Thursday, May 3, 2012

Your National Park News & Alerts for May 2012



  
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MAY 2012
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, New Jersey

FEATURED PARK: Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, New Jersey

This historic development in Paterson, New Jersey, was named as the nation's newest national park site in November 2011. While the striking 77-foot falls themselves are a natural wonder, the history of the mill town that developed around them and the local unions' struggles for workers' rights at the turn of the 20th century are just as fascinating.

Learn More »        Watch the Slideshow »

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ACTIONS FOR THE PARKS
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Gettysburg

Stop Congress from Opening the Park System to Hunting

Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill that could allow hunting in the vast majority of the National Park System. We need your help to stop this bill from affecting those places in the park system, such as Gettysburg, the Flight 93 Memorial, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, and other historic and cultural sites, that were never intended to accommodate this incompatible practice.

Take Action »

Wilderness Battlefield

Preserving History and Creating Jobs near Wilderness Battlefield

Too often, efforts to protect historic sites pit preservationists against landowners and developers. But when Walmart planned to build a superstore near the historic Wilderness Battlefield, then later changed its plans, community groups and business leaders worked together to explore economic development options that would emphasize rather than harm the area's rich history. A new report affirms that yes, it can be done.

Learn More »

National Monument

Headed to a National Park with Your Camera? Read These Tips!

It's time to start enjoying a few warm-weather getaways, and of course, you'll want to bring your camera along. But at national parks, thousands of people capture the same iconic landscapes and monuments over and over again in their travel pictures. Here are a few suggestions to add variety and interest to your pictures so they really stand out.

Read More »

Supporting Partnerships

Innovative Partnerships Celebrate Regional History

National heritage areas are independently managed parks that celebrate local history across America. Most of these 49 areas, which make up hundreds of thousands of acres around the country, are managed by innovative local partnerships—not by federal land managers. Are they the "future of the Park Service"?

Learn More »

mountain biking

Do Mountain Bikes Belong in National Parks?

A growing number of park visitors want to enjoy off-road trails from the seat of a mountain bike. Welcoming two-wheeled tourists is a way to entice new visitors to the parks, especially younger ones. But would more bicycles take a heavier toll on natural resources—and park rangers? Read more in the latest issue of National Parks magazine.

Read More »

Shiloh National Military Park

23,743 Luminaries Commemorate the Battle of Shiloh

Last month, Shiloh National Military Park commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh by lighting 23,743 candles throughout the park—one to honor each casualty from the two-day battle. Not only did the "Grand Illumination" serve as a moving highlight to two weeks of related events, it also broke visitation records at the secluded Tennessee park.

See the Photos »

Arches

NPCA PARKSCAPES
Arches, Canyonlands, & Monument Valley

This September, NPCA will host a special, small-group tour to the Southwest. Interested? Join our 60-minute webinar next week for more details about our plans to explore Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, and Monument Valley. The virtual journey begins on Tuesday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Photo: Arches National Park, Utah © Jf123/Dreamstime
Xanterra

Xanterra's Change for Good

As the country's largest, most progressive national park concessioner, Xanterra Parks & Resorts takes the preservation and stewardship of our nation's most valuable resources very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they proudly display an unwavering dedication to providing legendary hospitality with a softer footprint. Now when you visit one of Xanterra's legendary places, you are playing an important part in preserving these sacred places for our children's children.
NEW NPCA REPORTS    WAYS TO GIVE    BECOME A MEMBER    STORY IDEAS? FEEDBACK?
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Celebrate Mom and Protect Mother Earth

Sierra Club

Sponsor a Wild Place

Sponsor any of our
12 Wild Places:
 
Acadia National Park
Adirondack Park
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Badlands National Park
Everglades National Park
Glacier National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Giant Sequoia National Monument
Feb-2012-Smokies.jpg
Yellowstone National Park
Yosmite National Park

Only 3 days left to have your Wild Place Sponsorship delivered by Mother's Day with Express Shipping!

Dear Dave,

Mother's Day is almost here! Don't miss your chance to give a gift to mom – and help the environment at the same time!  Sponsor a Wild Place in her name today.

The Sierra Club has been instrumental in protecting America's wild places for 120 years. Sponsor a Wild Place today and help us continue to protect these extraordinary wild places.

Mother's Day is May 13. You can still order your special Mother's Day gift and have it arrive in time. Order by Sunday, May 6, and be sure to select Express Shipping so it gets there in time!

And just for mom, we have special discounted Mother's Day sponsorships of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or Giant Sequoia National Monument. Each with matching mother and cub plush bears as part of her sponsorship gift.

Don't delay - Sponsor a Wild Place today for as little as $25. Your gift will be sent to mom with a personalized certificate, scenic picture, colorful fact sheet, and gift item choices like a loveable plush wildlife puppet, a historic backpack, or both!

Help us protect our wild legacy and support all of Sierra Club's critical work on behalf of the environment – Sponsor a Wild Place today!

