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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Thursday, May 22, 2014 INCIDENTS Shenandoah NP Rangers Investigate Three Plant Poaching Cases Over the past few weeks, rangers have investigated several significant plant poaching and drug cases: Saturday, May 3rd - A natural resources employee saw two people digging for plants near Gravel Springs Gap. A ranger later located the pair collecting mushrooms near Lands Run. The man and woman admitted to digging HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tricoccum" ramps near Gravel Springs and produced a large bag from their trunk containing 186 individual plants collectively weighing just under five pounds. They were each issued mandatory citations for collecting plants. Acting district ranger Stu Curtin is the case officer. Sunday, May 11th - While conducting a foot patrol off Route 211 just above park headquarters, a ranger contacted three men who were collecting mushrooms. Though the men were under their legal limit, the ranger sensed something was up and walked with them back to their vehicle. Additional rangers arrived to assist in a consent vehicle search which yielded another bag of mushrooms and a small amount of methamphetamine. One male was issued mandatory citations for possession of a controlled substance and illegal parking. Ranger Tyler Hudock is the case officer. Tuesday, May 13th - A ranger contacted a woman at Gravel Springs Gap regarding an apparent odor of marijuana. She said that the smell was from a bag of fresh ramps in her trunk, adding that the ramps were dug outside of the park earlier that morning. As additional rangers arrived on scene, a man emerged from the woods and joined her. The mother and her son then confessed to digging ramps in the park and stated they had a large cache of plants and gear down the trail and out of sight. The two also admitted to possessing marijuana. Rangers seized a total of 1,360 individual plants, weighing just over 32 pounds. A vehicle search yielded an ounce and a half of marijuana in individually labeled baggies, along with a digital scale and extra empty baggies. The son was arrested for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and collecting plants. His mother was issued mandatory citations for possession of a controlled substance and collecting plants. Ranger Jeston Fisher is the case officer. Rangers worked closely with the park's natural resources staff to process and preserve the plants and get them replanted as quickly as possible [Brian L. Sikes, Chief Ranger] OTHER NEWS The following stories are among those in today's webpage editions of InsideNPS (available to NPS employees only) and the Morning Report (available to all readers): Jefferson NEM - On May 13th, Vice President Joe Biden visited the park and toured the Gateway Arch and an adjacent section of the riverfront that is part of a major project to renovate the Gateway Arch grounds and connect it with the Mississippi River. Climate Change Response Program - A new guide, entitled Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaption Principles into Practice, offers conservation practitioners and natural resource managers guidance on carrying out conservation in a changing climate. Youth Programs Division - In order to ensure that the views of Youth Conservation Corps inform ongoing program decisions and operations, the Youth Programs Division in the Washington Office will conduct a national YCC field assessment survey next month. United States Park Police - During Kids to Parks Day on May 19th, various school groups visiting Constitution Gardens met with United States Park Police Horse Mounted Unit patrol officers and their horses. Office of Communications - The National Park Service has awarded nearly $40,000 in repatriation grants to four organizations under the terms of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Great Smoky Mountains NP - Cindy MacLeod, superintendent of Independence National Historical Park, has been selected as the acting superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, effective June 1st. Social Science Program - Dr. Pam Ziesler has joined the WASO Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate as a management analyst in visitor use statistics. To see the full text of these stories, readers should go to one or the other of the following sites: NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index Non-NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/" http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/ The Morning Report is produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov). --- ### --- |