National Parks Traveler Podcast

NPTP 29 : Sounds of Congaree National Park

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Mike Marshall and Robert Hanna of Restore Hetch Hetchy.

NPTP 28 : Restoring Hetch Hetchy?

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Adam Skurka.

NPTP 27 : Interview with Andrew Skurka

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews John Hennessy regarding Stonewall Jackson's arm.

NPTP 26 : Stonewall Jackson's arm - Interview with John Hennessy

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Dr. Donna Shaver regarding the Kemps Ridley sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico.

NPTP 25 : Dr. Donna Shaver - Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Senator Tom Udall regarding the promotion of our National Parks.

NPTP 24 : Senator Tom Udall - Promoting Our National Parks

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Trevor Thomas, First blind person to thru-hike the ATC unassisted.

NPTP 22 : Trevor Thomas - First blind person to thru-hike the ATC unassisted

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Gerard Baker, Associate Director for American Indian Relations

NPTP 21 : Gerard Baker - Associate Director for American Indian Relations

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Doug Smith, project leader of gray wolf restoration in Yellowstone National Park.

NPTP 20 : 15 years since the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Jon Jarvis, director of the National Parks Service

NPTP 19 : Interview with Jon Jarvis

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek Participates In Conference Call With NRDC

NPTP 18 : Climate Change Threatens Our National Parks - Conference Call With NRDC

National Parks Traveler Editor Kurt Repanshek interviews Ken Burns

NPTP 17 : Interview with Ken Burns - The National Parks: "America's Best Idea"

Nearly every conversation that includes the words "Yellowstone" and "winter" also includes the words "snowmobiles." Well, for a change, I'd like to present this short 3 minute journey into the snowy winter season in Yellowstone National Park, that includes no snowmobiles! (You would have heard them had I left the audio unedited, but at least you want see any in this short movie.) Buffalo still roam, rivers still flow, but the entire place in winter is surrounded in mist and snow, which totally change the outlook on the landscape. And, as my colleague Rich Deline is heard to exclaim at the end of the video, the erupting geysers are pretty cool. This week marks the beginning of the winter visitation season in Yellowstone National Park. Thanks to Rich Deline who has generously made available to the National Parks Traveler some of his footage for us to enjoy.

NPT 16 : Winter in Yellowstone National Park

SOUND: Snowmobiles in [url=http://www.nps.gov/yell]Yellowstone National Park[/url]. KURT: At a time when politics in Washington truly are a “contact sport,” we shouldn’t be too surprised when we learn that science has been trumped when it comes to decisions affecting the national park system. Should we be disappointed? Of course. But surprised? Unfortunately not. These past seven years there long have been suspicions that politics shaped the National Park Service’s position on snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park. Those suspicions gained tremendous weight when I talked with Fran Mainella, who a little over a year ago resigned from her position as director of the National Park Service. During her six years in office Ms. Mainella refused to call for a ban on snowmobiling in Yellowstone, even when two environmental impact studies and an environment assessment pointed to snow coaches as the environmentally preferred alternative for motorized winter recreation in the park. Now, though, she’s changed her position and believes science should be the final measure when it comes to deciding if snowmobiles are appropriate for Yellowstone’s resources, its wildlife, visitors, and even employees. She made that change publicly known recently when she decided to join seven other former Park Service directors in asking Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to oppose an increase in snowmobile use in Yellowstone and to favor snow coaches for winter motorized recreation in the park. MAINELLA: Part of what I was trying to do was just again further reinforce the importance of the science and making sure that we rely on the science. Anyone making a decision has multiple factors that come to play. Access is an important part. There’s the other considerations, visitor services and all these other things that we’re responsible for in the National Park Service. But what I was just trying to encourage was when all is said and done is that the science, taking care of the resource has to be the predominant force. That’s really it. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have snowmobiles in there. That isn’t what I was saying. I’m just saying as a former national park service director to help just further reinforce the fact that it is important that we just stay to the science. KURT: Of course, Ms. Mainella's latest view begs the question of why she didn't hold that position during her tenure as director. When I reached Ms. Mainella at Clemson University, where she’s a visiting scholar, she explained that as Park Service director she did not hold the final decision on snowmobiling in Yellowstone. MAINELLA: All I can say is that those decisions, I chose to have my discussions in the 'house' of the Department of Interior, so whether I agreed or disagreed was reflected in those meetings. Once a decision was made by the Department of Interior, I did come out and speak on behalf (of it) because I felt that was my responsibility in the position (as Park Service director). KURT: When I pressed her a bit later on whether she supported the science of those environmental studies conducted during her tenure, as she now says the Park Service and Interior Department should do in the saga’s latest chapter, Ms. Mainella had this to say: MAINELLA: We helped develop the new snow coaches to further enhance the improvement of snow-coach use in the national parks. Those were some of the things that we were able to do. But again, all I can tell you is that those decisions were decided at a level beyond our office. A pay grade higher than mine. KURT: Of course, Ms. Mainella’s newfound position begs another question: What does current Park Service Director Mary Bomar really favor in Yellowstone? When I sat down with her back in October she, too, voiced support for letting science guide on-the-ground decisions. BOMAR: When I came into the National Park Service, I didn't realize the in-depth that the good stewards in the national parks went to. Often, we'd be accused of studying things to death. If you didn't like the answer we'll do another study. But I will say over time that I've come to really appreciate that, that we make good decisions based on good information. KURT: Despite those words, don’t you still wonder whether science or politics are guiding snowmobiles in Yellowstone? SOUND: Snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park. KURT: At the National Parks Traveler, I’m Kurt Repanshek

NPT 15 : Fran Mainella Speaks About Snowmobiles and Science

A 3 minute video postcard from a recent visit to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas. I had the privilege of visiting this unit of the parks recently. Park interpreters led a tour of the historic house and barn, followed later by a bus tour of the prairie. I happened to be on the very last bus tour of the season, the next one won't be until April. The park itself is pretty remote. I was traveling through Wichita and decided to take the side trip. The park is approximately 90 miles (one-way) from Wichita. Considering the drive consumed 3 hours of my time (round trip), I am glad I made the trip, it was worth it to see the area. Kansas isn't nearly as flat as I had thought it would be. Credits -- Photography, Edits - Jeremy Sullivan Music - John Fleagle, "Da Day Dawn", Magnatune.com Special Thanks - Julie Miller - Interpreters of the Tallgrass Prairie

NPT 14 : Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

The podcast companion to the website, the National Parks Traveler covers commentary, news, and life in America's Parks.

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National Parks Traveler Podcast

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