NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, February 2, 2001

INCIDENTS

00-780 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Poaching

A backcountry ranger discovered evidence of three men hunting in the 
park near Reese Creek drainage along the north boundary last November 
19th. The men crossed into the park and at one point were a mile or 
more inside the boundary. One of the men shot three to four times and 
killed a big bull elk. Unknown to him, he also hit a cow elk with one 
of his shots. The cow ran about 400 yards before it died. A second man 
in the group shot at another bull, but missed. The third man was not 
hunting, but just along for the experience. The men dragged two elk 
halves by horse to the trailhead. NPS agents traveled to Billings, 
Montana, interviewed the men, and seized the bull elk. Plea agreements 
were subsequently reached whereby CFR charges were filed against two 
of the men for possession of weapons and hunting in the park. The 
third man was not charged. Plea agreements specify that the guilty 
parties pay $3,500 in restitution to the park. The men are also on 
probation for two years, during which time they are prohibited from 
entering Yellowstone. [Dick Divine, SA, YELL, 2/1]

00-781 - Big Bend NP (TX) - Resource Damage Cost Recovery

On June 17, 2000, a rented vehicle transporting eight illegal aliens 
attempted to elude pursuing Border Patrol agents by driving off-road 
through the desert, causing damage to nearly 13,000 square feet of 
terrain and flora. The driver fled. Rangers worked closely with 
resource management staff to prepare a damage assessment itemizing 
investigation and restoration costs, including replacement of cacti 
and other desert plants. Through the provisions found in 16 USC 19jj, 
the park billed Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company for the damages caused 
by their vehicle. Enterprise was able to shift the costs to the 
insurance carrier for the person who rented the van. The park has 
received a check from that company for $2,054 and has now established 
a procedure to facilitate future resource damage cost recovery cases. 
[Mark Spier, Acting CR, BIBE, 1/29]

01-031 - Haleakala NP (HI) - Drug and Weapons Arrest

Kipahulu rangers Roger Mayo and Jonathan Liakos saw a car heading 
through the park at a speed under five miles per hour on the afternoon 
of January 27th. They stopped the driver for not wearing a seatbelt. 
As they approached the car, they saw marijuana (confirmed by field 
tests), paraphernalia and three large knives (one a quick-release 
Spyder) in plain view. The vehicle was searched. The driver and 
passenger had in their possession three more knives, a demolition 
hammer, two handmade clubs, several large screwdrivers directly under 
the front seat, and three bags of marijuana. NCIC and driver's license 
checks revealed that there were several outstanding warrants against 
the two men. They were arrested and charged with possession of a 
controlled substance, possession of an open container of alcohol, and 
driving without either a license or insurance. [Karen Newton, CR, 
HALE, 1/28]

                  [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

No new information. Please check the NPS Fire Management Program 
Center web page (www.fire.nps.gov) for further information on fire 
plan projects.

Park Fires

No fires reported.

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Policy Office Update - The status of several DO's (director's orders) 
currently in the works is as follows:

o       DO-93, Conflict Resolution - Released on February 1st for a 60 
        day comment period.
o       DO-52A, Communicating the NPS Mission - Approved on January 
        31st. 
o       DO-25, Land Protection - Approved on January 19th.
o       DO-58, Structural Fire Management - Approved on January 19th.
o       DO-19, Records Management - Approved on January 17th.
o       DO-12, Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, 
        and Decision-Making - Approved on January 8th. The related 
        handbook is also in final and has been posted on the policy 
        web site.
o       DO-70, Internet and Intranet Publishing - Approved on January 
        8th. 

Printed copies of "Management Policies 20001" and the CD-ROM should be 
ready for distribution on February 16th. Copies will be sent to all 
offices and parks. The document may be viewed on the web at 
www.nps.gov/refdesk/mp/index.html. [Marcia Keener, Office of Policy]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No submissions.

FILM AT 11...

The current issue of Men's Health Magazine has an interesting article 
that pertains in part to potential recreational activities in two 
national parks - Denali NP and Jewel Cave NM. Since this is a family 
publication, we're not going to get into particulars about just what 
types of activities they're promoting except to say that, in more 
civil (and delicate) times, they were referred to as trysts or 
assignations. One wonders if there's potential here for a new user 
fee...

                            *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed 
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address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your 
servicing hub coordinator.  The Morning Report is also available on 
the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the 
cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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