NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Friday, November 18, 2005

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INCIDENTS

South Florida Areas

Hurricane Wilma Recovery Update

Hurricane Wilma recovery operations are now being managed by two teams. Denny Ziemann's Pacific West IMT is overseeing activities at Biscayne NP and Big Cypress NP. An incident management team headed by Bob Panko of Everglades NP is dealing with operations at Everglades NP and Dry Tortugas NP. A deputy IC (J.P. Mattingly) is responsible for the latter.

Big Cypress NP

Grading and debris clean-up continues along the Loop Road, which remains closed. Roofing work continues on structures.

Biscayne NP

Chipping operations and stabilization of the Oceanside boardwalk continues at Elliott Key. A management burn is planned on Boca Chita Key to remove debris piles from that area. Debris clean-up continues at Convoy Point.

Everglades NP

On Thursday, crews began preparing a USGS houseboat to accompany and support trail clearing missions into remote portions of the backcountry Wilderness Waterway. Efforts to remove debris from the Flamingo boat basin continued, as did efforts to clear storm damaged areas at Chekika. Restoration of Flamingo electric, water and wastewater facilities continued. Currently, planning is underway to transfer Wilma recovery efforts to normal park supervision. Long Pine Key Campground was opened for public use.

Dry Tortugas NP

Crews continued efforts to clear debris, rehabilitate and stabilize storm damaged areas and prepare for the future transfer of command. An informational flyer showing photographs of Dry Tortugas and Everglades NP damage was created and disseminated to two Dry Tortuga boat tour companies, the Sea Plane Company and the Key West Chamber of Commerce. A press release describing hurricane damage to Dry Tortugas and Everglades and listing park facilities and trails currently open to visitor use was written and distributed to all local area newspapers and park employees.

Additional Information

A web site has been established as a repository for official documents related to hurricane recovery operations: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1" http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=15&lv=1.

[Richard Reuse, IO, Panko IMT; Judy Bartzatt, IO, Pacific West IMT]

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

First Civil Park System Resource Protection Act Case Tried in Court

On March 1, 2002, a private land owner severely damaged a wooden trestle within Appalachian National Scenic Trail while burning brush on his property. The land owner's property is adjacent to the Virginia Creeper Trail Trestle Bridge #17, a part of the trail in Damascus, Virginia. The USFS maintains the trestle and had recently completed a pedestrian walkway across it. The USFS patrol captain, assisted by a USFS LE officer, investigated the incident and determined that the land owner's fire started the fire that damaged Trestle #17. The investigation showed that the landowner left his property for an hour to have dinner after starting a number of small fires, which he thought were extinguished. When he returned to his property to check for hot spots, he found the trestle on fire. The damage to the trestle, including response and assessment costs, totaled $43,000. The case was forwarded to the DOI Solicitor's Office and eventually on to the AUSA for the Western District of Virginia. Although the NPS was willing to settle and ultimately dropped the figure to $26,000 during settlement negotiations, the responsible party's insurance company was unwilling to raise their counter offer above $8,000. In coordination with the Environmental Response Damage Assessment and Restoration Unit (ERDAR), the NPS decided to not accept the counter offer from the insurance company and moved forward with litigation. The jury trial was held on October 25th and 26th in Abingdon, Virginia. The AUSA, with the assistance of DOI solicitor, successfully argued the NPS case. The jury returned late in the day on October 26th with a verdict in favor of the United States. This is the first 19jj case that has gone to trial. With the successful outcome, the park will receive the $43,000, which both parties had stipulated to before trial, for restoration of the trestle and reimbursement of the parks response and assessment costs. Parks are reminded that under DO-14, parks are to contact ERDAR concerning all potential 19jj cases which include injuries to facilities (fences, stop signs, patrol cars etc), natural and cultural resources. The contact should be made before a value is placed on the resource injured to insure Servicewide consistency. The authorized official for all 19jj cases is the Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, who is the only person with the delegated authority to officially refer a civil 19jj case to the DOI Solicitors Office or to DOJ (including the AUSA). Parks should consult with ERDAR before contacting the DOI Solicitors Office or the civil AUSA. Please refer to DO-14, Resource Damage Assessments and Restoration Policies and Implementation Handbook, for general guidance. If you have questions concerning the case, please contact Robert Gray, chief ranger for the Appalachian Trail, at 304-535-6171. Questions concerning 19jj should go to Karen Battle, damage assessment case officer, at 404-331-0334. For assignment of a case officer for your 19jj case, please contact Rick Dawson, damage assessment program manager, at 404-331-0185. [Robert Gray, Chief Ranger, APPA, and Karen Battle, ERDAR]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Buffalo NR

GS-7 or GS-9 Park Ranger (Protection)

Buffalo National River is seeking applicants for two to three vacancies, one in each of its three districts.

