02-580
Gateway National Recreation Area
Special Event: New York Marathon
On Sunday, November 3, the Staten Island Unit of the park hosted the
over 31,000 runners participating in this year's New York Marathon. This
event, which grows in popularity and size each year, was supported by
NPS rangers and Park Police officers, who worked with other agencies to
assure that the staging areas for the event were safe, organized and
friendly places for the thousands who gathered here in preparation for
the race. Weather conditions were ideal for the marathon and the
enjoyment of the activities provided at the park by both participants
and spectators.
[Submitted by Angel Nazario, Management
Assistant, Staten Island Unit]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Redwood National and State Parks (CA)
Park Fire Situation
The annual prescribed burning season ended on October 29 with a total of 330 acres burned in the Bald Hills on the Ganns Prairie, Upper Elk Camp, Upper Lyons Ranch, and Copper Creek units. The Bald Hills area consists of prairies traditionally burned by local Native Americans for forage and acorn production. Park resource managers are now using fire to maintain this natural and cultural landscape, as well as to control exotic plants. A goal of the prescribed burning program, which began in 1980, is to reestablish a two to three year fire frequency cycle on the prairies, and this year fire carried exceedingly well due to drought conditions. Although no forest units were in prescription this year, the park will continue its plans to begin reintroducing fire into this fire-resistant ecosystem to promote the character and health of ancient redwood forests.
[Submitted by Kate Bowling-Schaff, Interpretive Ranger]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Isle Royale National Park (MI)
GS-401-12 Chief of Branch of Natural Resources
The park is recruiting for a GS-401-12 chief of its Branch of Natural Resources. The branch chief manages the entire natural resource/research program in the park, a complex and dynamic program that includes:
- long-term research/monitoring projects (wolf-moose, beaver, common loons, raptors, amphibians, coaster brook trout, forest health plots, rare plants);
- participation in the rapidly developing Great Lakes Network I&M program; and
- program management responsibilities for fisheries, wilderness, wildland fire, exotic species, air and water quality, etc.
Isle Royale is singularly unique in terms of its fascinating ecosystem, lack of roads and development, wilderness qualities, and an interface with the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior. The position is a mix of approximately five months on the island during the visitor season and seven months on the mainland of Michigan (a haven for skiing and snow sports). Questions can be directed to Jack Oelfke, the outgoing incumbent, at 906-487-9080 x 34 or via email at jack_oelfke@nps.gov or to Peter Armington, chief of the Division of Ranger Activities and Resource Management at 906-487-7148.
[Submitted by Peter Armington, Chief, Ranger Activities and Resource Management]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.