NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

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INCIDENTS

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

Armed Confrontation and Arrest

Just before midnight on April 9th, rangers contacted a man who was arguing with a woman of his acquaintance while parked near the Old Cathedral. When one of the rangers approached the driver's side window, he heard the sound of a revolver cocking. The rangers immediately drew their weapons and ordered the man to drop what turned out to be a .22 caliber revolver. He complied and was arrested on various charges, including a $50,000 warrant for possession with intent to distribute drugs issued by police from Saint Louis County. The case has been referred to the US Attorney's Office pending further investigation. [Joel Musick, Chief Ranger]

Olympic NP

Salal Poaching

A ranger and a ranger trainee were on patrol on the afternoon of April 8th when they spotted an unoccupied late model Isuzu Rodeo parked along the roadway near Lake Crescent. The rangers saw remnants of salal (Gaultheria shallon) foliage on the seats and floorboards of the vehicle and suspected that the people associated with the vehicle were illegally cutting salal , a green leafy shrub valued for its use in the floral industry. Later in the evening, rangers contacted two men at the vehicle. Both denied picking anything in the park, although they possessed all the implements commonly used by commercial salal harvesters (rubber bands, clippers, and a cutting device worn on the finger like a ring). Lake District rangers searched the woods in the immediate area, discovered three large bundles (186 pounds) of salal, and were able to link the bundles to the two men. The men were cited for “gathering/possessing undesignated natural products." After consultation with the assistant U.S. attorney, the men were detained and transported to Port Angeles to verify identification and check for possible violations of immigration laws. They were later released. Salal may be legally picked on adjacent private and USFS forest lands under permit, but is frequently harvested unlawfully inside the park. [Barb Maynes, Public Affairs Officer]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Big Bend NP

GS-025 11 Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection)

The park is seeking qualified candidates interested in a lateral transfer assignment or promotion to fill a supervisory park ranger position. The announcement is currently posted on USA Jobs (BIBE 06-13). Stationed at Castolon, the person in this position serves as district ranger for the park's West District and is responsible for supervision, program management and operations for a full range of visitor and resource protection assignments, including traditional ranger experiences in wildland and structural fire, EMS, SAR, backcountry and horse patrol duties, and river patrol. The West District encompasses about half of the 801,000 acre park, including the Chisos Basin area. The park has an excellent K-8 school and outstanding recreational opportunities. Interested persons should contact chief ranger Mark Spier at 432-477-1185 for further information. (CRO)

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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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