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Written by Aaron
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Tuesday, 27 April 2010 12:48 |
(WASHINGTON, DC) -- Secretary Of the Interior Ken Salazar has appointed 12 new members to the National Park System Advisory Board. The Board, first authorized in 1935, advises the Secretary and the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) on matters relating to the Service’s work.
“The members of the Board are highly accomplished men and women whose creativity and wisdom will help us prepare for the challenges of the National Parks Service’s second hundred years,” said Secretary Salazar.
Eight of the new members previously served on the independent Second Century Commission that was charged with developing a 21st century vision for the National Park Service. In 2009 the commission submitted a
comprehensive report that included sweeping recommendations for enhancing the ability of the National Park Service to share its natural heritage with all Americans and engage them in its protection.
“The mission of the NPS is more vital than ever as we work to fulfill the promise of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative,” added Secretary Salazar. “The issues we face today such as the economy, climate change, connecting Americans to the great outdoors, obesity, and the loss of cultural literacy are all areas that the Board can help us address.”
Members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior for terms not to exceed four years. The new appointees are:
· Paul Bardacke, Senior Partner, Sutin, Thayer & Browne, PC, Santa
Fe, New Mexico
· Leonore Blitz, President, Leonore Blitz Consultants, Ltd.,
Washington, DC
· Prof. Linda Bilmes, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA
· Hon. Judy Burke, Mayor of Grand Lake, Colorado, Grand Lake, Co
· Milton Chen, PhD, Executive Director, The George Lucas
Foundation, Nicasio, CA
· Rita Colwell, PhD, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
· Belinda Faustinos, Executive Officer, San Gabriel and Lower Los
Angeles Rivers and Mountain Conservancy, Azusa, CA
· Carolyn Finney, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of
California, Berkeley, CA
· Ronald James, Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer, Carson
City, NV
· Hon. Tony Knowles, Former Governor of Alaska, Anchorage, AK
· Gretchen Long, Board Member, World Resources Institute, Wilson,
WY
· Margaret Wheatley, EdD, Board President, Emeritus, The Berkana
Institute, Provo, UT |
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Written by Aaron
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Thursday, 08 April 2010 12:05 |
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  Rocky Mountain National Park Superintendent Vaughn Baker announced that the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) is the recipient of the 2009 Rocky Mountain National Park Stewardship Award. The National Park Service proudly presents the Stewardship Award to outstanding individuals and organizations that contribute significantly to the stewardship of the park and the surrounding environment. CDOW was selected for this award in recognition of their cooperative efforts advancing the long term protection of Rocky Mountain National Park. The National Park Service and Colorado Division of Wildlife have worked collaboratively over the years to address a variety of issues facing the park. This successful collaboration has produced numerous benefits for park wildlife and habitat. The issues include elk and vegetation management, management of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk populations, boreal toad reintroduction, and education of school children about wildlife and the outdoors. In addition, regular consultation and cooperation at the field level have helped to manage a variety of other species including greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado River cutthroat trout, lynx, wolverine, bear, moose, bighorn sheep and pika.
(The award was presented to Tom Remington, Director, Steve Yamashita, Regional Manager, and Larry Rogstad, Area Wildlife Manager at Rocky
Mountain National Park yesterday and today at the Wildlife Commission Meeting in Pueblo.) |
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Written by Aaron
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Monday, 05 April 2010 15:33 |
Bark beetles continue to be active within Rocky Mountain National Park, impacting large numbers of conifer trees. Starting in early April and ending by Memorial Day weekend, the park is planning to apply a Carbaryl based insecticide to up to 5,000 high-value trees to protect them from bark beetles. Treatment will occur in the following developed areas of the park: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Headquarters, Moraine Park Visitor Center, Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Aspenglen, Moraine Park, and Glacier Basin Campgrounds, Bighorn Ranger Station, McGraw Ranch, Holzwarth Historic Site, Timber Creek Campground Water Tank, Leiffer Cabin, Kaley Cottages, Lumpy Ridge Trailhead, and the east and west side park service housing areas.
