Topic: National Park Service

Change Agent
Restoring US native prairies, acre by acre, yard by yard

Across the US Midwest, homeowners are restoring their yards and former farmland to the native prairie that existed in pre-settlement days. The benefits can be substantial — the need for less water and no fertilizer, and an ecosystem that supports wildlife.

Those who perished remembered on Pearl Harbor's 71st anniversary

Thousands are expected at the US Navy base in Hawaii Friday to commemorate the lives of those lost in the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941.

Modern Parenthood
Montana hikers found as one mom and son learn hiking Rule 1 (+video)

Montana hikers lost in Glacier Park were found safe on Monday; the day before, a mom from their home state, Virginia, lost her eight-year-old for 90 minutes on a hike. Rangers' Rule 1 to teach kids, she learned: Stay put and wait for help when you get lost on the trail.

The Vote
In dedicating César Chávez monument, Obama reaches out to Latino voters

On Monday, President Obama designated the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, Calif. Still, the tireless advocate for laborers' rights was a controversial figure, even among Latinos.

Dodging the law, scouring forests for...ginseng?

A new breed of ginseng diggers are looking to parlay rising Asian demand for the increasingly rare plant's roots into a fast buck. Amid a sluggish economy, police say, more poachers are seeking out wild ginseng, ripping up even the smallest plants and ignoring property lines.

Good news, bad news for Mississippi River

A new report from the National Park Service finds the stretch of the Mississippi River that flows through Minneapolis, Minn., to be in better shape than it was 40 years ago. Good news aside, the report also finds challenges lurking just around the river bend.

Contractor picked for earthquake-damaged Washington Monument

Perini Management Services Inc. of Framingham, Mass., beat out two other bidders to win a $9.6 million contract to repair earthquake damage to the Washington Monument. The marble and granite obelisk has been closed to the public since an earthquake shook the region in 2011.

Heat wave: Eastern US to see 'a resurgence of the heat,' say forecasters

A storm amid record heat has left millions from Illinois to Virginia without electricity. 

Are the Colorado wildfires the biggest in US history? (+video)

The Waldo Canyon Fire has been declared the worst in Colorado state history, but it is small compared to the fires in the 19th century that scorched millions of acres.

Stir It Up!
American Grown by Michelle Obama

The first lady gives readers a tour of the White House Kitchen Garden and other thriving community plots across the country.

New Mexico wildfire, largest ever in the state, continues to burn (+video)

The Whitewater-Baldy blaze has burned more than nearly 300 square miles in New Mexico. It's now the largest wildfire burning in the country.

Michelle Obama: 8 food and garden tips, stories from the First Lady

8 stories and pieces of advice from Michelle Obama's new book 'American Grown'

Mountain lion shot in downtown Santa Monica (+video)

A mountain lion prowling in the courtyard of a Santa Monica office building was fatally shot Tuesday. The National Park Service is monitoring 22 mountain lions in the nearby Santa Monica Mountains.

Saving Money
20 ways to save on your summer vacation

Your summer vacation doesn't have to break the bank.  By being flexible in your travel plans, checking multiple sites for deals, and dining out less, you can save a bundle on your getaway.

Opinion: Diplomacy flowers with cherry blossoms

At the close of the 100th anniversary celebration of Tokyo's gift of cherry blossoms to Washington, it's worth remembering the story of diplomacy behind the trees. Like most diplomatic initiatives, this one had to overcome indifference, opposition, and many setbacks before it could flower.

Looking for bears? There's an app for that

New cell phone apps can help tourists find a bison, wolf or grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. But rangers are afraid this could increase the danger for both the sight-seeing families, and the wildlife themselves.

Police clear tents from Occupy site in Washington

Park Police officers in riot gear and on horseback converged before dawn on one of the nation's last remaining Occupy sites, with police clearing the grounds of tents that they said were banned.

Occupy DC protesters reminded of no-camping ban by authorities

US Park Police have reminded Occupy DC protesters of a no-camping ban in two locations in the nation's capital. A judge is expected to hear arguments on the ban Tuesday.

Occupy protesters meet outside as Congress returns

A few hundred protesters gathered outside barricades around the Capitol on a cold, rainy Tuesday morning. US Capitol Police say one person has been arrested and charged with assault on a police officer.

Martin Luther King Jr. memorial quote to be changed

Martin Luther King Jr. and his words were etched into stone on a monument in Washington last summer, but historians say a quote inscribed on the monument does not accurately reflect his words and even make King sound like "an arrogant twit".  The U.S. Department of the Interior is planning on changing the quote.

Renewable energy projects delayed in squabble

Renewable energy projects in California are stalled because of a disagreement between Southern California Edison and federal agencies. Stall is keeping state's national parks and forests from using renewable energy 

Mount Rainier National Park closed; manhunt on for gunman who killed ranger

A massive manhunt is under way Monday in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, as authorities track a gunman wanted for killing a park ranger on New Year's Day.

Pearl Harbor Day: A survivor recalls the Day of Infamy (video)

Pearl Harbor Day: Navy vet Lou Gore recalls what he saw Dec. 7, 1941 on the deck of the USS Phoenix. Today is the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor day attack.

Chapter & Verse
Bill O'Reilly's 'Killing Lincoln' continues to stir controversy

Citing errors, some Lincoln-related historic sites are refusing to carry the book, although O'Reilly accuses critics of nitpicking. 

Statue of Liberty birthday celebrations include Sigourney Weaver, 'La Marseillaise,' and 125 new Americans