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February 21, 2012

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) concessioner Grand Canyon Railway (owned and operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts) was recently awarded the National Park Service’s (NPS) Environmental Achievement Award in the Lean, Clean and Green category.

The Lean, Clean and Green Award recognizes NPS teams or partners for outstanding achievements in building or fleet energy efficiency, or renewable energy development and deployment.  Grand Canyon Railway’s (GCR) award stemmed from their recent conversion of an inefficient, 1923 Baldwin steam locomotive from diesel fuel to clean-burning, waste vegetable oil (WVO).  This renewable energy source is a waste product generated, in part, by Xanterra and GCR food-service facilities.

“This locomotive symbolizes our commitment to find cleaner ways of operating our resorts and of addressing our contribution to climate change,” said Gordon Taylor, Vice President, Parks South, Xanterra Parks and Resorts.

Use of the locomotive significantly reduces GCR’s environmental footprint.

Each round-trip journey to the park uses approximately 1,320 gallons of WVO which not only prevents the oil from entering the waste stream, but reduces GCR’s diesel fuel consumption by about 1,100 gallons per trip.  Because WVO burns much more cleanly than diesel, the WVO locomotive assists the Grand Canyon community in reaching their Climate Friendly Park goal of reducing green house gas emissions.

 “The NPS Environmental Achievement Awards recognize concessioners who demonstrate exceptional accomplishments toward the overall goal of preservation and protection of the resources under our stewardship,” said Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga.  “Grand Canyon Railway’s innovative conversion is a tremendous example of actions that can reduce a park’s carbon footprint and showcase the value of renewable energy, one of the goals of the Call to Action.”

The award was presented to representatives of Grand Canyon Railway and Xanterra Parks and Resorts on the 100th anniversary of Arizona’s statehood.

The WVO locomotive, which operates on special occasions, brought almost 1,200 visitors to the park that day to celebrate the state’s 100th birthday.

For more on the Grand Canyon Railway’s WVO-powered steam locomotive, please visit GCR’s web site at http://www.thetrain.com/grand-canyon-railway-steam-7275.html.  For more on Climate Friendly Parks, go to http://www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks/. For additional information on the NPS Call to Action, please visit http://www.nps.gov/calltoaction/. And for more on Grand Canyon National Park, visit the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/grca.

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February 13, 2012

Proposal reflects strategic investments in America’s Great Outdoors

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service is the steward of the Nation’s most cherished natural and cultural resources. As the keeper of 397 park units, 23 national scenic and national historic trails, and 58 wild and scenic rivers, NPS is charged with preserving these lands and historic features that were designated by the Nation for their cultural and historic significance, scenic and environmental worth, and educational and recreational opportunities. Additionally, the NPS further helps the Nation protect resources for public enjoyment through its grant and technical assistance programs.

The President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget released today requests $2.6 billion to support the bureau’s critical national recreation, preservation and conservation mission. The 2013 President's budget request fully funds $27.0 million in fixed costs and provides increases totaling $39.2 million to fund essential programs and emerging operational needs. Reflecting the President’s call for fiscal discipline and sustainability, the budget also includes $67.2 million in strategic reductions in park and program operations, construction, and heritage partnership programs.

The 2013 President's budget requests increases or maintains funding for programs that support the President's America's Great Outdoors initiative. The budget includes $2.3 billion for NPS operations, an increase of $13.5 million. The budget also requests increases for programs funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The $2.5 million increase to LWCF Federal land acquisition includes projects that strategically invest in interagency landscape-scale conservation projects and meet agency-specific programmatic needs. The $60.0 million LWCF State Conservation Grants program includes a competitive State Conservation grants program that would focus on larger-scale urban landscapes and collaborative conservation. The budget keeps funding level for Historic Preservation Fund Grants-in-Aid to States, Territories, and Tribes, which is funded at $55.9 million, and retains $10 million in funding for the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

