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☆ The least-visited national parks in the United States in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Marnie Hunter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The state of Alaska — which covers 665,384 square miles (426 million acres) — is home to five of the 15 least-visited national parks for 2023. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 78,305 recreation visitsAmerica’s largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias encompasses 13.2 million acres — or about the size of Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Switzerland combined, the Park Service says. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida - 84,285 recreation visitsThis island park in Florida is among 20 National Park Service sites that broke visitation records in 2023. Channel Islands National Park, California - 328,746 recreation visitsStretching over five islands and the surrounding ocean, Channel Islands National Park offer opportunities to hike, snorkel, kayak, birdwatch and more. While Pinnacles may rank among the 15 least-visited national parks, it gets very busy on weekends, holidays and throughout the spring, according to a notice on the park’s website.

Persons: Alaska’s Gates, “, ” Peter Christian, fa’asamoa, Gates, ”, Katmai, Brooks Camp, Elias, Lumir, Nabesna, McCarthy Organizations: CNN, &, CNN Travel, of, Park Service, National Parks, & Preserve, South Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, Lake Clark, National Park Service, Getty, Isle Royale, NPS, Wolves, Elias, Park & Preserve, Yosemite National, Voyageurs National, Voyageurs National Park, ” Voyageurs, Voyageurs, Service, Channel Locations: Alaska’s, Fairbanks, Alaska, of American Samoa, South, Samoa, Smoky, Wild Rivers, American Samoa, Honolulu, , Alaska, Isle, Lake Superior, Isle Royale, Park , Michigan, Brooks, , Washington, Wrangell, St, Elias, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Switzerland, , Florida, Florida, Key, Fort Jefferson, , Nevada, Minnesota, Voyageurs National Park , Minnesota, Canada, Guadalupe, Park , Texas, Texas, Salt, , South Carolina, South Carolina, Congaree, There’s, Santa Cruz, , California, Southern California

☆ Tourists are paddle boarding and frolicking in one of Earth's driest locations after record rains
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewHeavy rainfall created a temporary lake in Death Valley National Park, one of Earth's driest locations, prompting travelers to take a potentially once-in-a-lifetime swim. The unexpected phenomenon began earlier this week at Death Valley's Badwater Basin after recent rainstorms battered California. Tourists wading through Death Valley's temporary lake. Tourists paddle boarding and wading in Death Valley's temporary lake. Two tourists sit beside Death Valley's temporary lake.

Persons: —, Ty ONeil, Andler, DAVID SWANSON, Heather, Bob Gang, Heather Gang, Guo Yu, hydrometeorology, Tiffany Pereira Organizations: Service, Lake Manly, National Park Services, Business, Associated Press, AP, Tourists, Research, Getty Locations: Death, California, Badwater, Lake, Lake Manley, Southern California

☆ How Benjamin O. Davis Sr. and Davis Jr. became America’s first Black generals
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Nicole Chavez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

In 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the first Black person to achieve the rank of brigadier general in the US Army. Twenty years after his father made history, Davis Jr. became the first Black brigadier general in the Air Force in 1960. Davis Sr. was born in Washington, DC, less than 20 years after the ratification of the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery. So, Davis Jr. moved alone to Chicago for nearly two years to secure the nomination and his spot at West Point. “So, (the Army) provided no opportunities for African Americans to lead troops, it provided no opportunities before 1940 for African Americans to fly airplanes, there were no African Americans in the Marine Corps,” Moye added.

Persons: Benjamin O, Davis, Davis Jr, “ Davis, ”, J, Todd Moye, “, White, ” Moye, Sr, West Point Davis, Oscar S, De Priest, Illinois, ” “, Doug Melville, ’, America’s, Ben Jr, ” Benjamin O, Simon, Simon & Schuster, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Moye, Army shouldn’t, Harry S, Truman, Melville, Le’Trice Donaldson, ” Donaldson, Bill Clinton, Davis , Jr, ” Clinton, ” Melville Organizations: CNN, US Army, Tuskegee Airmen, Air Force, University of North, Service’s Tuskegee, Guard, 8th US Volunteer Infantry, Army, Army’s, of, 9th Cavalry, Buffalo Soldiers, Army War, Corps, West Point, African, Blacks, Tuskegee Institute, 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Chanute Air Museum, Simon &, Marine Corps, Alabama’s Tuskegee Army, US Air Force, Armed Services, United States Army, United States Air Force, Black, Texas, Corpus Christi, Department of Transportation, Federal Air Marshal Service, America Locations: University of North Texas, Washington ,, Spanish, Philippines, Mexico, American, France, Chicago, West, West Point, Italy, Washington, America, North Africa, Sicily, Vietnam, “

