National Parks in the News

The following are a couple of news items that were reported in the NPS Digest yesterday that I thought might be of interest to you:

* Late last year the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that 47 projects in national parks, forests and wildlife refuges across the United States will share in $27 million from its Paul S. Sarbanes Transit In Parks program to improve public and alternative transportation within the grounds. Funding from the grants will support more than 30 NPS and partner projects, such as bicycle and pedestrian network installations, procurement of hybrid and clean diesel fuel buses, visitor information and wayfinding systems, planning studies and railroad improvements.

There are no projects announced for the Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway or Shenandoah. You can click here for the full list of projects.

* In February, the National Park Service will launch a Civil War 150th anniversary webpage. The site will serve as the hub of information about the activities and events planned for this significant commemoration as well as a platform to invite people – especially those who may not be interested in the fighting itself – to learn about the people and lasting legacies of the war, including the struggle for civil rights that continues to this day. A Civil War history website will launch in April in conjunction with the anniversary of the shots fired on Fort Sumter.

* In March, the NPS will launch a series of state webpages that will begin to demonstrate the full scope of National Park Service activities. Each new state page will offer an interactive map that features not only national parks, but also the locations of other program work – preservation grants, National Natural Landmarks, and RTCA projects, for example. The page will also highlight, with photos and short descriptions, exemplary projects in each state and upcoming, state-specific news and events.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com