The budget includes program reductions of $21.6 million for park base operations and $1.0 million for servicewide programs. These reductions will be applied strategically to minimize the impact on the visitor experience and park resources. The budget funds $52.4 million for line-item construction projects, a $25.3 million reduction from 2012. It provides funding for only the highest priority construction projects that are critical to visitor and employee health and safety and does not propose funding for new buildings. The budget also includes an $8.1 million decrease for National Heritage Area grants. The proposed reduction promotes the goal of long-term sustainability of NHAs and the continued importance of Federal seed money for less mature areas, consistent with the directive in the 2010 Interior Appropriations Act for the more established NHAs to work toward becoming more self- sufficient.

Sustaining funding for park operations is a priority. “In these tough economic times we recognize the value the 397 national parks provide all Americans – as places of introspection and recreation and as economic engines that create jobs and help our gateway communities thrive,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “In 2010, national park visitors – 281 million of them – were responsible for a $31 billion impact on the nation’s economy. From motel rooms to gas for the car and souvenirs, visitor spending supported more than 258,400 American jobs.”

National parks are also an important part of international tourism, America’s number one export in 2010.

In January, President Obama launched the creation of a Travel & Competitiveness Task Force to promote domestic and international travel opportunities throughout the United States. A particular focus of the Task Force will be on strategies for increasing tourism and recreation jobs by promoting visits to our national treasures – including our national parks – that attract travelers from around the country and the globe.

“President Obama last month highlighted national parks as extraordinary attractions for international visitors,” Jarvis said. “Those of us in the National Park Service have first-hand knowledge from the stories international visitors tell us as they try to explain what it feels like to see the Grand Canyon or Old Faithful, Lady Liberty or the ocean booming on the rocky shores of Acadia National Park.”

Looking beyond parks, Jarvis said the NPS is on the ground with programs that revitalize America’s great outdoors through grants for recreation, conservation, and preservation. “Grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund help improve local recreation opportunities,” he said. In addition, in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the NPS continues battlefield protection land acquisition grants funded through the LWCF. These grants require a dollar-for-dollar match with non-federal funds and are intended to help State and local governments and nonprofit organization partnerships purchase and protect threatened Civil War and other battlefields. The LWCF would also provide funds to purchase battlefield lands within national parks. Jarvis also noted the economic benefits of other NPS programs. “Last year our tax credit program provided incentives for more than $4 billion in private investment in historic preservation; and our Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program just announced more than 200 projects to improve trails and waterways across the country.”

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February 7, 2012

WASHINGTON: National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis today announced the selection of two National Park Service officials to oversee community and recreation-based programs. Joel Lynch will head the State and Local Assistance Programs Division. Bob Ratcliffe will manage the Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Program.

Lynch will direct the Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program, Federal Lands to Parks Program, and the Urban Park Lands Recovery Program. These three programs administer matching grants and transfers of Federal land to state and local governments to help create public parks and recreation areas.

Ratcliffe will coordinate the work of cooperative community conservation programs, including Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Trails System, Challenge Cost Share, and Hydropower Recreation Assistance.

“It is increasingly important to provide close to home recreational opportunities for all Americans,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “These National Park Service programs work with partners to promote conservation and outdoor recreation beyond traditional park boundaries. They help communities establish and protect public resources such as parks, trails, waterways, and other green spaces that improve quality of life and economical, physical, mental, and social well-being.”

Lynch has worked for the National Park Service for ten years, most recently as the Acting Director of the Office of Strategic Planning. He has also served as the deputy director of the Office of Strategic Planning and as an outdoor recreation planner in charge of statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plans for the Land and Water Conservation Fund State and Local Assistance Program. He holds a PhD in Recreation Resource Planning and Management from Michigan State University.

Ratcliffe comes to the National Park Service from the Bureau of Land Management where he has been the Deputy Assistant Director of Resources and Planning. In that role, he supervised a range of natural and cultural resource programs. He previously served as the bureau’s chief for national recreation and visitor services, responsible for river and trails management, accessibility, stewardship education, scenic byways, and tourism. His 30-plus year career includes both extensive government and private sector experience in protected area conservation and resource restoration, recreation management and community engagement.

