NYT/AP: Time to put our National Parks on the endangered list?

[DeepModem Mom]

Development Inches Toward Nat'l Parks
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 18, 2006

....Glacier National Park is an island, a sanctuary from the outside world.

For how long?

To the west, subdivisions, vacation homes and large chain stores march toward its borders. To the north, bulldozers pause for the winter before pushing deeper through the forests to a planned coal mine in the Canadian Flathead River Valley.

To the south, an emotional debate rages over whether to allow oil and gas interests to explore a sacred Blackfoot Indian plot. From above, gradual warming continues to nibble away at the park's famed glaciers. Once as many as 150, they barely number 35 today....

***

Glacier is not alone.

An Associated Press review finds the national parks are facing unprecedented pressures inside and outside their borders from population growth, homeland security concerns and Americans' insatiable desires for conveniences such as hotels, restaurants, stores, cell phones and vacation homes....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Park-Pressures.html

[rodeodance]

1. ^DEVELOPMENT INSIDE PARKS

...^DEVELOPMENT INSIDE PARKS

Within their boundaries, the parks are generally calm, placid and among the world's most beautiful places. The National Park Service said 95 percent of visitors rate their experience as good or excellent.

Nonetheless, 30 cellular phone towers have been erected inside parks; one is in view of Yellowstone's famed Old Faithful geyser. At Georgia's Kennesaw Mountain, an emergency radio communications tower has been constructed above Civil War cannons.

At Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, officials have built an $18 million, 30-mile steel-and-concrete vehicle barrier to slow illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Fifteen sea and lake parks have acquiesced to recreational enthusiasts and are allowing Jet Skis and other personal watercraft, or are expected to do so.

[sandnsea]

2. There's other areas besides Parks

Unless they're trying to condition people to accept the inevitable, it's too bad they didn't explain that there's other areas specifically designed for recreation so the parks can be protected places. There's scenic rivers, recreation areas, monuments, corp of engineer areas, blm, national forests, and state and county parks. We don't have to develop inside parks in order for people to have a place to go. The Park system is to preserve the most unique and pristine areas, not to exploit them.

[winston61]

3. It's not just national parks-

Here in Texas our state parks are on life support. The repukes in the leg believe that publicly held lands are the work of satan and they are doing all they can to kill the parks and sell off the land. Coming soon to a state near you.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. I hadn't even considered the state parks. Of course....

they must be subject to the same, if not worse.