The Yellowstone
Net Newspaper Monday November 10, 1997 Vol. 1 No. 15 |
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MORE NEWS The Yellowstone Net Newspaper is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays ARCHIVES DISCUSSION FORUMS Go to the Yellowstone Net Home Page Note: In-house stories are signified by the abbreviation YNET. Otherwise, the stories herein are from outside sources, to which proper credit is given.
Publisher / Editor Staff Writers |
by BRUCE T. GOURLEY YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Thus far, the Yellowstone region has been bracing itself this winter for Bison Slaughter, Part II. However, a series of events during the past two months has moved to the front, at least for the moment, an issue which has been simmering in the background for a number of years: snowmobile use in Yellowstone. The snowmobiling issue moved to the forefront this past weekend when Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mon) introduced a bill which would require the National Park Service to allow snowmobiling in Yellowstone. The circumstances which directly led to this move on the part of Burns began in September, when the Park Service and several animal rights and environmental groups who were suing the Park over bison management reached a settlement calling for the Park Service to study how groomed snowmobile trails affect bison migration routes. It is widely believed that the groomed trails have given the bison easy access to the Park's western and northern borders in the wintertime. Last winter, nearly 1100 bison were killed because they left the Park and threatened the brucellosis-free status of Montana's cattle industry. Following the lawsuit settlement, the Park Service announced that it was considering closing the 14-mile stretch of road from Canyon to Lake this winter in order to study the effect upon bison migration. However, some who heard about the lawsuit settlement and the proposed road closure misunderstood the situation and came away with the impression that Yellowstone would be closed this winter. Word in turn filtered back to the West Yellowstone, Montana, business community. West Yellowstone is a town which has become dependent on the growing snowmobile industry, and business owners now see themselves facing a slow winter season in the face of such rumors. Business owners in West Yellowstone have placed the blame on the shoulders of the Park Service for not communicating clearly that Yellowstone will be open for the winter. In addition, they have went on the offensive, mounting an organized campaign last month to let the world know that Yellowstone will be open this winter. At the same time, officials in several gateway communities and the state of Wyoming have asked to be included in the initial stages of the Park Service's study into winter bison migration. Then came word last week that Yellowstone Superintendent Michael Finley had determined that input from the communities and the state of Wyoming was not needed because of jurisdiction matters. The Park Service did add that input during the second stage of the study might be sought. Finley's announcement, coupled with the fact that several environmental groups have been advocating snowmobiling restrictions in Yellowstone for years, has resulted in the boiling point being reached among some regional officials and business owners. Among the business owners and local officials in the gateway communities which depend on snowmobiling revenues, there are now strong perceptions that their financial interests are seriously threatened this winter and in future winters. These perceptions led to Senator Burns' bill now before the Senate, which seeks not only to mandate snowmobile use in Yellowstone, but also to officially lengthen the winter season in order to increase winter visitation and activities in the Park. The Burn's proposal has come under fire from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and other environmental groups in the region, who charge that the proposal is designed for the best interests of business owners, rather than the Park. Environmentalists have been noting for years that the Yellowstone region is subject to considerably more pollution in the winter than the summer, because snowmobiles emit a much higher level of pollutants than do automobiles. In the midst of the opposing sides is the National Park Service, which is charged with protecting the park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, a mission statement that in recent times has been open to various interpretations. Burn's proposal, although it probably will not be considered by Congress until next year, signifies that the "Snowmobile Showdown" has officially begun. The showdown itself was inevitable. During the past two decades a rapidly growing number of visitors have flocked to Yellowstone to experience the Park in the winter, yet the burden placed upon the Park by the use of snowmobiles threatens the lives of the wild animals which draw visitors to Yellowstone in the first place. The "Snowmobile Showdown" may drag on for several years. It probably will not capture the hearts and attention of the American people as has the bison controversy. Yet, its far-reaching implications could well surpass that of the bison controversy, as snowmobiling affects not only the bison, but also the health of the entire Park and the financial well-being of the Yellowstone tourism industry. The outcome, whatever it may be, of this face-off between human interests and nature inYellowstone may well be a larger indicator of how national parks as a whole will be managed in the 21st century. ---------------- Do you have an opinion regarding the "Snowmobile Showdown?" If so, visit our discussion forums and voice your thoughts. |
The purpose of Buffalo Nation is to prevent bison from being slaughtered by "holding" them in safe areas should they attempt to leave the confines of Yellowstone. A number of Native Americans are involved in the group, which continues to solicit volunteers to man the West Yellowstone and Gardiner area in order to protect wandering bison. Housing is provided in either a cabin or tepee. Volunteers are asked to bring their own cross-country skies. For more information, interested individuals can call 406-646-0070 or email buffalo@wildrockies.org. ------------------- A 4.0 magnitude earthquake rocked the Yellowstone region in Gallatin County last Thursday afternoon. No damage or injuries were reported, but the tremor was felt in a widespread area. The Yellowstone region lays claim to being the second most active region of earthquake activity in the United States, following California. On any given day, numerous small earthquakes, usually 2.5 or less, may occur within Yellowstone's boundaries. Most visitors never feel the tremors, but the quakes do affect the plumbing system of the geysers. For example, a series of earthquakes on the western side of Yellowstone this past summer has been credited by some with causing an increase in geyser activity in Upper Geyser Basin, the home of Old Faithful Geyser. ------------------- True winter weather has finally settled into the Yellowstone region. Temperatures for this week may not get above freezing, with lows at night approaching zero degrees. Some snowfall is expected.
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