Last year, nearly 5,000 trees were treated and most of these trees were not attacked by bark beetles. The total number of treated trees will be between 4,000 and 5,000, depending on site conditions. Insecticide will be applied to individual trees to repel beetle attacks. The Longs Peak
Campground will remain chemical free for this year.
The park is also treating up to 300 high value limber pine trees within front country and designated wilderness with verbenone pheromone packets to minimize infestation from bark beetles. Limber pine trees in the park are currently at risk of mountain pine beetle infestation and infection from white pine blister rust. Research is being conducted to identify if any limber pine trees within the park are resistant to white pine blister rust.
The park’s priorities for mitigation of the effects of beetles are focused on removing hazard trees and hazard fuels related to the protection of life and property. For several years, Rocky Mountain National Park has had a proactive bark beetle management program. As of fall 2009, bark beetles
were considered at epidemic levels on the west side of the park and in outbreak status on the east side. In 2010, the park will continue its mitigation efforts, including spraying, removal of hazard trees, prescribed burns, utilizing the air curtain burner, pheromone treatments and
implementing temporary closures in a variety of park locations.
Rocky Mountain National Park will continue to mitigate hazard trees through tree removal at locations throughout the park. Park staff and contracted resources will conduct hazard tree mitigation throughout the year. Planned project sites include: Aspenglen Campground, Moraine Park Campground, Glacier Basin Campground, Longs Peak Campground, the Wild Basin area, Old Fall River Road, Grand Lake Lodge Road, Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Green Mountain Trailhead, Onahu Trailhead, Beaver Creek Picnic Area, Beaver Ponds Picnic Area, Coyote Valley Trailhead, Bowen/Baker Trailhead, Shadow Mountain Lookout, Holzwarth Historic Site, Colorado River Trailhead, Timber Lake Trailhead, Grand County Roads 49 and 491, Colorado River District Boundary Power Lines, Trail Ridge Road Corridor in the Colorado River District, park housing and headquarters areas. Tree removals vary from site to site and temporary site closures can be expected at smaller sites to facilitate safe and efficient project completion. More detailed information will be provided on the Trail Ridge Road Corridor Project. Park staff are focused on minimizing any delays or inconveniences associated with hazard tree removal and providing a safe environment for visitors. Material disposal will involve piles for future burning and consolidation at designated sites for future utilization including firewood collection permits. More information on utilization will be available in the summer of 2010.
For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please contact the park’s information office at (970) 586-1206 or visit the park’s website
section on forest health at http://www.nps.gov/romo/naturescience/forest_health.htm |
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Written by Aaron
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Monday, 29 March 2010 12:27 |
Rocky Mountain National Park Announces Plans for Prescribed Burning Fire managers from Rocky Mountain National Park are preparing to conduct prescribed burns in the South Lateral Moraine area. This area is located south of Eagle Cliff Mountain and adjacent to Bear Lake Road. Burning will only occur if favorable weather and fuel conditions permit. The South Lateral Moraine burn is approximately 135 acres of open ponderosa. Ignition will likely occur in five adjacent areas on five different days to limit daily smoke production. The primary goal of the project is to reduce the threat of wildland fire to adjacent communities and park infrastructure by using prescribed fire to reduce the amount of fuel available in the project area.
Prescribed burning operations are targeted to occur shortly after snow melt and prior to grasses becoming green, this may occur in April or early May depending on when weather and fuel conditions are appropriate. Ignitions will likely occur on a weekdays with smoldering and smoke emissions lasting for an additional 3-10 days. Smoke will be visible from Highways 66 and Bear Lake Road as well as other locations in the park. Every effort will be made to minimize smoke impacts to visitors and the adjacent community; however some smoke is anticipated to flow down the Mill Creek and Big
Thompson River corridors and into the Town of Estes Park in the morning hours. No trail closures are anticipated but visitors hiking past actively burning areas may be escorted by fire personnel to ensure their safety.
Safety factors, weather conditions, air quality, personnel availability and environmental regulations are continually monitored as a part of any fire management operation. For more information please contact the park’s information office at (970) 586-1206.
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