Established in 1972 as the country's first national river, the park protects 135 miles of river from near its origin in the Boston Mountains to the confluence with the White River in Northwest Arkansas. Nearly 100,000 acres in size, roughly one third of the park's land base is designated wilderness. The river flows past massive sandstone and limestone bluffs throughout the park, with the most challenging sections of whitewater near its headwaters. Heavily wooded and extremely rugged terrain are found throughout the park along with numerous hidden caves and waterfalls. There are over 100 miles of maintained trails for hiking and horseback use and 13 designated campgrounds. Elk, black bear, endangered bats, and a wide variety of other animals are found along the river. Hundreds of pre-historical and historical sites dot the landscape.

With over 1 million visitors annually, the park has a very active law enforcement and search and rescue program. Applicants must be willing to participate in high-angle, swiftwater, cave and powerboat rescue operations. Patrols vary from frontcountry foot and vehicle patrols to backcountry foot, horse, kayak or powerboat patrols, depending on the district and water levels. Government housing may be required depending on the position. The area has a low cost of living, low taxes, and very reasonable land and housing prices. Rental property is readily available. The city of Harrison is located less than an hour from each district; park headquarters, K-12 schools, community college, restaurants, shopping, groceries, movie and performing arts theatre, hospital, and specialized clinics are found there. Small communities with more limited amenities are within minutes of each duty station. Springfield, Missouri, Little Rock and Fayetteville, Arkansas, are located within two hours from the park. Branson, Missouri, a popular tourist destination, is located ½ hour north of Harrison. In addition to the park, national forest and state land, and several large reservoirs located nearby offer a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities.

The merit promotion announcement number is BUFF-06-03; the all sources announcement number is CK100715TB. If you have any questions concerning these openings, please contact chief ranger Bob Maguire (870-741-5446 ext. 231), or district ranger Lee Buschkowsky (870-439-2502). [Lee Buschkowsky]

Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs

Craig Axtell Appointed Superintendent

Craig T. Aztell has been appointed the superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. He replaces Richard Martin, who retired in June. Axtell is expected to move from Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, where he is the park superintendent, by the middle of January.

“Craig has a strong sense of community and interagency partnership,” said RD Jonathan Jarvis in making the appointment. “He also has a can-do attitude for planning, developing transportation systems, implementing fire management plans, and demonstrating financial sustainability.”

Axtell has a 30-year career with the NPS — 25 of those in parks. He began work as an economist and park planner in Denver, Colorado, then served as a park resources specialist at Everglades National Park in Florida and Isle Royale National Park in Michigan. For a 15-year period, he worked at Rocky Mountain National Park as chief of resources management and research and was involved in a number of interagency and community partnerships, including the Continental Divide Learning Center and the Fall River Visitor Center.

He also has served as the chief of the NPS' Biological Resource Management Division in Ft. Collins, Colorado, responsible for developing national policy and for providing the technical capability to assist park units throughout the country with wildlife management, invasive plant management, and ecosystem restoration. Throughout his career he has served on wildland fire incident management teams.

“I am extremely pleased and feel very privileged to have been selected for the superintendency of these parks,” Axtell said. “I am looking forward to this great opportunity to work with a very professional park staff and eager to begin working and collaborating with partners in the local and regional community to implement the new general management plan.”

Axtell is the recipient of the Department of the Interior Superior Service Award for accomplishments made in the natural resource management program. He has a BS in forest science and a masters in natural resources management from Colorado State University in Ft Collins.

Axtell and his wife, Kristine, a teacher, have a son in graduate school and a daughter who is a senior, both at Colorado State University. The family enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, skiing and mountain biking.

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Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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