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Benjamin McHugh
Director, Sponsor a Wild Place Program 

P.S. Order by Sunday, May 6 and choose Express Shipping to make sure your Wild Place Sponsorship gift arrives in time for Mother's Day!

You received this email because you have previously supported the Sierra Club's efforts and/or expressed interest in future communications from us. We appreciate that you have chosen to receive email from us. If, however, you received this email in error or do not wish to receive future emails like this, use this link to be removed from this type of email contact.

Sierra Club
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(415) 977-5653http://www.sierraclub.org/ 


NH WEEKLY FISHING REPORT – May 3, 2012

Stocking report: www.fishnh.com/Fishing/Stocking/current.html

FREE FISHING DAY is June 2, 2012: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2012/news_2012_Q2/free_fishing_day_041712.html

Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nhfishandgame

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><> North Country

The early ice-out and warm weather in March got many anglers excited about opening day for trout ponds – though it seemed like it would never get here. Always the fourth Saturday in April, opening day fell on the 28th this year. Well….it was worth the wait! Warmer water temperatures had the fish moving around and feeding aggressively. Those fishing by boat found a lot of open water. Brook trout were hitting almost everything that could be trolled by them. Streamer flies dragged at 8 feet or less were just as effective as snelled hooks with worms. Trout were even chasing attractor-type lures like Rooster tails and gold Phoebes.

The weekend was cold and very windy, but I heard good reports from almost every trout pond in northern New Hampshire. Little Diamond Pond in West Stewartstown may have been the hardest to fish because of the wind, but the catch rates made it worth it. Mirror Lake in Whitefield seemed a little more comfortable, and fish were just as aggressive. Anglers casting from shore seemed to be keeping up with those on the water, and I saw some very happy young people fishing right from the boat launch.

The weather has seemed to settle back into a late April - early May scenario, and I expect these trout ponds to keep fishing well. Profile Lake in Franconia is fly-fishing only and a great place to hone your skills. Netting surveys have shown some very big brookies and large numbers of fish all throughout the lake. Stratford Bog in North Stratford is a great place to enjoy a remote atmosphere while trout fishing. Make sure that you get out and enjoy a day of fishing. I’ve been in the field all week and I am glad to report the black flies seem to be incubating still rather than sustaining themselves on my blood. - Andrew Schafermeyer, Fisheries Biologist

><> Lakes Region

We’ve been busy stocking landlocked salmon during the past week and I hope to have a more detailed report next week. – Don Miller, Fisheries Biologist

><> Monadnock/Upper Valley

It is often said that fishing is “feast or famine.” If that is in fact the case, then my report from last week was the “feast” and this report is the “famine.” In last week’s report, I told you about a great fishing trip to Forest Lake in Winchester where I did everything right, the fish cooperated, and I caught 25 largemouth bass in less than two hours. Exactly one week later, I made a repeat trip to Forest Lake with completely opposite results, hooking only two small largemouth bass, neither of which I landed.

I made three critical mistakes during my most recent trip. One was bringing a friend and, based on last week’s trip, telling him how many fish we would catch. Two was only bringing two types of lures based on my previous trip that were very similar in function: buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Three was not paying attention to the weather in between trips.

One of the most important aspects of becoming a good angler is learning from your mistakes. Here is what I relearned: 1) Never bring another angler with you based only on results of a previous fishing trip; 2) Always bring a number of different lures that allow for different “styles” of fishing. For example, instead of just bringing reaction baits like spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, I should have included some jigs and finesse baits like a drop-shot or shakey head so I could slow down and not have to rely on bass being in an aggressive mode. Anyone who has bass fished with me will find my lack of lures amusing as I always get complaints about how much tackle I bring; and 3) Always be aware of environmental changes in between fishing trips. The weather between my two fishing trips consisted of a good deal of rain and cold nights, and the lake was still in the process of filling up after its winter drawdown. As a result, the water during my most recent outing was three feet
higher and six degrees colder. I should have realized that despite the increase in water depth, the drastic decrease in water temperature would likely take the bass out of the pre-spawn mode they were in the previous week, put them in a negative mood, and make them move to deeper water.

At the time, my recent trip felt frustrating and like a failure. These were all fishing fundamentals that I was aware of and have written about and should not have overlooked. However, often times one must repeat mistakes before learning from them. As I look back now, I don’t see my recent trip as a disappointment, but rather as an opportunity to relearn the basics and hopefully avoid the same mistakes in the future. I just hope it doesn’t take you as many years to learn from your mistakes as it has taken me! – Gabe Gries, Fisheries Biologist

><> Southeast NH/Merrimack Valley

We just wrapped up a busy week of Atlantic salmon fry stocking in the Merrimack River watershed. This year's stocking locations were fewer than previous years so that released sea-run returning adults and surplus domestic broodstock salmon spawning success could be evaluated. In the late part of the summer, we will return to the locations where these adult fish were released to look for young-of-the-year salmon. Fewer rivers to stock meant few volunteers were needed to help us. Thanks to all those folks who offered to help us this year. It's likely that we will need your help again in future years.

