National Parks

AOL News AP National ParksDevastated Millions Visit Them Every YearWhat Caused So Much Damage? Did Manson Family Murder Others?Clues May Point to Secret Graves NCAA Tournament Is Set Who's In and Who's Out?Full Coverage | Print Bracket Next in News: National Parks Devastated

NEW YORK - Here are some of the hot spots, trends and statistics for travel in the new year.U.S. TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION: For the fifth straight year, Italy placed first as the most popular international destination for vacation packages and tours, according to an annual informal poll of USTOA member companies. Croatia, followed by China, were the hottest up-and-coming countries for tours and packages.YAHOO! TRAVEL: Yahoo! [YHOO] Travel’s biggest domestic “Movers & Shakers” - destinations that got the biggest increase in page views in Yahoo! Travel Guides - were Lancaster, Pa.; Ocean City, N.J.; South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Wildwood, N.J.; Helen, Ga.; and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Rwenzori Mountains between Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo. It includes approximately 1 000 square kilometres of land. Within that land are numerous waterfalls, lakes, glaciers, and the third highest mountain in Africa - Mount Stanley. Mount Stanley Everlasting flower Agrandir le plan Sources : Rwenzori.com, Wikipedia, UNESCO

After a five-hour haul up to Sequoia National Park with a tent and cooler stuffed for a weekend camping sojourn in big-tree country, you wouldn't dream of pulling into Lodgepole campground at dusk without a reservation. More than 200 chock-a-block campsites occupy this unofficial Mission Control for car campers in one of the country's most popular parks. And on a warm evening in late summer, with the world's largest tree hulking just minutes down the road and a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms hovering somewhere above the western Sierra, you can bet that every one of them will be occupied by a friendly family grilling slabs of meat under a dome of cloudless sky.

by: Sharon Elrod Photographers, amateur and professional alike, can turn a summer road trip into an exciting and challenging photo opportunity. Scenic national parks throughout the continental United States provide wildlife and landscape vistas not found anywhere else. In addition, if you’re really looking carefully, the wonders of nature can be found on most roads and highways. Opportunity

Last week I wrote an entry on the Brazilian National parks and today I’d like to share with you an interesting - albeit limited - resource I’ve just come across. It’s a series of brochures edited by Philips in partnership with the Brazilian publisher Horizonte Geográfico. The series is very small, in Portuguese, but it’s worth knowing about its existence. The following brochures are available: Parques Nacionais do Brasil Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra Parque Nacional do Caparaó Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros Parque Nacional do Itatiaia Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara Parque Nacional de Ubajara The PDFs are available for download at the site Sustentabilidade Philips. The list of brochures is found on the bottom part of the middle column. At the website of the publisher Horizonte Geográfico you will also find a brochure for Fernando de Noronha. It is found under

National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and other protected areas harbor unique environments and wildlife not found elsewhere. This raises particular concerns about the GlobalWarming Awareness2007 and vulnerability of these ecosystems to a changing climate. Many parks and refuges are designated to protect rare natural features or particular species of plants and animals. Changes in climate could create GlobalWarmingAwareness2007, new stresses on natural communities, and, in the absence of adaptation, lead to the loss of valued resources.

-- Guide Review : The national parks map & guide covers 8 National Parks, the grand canyon, zion, bryce, capitol reef, arches, canyonlands, mesa-verde, great basin , and 14 national monuments ... The map & guide also recommends things to do and see , driving distances and routes , includes a large 24" X 36", fold-out, easy-to-read map .. Great booklet for travelers , family vacations , and

President and Mrs. Bush Participate in Roundtable on the National Parks Centennial Initiative, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitors Center, Shenandoah National Park, Luray, Virginia. Fact Sheet: The National Parks Centennial Initiative and In Focus: Environment 11:59 A.M. EST. SECRETARY KEMPTHORNE: Mr. President, and First Lady Laura Bush, on behalf of all of the wonderful people of the National Parks Service, it is such an honor to have the First Couple here at this wonderful national park.And, ladies and gentlemen, those of you who are here at the roundtable, we look forward to this opportunity to have some discussions with you.But we'd be very honored, Mr. President, just to get initial thoughts from you. As I introduce our President, let me just put it in this perspective: Two years ago, my wife, Patricia, and I had the great opportunity to spend three days with the President and the First Lady in Idaho, to see this couple, what the outdoors mean to them, how they rec

I went to Kubah National Park a little over a year ago. One of those short holiday excursions again. The park is located about 20 kilometres from Kuching and one of Sarawak's most accessible national parks. 30-40 minutes is all it takes to get there from the city centre, provided you know your way of course. The Park consists largely of undisturbed natural forest with five main vegetation types:- alluvial forest, lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, kerangas (heath) forest, submontane forest and secondary forest. Its rich forest, proximity to the mangrove forests and its terrain all ensure that Kubah is home to a variety of wildlife, including bearded pigs, black hornbills, mousedeer, squirrels and numerous species of amphibians and reptiles. It is also rich in palms and orchids. I didn't see any bearded pigs or other faunal species while there, probably because we did not try to hide our presence there by keeping our voices down.For those of you who enjoy tranquility in a natural envir

I spend almost 80% of my time in a year in a city environment. Not really to my liking but what other choice do I have. When I do get the chance, I enjoy a quick break to nearby national parks, of which some are very accessible fortunately for city guys like me. The one I've been to most recently (that being 2 years ago) is Gunung Gading National Park. It's located in the Lundu District, northeast of Kuching. The Park is just 5 minutes drive from Lundu town or about 2 hour's drive from Kuching. The Park consists of rugged mountain peaks which provides a scenic backdrop to the nearby beaches at Pandan and Siar. Best places to go to are the waterfalls in the upper reaches of Sungai Lundu and of course the 800 meter plus hike right up to the peak of Mount Gading. The climb is a piece of cake for those of you who've scaled the likes of K2 and the Himalayas. 4 hours tops, including time to stop and take photographs.On the celebrity profile, the Park is famous for being home to the world

The Amateur Traveler talks to Erik Smith about his quest to see all of the National Parks in the lower 48 states of the United States. Learn about big parks like Yellowstone and Glacier, remote ones like Dry Tortugas, small ones like William Howard Taft’s home and even underwater national parks. News Virgin American Planes to Try [...]