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February 6, 2012

Denver, Colo. – Grand Canyon National Park will eliminate the in-park sale of water packaged in individual disposable containers within 30 days under a plan approved today by National Park Service (NPS) Intermountain Regional (IMR) Director John Wessels.  Free water stations are available throughout the park to allow visitors to fill reusable water bottles. 

The park’s plan calls for the elimination of the sale of water packaged in individual disposable containers of less than one gallon, including plastic bottles and various types of boxes.  The waste associated with disposable bottles comprises an estimated 20 percent of the park’s overall waste stream and 30 percent of the park’s recyclables. 

Grand Canyon National Park’s plan was submitted and approved in accordance with the policy issued by NPS Director Jonathan B. Jarvis on December 14, 2011.  Under the policy, parks are directed to implement a disposable plastic water bottle recycling and reduction policy, with an option to eliminate in-park sales – with the approval of the park’s regional director – following a thorough analysis of a variety of factors ranging from the cost to install water filling stations, to the cost and availability of BPA-free reusable containers, to potential effects on public safety. 

“Our parks should set the standard for resource protection and sustainability,” said Regional Director Wessels. “Grand Canyon National Park has provided an excellent analysis of the impacts the elimination of bottled water would have, and has developed a well-thought-out plan for ensuring that the safety, needs and comfort of visitors continue to be met in the park.  I feel confident that the impacts to park concessioners and partners have been given fair consideration and that this plan can be implemented with minimal impacts to the visiting public.”

Grand Canyon National Park has experienced increasing amounts of litter associated with disposable plastic bottles along trails both on the rim and within the inner canyon, marring canyon viewpoints and visitor experiences.

 “We want to minimize both the monetary and environmental costs associated with water packaged in disposable containers,” said Grand Canyon Superintendent Dave Uberuaga.  “We are grateful to the Director for recognizing the need for service-wide guidance on this issue and for providing a thoughtful range of options.”

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February 1, 2012

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – The National Park Service is now accepting applications for noncommercial river trip permits to raft the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park. The permits are for specific launch dates within calendar year 2013. A total of 449 permits will be available for 12- to 25-day river trips. Eligible individuals may apply online at the weighted lottery web site which may be accessed by visiting to the park’s home page at www.nps.gov/grca. Select “River Trips/Permits”

then “Weighted Lottery”. Applications will be accepted online through noon

(12:00) Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, February 22, 2012.

Each year in February, a main lottery is held to assign launch dates for river trips occurring the next year. Public notifications regarding main lotteries are made by both email and news release. In addition to the annual main lottery, follow-up lotteries are held as needed throughout the remainder of the year to reassign canceled and/or left-over river trips.

Public notifications for these follow-up lotteries are made through email, an RSS feed, and Twitter (twitter.com/GCRiverPermits).

The weighted lottery web site can be accessed for free year-round to create or modify an account and to sign-up to receive e-mail notifications.

Individuals who are interested in a future noncommercial river permit are strongly encouraged to create an account. Lottery applications are accepted through the weighted lottery web site only when lotteries are open.

Individuals must be 18 years or older to apply for a river trip permit.

Noncommercial river trips must be self-guided, and technical whitewater experience is mandatory on each trip. Individuals may participate on a maximum of one river trip per year (commercial or noncommercial).

Individuals interested in professionally-guided river trips should not apply through the lottery, but instead should request space on a commercial trip. A list of commercial companies offering guided trips can be found by visiting www.nps.gov/grca, selecting "River Trips/Permits", then "3 to 18 Day Commercial Trips".

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January 31, 2012

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – In honor of the historic event of Arizona’s centennial, Grand Canyon National Park will offer fee-free entry on Tuesday, February 14.