The quick transition from winter to spring this year has resulted in an early arrival of river herring to our coastal rivers. River herring transfers from the Lamprey and Cocheco rivers to the Nashua River and Pine Island Pond have already begun. Once the stocking targets are reached in these two waterbodies, efforts will focus on transferring river herring to Winnisquam Lake. It is thought that river herring could once access several lakes and ponds in the lakes region before dams were constructed along the Merrimack and Winnipesaukee rivers. Most of these fish will come from coastal rivers in Maine. We have high expectations for the river herring stocking program in this waterbody. In the mid 1980s, river herring were released in Winnisquam Lake for a period of five years. A few year later, the return counts of river herring to the Merrimack River reached record numbers. Adult river herring transferred to inland waterbodies spawn and then emigrate out of the system. Their
juveniles will spend the summer in the upper water column of the system and then leave in the late summer and early fall. These outward migrations are usually timed with rain events and subsequent higher flows. While growing in the inland waterbodies, it is expected that the herring will become a valuable seasonal forage source for other sport fish species, meaning fish like rainbow trout and smallmouth bass have the potential to reach larger sizes.

I hope those who braved the windy conditions during the opening weekend of fishing in our designated trout ponds were well rewarded. CO Mike Mattson reported he checked over 100 anglers on opening day at Lucas Pond in Northwood! Many successful anglers were observed. It should be noted that these waterbodies are usually stocked multiple times during the early summer and that surveys after the season closes indicate there are still a large number of trout remaining in the trout ponds in southeastern New Hampshire. Also, don't overlook the lakes and ponds that are stocked in the area with no closed season. – Ben Nugent, Regional Fisheries Biologist

><> Seacoast Area

The strong winds and cold rain certainly haven’t stopped the fish from biting off New Hampshire’s seacoast. The last few days have rebounded from the previous slump, and have been great for haddock fishing. Most headboats are reporting haddock catches too numerous to count, and with no bag limits there is the potential to go home with quite a lot of fresh fillets. Also, don’t forget about the new interim rule that took effect on May 1, dropping the minimum length of Atlantic cod to 19 inches, with a bag limit of 9. Having recently witnessed the majority of cod being caught only just falling short of the previous 24-inch length, this new rule will certainly help anglers have a better chance of going home with some keepers. Redfish are still biting hard and most people are catching coolers full, many of very good size.

If the weather is discouraging you from venturing out offshore, you might want to consider getting out those trout rods and have a go at flounder. Winter flounder fishing has been good, with reports of fish being caught in both Hampton and Rye harbors. Using a little piece of sea worm on a spreader rig should insure a good day of fishing in the relatively calm harbors. Note that May 15 – 24 is closed to the taking of winter flounder.

I haven’t heard of any stripers being caught yet, but with the mackerel along the coast and thousands of river herring ascending the ladders in the Cocheco and Lamprey rivers, I would imagine it will only be a matter of time…– Conor O’Donnell, Marine Biological Technician

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FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH AND RESTORATION: A User-Pay, User-Benefit Program. Researching and managing fisheries and teaching people about aquatic ecosystems are funded by your license dollars and by the Federal Aid in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. Your purchases of fishing equipment and motorboat fuels make a difference to New Hampshire's fisheries. To learn more: http://www.wildnh.com/SFWR_program/sfwr_program.htm.

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Get out for a walk, it does the body good! Lighten up! (Humor)

Walk & Talk - The West Wing Reunion
Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Joshua Malina, Melissa Fitzgerald and William Duffy reprise their West Wing roles walking and talking their way into the Oval Office. Why? To pass one last initiative with the President: To get America walking.





Like their Facebook page for a chance to win :
  1. A "The West Wing" Complete Series DVD Box Set.
  2. An iPod to keep you motivated
  3. One of 10 Every Body Walk! Walking Kits


CLICK HERE!




Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Mt. Washington ‏ @theautoroad Opening Sat May 5


Mt. Washington  @theautoroad
Opening Sat May 5  to treeline 4.5 miles up! No parking and hiking/skiing from this point allowed on the road.

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- A historic ritual that has been played out in Pinkham Notch for the past century and a half will be repeated this Saturday, May 5th, when the Mt. Washington Auto Road opens its gates to the public for drives to the treeline at 4,200 feet on the Northeast’s highest peak. The road crew has been hard at work for several weeks, protecting and preparing the surface to best weather the onset of Spring conditions. It is expected the road will be fully open to the summit within the next two weeks.

“The road has weathered the unusual winter conditions very well, which means we can finally say yes to all the people who have been calling wanting to drive up Mt. Washington!” noted Auto Road General Manager Howie Wemyss. “In fact, considering that the leaves have barely started to open, there are even great views to be had below treeline and the views at treeline of the northern Presidential mountains and beyond are just spectacular,” Wemyss said.

Special rates are being offered for the drive to treeline: $25 per car, including passengers (within safety parameters) and only $8 per motorcycle or $15 per motorcycle with a passenger.

For more information regarding the Mt. Washington Auto Road operations, events and other offerings please call 603-466-3988 or check online at http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/