☆ The most visited National Park Service sites 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“From Kaloko Honokōhau National Historic Park in Hawai’i to Congaree National Park in South Carolina, parks are attracting more visitors each year to learn about our shared history,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a news release. 1 spot as the most visited site in the US National Park system and accounts for 5.15% of all visits in the system. Beyond the summer seasonCongaree National Park in South Carolina is starting to grow in popularity, getting more recognition beyond its home state. National Park ServiceVisitation habits to NPS sites are changing with people finding ways to bypass the traditional warm-weather peak. Among the more famous ones were Joshua Tree National Park (3.27 million) and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (8.09 million).

Persons: Chuck Sams, Lincoln, George Washington, Joshua, Joshua Tree, ”, —, ” Sams, “ Organizations: CNN, National, Service, NPS, Historic, Park Service, Recreation Area, Gulf, Lincoln, George Washington Memorial, Natchez, Glen, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington , D.C, Zion, Yellowstone, Rocky, Yosemite National, Acadia, Teton, Lincoln Memorial Locations: Hawai’i, South Carolina, f11photo, Smoky, Mead, Arizona and Utah, Washington ,, Southern California, California, Olympic, Washington, Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio, Montana, Idaho, United States

☆ 2 Black Heroes, 2 Cities in New York: A Journey Into the Past
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Shayla Martin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There are certain American cities that are known for Black history. But African American history and culture can, of course, be found across the United States, in seemingly unlikely cities, like Portland, Maine, say, or Providence, R.I. There are currently more than 700 Network to Freedom locations across 39 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Many are in the Northeast, a region that is not always strongly associated with Black history. Curiosity about these lesser-known destinations is how I found myself on the road to Auburn and Rochester, N.Y., the homes of two American heroes: Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

Persons: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman Organizations: Service’s, Freedom, National Underground Railroad Network, Underground Railroad, Washington , D.C, U.S . Locations: Memphis, Atlanta . Birmingham, United States, Portland , Maine, Providence, R.I, Washington ,, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands, Northeast, Auburn, Rochester, N.Y

“We expect stringent government oversight of our mining-to-reclamation project, which will be fully protective of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge and the region’s environment,” Ingle said in a statement. The swamp’s wildlife, cypress forests and flooded prairies draw roughly 600,000 visitors each year, according to the U.S. Despite efforts by President Joe Biden to restore federal oversight, the Army Corps entered a legal agreement with Twin Pines to maintain its hands-off position. The mining project is moving forward as the National Park Service seeks designation of the Okefenokee wildlife refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Twin Pines denied wrongdoing, but said it agreed to the fine to avoid further permitting delays.

Persons: Deb Haaland, Josh Marks, “, Steve Ingle, ” Ingle, C, Rhett Jackson, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Ben Prater, EPD Organizations: Georgia Environmental, Twin, Twin Pines Minerals, Refuge, Georgia -, Twin Pines, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Service, University of Georgia, ., Army Corps of Engineers, Army Corps, National Park Service, UNESCO, of Wildlife Locations: SAVANNAH, Ga, Georgia, Twin Pines, Birmingham , Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia - Florida, Atlanta, Twin, blackwater

EMPIRE, Mich. (AP) — A man accused of diverting a national park river to ease boat access to Lake Michigan has been convicted of two misdemeanors. Andrew Howard of Frankfort was found guilty of tampering and vandalism Wednesday during a brief trial in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ray Kent. In August 2022, a National Park Service ranger witnessed Howard digging with a shovel so the Platte River in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore would be diverted into one of the Great Lakes, prosecutors said in a court filing. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said Howard had a policy dispute with the National Park Service and “took matters into his own hands.”The Park Service no longer dredges the Platte River. As a result, sediment and sand build up, reducing the ability to get boats to Lake Michigan.

Persons: Andrew Howard of Frankfort, Judge Ray Kent, Howard, Lauren Biksacky, Attorney Mark Totten, “ Organizations: U.S, National Park Service, Associated Press, Attorney, Service Locations: Mich, Lake Michigan, Platte

Albertson Bryan, adding that it will provide equitable educational opportunities for students on St. John. Whistling Cay has a guardhouse that colonial-era officials used to scan waters for slaves escaping from St. John to the nearby island of Tortola. St. John was part of the Danish West Indies, where slavery ended in 1848. Meanwhile, Tortola is part of the British Virgin Islands, which abolished slavery in 1834. Currently, public high school students living on St. John have to take a ferry to the neighboring island of St. Thomas.

