|
||||
| MONDAY July 23, 2001 Vol 5, # 65 |
|
|
||||
| MONDAY July 23, 2001 Vol 5, # 65 |
|
|
. | |
| Site Search | Support Yellowstone! Discussion $7.95 Internet, Email, More Email Newsletter | |
ROAD REPORT PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-
|
 PROTECTING YELLOWSTONEby 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) -- The National Park system continues to expand in terms of numbers of units, yet the number of rangers patrolling our national parks has been on a decline for a number of years now. Yellowstone and many other major national parks are understaffed today, as NPS budget increases go primarily to much-needed infrastructure, and rarely to hiring additional staff. This is an issue which needs to be addressed, for without enough personnel, our national parks cannot be protected and preserved as they should be. Working as a NPS ranger is an important, wonderful and rewarding job, yet not without drawbacks and even perils. Long hours and low pay are characteristic of ranger positions. In addition to these conditions, danger is ever present in wilderness areas, as the following NPS news release from Sequoia / Kings Canyon National Parks vividly expresses: On July 26, 1996, the park began a major search for seasonal backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson, 54, who had not been heard from for five days. Morgenson was a skilled and competent ranger who had worked for the park for 28 years. The search was suspended due to a lack of clues about two weeks later. On Sunday, July 15th, 2001, four off-duty trail crew members found human remains in a stream drainage northeast of Window Peak, a remote, trailless area within Kings Canyon NP. A pack and some equipment were found in the same area. Rangers flew to the site and conducted a cursory search of the area. The type of backpack, style of hiking boot and other items found there were consistent with what Morgenson had in his possession when last heard from. Rangers and two teams of search dogs were flown to the site the next day. The search area focused on a stretch of stream drainage about a quarter mile north of the large lake east of Window Peak. Among the other items found were a park-issued portable radio and a ranger uniform shirt with a badge and Morgenson's name tag on it. The remains will be sent to the Tulare County coroner for positive identification. It is believed that the remains are those of Morgenson, and that he died due to an accidental fall while attempting to cross the stream. The place where the remains were found was within an area of high probability of discovery in the original search, and had in fact been checked numerous times by ground searchers and dog teams. It is likely that his body was not seen due to the high amount of runoff in the stream that summer. The search in 1996 was a difficult one for the park's staff - both emotionally and physically. This discovery, although not yet confirmed by dental records, has helped bring closure and comfort to those who knew and worked with him. The National Park Service system needs more personnel to ensure the continued protection and preservation of our parks, as well as to ensure the safety of visitors and staff. (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.) |
|
| . | . | . |
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS Russ Finley
|
WOLF UPDATE HELENA, Mont. (USFWS) -- Idaho tribal biologists have investigated about 24 potential wolf dens this summer. To date the Tribe has investigated 20. So far at least 68 pups have been documented in 14 of those packs, and 6 packs (mainly new pairs) did not seem to have pups. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service are monitoring about 17 potential dens in the Greater Yellowstone area. To date a minimum of 67 pups have been seen including 7 pups in the Rose Creek pack. The Park reports that several litters seem to be only 1-3 pups. So far, only the Gos Ventre pack appears not to have denned. In northwestern Montana the Service is checking out about 13 potential dens and radio-collaring and trapping efforts are continuing. It appears that Murphy Lake did not den this year. However, North Camas, South Camas, Ninemile (Fontaine howled up at least 3-4 pups on 7/19), Boulder, Whitefish, Grave Creek, Little Wolf, Spotted Bear, Sun River, Fishtrap, Danaher, and a new pair with pups are in the Fish Creek area (female disperser B-81 and her mate), just north of the Idaho experimental population area, south of the Ninemile pack. With an estimated 400 or so adults and yearlings and as many as an additional 200 pups born this spring (pup survival lately has typically been between 60% to 80%), the wolf population appears to be doing great. This appears to be at least the first year, possibly the second year, of the 3-year count down to the proposal to delist wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. |
|
| n | . | . |
| FIRE IN JACKSON HOLE News Brief JACKSON, Wyo. -- A forest fire which started Sunday in a popular recreation area near Jackson quickly spread to over 150 acres by Monday morning. Campers have been evacuated and nearly 200 homes are threatened. The Green Knoll Fire is about six miles southwest of Jackson near Mosquito Creek, but the town of Jackson is not threatened at the moment. Several dozen firefighters are working the fire, with more crews on order, as well as helicopters and tanker planes. |
||
| w | . | . |
| NEW YELLOWSTONE WEBCAM News Brief YELLOWSTONE CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- A new webcam has been installed in Yellowstone atop the lookout tower on Mount Washburn. The new webcam serves as an additional tool in keeping watch for fires in Yellowstone. The webcam picture is refreshed every 60 seconds, and the position in which it is pointing is changed periodically by Park personnel. To view the Mount Washburn webcam, go to the Yellowstone Net webcam page. |
||
| |
||
