National Parks

11 States Launch Resistance to National Park Fee Changes
Eleven attorneys general have sent a letter, and a warning, to the Trump Administration: we'll battle new entrance fees in court if we have to.

13 Cultural Landscapes At Risk of Disappearing
Threats facing major U.S. cultural sites today include development, drilling, and the federal government.

Interior Department Wants to Hike National Park Entrance Fees
Two years after increasing entrance fees at national parks, The U.S. Department of the Interior wants to raise daily vehicle entrance fees at the nation's most popular parks to $70.

Big Idea: A National Park in Downtown Minneapolis
Details of a proposal to create a national park at one of the Twin Cities' region most popular destinations: the lock and dam at the Upper St. Anthony Falls, on the Mississippi River where it flows through Minneapolis.

Jamaica Bay: Wilderness in the City
Created so people could "experience nature in the midst of crowds," New York's Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge embodies the characteristics of all modern national parks: abundant, welcoming, and threatened.

President Obama Designates New National Monument in Maine
The announcement that 87,500 acres of land in Maine's North Woods would become a national monument came the day before the centennial of the National Park Service. The designation is also sure to be controversial.

Happy 100th Birthday National Park Service
"The fundamental idea behind the parks is that the country belongs to the people," says President Obama.

Vote: $2 Million for National Parks Preservation Funding
The 2016 Partners in Preservation contest is open until July 5. Now is your chance to #VoteYourPark.

Months Before Turning 100, National Parks Are More Popular Than Ever
Turning 100 the same year as New York's first Zoning Code? The National Park Service, of course. The momentous occasion is likely to find the parks more popular than ever.

On the Meaning and Value of America's National Parks
An editorial from a surprising source argues for an honest discussion about the unintended consequences of uncritical exuberance.
The National Park Service Turns 99 Today
The big birthday means admission is free to national parks today as well.
Friday Eye Candy: Images of the 20 Most Popular National Parks in the U.S.
There are still a few days left to celebrate National Park Week, which runs from April 18-26.

Which Cities Will be Harmed the Most by the Government Shutdown?
With 800,000 employees on indefinite furlough, national parks closed, and federal benefits and programs eroding, it's safe to say the government shutdown will effect millions of Americans. But some urban areas will feel the pinch more than others.
Obama Uses 1906 Act to Declare Fort Monroe a Natl. Monument
In declaring Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia a National Monument, President Obama circumvents Congressional approval - which would be required to make it a National Park.
Disney's Thwarted Alpine Village
Mineral King is a site adjoining Sequoia National Park that the Park Service wanted to lease as a resort. Walt Disney was gung ho to do it, and got pretty far in planning an alpine village resort before the project was killed.
A Developer in the Park
Sitting in a controversial niche in the development market, Thomas Chapman develops plans for parcels within national parks, only to take buyouts from environmental groups or the government. He's got a bold new proposal on the way.
A New National Park for Kansas?
Kansas senatorial candidate Charles Schollenberger calls for the creation of a Great Plains National Park on low-production farmland in order to attract tourism to support suffering local economies.
New Natl. Parks Chief Takes Scientific Approach
Jonathan Jarvis, named the head of the National Park Service last month, says that he'll work with the National Academy of Sciences to fight global warming, which he says is "the greatest challenge ever to face national parks."
Emphasizing the Urban Angle of National Parks
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has said he wants to bring park programs back into the lives of urban dwellers. This piece argues that a good place for him to start is one of the few urban national parks at St. Louis' Gateway Arch.
Fed Money Announced for CA's National Parks
Twenty-two national parks in California will get a portion of $97 million to repair historic buildings, install solar panels, and fix trails.
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