Visitors who arrive on the anniversary of Arizona’s statehood (February 14,

2012) will be allowed to enter the park free of charge.  Those who plan to spend time in the park beyond February 14 will need to pay the regular entrance fee for the remainder of their stay.  Park visitors are reminded that the fee-free designation applies to entrance fees only and does not affect fees for camping, reservations, tours, or use of concessions.

In addition to offering fee-free entry on the state’s 100th birthday, Grand Canyon National Park hosted the 3rd Grand Canyon History Symposium, an Official (Arizona) Centennial Event, from January 26 – 29, 2012.  Symposium participants had the opportunity to attend almost 40 presentations; ride on the historic train from Williams, Arizona to Grand Canyon National Park; attend dinners with keynote speakers Wayne Ranney – geologist and author, and Brad Dimock – river historian and author; and participate in tours of the Trail of Time, Grand Canyon Cemetery, historic Kolb studio and residence, and historic boat collection.  Additionally, the public was able to join symposium attendees for a special screening of Grand Canyon newsreel clips unseen since their original screenings in 1929.

The National Park Service congratulates the great state of Arizona on 100 remarkable years of statehood.

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January 31, 2012

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - Grand Canyon National Park's Trail Crew will soon begin repairs to the bridge across Bright Angel Creek on the Ribbon Falls spur trail in the Inner Canyon. 

The wood and steel bridge is located approximately six miles north of Phantom Ranch on a trail which takes hikers from the North Kaibab Trail to 120-foot Ribbon Falls. Built in 1960, many of the bridge's wooden components, including deck-boards, are deteriorating, necessitating their repair or replacement.

During the repairs, the bridge will be closed, but hikers will be able to reach Ribbon Falls via a clearly marked detour which will route them across Bright Angel Creek on stepping stones just south of the bridge. 

The repairs are scheduled to begin on February 14 and, weather permitting, should be completed by mid-March. 

To learn more about the Ribbon Falls bridge repairs, please contact Public Affairs Specialist Shannan Marcak at 928-638-7958. For information about hiking in Grand Canyon National Park, see the hiking section of the park's Trip Planner which can be downloaded from the park's homepage at www.nps.gov/grca; or visit the park's backcountry hiking page at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm.  

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January 26, 2012

Grand Canyon National Park Announces Speakers for 2012 Conversations on the Edge Community Lecture Series 

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - Grand Canyon National Park's Division of Science and Resource Management will once again be presenting monthly community lectures in Flagstaff, Arizona in collaboration with the Grand Canyon Association and Northern Arizona University's Cline Library.  The Ranger Lecture Series, Conversations on the Edge, features park resource specialists speaking about the National Park Service's scientific work monitoring, managing and preserving Grand Canyon's natural and cultural resources.

According to Grand Canyon Association Executive Director Susan Schroeder, "Grand Canyon Association has been presenting Canyon Country Community Lectures since 2004. We added the Ranger Lecture Series in 2009 to offer a way for people in northern Arizona to connect directly with park researchers about science and resource management at the Grand Canyon.”

The 2012 Conversations on the Edge lectures will take place the first Thursday of each month, February through May, and will include the following four lectures:

February 2:  Science and Resource Management Deputy Chief Jan Balsom and Tribal Program Manager Janet Cohen present "Bridging the Gap: Finding the Intersection between Park Management and Tribal Values."  Park managers will share their experiences working with the park’s traditionally associated tribes to maintain lasting relationships that recognize the significance of Grand Canyon in tribal histories, on-going culture and daily lives.

March 1:  Physical Sciences Program Manager Deanna Greco presents "It's Not Just Scenery: The Physical Sciences of Grand Canyon." While some may think that landscape features are merely unchanging scenery, they are dynamic resources that require preservation and management. Greco will give a brief history of physical science management at Grand Canyon, and share some of the program’s new directions and emphasis areas.

