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Scientists from around the country found more than 1,200 species of plants and animals in Yellowstone National Park in a 24-hour research marathon in late August. The park's first BioBlitz has documented the species with taxonomic and DNA experts still analyzing lab results, which "will surely increase our numbers,'' said organizer Kayhan Ostovar, an assistant professor of environmental science at Rocky Mountain College. Some of the finds included new species, such as the tiger beetle, previously undocumented in the park, Ostovar said.

Time is running out on a Giles County outfitter's attempt to gain support to federally protect a section of the New River. Britt Stoudenmire, who with his wife, Leigh, runs New River Outdoor Co. in Pembroke, said he hopes regional support will help land a National Wild and Scenic River designation for a 19.3-mile stretch of the river from Glen Lyn to Bluestone Lake in West Virginia. "This is the biggest thing that could ever happen to the river," Stoudenmire said.

U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey announced Monday he has introduced a bill that could pave the way to inclusion of the Hudson River Valley in the National Park Service system, giving the region access to “significant” amounts of federal money and increased attention.The bill would authorize the park service to conduct a study to determine if the area could benefit from its programs, said Hinchey, D-Hurley. He said the study could take as long as 24 months to complete.

A new website from the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office features innovative tools for exploring the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. The 3,000-mile trail along the bay and its major tributaries offers endless opportunities for exploration and fun on land and water.  The new website helps visitors find the best places to get on the trail, plan their trips, and share their trail adventures.

Visitors to northern Yellowstone National Park have been filing a lot fewer unusual auto damage claims during this fall's elk mating season compared to recent years. The reason is last winter's demise of elk No. 6, a large bull with sprawling antlers that was famous for attacking tourists' cars in the Mammoth area while strutting his stuff during mating season. No. 6 caused thousands of dollars in damage to cars over the years and even attacked two tourists, knocking one down and causing the other to need stitches.

According to research published in the International Journal of Wildland Fire, Yosemite is likely to see about a 20% increase in both the number of fires and the area of land which burns at high intensity, from 2020-2049.Read more...

The site of a World War II explosion that killed 320 people and started the desegregation of the military is now part of the national park system. President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed a bill by Rep. George Miller, giving the Park Service control of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial and making it eligible for federal funding. On July 17, 1944, an explosion destroyed two munitions ships and crippled Port Chicago in Suisun Bay, the main Pacific port during the war. More than 200 of the dead sailors were black.

Thousands of endangered Rio Grande silvery minnows reared at a national hatchery in New Mexico were being prepared Wednesday to be trucked to Texas, where the tiny fish will be released into the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park. The release is part of a five-year experiment by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish a population of minnows in the river's southern reaches. More than 400,000 silvery minnows were released at Big Bend last year and surveys have shown that there are still minnows in the area.

Quinault Graves Creek Road and campground will reopen Friday, Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin announced today. The campground will provide typical winter season services, with privy toilets and no running water; flush toilets, and running water will be provided for thesummer season beginning in late March.“We are thankful for the patience and support of the greater Quinault community for restoring access to this area,” Gustin said. “Throughout the project, our goal has been to

Visual artists across the country are encouraged to apply by Saturday for a four-week artist-in-residence program at Zion National Park.

The most popular trail in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is getting a facelift, prompting the National Park Service to temporarily close the refuge’s Washington Ditch entrance. More than 10,000 visitors each year hike the Washington Ditch Boardwalk trail, according to Park Service officials. The trail was built in the late ‘70s and has been subjected to everything from thousands of falling trees, the wrath of Hurricane Isabel and the incessant gnawing of bears.

The United States in the first half of the 19th century was a nation divided on the issue of slavery. In the American South, slaves were the primary labor force on large plantations growing cotton, tobacco and other lucrative cash crops. But a growing chorus of voices was calling for an end to slavery. One of those voices belonged to abolitionist John Brown, who decided, in October 1859, to take matters into his own hands. His actions still stir controversy 150 years later.

The National Park Service says roads leading to the interior of Yellowstone National Park will close to automobile traffic on November 2. Park officials say cars will not be able to travel to places like Old Faithful and Fishing Bridge until the winter snowpack is cleared in the spring. The closure allows the park to prepare for snowmobile and snowcoach traffic, which will be allowed Dec. 15. A handful of roads within the park already have been closed for the season or because of construction.

Mount Rainier National Park got its first full taste of winter earlier this week. While the park has received several dustings of snow already this fall, almost a foot of snow fell at Paradise Monday and Tuesday, according to data from the Paradise weather station. Park visitors need to remember that the road to Paradise is closed each night just past Longmire. It reopens each morning once snowplows have completed removing any new snow.

National Park Service managers are mending livestock fencing at a volcanic monument in southcentral Idaho to help a herd of pronghorn antelope along its 160-mile roundtrip migration across the northern Snake River plain and into Rocky Mountains valleys.