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FRIDAY, OCT 2, 1998 |
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Volume 2, No 99 | |||
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PARK
WEATHER MORE NEWS The Yellowstone Net Newspaper is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
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PUBLISHER EDITOR IN CHIEF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS
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by NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WASHINGTON, D.C. (NPS) -- The 30th anniversary of one of the most important pieces of Federal legislation ever passed to protect rivers -- the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 -- will be celebrated across America from October 1 to October 12. Events ranging from river clean-ups and hikes to festivals and symposia will be held along many of the Nation's designated wild and scenic rivers. On October 2, U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt will be in Durham, N.H. to canoe down the Lamprey River to celebrate the 30th anniversary. "Rivers have always been the bloodlines of our nation, main arteries of our social, economic and natural life," Babbitt said. "But, by the mid-60's, many were clogged and polluted to the point where we had forgotten their vital role in our national character and health. The passage of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was a watershed moment, helping to turn the tide toward a developing recognition that protection of our waterways is deeply bound up not only with protection of our wildlife and water quality, but with our connection to our natural landscape and heritage." Thanks to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act many of America's most
outstanding free-flowing rivers are protected from dams and other inappropriate
development. The Act, signed by President Johnson on October 2, 1968, protects river
segments which contain remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife,
historic, and cultural values. To date, 155 river segments in 36 states have been
designated as National Wild and Scenic Rivers, totaling almost 11,000 miles For the past 30 years wild and scenic rivers have become an increasingly important part of America's protected heritage, offering recreational and tourism opportunities to the public, protection for otherwise threatened plant and animal species, and dependable supplies of clean water for local use. Passage of the Act has stimulated an increasing public interest in river protection and provided an important tool for achieving it nationwide.
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by BRUCE GOURLEY YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Ten years ago, fires burned nearly 800,00 acres in Yellowstone, roughly 1/3 of the Park. Visitor's to Yellowstone today readily notice the young trees growing throughout the Park. In some places, they are growing in abundance. The re-growth of the forests is visible evidence of nature at work even after such a great event as the fires of 1988. A few little-known facts from the fires of 1988 include the following: -- There were a total of 249 different fires, but only 48 were larger than ten acres. -- Some $120 million was spent on fighting the region's fires. -- Surveys revealed that 269 elk, 4 deer, 2 moose, 9 bison and 6 black bears died as a result of the fires. The last fire in the Yellowstone area in 1988 was not declared out until November 18.
Montanans Learning to Live with Grizzlies by ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS NETWORK MONTANA (ENN) -- Wildlife managers in the Swan Mountain area of western Montana are researching ways to deal with the conflict between the reintroduction of more grizzly bears to Montana and the increasing number of people moving to the area. Conservation groups such as Defenders of Wildlife, say that reintroduction of the species into the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem is essential for the restoration of a genetically strong population of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. For the full story from Environmental News Network, click here.
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