INVITATION TO EXPLORE
The Blue Ridge Mountains took millions of years to develop into the striking vista it is today. To educate the public about the importance of preserving its views, ecology, and visitor's experience, NPCA and Dr. J. Dan Pitillo, biologist with Western Carolina University, will lead a hike to explore the landscape just south of Asheville, North Carolina, on October 23.
Participants will learn about the ancient plants and animals that lived along the Blue Ridge and explore Flat Laurel Gap, a site that captures the past 12,000 years. A brown bag lunch discussion will follow, during which Greg Kidd, NPCA's associate Southeast regional director, will outline the opportunities and challenges for the park as it develops both its transportation and other plans for the next few years. For more information, call 865-329-2424, ext. 21 or email southeast@npca.org.
THE PARKS AS ART
In September 2002, artist Scott W. Parker shuttered his Chicago art studio and took to the road on a quest to capture the nation's most spectacular landscapes on canvas. In just under two years, he visited 56 national parks, from Acadia in Maine to Volcanoes in Hawaii. The result is his National Parks Project, which includes a colorful collection of pastel and oil paintings interpreting national park icons. "It is my hope that these pieces will create a sense of appreciation for our American treasures, and foster a desire to learn more about these and other natural sanctuaries," says Parker. This December and January, NPCA's National Parks Art Gallery and Information Center will put Parker's work on display. The gallery is located in Seattle, Washington's Pioneer Square at 313-A First Avenue South. Call 206-903-1444 ext. 26 for information.
Washington, D.C.-With time running out for Congress to pass a Fiscal Year 2005 Interior Appropriations bill, NPCA is urging lawmakers to provide adequate funding for the National Park System, which continues to suffer from a $600-million operating shortfall, an extensive maintenance backlog, and a drop in the number of seasonal and permanent staff. The bill, passed by the House of Representatives, includes a $55 million increase for the parks' base operations-$33 million more than requested by the administration. In its report on the bill, the House Appropriations Committee noted that, in recent years, the Park Service has absorbed the cost of storm damage, anti-terrorism mandates, and other activities. The Senate is considering the bill. Take Action: Write to your senators and request an additional $100 million for the base operations of the national parks in the FY '05 Interior appropriations bill.
Biscayne N.P.-A coalition of personal watercraft manufacturers, dealers, and users has filed a petition to overturn a federal ban on the vehicles in Biscayne in Florida and other national parks. If successful, Jet Skis, WaveRunners, and similar models could once again disturb wildlife habitat and natural quiet in marine parks. The National Park Service banned personal watercraft from Biscayne and other parks in 2000, citing air pollution, environmental damage, and noise. The petition asks the agency to conduct an environmental assessment of the impacts of newer personal watercraft models on park resources, which industry officials say are much cleaner and quieter than older ones. NPCA and other conservation groups maintain that these motorized vehicles disturb wildlife, disrupt other visitors' park experiences, and stir up sediment, threatening submerged vegetation.
Washington, D.C.-The 100-foot cell tower built near the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park continues to be emblematic of a growing debate. With cell towers proliferating nationwide, the National Park Service is expected, by year's end, to complete a national survey of permits that have been issued for cell tower construction in national parks. Currently, the agency has incomplete information on how many park units have issued tower permits, how many towers exist in the parks, and how their location's might affect park resources. The inventory will allow NPS to develop a database to track existing and pending permits for cell towers, as well as other special uses in the park system. In response to controversies at Yellowstone and elsewhere, parks such as Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco have already begun to develop policies and management plans to guide cell tower placement.
New York, N.Y.-In August, Federal Hall National Memorial was placed on high alert for a possible terrorist attack, just as restoration work was set to begin on the structure, damaged by the collapse of the World Trade Towers as a result of terrorist attacks nearly three years earlier. The Department of Homeland Security reported that financial institutions in New York and Washington, D.C., had been specifically identified as possible targets for terrorist acts, including the New York Stock Exchange, located only steps from Federal Hall. The memorial's significance as a birthplace of American democracy may make it a symbolic target, but it also remains a beacon for the democratic process. In late August, the building served as the site of a conservation event and press conference as a lead-in to the Republican National Convention. As security remains tight there, the National Park Service moved forward with plans to replace outdated exhibits and to repair damage sustained by the structure on September 11, 2001.
