T. Reynolds.Secretary of Interior Kempthorne laid out the presidential initiative [...]

Tri-Athlete Elephant Man Competition at Elephant Butte Lake SP NM, Sept 29, 30

ELEPHANT BUTTE, NM - Elephant Butte Lake State Park will host the “Elephant Man Triathlon” on Saturday, September 29 and Sunday, September 30, in what could be one of the most challenging athletic events in the State with more than 33 miles of competitive events.“The Park is looking forward to hosting this event in its [...]

Decision Document signed for South Entrance Road Improvements at Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed yesterday by Michael D. Snyder, Regional Director for Intermountain Region of the National Park Service for the implementation of improvements to the South Entrance Road (Highway 64) between the community of Tusayan and the entrance station, located on the South Rim of [...]

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 3 - Sept 10th Report

National Preparedness Level 3 (On a scale from 1 to 5)September 10, 2007Weather conditions continue to help firefighters with their suppression efforts throughout the West. The Chief Parrish fire near Banks, Idaho. Montana and Idaho continue to have the most wildland fire activity with 16 large fires burning a total of 1,217,073 acres.Weather Discussion: Warm [...]

Fireworks and Drugs Seized from Houseboat at Glen Canyon NRA

The information receptionist at park headquarters received an anonymous call on the afternoon of Friday, September 7th, reporting that drugs and between $4,000 and $5,000 worth of fireworks could be found in the hold of the houseboat Canyon Breeze, located at Antelope Point Marina. The houseboat was set to be leaving the marina the following [...]

Third Annual Gila River Festival at Gila Cliff Dwellings Sept 13-16

The 3rd Annual Gila River Festival is a weekend celebration and interpretive event focusing on increasing the awareness of the natural and cultural history of the Gila River. Featuring talks, walks, stewardship projects and puppet theater, this year’s event also features an evening campfire program with community storytellers, a “star party,” and an opportunity for [...]

Upcoming Events at Utah State Parks

September 7 to September 8, Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn State Park (Fairfield)JOHNSTON’S ARMY ADVENTURE CAMP: Boy Scouts travel back in time to 1861 and enter the world of a soldier at Camp Floyd, Utah Territory. As a newly enlisted private, scouts don a uniform and shoulder muskets. The Adventure Camp experience offers an authentic and unique [...]

Grand Canyon Signs Sister Park Arrangement with Chinese Yuntaishan World Geopark

In late August, the superintendents of Grand Canyon National Park and China’s Yuntaishan World Geopark signed a sister park arrangement in a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China.A delegation of representatives from Yuntaishan World Geopark, local government officials from Henan Province, China, and representatives from Beijing Normal University visited Grand [...]

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 3 - Sept 7th Report

National Preparedness Level 3 (On a scale from 1 to 5)September 7, 2007Firefighters continue great efforts toward containing fires in the western states. Moderated weather conditions also continues to help firefighters with their efforts. A total of 30 large fires has currently burned 1,260,350 acres throughout the country.Weather Discussion: Dry weather conditions is predicted for [...]