April 5:  Resource Planner and Wilderness Coordinator Linda Jalbert presents “Keep It Wild: Managing Wilderness in Grand Canyon National Park.”

More than 93% of Grand Canyon National Park’s area qualifies for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System and must be managed in the same manner as congressionally designated wilderness.  Jalbert will explore the challenges and benefits of managing Grand Canyon wilderness.

May 3:  Watershed Stewardship Program Manager Todd Chaudhry presents "Thinking Big and Starting Small: Watershed Stewardship in Grand Canyon National Park." Grand Canyon’s Watershed Stewardship Program was established in late 2010. One of the program’s first emphasis areas is a pilot stewardship project at Granite Camp and Monument Creek.

All lectures are free and open to the public and are held at 7:00 p.m. at the Cline Library, located at the intersection of Knoles Drive and McCreary Road on the Northern Arizona University campus. Parking is available to the west of the library (Lot P13 on Riordan Road).

“We are very pleased to be working with the Grand Canyon Association and Cline Library on a lecture series that provides an invaluable opportunity for park Science and Resource Management staff to share information with the Flagstaff community about some of the issues affecting Grand Canyon National Park,” stated park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga.

For additional information on the 2011 Ranger Lecture Series, Conversations on the Edge, please contact Allyson Mathis, Grand Canyon National Park Science and Education Outreach Coordinator at 928-638-7923 or Beth Hickey, Grand Canyon Association Membership Program Manager at 928-638-7022. To download a copy of the 2012 Conversations on the Edge flyer,  go to http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/upload/Ranger_Conversations_Spring_2012.pdf; and for information on all Grand Canyon Community Lectures, visit http://www.grandcanyon.org/events_lectureseries.asp

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January 26, 2012

SoFA Staff

Grand Canyon's Geology

Grand Canyon is the result of a distinct and ordered combination of geologic events. Through this virtual experience you will be able to travel into this great chasm and unfold the chapters in Grand Canyon’s geologic history.

The story begins almost two billion years ago with the formation of the igneous and metamorphic rocks of the inner gorge. Above these old rocks lie layer upon layer of sedimentary rock, each telling a unique part of the environmental history of the Grand Canyon region.

Then, between 70 and 30 million years ago, through the action of plate tectonics, the whole region was uplifted, resulting in the high and relatively flat Colorado Plateau.

Finally, beginning just 5-6 million years ago, the Colorado River began to carve its way downward. Further erosion by tributary streams led to the canyon’s widening.

Still today these forces of nature are at work slowly deepening and widening the Grand Canyon.

December 30, 2011

AZGFD

Endangered condors celebrate 15th anniversary since reintroduction into Arizona

The endangered California condor population that now spans Arizona and Utah is celebrating a significant milestone this month: the 15th anniversary of the first release of the birds into Arizona after being gone from the area for nearly 100 years.

In December 1996, six condors were released from an acclimation pen atop the Vermilion Cliffs in northern Arizona. Today, the population consists of more than 70 birds that now also use Utah as part of their range.

Since reintroduction began, challenges have been identified in the program and adaptive management has been implemented to address issues like lead poisoning from spent ammunition and predation. Of 42 known mortalities, 19 birds have died from confirmed lead poisoning. The second leading cause of death is predation with 12 cases recorded.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department implemented a voluntary non-lead ammunition program in 2005 to hunters drawn for hunts in the condor’s core range. The free program has had voluntary participation rates of between 80 and 90 percent each of the past five years, demonstrating the willingness of hunters to play an active role in conservation and that voluntary programs can be successful.

To continue to address lead’s impact on condors, Utah implemented a non-lead program in 2010 to further conservation as the population of condors expands its habitat into southern Utah. Biologists expect to see a reduction in lead toxicity deaths once more Utah hunters begin to use non-lead ammunition in the field.

