Blog Archives for Park Service

By Franklin Seal - November 20, 2008   There’s been a lot of news this week about the Utah Bureau of Land Management’s recently unveiled oil and gas lease sale that includes parcels directly adjacent to Arches National Park (for update on recent developments see post script below). The National Park Service, local residents, regional environmental groups and even the local city and county governments have raised threats of legal protests or serious concerns.

By Laurel Hagen - November 12, 2008    From an article in the Deseret News: *** National Park Service officials worry that if the oil and gas industry is allowed to drill on land next to two national parks and a national monument in Utah, the companies may need new roads that will be unwanted leftovers once the oil and gas are gone. The concern is that those roads will become new entry points into the parks, creating potential access and land-use headaches for park regulators.

By Franklin Seal - September 16, 2008      "We discovered that a full 50 percent of ATV riders chose to ignore the signs and go around a closure" -- Mesia Nyman, Forest Service officer  

By Franklin Seal - August 12, 2008   The Washington Post published an article today that examines the growing violence of off-road vehicle recreationists. The article ­ 'Off-Road Rage' Climbs as Trails Get More Crowded ­ sparked an interesting discussion in the comment thread. One comment in particular caught my attention. A hiker going by the handle “tharmon” wrote, "My solution to this issue has been to confine my hiking trips to places where vehicles of any kind cannot go."

By Bethanie Walder - March 21, 2008   On March 13, the Subcommittee On National Parks, Forests And Public Lands held an oversight hearing on “The Impacts Of Unmanaged Off-Road Vehicles On Federal Land.”  All of the written testimony from the invited witnesses for the hearing can be found here. Other individuals and organizations also submitted written testimony.

By Bethanie Walder - November 2, 2007    Update: The President did veto the bill, and the congress overrode that veto. This is the first veto by this president that's been overridden by Congress. Read more here.

By Bethanie Walder - October 30, 2007   Having grown up in Florida, it doesn't surprise me that off-road vehicle use is one of the primary threats to Big Cypress National Preserve.  Floridians in general have a tendency to interact with their environment by shielding themselves from it - mostly by air conditioning everything.  And let's face it - high heat and humidity can be fairly unpleasant.  But those same factors are also what makes Florida's wild lands so special.  The flora and fauna of Big Cypress and the Everglades are extraordinary, supporting incredible bird and wildlife, amphibians and plants - many of which are thre