Persons: John, ”, Albertson Bryan, Thomas . Organizations: JUAN, U.S . Virgin, U.S . National, Service, St, Danish, British Virgin Islands, U.S . Federal Emergency Management Agency Locations: Puerto Rico, U.S, St, Whistling, Tortola, Danish West Indies, British Virgin

A stretch of unusually warm weather has forced federal officials to suspend researchers' annual wolf-moose count in Isle Royale National Park for the first time in more than six decades. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island situated in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The park is a wildlife biologist's dream - it offers a rare opportunity to observe wolves and moose acting naturally without human influence. Researchers have conducted an annual survey of the park's wolf and moose population since 1958. She said warm temperatures have left the ice around the island unsafe for the scientists' ski-planes to land.

Persons: It's, Sarah Hoy, John Vucetich, Rolf Peterson, Hoy, ” Hoy, “, We're, we're Organizations: Michigan Tech University, Michigan Tech, National Park Services, National Weather Service Locations: Isle Royale, Isle, Lake Superior, Grand Marais , Minnesota, Thunder Bay, Canada, Michigan

The Ely Shoshone, Duckwater Shoshone, and the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation — a coalition representing about 1,500 enrolled tribal members — are lobbying the federal government to designate nearly 40 square miles (100 square kilometers) as Bahsahwahbee National Monument. He testified in a multi-decade legal battle alongside ranchers, local officials and environmental groups who all opposed the project by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Protecting water for sacred trees is not something the agency had previously done, Sullivan said. Even if the land becomes a national monument, the water beneath Bahsahwahbee would remain under the state’s jurisdiction. The Southern Nevada Water Authority supports a monument designation that allows for the continuation of existing ranching and agricultural activities, said Bronson Mack, water authority spokesman.

Persons: ELY, — White, ”, Warren Graham, Mamie Swallow, Spilsbury, Charlene Pete’s, —, ” Pete, Ely Shoshone, Alvin Marques, David Charlet, ” Charlet, Adam Sullivan, Sullivan, Neal Desai, Bahsahwahbee, Graham, Bronson Mack, Avi Kwa, Joe Biden, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jacky Rosen, Deb Haaland, Cortez Masto’s, Monte Sanford, “ Organizations: Rocky, Ely Shoshone, Southern Nevada Water Authority, College of Southern, Nevada Division of Water Resources, Southern, Southern Nevada Water, National Park Service, National Parks Conservation Association, National Register of Historic Places, Land Management, The Southern, The Southern Nevada Water Authority, Nevada Legislature, United, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation, AP, Press, Lilly Endowment Inc Locations: Nev, Nevada, Ely, Duckwater Shoshone, ”, Bahsahwahbee, Vegas, College of Southern Nevada, Southern Nevada, The, The Southern Nevada, Arizona, U.S, United States

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The company seeking permits to mine minerals near the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp and its vast wildlife refuge has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine to Georgia environmental regulators, who say the company violated state laws while collecting soil samples for its permit application. The plan is required for Twin Pines to qualify for a permit. Twin Pines has insisted it can mine without harming the swamp. An attorney for Twin Pines said Wednesday the company denies any wrongdoing. The Army Corps entered an agreement with Twin Pines to maintain its hands-off position in 2022.

Persons: “, Lewis Jones, Josh Marks, EPD, ” Marks, Donald Trump, Joe Biden Organizations: Georgia Environmental, Twin, Twin Pines Minerals, Twin Pines, Regulators, Refuge, ”, National Park Service, UNESCO, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Army Corps Locations: SAVANNAH, Ga, Georgia, Twin Pines, Alabama, Twin, Mississippi, Atlanta, blackwater

☆ If you plan on visiting these 9 US national parks this year, you'll definitely need a reservation — take a look
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Some US national parks require tourists to make a reservation before visiting. Popular destinations like Yosemite National Park and Zion National Park are on the list. The scenic sights and outdoorsy activities attract millions to US national parks, typically open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Although there are 428 national park sites, there are only 63 that exclusively have "national park" in their name. The reservations typically cost $2, excluding Shenandoah National Park, Haleakalā National Park, Zion National Park, and Acadia National Park.