The Arizona-Utah condor population is classified as an experimental, non-essential population by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the 10(j) rule of the Endangered Species Act. This special rule provides The Peregrine Fund and Game and Fish with more flexibility to manage the population. The 10(j) rule allows the agencies the ability to handle, treat, transport and fit birds with radio transmitters, activities that would be much more difficult to carry out without the special designation. The 10(j) rule also provides that land management practices will not be restricted due to the presence of condors. 

Condors are a long-lived species with low reproductive rates, making their population more slow-growing than most wildlife. While they can live up to 60 years in the wild, they do not sexually mature until six or seven years of age and only mate every other year.

The California condor has gone from only 22 birds left in the world in 1982 to nearly 400 today. The original 22 birds were captured in an effort to breed and save the species. Condors bred and raised in captivity are now periodically released at sites in California, Mexico and at the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona.

The species was added to the federal endangered species list in 1967. The condor is the largest flying land bird in North America. The birds can weigh up to 26 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 9 1/2 feet.

The Arizona-Utah condor conservation effort is a joint project of many partners, including The Peregrine Fund, Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Kaibab National Forest, and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

For more information on condors and lead, visit www.azgfd.gov/condor.

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December 19, 2011

Grand Canyon National Park

Backcountry Trip Planner

Once a separate publication, the Backcountry Trip Planner has been combined with the Trip Planner into one publication. You may download it using the link below.

2012 Trip Planner (1.7 MB PDF File)
Backcountry Trip Planning Included
A Handy Source of Information and Maps

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November 15, 2011

AZGFD

First wild-hatched condor chick of 2011 fledges in Arizona

Two of three California condor chicks that hatched in the wild earlier this year are doing well, including one that recently took its first flight from the nest and another that is close to fledging. However, one chick recently was found dead below its nest cave in the Grand Canyon. 
      

The three young birds set a record this year: the greatest number of chicks hatched in the wild in one breeding season since the effort to recover endangered condors in the Grand Canyon region began in 1996.
      
“Another first – three chicks in a single season,” said Eddie Feltes, field manager for The Peregrine Fund, an Idaho-based conservation organization that oversees the condor recovery program in Arizona and southern Utah. “We remain hopeful that the two remaining chicks will join the ever-growing flock.”
      
The young bird that died had a broken wing and may have fallen from its nest, but due to the condition of the carcass, examiners were unable to pinpoint a cause of death.
      
The young condor was last seen alive on Sept. 27. After Grand Canyon National Park biologists made several investigative trips into the rugged terrain of a side canyon, the carcass was recovered on Oct. 23.
      
Recent sightings of the two other wild-hatched juveniles show that they continue to thrive and be well cared for by their parents. Three adult birds are tending the fledgling, which took its first flight from its nest in the Kaibab National Forest in late October. This is the first time that a trio has successfully produced a fledged chick in the wild. 
      
The other remaining chick is expected to fledge soon as well. National Park Service biologists are monitoring its nest cave in the Grand Canyon.
      
“The surviving chick in the park appears to be close to making its first flight,” said Martha Hahn, chief of Science and Resource Management at Grand Canyon. “Park wildlife staff have observed the chick flapping its wings and hopping around, which is typical behavior of condor chicks before fledging.”
      
The carcass of the dead chick was sent to the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Besides the broken wing, pathologists identified small bits of trash in the condor’s stomach, but the foreign items appeared to be incidental.
      
The presence of tiny pieces of metal, plastic, and other indigestible material in the bird’s stomach is not that unusual for scavengers found near areas where people live or visit.  
      
“We have found foreign items in and around other condor nest caves in the Grand Canyon and the chicks fledged without issue,” said Chris Parish, director of The Peregrine Fund’s condor recovery program in Arizona. “This event does, however, demonstrate the volume of trash that exists in the environment, and we can all help by packing out what we pack in.”
      
Even the smallest bits of trash can be mistaken for food items, he said.
      
“Because microtrash has been such a problem with fledglings in California, we are forever on alert,” Parish said.  
      
The condor recovery effort is a cooperative program by federal, state, and private partners, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Kaibab and Dixie national forests, and Zion National Park.

