Olympic National Park (WA)
Investigation Into Fatal Goat Goring Continues
The preliminary investigation of the October 16th fatal mountain goat goring near Klahhane Ridge has concluded and the findings were consistent with initial accounts of the incident. Witnesses and others in the area at the time describe an aggressive male mountain goat that approached, followed and fatally gored R.B. while he was hiking. Following the fatal encounter, the goat stood over R.B. until several visitors, including an off-duty National Park Service employee, succeeded in scaring off the goat. First aid and CPR were administered at the scene and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter transported R.B. to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where he was pronounced dead. Following the incident, the goat was positively identified by park rangers and destroyed. A necropsy and comprehensive tissue analysis were conducted on the goat and preliminary results have been released. A wide range of tests, including the initial visual examination during necropsy, followed by microscopic study of the major organs and a battery of diagnostic tests, have not revealed any signs of disease or other physical abnormalities. The goat is estimated to have weighed over 350 pounds. Tests for rabies virus, encephalitis virus, plague and tularemia revealed no evidence of those diseases. Salt concentrations in the animal's urine were within normal limits. Tissue analysis showed that the goat was in breeding condition or "rut." Additional diagnostic tests for several diseases are still ongoing, including listeria and chronic wasting disease, as are several chemical assessments for key nutrients. Rangers and wildlife biologists conducted daily goat behavior monitoring patrols during the week of October 18th, but these have not continued since snowfall began on October 24th — nearly two feet of snow is now on the ground at Hurricane Ridge. Up to eight goats were seen in a day but there were no observations of aggressive mountain goat behavior. Some goats appeared to be habituated to human presence, but quickly moved away when people yelled or waved their arms. Patrols will resume this fall if weather and snow conditions permit. Once winter weather begins, mountain goats typically move to their winter range, which varies from herd to herd. Winter range for goats in the Hurricane/Klahhane area is primarily along a rocky, windswept ridge north and east of Klahhane Ridge. Park biologists, in collaboration with biologists from neighboring land and wildlife management agencies, have solicited and have been receiving information about mountain goat—human interactions from across the animals' range. Park staff will incorporate all new information learned through this incident into the park's nuisance and hazardous animal plan. [Submitted by Barb Maynes, Public Affairs Officer]
New River Gorge National River (WV)
Local Man Commits Suicide At Grandview
On Monday, October 25th, rangers received a report that a local man was headed to Grandview and that he was planning on committing suicide. During the morning, the man had made numerous phone calls to family and friends declaring his intent. Rangers and other park staff responded. Before they could get to Grandview, the man's mother found him on top of Turkey Spur rock, a scenic overlook within the park, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Once on scene, rangers and NPS fire personnel provided advanced life support along with members of two local ambulance services. He was flown to Charleston Area Medical Center by Healthnet Aeromedical Services, where he succumbed to his injury two days later. Rangers led the investigation and recovered a suicide note, the firearm, his cell phone, and other items from the scene. [Submitted by Frank Sellers, Acting Chief Ranger]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Visitor and Resource Protection
Executive Leadership Seminar Application Deadline Extended
The opportunity to apply to the NPI Executive Leadership Seminar has been extended until November 5th.
The National Parks Institute Executive Leadership Seminar, entitled "Leadership in an Environment of Change," will be held from April 3rd to April 14th.
If you're committed to fostering global excellence in park management, apply to participate in this seminar. Tailored to executive-level managers of national parks, protected lands, marine sanctuaries, and cultural heritage sites, this international seminar will focus on strategic protected area leadership, innovation and organization renewal. The course will build professional friendships that will serve as an international peer association that will deepen each year.
Participants will learn to lead strategic change by anticipating change, reinvigorating their organizations, and incorporating innovative thinking into their management. A practical framework will be applied to real-world case studies and take-home action plans. Four modules will focus on:
- Leading Change and Organizational Renewal
- Context Matters: Trends and Critical Issues in Public Land Management
- Innovation in the Field
- Generating Motivation and Commitment
UC Merced and the National Park Service have partnered with the Great Valley Center, the Institute at the Golden Gate, the Center for Park Management, and Stanford University's Graduate School of Business to create this intensive,12-day seminar.
The seminar will begin at the Institute at the Golden Gate in San Francisco, proceed to UC Merced, and complete in Yosemite National Park. Past (2010) keynote speakers and facilitators included David Sibbet, president of the Grove Consultants International, Professor Charles O'Reilly III of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks, Jack Dangermond, founder of Environmental Systems Research Institute, and former President Jimmy Carter.
Thirty applicants will be selected to participate in the seminar. Selection will be based on a competitive application process and committee review. Last year, NPI received over 150 seminar applications representing over 50 countries and six continents.
For more information, and for application materials, visit: http://parkleadership.ucmerced.edu/ or contact Angelina Ceja, UC Merced Great Valley Center, 201 Needham Street, Modesto, CA 95354 (phone: 209-522-5103; fax: 209-522-5116, email: angelina@greatvalley.org).
[Submitted by Ashley Adams, Ashley_Adams@nps.gov, 202-513-7130]
Park Facility Management Division
Nominations Sought For NPS Environmental Achievement Awards
The Park Facility Management Division's Sustainable Operations and Climate Change Branch is now accepting nominations for the FY 2011 NPS environmental achievement awards.
Nominations will be accepted until December 14th for projects that occurred during FY 2010.
To align with the FY 2011 GreenGov presidential awards, the EA awards program this year has changed significantly in terms of timing, nomination requirements and award categories.
Awards will be presented to individual NPS employees, teams or partners for projects in the following categories:
- Sustainability Hero
- Green Innovation
- Lean, Clean and Green
- Good Neighbor
- Green Dream Team
- Building the Future
- Environmental Stewardship
Visit the NPS EA Awards webpage at http://inside.nps.gov/waso/waso.cfm?prg=1227&lv=4 to submit nominations.
[Submitted by Fred Sturniolo, fred_sturniolo@nps.gov, (202) 513-7078]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Submerged Resources Center
New National Dive Safety Officer Named
The National Park Service dive program is pleased to announce that the newly-created position of national dive safety officer has been filled by Steven H. Sellers.
Sellers is a past president of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences and current director for diving and water safety at East Carolina University in Greenville North Carolina. With 20 years of experience in dive safety, dive operations and scientific diving, Sellers brings a tremendous amount of talent, drive and experience to the National Park Service's diving program.
"In a well qualified and highly competitive field of applicants, Steve was a clear standout and our first choice to fill this important position," said Dean Ross, NPS branch chief for emergency services and manager of the NPS diving program, "I have every confidence that he has the skills and abilities to keep our divers safe, provide mission critical diving skills and continue the proud ranger tradition of operational diving to support the NPS mission."
Sellers has an extensive background in cultural and natural resource diving, marine operations and law enforcement and will be placed with the Submerged Resources Center in Lakewood, Colorado. The duties of the position focus on park-based training with dive teams, interagency cooperation and coordination, and program review and evaluation.
Funding for the position has been provided by associate directors for natural resources, cultural resources, facilities management, and visitor and resource protection
Sellers will begin his work immediately with scheduled national training workshops at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Biscayne National Park.
He has been married to his wife Debra for 23 years and has a son Aaron, 19, who is a freshman at North Carolina State University.
[Submitted by David L. Conlin]
NPS serious incident submission standards can be found at the following web site:
http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id;=8728&lv;=2&pgid;=3504
All reports should now be submitted via this automated system.