Persons: — Organizations: Yosemite, Zion, Service, National Park Services, Shenandoah, Park Locations: Acadia

☆ 29 million-year-old grasshopper nest found intact with eggs, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The eggs and overall nest construction closely resemble the eggs and pods of modern grasshopper species. Insect eggs are extremely rare in the fossil record, and intact egg cases are even rarer. This wasn’t just a cluster of eggs — it was a type of subterranean egg pod called an ootheca, with the eggs cradled by a protective layer that had mineralized into a stony rind. So Lee consulted a global insect egg database, containing more than 6,700 living species, to identify the eggs in the fossil pod. The virtually pristine specimen also speaks to the level of preservation in the national park site’s fossil beds, Famoso added.

Persons: ”, Jaemin Lee, Nick Famoso, Famoso, Ricardo Pérez, la Fuente, Christopher Schierup, Schierup, “, Lee, Angela Lin, ” Famoso, ” Lee, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, Parks Stewardship, University of California, National Parks Service, University of Oxford’s, University of Oregon’s, Imaging, Scientific Locations: Oregon, Berkeley, Mitchell , Oregon, United Kingdom, Eugene

☆ Black taxi drivers helped fuel the Montgomery Bus Boycott, even as they faced arrests and police pressure
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began in December 1955 after Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat. Black taxi drivers provided alternative transportation for thousands of boycotters. AdvertisementWithout the help of Black taxi drivers, the boycott would have been severely hampered. Women walked to work during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Don Cravens/Getty ImagesFacing police pressureIn the face of the mounting boycott, Montgomery police instituted a minimum fare law and even arrested taxi drivers who helped the city's Black residents.

Persons: Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks, —, Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, King, Don Cravens, Gretchen Sorin, Bayard Rustin, Rustin Organizations: Montgomery Bus, . Police, Service, Parks, Travel, Civil Rights, Smithsonian Magazine, Bus, Montgomery, National Archives, National Park Service Locations: Montgomery, Rosa

☆ Alaska's once crystal-clear rivers now resemble dirty orange soda, puzzling researchers
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The melting permafrostEven before researchers knew about the orange waters, they realized northern Alaska was rapidly changing. The Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network mapped locations of orange streams, and aerial photos show how easy they are to spot because of their brightness. When scientists went to the orange streams to count fish, insects, algae, and other aquatic life , "biodiversity just crashed," biologist Mike Carey told Scientific American . Advertisement"The fish were totally gone," Koch told BI. The streams Koch monitors near the Brooks Range are fairly remote, but the rivers they feed into provide fish for human communities in this region.

Persons: John McPhee, Joshua Koch, It's, —, Michael Carey, Koch, Carson Baughman, Kenneth Hill, Mike Carey Organizations: Service, US Geological Survey, Koch, Survey, Geological Survey, National Park Service, University of California, Davis , Alaska Pacific University, University of Alaska, Scientific, BI Locations: Salmon, Beaufort, Kobuk, , Alaska, Davis ,, Anchorage —, Alaska

asked Kristen Brengel of the National Parks Conservation Association, noting that visitors on the ground far outnumber those overhead. Congress passed another round of legislation in 2000 with a goal of setting rules in other national parks. Historically, some of the nation's busiest spots for tour operators are Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and Haleakala National Park. But Brengel of the National Parks Conservation Association said the resistance doesn't have much traction. An amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill that would have required the agency to factor in the economics of commercial air tours over national parks failed in July, she said.

Persons: “, ”, Mark Schlaefli, Critics, Kristen Brengel, Bailey Wood, Wood, Pono, Smokey, Parks, Peter Jenkins, Mount Rushmore, Ray Jilek, Andrew Busse, Shawn Bordeaux, hasn't, Bruce Adams, Brengel Organizations: Mount, Black, National Park Service, Federal Aviation Administration, National Parks Conservation Association, Helicopter Association International, Public Employees, Environmental, Hawaii Island Coalition, Golden, Recreation Area, Eagle Aviation Inc, Black Hills Helicopter Inc, Democratic, FAA, “ Locations: Mount, United States, Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, Arches, Utah, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alaska, Rosebud, New Mexico, Southwest Safaris, Pueblo

More than 8,000 people, mostly Native Hawaiians, perished at Kalaupapa, including Damien, who eventually contracted leprosy, later called Hansen’s disease. Damien’s love for Kalaupapa’s people was unconditional, said Barbara Jean Wajda of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. “They keep me like this, make me strong.”She enjoys when people visit and when the church brings pilgrims, she said. The walls of the sisters' house, Kalaupapa’s largest dwelling, are filled with photos of the sisters who worked on the settlement after Marianne. “And we both feel connected to the patients, to the land, to the saints who were here, declared and undeclared,” Wajda said.