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October 26, 2011

Grand Canyon National Park

WASHINGTON: Lifetime passes to America’s national parks for senior citizens and Americans with disabilities are now available through the mail.

National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis said the Senior Pass and the Access Pass will still be available at national parks, “But the option of receiving a pass by mail may better suit some people and any change that makes it more convenient to prepare to come to the parks is a change for the better. We want everyone to experience the amazing places in our care.

“National parks have a lot to offer,” continued Jarvis. “They are places to share with children, grandchildren, and other family members. They facilitate recreation and healthy living. Many parks, including Yellowstone, Shenandoah, and Denali, have trails that are accessible to people with limited mobility and to wheelchair users. We also have many accessible camping and picnic areas.”

The Senior and Access passes provide admission to, and use of, federal recreation sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees. Pass users also receive a 50% discount on some amenity fees for activities like camping and launching a boat. They are available to citizens and permanent residents of the United States age 62 or more or who have permanent disabilities regardless of age.

The “Senior” and “Access” versions of the America the Beautiful Pass – the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass – are good for a lifetime. The Access pass is free and the Senior pass is just $10. There is a $10 processing fee to receive either pass by the mail.

To get your Senior pass through the mail just submit a completed application, proof of residency and age, and $20. The fee covers the cost of the pass and a document processing fee. You can print out an application at this web site: http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html. Once the application package is received and the documentation verified, the pass will be mailed to you.

The application for the Access pass is also available at http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html. To receive the Access pass, mail the completed application along with proof of residency and documentation of permanent disability plus the $10 document processing fee. Once the application package is received and verified, the pass and the documentation of permanent disability you provided will be mailed to you.

For more information, please visit http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm or http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html.

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October 17, 2011

USFWS

Secretary Salazar Announces National Park Fee Free Days for 2012

USFWS, BLM, and US Forest Service will also waive entrance fees on certain days to encourage folks to get outside and get active

WASHINGTON – To encourage Americans to explore America’s natural beauty, rich history and culture, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the National Park Service will waive admission fees on 17 days in 2012.

“From Independence Hall to our newest national park, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, our national parks tell the story of America, from the beauty of our land to our struggle for freedom and justice,” Secretary Salazar said. “Whether or not it’s during one of the 17 fee free days next year, I encourage everyone to visit a park near them and enjoy the remarkable landscapes and historical and cultural sites that are unique to our great country.”

Salazar emphasized that our national parks and public lands serve as an economic engine for many local communities, supports jobs and driving tourism. Recreation in national parks, refuges, and other public lands fueled nearly $55 billion in economic activity and supported 440,000 jobs in 2009.

The fee free dates for 2012 are January 14 to 16 (Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend), April 21 to 29 (National Park Week), June 9 (Get Outdoors Day), September 29 (National Public Lands Day), and November 10 to 12 (Veterans Day weekend). More information is available at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.

In addition, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service will waive their entrance and standard amenity fees January 14 to 16, June 9, September 29, and November 10 to 12.   The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will also have a fee free day on October 14 in recognition of National Wildlife Refuge Week. The Bureau of Reclamation will waive standard amenity fees on September 29 and November 12.

Many park-related hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and tour operators will offer specials on fee free days.

“The majority of national parks don’t have an entrance fee and those that do charge a maximum of $25 a week for an entire family” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “We realize there are additional expenses when visiting a park so many associated businesses will have discounts and enhancements on the fee free days.”

“One of the great things about a national park vacation is it can be as economical or luxurious as desired,” added Jarvis. “A visit can be a few hours or several days. One could pack their lunch or eat at a snack bar, cafeteria, or gourmet dining room. One could sleep under the stars in the backcountry or stay in a campground, motel, or majestic lodge. There is something for everyone at each of the country’s 395 national parks. So mark the dates, grab a friend or family member – especially one that has never been to a park before – and come visit one of your national parks.”