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Bison have been in the news recently. The Interior Department this past week released $5 million to help fund both bison restoration and grasslands rehabilitation. And next month Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan will release their latest documentary, The American Buffalo. The American Buffalo documentary traces the history of how bison nearly went extinct, and how they came back. It will be delivered in a two-part, four-hour series on public television. Earlier this summer I talked to Dayton Duncan about the project, and we're rerunning that conversation to remind you of the documentary that is set to debut on October 16.
It's been nearly eight years since a storm of historic proportions pounded Death Valley National Park and did extensive damage in Grapevine Canyon in the northeastern corner of the park where Scotty's Castle stands. The popular tourist attraction still has not reopened as repair work continues. That storm was described as a once-in-a-thousand years storm. A year ago, rainstorms again pounded Death Valley. In roughly three hours 1.5 inches of rain fell on the park and did considerable damage to roads and water systems and shut down the park. That storm also was described as a once-in-a-thousand-years storm. Another powerful storm hit Death Valley National Park two weeks ago. On August 20, 2.2 inches of rain fell at Furnace Creek, according to the National Weather Service, making it the rainiest day on record in the park. For some perspective, during a full year the park usually sees only 2.15 inches of rain. To discuss these storms and how the National Park Service is responding to them we're joined today by Abby Wines, the park's management analyst.
If you were to plan an extended trip through the National Park System, how would you do it? Where would you go first? How would you prepare?
In this week's podcast, the Traveler's Lynn Riddick talks with Cristian Garza, who recently returned from a four-month jaunt through the parks. He clocked some 300 hours of driving across 17,000 miles of the U.S. and Canada and shares some of his experiences and perspectives with Lynn.
In 1964, passage of The Wilderness Act promised Americans that there would be lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition. It was a promise from Congress that the American people of present and future generations would be able to enjoy the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness." When President Johnson signed the act into law, he said that "If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Where do things stand with that promise? Has it lived up to its lofty goal? To seek an answer to that question, and to get a better understanding of management of wilderness areas, and potentially wilderness, in the country, we've invited George Nickas and Dana Johnson to join us.
George is executive director of Wilderness Watch, a national organization dedicated to defending the nation's National Wilderness Preservation System and keeping it wild, and Dana is the organization's policy director.
The New York Times recently summed up one of the biggest climate change stories of the year so far. The planet's average sea surface temperature spiked to a record high in April, and the ocean has remained exceptionally warm ever since, the paper reported. In July, widespread marine heatwaves drove temperatures back up to near record highs, with some hot spots nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
In late July, water temperatures off the southern tip of Florida surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. What are the impacts of this hot water to Dry Tortugas, Everglades, and Biscayne national parks? We're going to explore that question with Dr. Steve Davis, the chief science officer for the Everglades Foundation.
Majestic wildlife abounds across the National Park System. You can see wolves, grizzlies and bison in Yellowstone, California condors at Pinnacles and Grand Canyon, moose in Voyageurs, and sea turtles at Cape Hatteras and Padre Island, and elephant seals at Point Reyes National Seashore, just to name some of the possibilities.
Another charismatic species in the park system, but one you're not likely to see, are panthers. Also known as mountain lions, or cougars, depending on the region of the country. These are big stealthy cats, most often on the move after dark, which is why you're not likely to spot one.
South Florida is best known as home for the Florida panther. Another reason you might not spot one of these cats is because there are so few of them.
Conservationists at the South Florida Wildlands Association fear the population of the iconic Florida Panther may have dwindled to as few as 100 cats. They don't know for sure, though, because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not released a species status assessment and population count since 2009. And without current information, the fight for the panther's existence and efforts to curtail development that threatens it, are more challenging than ever.
In this week's podcast, the Traveler's Lynn Riddick speaks with the executive director of that organization to hear about their latest efforts to address the assaults on the panther's habitat and their approach in protecting this incredible, endangered creature.
Why expand the National Park System? That can be a controversial question. There are many folks who would love to see additional units added, and there are just as many who say the National Park Service does not have the staff or funding to adequately maintain the existing park system.
We've been exploring that question in recent weeks and months, and an argument can be made that since national parks carry the highest protection of natural resources in the country, we should expand the park system to better protect biodiversity and, if possible, help it grow.
In this week's show, Lynn Riddick helps me present you with a story that explores the question of expanding the National Park System for the sake of biodiversity. If you prefer reading the story, rather than having it narrated to you, the long-form post is on the Traveler.
At the end of our story about expanding the park system, Lynn returns with a short audio postcard from Big Cypress National Preserve.
This summer has been one of the hottest for the entire world, with temperatures rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit quite frequently. Here in the United States, there are many places where the heat has gone well above 100 degrees. And at Death Valley National Park, the temperature this past week attracted crowds hoping to see it reach 130 degrees.
In the National Park System, there are places where summertime heat is routine, something the rangers have become accustomed to and know how to cope with, and something not all park visitors know how to deal with.
To get a sense for conditions this past week in two of the hottest places in the park system, we've reached out to rangers at Grand Canyon National Park and Death Valley National Park.
There are seemingly endless guides to exploring the national parks: Moon, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and various other corporate publishers. Indeed, it's rare these days that you find a writer who takes on the role of both guidebook author and publisher.
Most of these guidebooks take the same approach: a nice overview of the park in question, followed by a breakdown of places to stay, where to eat, things to do, nearby attractions. Mike Oswald is swimming against the current with his park guidebooks.
First he came out with "Your Guide to the National Parks," a thick, hefty volume that has won awards from the Independent Book Publishers Association. Along with the usual park basics, he fills his chapters with history, maps that point out some of his favorite hikes and don't-miss attractions, some details on plants and animals, a suggested vacation planner, and of course, full-color photographs of some iconic settings.
Today we're sitting down with Mike to discuss not only his decision to "go independent against those giants in the guidebook publishing world," but also his latest park-related projects.
When you talk about expanding the National Park System, any expansion should be strategic. Whether it's to protect a cultural or historical site, or one rich in natural resources. Today, if you want to protect natural resources, it should be done with an eye towards protecting biodiversity.
There is too much at stake today to expand the National Park System just for the sake of adding units. The country is losing too much of nature to development, bird populations have been plummeting, and climate change is challenging many other species.
So where do you look to protect biodiversity from the human footprint? One possible area is the Mobile-Tensaw region of Alabama. To gain an understanding of what's there to protect, we've reached out to Bill Finch, Director of the Paint Rock Research Center in Alabama, and who has been involved in Alabama conservation for more than 30 years.
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