Persons: Saint Damien of Molokai, Kalaupapa’s, Damien’s, ”, Lance Toyofuku, ” Kalaupapa, Father Damien, Mother Marianne —, Alicia Damien Lau, Damien, Joseph De Veuster, Saint Marianne, Patrick Killilea, “ Fr, Paddy, “ It’s, Philomena, Barbara Jean Wajda, Francis, Lau, ” Marianne Cope, Marianne, Tonata Lolesio, ” Lolesio, “, Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva’s, Silva, didn’t, that’s, Wajda, Francis Church, she’s, Watanuki, ” Bishop Silva, ” Keani Rawlins, Fernandez, Mother Marianne, Marianne . Lau, Alicia, ” Wajda, ” They’ve Organizations: Toyota, National Park Service, St, Neumann, Sacred Hearts School, Honolulu Bishop, “, Associated Press, Maui County Council, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: KALAUPAPA, Hawaii, Kalaupapa, Molokai, Belgian, Hawaii’s, Honolulu, Belgium, Germany, Maui, Lahaina, American Samoa, Maui County

☆ The Bureau of Land Management will no longer allow the use of 'cyanide bombs' to kill coyotes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Associated Press | Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Bureau of Land Management is ending the practice of using 'cyanide bombs' to kill species. AdvertisementThe US Bureau of Land Management says it will no longer use spring-loaded traps full of cyanide on its land — a small win for wildlife activists and advocates concerned with pet and human safety. AdvertisementThe M-44 ejector devices that critics call "cyanide bombs" have unintentionally killed thousands of pets and non-predator wildlife, including endangered species, according to the US Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services. Other federal agencies — including the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service — already prohibit the devices. Between 2000-16, Wildlife Services reported 246,985 animals killed by M-44s, including at least 1,182 dogs.

Persons: —, Mark Mansfield Organizations: Land Management, Service, of Land Management, US Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services, Associated Press, National Park Service, and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Services, American Sheep Industry Association, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Predator Defense, Wildlife Services, BLM Locations: Idaho , Oregon , California, Washington, Idaho, Mansfield, Pocatello , Idaho

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Christmas Tree in front of the White House fell down Tuesday afternoon amid high winter winds. The tree, a 40-foot Norway spruce from West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, had been planted just two weeks ago on the White House Ellipse, an area known as President's Park. NPS spokeswoman Jasmine Shanti said in an email that after “replacing a snapped cable,” the tree was back upright by 6 p.m. Tuesday. The lighting of the tree is an annual White House holiday tradition with a countdown and musical performances. The tree was scheduled to be lit Thursday, but there was no indication from the White House whether Tuesday's incident will delay that.

Persons: Jasmine Shanti Organizations: WASHINGTON, Forest, National Park Service, Reagan, Airport, NPS, White House, U.S . Capitol Locations: Norway, West, Monongahela

If the organization fails to remove the cats within six months, the park service said it would hire a removal agency. “All visitors will benefit from the removal of a potential disease vector from the park,” the park service plan stated. “These cats are unique to San Juan,” Danna Wakefield, a solar contractor who moved to Puerto Rico in 2020, said in an interview. The U.S. Park Service plan unveiled Tuesday calls for current cat feeding stations to be removed unless they’re being used temporarily to help trap the felines. The National Park Service noted that the six-month deadline to trap cats could be extended if it sees substantial progress.

Persons: Ana María Salicrup, ” Salicrup, “, El, San Juan Mayor Felisa Rincón de Gautier, ”, ” Danna, ” Wakefield, they’ll, that's, Salicrup, ’ ” Organizations: JUAN, U.S . National Park Service, San Juan, Historic, San Juan Mayor, U.S . Park Service, National Park Service Locations: Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico’s, Old San Juan ., El Morro, San Juan, Gato, Old San Juan, ” Danna Wakefield, U.S

☆ The National Christmas Tree Fell Over. Make of That What You Will.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Katie Rogers | More About Katie Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In a bold affront to the holiday season, the National Christmas Tree eschewed its festive duties and fell over on Tuesday afternoon, alarming federal park workers and temporarily throwing the plans for the national tree-lighting ceremony into question. People who don’t much like the president have already compared the tree to President Biden’s economic policies, and criticized Mr. Biden’s inability to keep the tree from falling over, as if ensuring the tethering of a Christmas tree to the frigid earth were his sole responsibility as president. Who among us hasn’t rebelled against the American urge to celebrate Christmas almost an entire month early? (The debate over using a cut Christmas tree or a planted one has been raging in the tree community for decades.) Anyway, the episode unfolded when a strong gust of wind forced the 40-foot Norway spruce to the ground, Jasmine Shanti, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service, said in an email.

