national parks

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last week ordered all national parks to “remain open and accessible.” The directive comes after about 1,000 National Park Service employees were fired. In March, a federal judge ordered them – and thousands of other laid-off federal workers – to be reinstated, but the U.S. Supreme Court recently blocked that order.

The National Park Service this month issued a first-ever director’s order to strengthen its consultation with tribes in the Mountain West and beyond.

New data shows that the number of rangers patrolling U.S. national parks is at its lowest level this century. This comes at a time when park visitation is rising and so are search-and-rescue calls.

Social media can influence everything from what we eat to where we vacation. Now, a new study shows it’s also driving more visitors to U.S. national parks, especially in the Mountain West.

A new report shows air pollution is affecting most national parks across the U.S., including parts of the Mountain West.

A new report highlights how states in the West benefit from national monuments, which are waters and lands that are permanently protected.

Several environmental and scientific groups are petitioning the Department of the Interior to ban lead-based ammunition and tackle in national parks. They argue the move would be meaningful in slowing the spread of lead poisoning in wildlife.

The recent flooding around Yellowstone National Park also created challenges for gateway towns like Gardner, Red Lodge and Cooke City in Montana. That includes lost homes and possibly lost livelihoods. For travelers who can no longer access the park through those towns, there’s another Montana entrance: West Yellowstone, the most popular gateway to the park.

Data shows that people are seeking spaces beyond the country’s most popular national parks.

Here are the local news headlines for Friday, Sept. 17, 2021.Virus Cases Close Reno School; Hospital Restricts VisitorsBy The Associated PressNevada…