The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a six-episode series directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan. The series took more than six years to film at America’s most spectacular natural sites – from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska.
The story is not just about a couple of white men, like John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt, who of course were instrumental in saving these pristine lands. The series also chronicles important people from every conceivable background – rich and poor, famous and unknown, soldiers and scientists, natives and newcomers, idealists, artists and entrepreneurs. These people were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy.
Ken Burns talks with CNN about his new series:
Note the six episodes of “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” are available to watch online one day after they air on PBS. But don’t wait too long, as the episodes will only be available to watch online through October 9.
A man tossed over 3,000 golf balls from his vehicle into Joshua Tree National Park for more than a year. Douglas Jones also tossed tennis balls and park literature, and left fruit and vegetables scattered along park roads.
Park rangers cited the 57-year-old Jones for abandoning property, littering and feeding wildlife. Rangers spent 370 hours cleaning up after his mess, for a total cost of $9,000.
Rangers finally caught Jones last month and arrested him. Jones claims the golf balls were to honor deceased golfers, and the food was for stranded hikers.
A Kentucky woman received a $5 million settlement from the National Park System for the deaths of her husband and daughter who were killed when they washed over a waterfall in Haleakala National Park near Maui, Hawaii.
Dr. Holly Brown of Louisville was vacationing with her husband Kevin, 11-year-old son Clayton and 8-year-old daughter Elizabeth in 2003. They were hiking off-trail toward Makahiku Falls, a popular destination for tourists that requires wading across the normally placid Palikea Stream. An electronic sign warning of high water wasn’t working that day.
The husband waded out to help his family across the stream. He first helped his daughter, but they both slipped on the slick rocks. Then, a 6-foot wall of water from a flash flood pulled both Kevin and Elizabeth Brown headfirst over the precipice of Makahiku Falls, and they both plunged 184 feet to their deaths.
“They had no reason to think walking across those rocks was dangerous,” said family attorney John Cox. “This wall of water came around the bend and got them.” Park officials said there have been nine deaths at the falls since 1983.
The settlement does not require the government to admit wrongdoing or fault in the deaths. And that’s because the government didn’t do anything wrong.
Our condolences to the Brown family for their tragic loss. But a national park is not Disneyworld — it’s a wild open space full of wonder and danger. The government should be responsible for the visitors centers. It should have less liability on park roads and established trails. But for everywhere else in the park, people should enjoy it at their own risk. You cannot bubblewrap nature and remove all threats of animal attacks, poisonings, falls, floods, storms, etc. People need to take responsibility for their own safety. And sometimes bad things happen to good people.
If you read this blog regularly, then you already know that our U.S. national parks represent some of America’s greatest treasures. Our national parks offer hardcore hiking trails and wilderness of unparalleled beauty, where you can hike, bike, run, raft, kayak or climb. WebEcoist has started a series looking at the outdoor recreations to be discovered in the wild at U.S. National Parks. It starts with 12 rugged, untamed, unique National Parks for travelers to explore and enjoy new adventures in nature.
Take for example the Petrified Forest National Park in the Four Corners of the Southwest. Here, you can find one the world’s most colorful and largest collections of petrified wood. The Arizona sunlight can dazzle your senses as it paints the land in sweeping colors. The northern part of the park is called the Painted Desert and includes areas of the multi-hued badlands, while the southern part of the park contains heavy concentrations of fossilized wood and American Indian petroglyph sites. Some visitors have stated that the area is like a moonscape.
The bison population in Yellowstone National Park continues to rebound after a massive die-off in the herd two winters ago. More than 1,600 Yellowstone bison were killed in 2008 as they attempted to migrate to lower elevations in Montana in search of food.
The summer 2009 population show 3,300 bison, including 2,800 adult and yearling bison and 500 calves. That’s up from a total of 2,900 bison at the end of last winter.
Animal control official capture and slaughter bison who leave Yellowstone park to prevent the spread of the disease brucellosis, which can cause pregnant animals to miscarry. Unchecked, the disease can be devastating to the cattle industry.
“Going to the Sun Road” (or “Sun Road” for short) is one of the world’s most spectacular highways. The 53-mile-long road runs west-to-east across the middle of Glacier National Park. But for all its beauty, Sun Road is a challenging drive given the elevation, winding highway and volume of vehicles.
A 51-year-old Canadian motorcyclist discovered this the hard way when he plunged to his death off Sun Road at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday as he drove eastbound toward the town of St. Mary.
The man was travelling with about two dozen other motorcyclists from Alberta, Canada. One of the bikers looked in his rear-view mirror and noticed his friend wasn’t behind him anymore. The bikers stopped and discovered he’d gone off the edge of the road. Park rangers found the man dead about thirty feet below the roadway. It was a clear and sunny day, but the road is winding in that area.
“Whether you are on a motorcycle or in a car, or even on a bicycle, it’s a road that demands a driver’s constant attention,” said park spokesman Wade Muehlhof.
U.S. National Parks will be featured in a line of “America the Beautiful” quarters starting next year that will feature a national park or other site from each state and U.S. territory. The quarters will be issued in the order that the parks and sites were established as national sites.
Hot Springs was the first park to receive a federal designation in 1832. The front of the quarters will still feature the head of our first president, George Washington.
The U.S. Mint will issue five quarters each year. It will also issue mint silver bullion quarter-dollar coins made of .999 fine silver. To place subscription orders for these products, visit the United States Mint website or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
“These new quarters will honor some of our most revered, treasured and beautiful national sites — majestic and historic places located throughout the United States and its territories that truly make us ‘America the Beautiful,’ ” said U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy. “The designs will help reinvigorate interest in our national parks, forests, fish and wildlife refuges, and other national sites, as well as educate the public about their importance to us and our history.”
The popular Weeping Rock Trail in Zion National Park was closed Wednesday due to a rockslide that covered a 50 foot section of the trail on the approach to Weeping Rock. There were no injuries reported.
For safety reasons, the trail will remain closed until the slide stops moving, the large boulders and debris are removed, and the trail repaired. It is believe the trail will remain closed at least through Labor Day weekend. The Observation Point and Hidden Canyon Trails can still be accessed from the Weeping Rock shuttle stop. All other trails in the park are open.
U.S. National Parks will be featured in a line of “America the Beautiful” quarters starting next year that will feature a national park or other site from each state and U.S. territory. The quarters will be issued in the order that the parks and sites were established as national sites.
The popular Weeping Rock Trail in Zion National Park was closed Wednesday due to a rockslide that covered a 50 foot section of the trail on the approach to Weeping Rock. There were no injuries reported.