Persons: Rosalynn Carter, us hasn’t, Jasmine Shanti Organizations: National Park Service, White Locations: Georgia, Norway, West Virginia

☆ Why environmentalists are suing the National Park Service to prevent it from planting trees
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Jonathan Park | Janna Van Vranken | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The National Park Service wants to replant sequoia groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where wildfires in 2020 and 2021 inflicted lasting damage on the iconic sequoia forests. Sequoias are among the species of trees that actually “depend on high-intensity fire in order to reproduce effectively,” said Hanson told CNN. In this September 2021 photo, the Windy Fire blazes through the Long Meadow Grove of giant sequoia trees near the Trail of 100 Giants overnight in Sequoia National Forest. David McNew/Getty Images“The Park Service has to abide by the 1964 Wilderness Act,” said Kevin Proescholdt, conservation director at Wilderness Watch. “The more that agencies will allow natural fire to burn and perform its role, the better these wilderness forests will be,” he said.

Persons: ” Chad Hanson, John Muir, ”, Hanson, ” Hanson, “, replanting, David McNew, Kevin Proescholdt, Proescholdt, ” Proescholdt, what’s Organizations: CNN, National Park Service, National Parks, NPS, John Muir Project, Wilderness Watch, Sequoia, Conservancy, sequoia, Giants, Sequoia National, Service, National Forest Service Locations: Sequoia, California, sequoia

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans home where civil rights activist Oretha Castle Haley grew up and that served as a hub for Louisiana's civil rights movement in the 1960s has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1989, the city honored her memory by renaming Dryades Street, the site of many civil rights demonstrations, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. Robin S. Smith, a graduate student studying historic preservation at Tulane University's School of Architecture, started the historic designation process. The nomination was approved at the state level and then by the National Register office of the National Park Service in October. Properties listed in the National Register, authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, are deemed worthy of preservation for their exceptional historic value.

Persons: Oretha Castle Haley, Haley, Doris, Oretha, Robin S, Smith, ”, “, ” Smith Organizations: ORLEANS, National Register of Historic Places, National Register, Freedom House, New, Racial, Tulane University's School of Architecture, Science, Historic Preservation, Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation, National Park Service, National Historic Preservation Locations: The New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana

☆ Dire wolves, camels, and other extinct giant mammals that used to live in North America
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

North America used to be crawling with giant mammals, from dire wolves to big cats. In North America, "you only get the woolly mammoths up in the north, starting around the Great Lakes," Lindsey said. AdvertisementOnce thought to be the cousins of gray wolves, dire wolves evolved separately over 5 million years ago in North America. AdvertisementThe ancient bison, Bison antiquus, was 25% larger than those living today. A recent study suggested modern bison — Bison biso — evolved from this species.

Persons: —, wasn't, Emily Lindsey, Markus Matzel, Lindsey, Mike Kemp, mastodons, Benji Paysnoe, Camelops, Spencer, scotti, Daniel Eskridge, Andrew Milligan, scimitars, Jeffrey Greenberg, priscus, Katherine Frey, it's Organizations: Service, National Park Service, National, South America, AP, Universal, Washington Locations: America, Asia, Australia, South America, Alaska, North America, Africa, Bering, Mexico, Costa Rica, Great, Canadian Yukon, of Panama, North, South, Eurasia, Americas, Spanish, Canada, Florida, Yukon, Gulf, Central, South Asia, China, California

☆ Section of Blue Ridge Parkway closed because visitors were ‘feeding and attempting to hold a young bear’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Devon M. Sayers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway has been closed by officials “after multiple documented reports of visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear in recent weeks,” the National Park Service said in a news release. The section closed on Monday “until further notice.”“When people intentionally attract bears with trash and food it can lead to very dangerous situations. The safety tips instruct visitors not to feed bears and to properly store all food. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most-visited of the National Park Service’s 425 sites, according to 2022 figures. The Blue Ridge Parkway starts in Waynesboro, Virginia, and stretches more than 469 miles, ending in the Great Smoky Mountains near Cherokee, North Carolina, according to NPS.

Persons: ”, Tracy Swartout, “ Organizations: CNN, National Park Service, Bears, NPS Locations: Asheville , North Carolina, Ox, NC80, Waynesboro , Virginia, Smoky, Cherokee, North Carolina

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