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YELLOWSTONE WEATHER Highs 70s, Lows 30s Mostly Sunny More Weather ROAD REPORT All entrances are now open. More Info THE DAILY CARTOON ONLINE GREETING CARDS PUBLISHER Yellowstone Net Company EDITOR-IN- CHIEF Bruce Gourley MORE LINKS Discussion Newspaper Archives Send us your comments		PROTECTING YELLOWSTONE by Bruce Gourley Yellowstone is a national treasure which is owned by the American public. Protecting Yellowstone is the responsibility of the American public. This weekly feature will help identify and explore the issues which are crucial to the ongoing, healthy existence of the "Crown Jewel" of America's National Park system. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Yellowstone faces threats from many directions, including the plight of the Park's large mammals (such as bison, grizzlies and wolves), the health of the ecosystem during the winter tourism months because of heavy snowmobile usage, and the introduction (whether intentional or otherwise) of foreign plant and animal species which in turn threaten native populations. A major threat of another variety, however, plagues Yellowstone during the spring and summer season: visitors who take natural souvenirs with them as mementos of their visit, or for the purpose of reselling them. It is a crime to deface Yellowstone by removing natural objects, such as wildflowers, mineral formations and elk antlers. Indeed, just last month, a couple from Montana was caught by Park rangers transporting a large quantity of elk antlers taken from the Park. (See story below). Such activity is strictly forbidden in Yellowstone. When questioned as to their motives, they told officials that they were collecting the antlers in order to fashion a chandelier for their business. As a result, they have been levied a stiff fine and are prohibited from entering the Park for a full year. Why is it important that natural objects in Yellowstone such as elk antlers be left alone in their natural state? Yellowstone is one of a few places in America which the government has set aside to maintain in a natural state. With three million visitors annually, if the carting off of natural souvenirs were allowed, it would only take a few years for Yellowstone to be stripped of its beauty and wildness. Much of Yellowstone was picked and plundered over in the early days, and some features in the Park permanently altered or simply destroyed, before the serious nature of visitor impact was fully realized. Today we know better. Today we know that Yellowstone deserves our best efforts to protect and preserve its beauty and its wildness. This effort starts with visitors treading lightly and respectfully upon this greatest of parks. (Yellowstone Net provides you opportunity to voice your opinion regarding the various Yellowstone issues to your congresspersons and to editorial sections of magazines and newspapers by clicking here.) BACK TO TOP
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS Russ Finley Ralph Maughan Kim Steinbacher Steve Brashear Clint Wilkes Hon. Bob Gammage Lee Whittlesey David Monteith Denise Elmer Dr. Bob Bara Matthew McLean		NATURAL RESOURCES VIOLATION by National Park Service YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (NPS) -- A vehicle was found parked in an area known to rangers for "horn hunting" activity on April 26th. The vehicle was stopped near dark as it was heading towards the park's north entrance. The occupants, a couple from northern Montana, had 65 pounds of mixed-size elk antlers under a blanket in their SUV and were arrested. They told rangers that they intended to obtain a permit at the entrance authorizing them to possess and remove the antlers, and also said that they were unaware of regulations prohibiting collection. A special agent conducted the follow-up investigation. The man and woman subsequently admitted that they knew collecting was prohibited in the park and said that they intended to remove the antlers without permission in order to make a chandelier for the lobby in the building where their business was located. Since they have no prior offenses, a plea agreement is being worked out in which they will pay $900 in restitution to the park and serve a year's probation. During that time, they will be banned from entering Yellowstone. BACK TO TOP
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		WOLF UPDATE by National Park Service YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (NPS) -- Yellowstone National Park and Bear Creek Council, a local conservation group, hosted the semi-annual community potluck to welcome the park's affiliated tribes in late April. Levi Holt of the Nez Perce Tribe reported on the gray wolf reintroduction project in Idaho, detailing successes and struggles and adding that the project is doing better than expected. Kerry Murphy, a wolf project biologist for the NPS, reported on the continuing successful wolf reintroduction program at Yellowstone. Tribal representatives then told ancestral wolf stories and talked about the relationship between Native Americans and wolves and other wildlife. Community members contributed their own stories about encounters with wolves in Yellowstone. This cultural and social event has proven to be an effective way to bring folks together to better understand each other and improve their ability to work together. BACK TO TOP
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		GLACIER OFFERS FREE ADMISSION WEDNESDAY News Brief GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Mont. (NPS) -- Glacier National Park is offering an east side "Show Me Day" on Wednesday, May 16, giving the public an opportunity to see the snow-plowing operation along a portion of the Going to the Sun Road. No entrance fees will be charged for the day. Park personnel will have spotting scopes set up and will be available to answer questions about the annual spring road opening. BACK TO TOP