The trail awareness program sponsored by the American Hiking Society attempts to inspire both the casual outdoors person and the dedicated hiker to explore a local hiking trail.

And in the spirit of the day, the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees in over 100 parks this weekend.

Additional Info:

• AHS General Trails Day Information

• State by State Listing of Parks with entrance fees waived.

Now Go Outdoors!

Here are ten climate change reports that touch the U.S. National Park system.

Climate Change 101: State Parks Adopts Sustainability Blueprint

A critical component is the goal to eliminate pesticides from parks, especially areas frequented by children, such as beaches, playgrounds, picnic areas, ball fields, campgrounds, and hiking trails. The plan acknowledges areas for which …

Climate change discussion brought to Joshua Tree National Park …

A federal spotlight was on Joshua Tree National Park this week during a congressional subcommittee hearing to discuss how climate change is affecting the country’s parks. Eight parks, conservation and wildlife experts testified at the three -hour … A 2006 Outdoor Industry Association study said that outdoor activities like hiking, fishing and wildlife watching annually contribute $730 billion to the U.S. economy. The most passionate testimony, however, focused on what is …

How climate change may be threatening national parks

Global climate change is “the single greatest threat to the health of our national parks,” says Michael Cipra, California desert program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association. In the case of the Joshua Tree National …

Heatstroke — Hot Topic

Many scales of climate change have occurred, from slow tectonic to the fast changes embedded within glacial and inter-glacial times. Why should an ecologist worry about today’s global warming which is just one more scale? … Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks, Kruger Park in Africa and Tambopata Nature Reserve in Peru, are among places Barnosky selects for closer attention. Small mammal species in Yosemite have changed how they live in the park, …

Is There A New Dawn For the National Park Service? | National …

A massive influx of dollars is heading towards the National Park System, part due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, some proposed within the Obama administration’s Fiscal 2010 budget proposal. It certainly is a change from …

Of Gray Whales, National Parks, and Climate Change | National …

Migrating gray whales are a common sight in the near-shore waters of the Pacific Coast, and two of the region’s national parks are whale watching hot spots. Now the timing of the gray whale migrations has shifted perceptibly, fewer whales …

Tree-Ring Lab Director Testifies on Impacts of Climate Change on …

“Much of what we have learned about he effects of past and recent climate variations and change on ecosystems has come from studies conducted within the national parks and national forests. In the future, we need to continue and expand …

Are Yellowstone National Park’s Grizzlies Changing Denning Habits …

Are grizzlies in Yellowstone National Park altering their long winter’s slumber due to a changing climate? Federal wildlife biologists think so, and want to take a closer look into this possibility.

AP Interview: New Forest Service chief vows quick spending on …

Tidwell said he will continue many of the policies of his predecessor, Gail Kimbell, including a focus on fighting climate change and reaching out to children to make them more aware of and comfortable with national forests. …. YORK — Tourists in New York can expect to see some construction projects at national monuments in the coming months. The National Park Service said Wednesday that more than $37 million in federal economic stimulus money will be spent on repairs. …

Climate change comes to our National Parks

The problems (frequent 100-year storms, closed roads, vanishing glaciers) are straining the systems. Some conferences begin to grapple with the immense consequences and trade-offs.

Now Go Outdoors!