NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Monday, March 25, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-112 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Tennessee/Alabama) - Poaching Convictions

On March 19th, four people were found guilty of poaching in the park in two
recent incidents, the first on December 7th, the second on January 7th. 
D.P. and B.V. were found guilty in the first incident; they
were each fined $500, placed on probation for a year and forfeited their
rifles.  L.C. and A.H. were found guilty in the second. 
Rangers found the pair loading a buck deer into the back of a truck, but they
claimed that someone in a four-wheeler had shot it.  Thorough investigation
of the area by rangers led to the discovery of a weapon, footprints, blood
and drag marks in the snow - but no trace of any four-wheel-drive vehicle
tracks.  The rangers were also able to backtrack to the spot where the animal
was shot.  L.C. pled guilty to hunting and weapons charges; he was fined
$100, sentenced to a year's probation, and ordered to forfeit his weapon and
pay $1,000 in restitution for the deer.  A.H. pled guilty to interfering
with an agency function and was fined $200.  Both were convicted of state
violations stemming from this case on an earlier date and fined $1,100.  The
defense attorney to exception to this fact, but the magistrate ruled that
state proceedings did not apply to federal court.  [Tim Francis, ACR, NATR]

96-113 - Fredericksburg/Spottsylvania (Virginia) - ARPA Conviction

On March 8th, C.Z. and G.Z. were found guilty in federal court of
removal and possession of archeological resources and possession of a metal
detector.  The Z.s had been caught in the Wilderness Battlefield unit of
the park on the last day of the government shutdown in January.  C.Z.
was fined $250 and prohibited from entering federal lands for a year; G.Z.
was fined $250, prohibited from entering federal lands for a year, and
placed on two years' probation.  [Mike Johnson, CR, FRSP]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Hantavirus Update -  Jerry Johnson, the director of Public Health for the
NPS, has provided the following update on hantavirus.  Because of the
significance of the problem in many areas, we are including more detail than
is normally sought in Morning Report summaries:

The effectiveness of mechanical rodent-proofing methods in reducing human-
rodent contact in rural environments became an issue in the summer of 1993
with the recognition of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rapidly
progressing, often fatal disease, first diagnosed among rural residents of
the Four Corners region of the Southwest.  Investigations of the disease
outbreak led to the identification of a previously unrecognized hantavirus
and the implication of the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, as the primary
source of human infection.  Because P. maniculatus, in particular, and the
genus Peromyscus, in general, are found nearly everywhere in rural North
America, residents in rural habitats such as national parks have increased
risk of contracting HPS. 

Because of public concern about HPS, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) developed a series of recommendations to reduce the risk of
rodent contact.  These methods included mechanical rodent-proofing and
habitat modification, supplemented by indoor trapping and use of rodenticide
when appropriate.  In the NPS, reliance had to be placed on rodent-proofing,
since habitat modification is not appropriate in most situations and
pesticide use is not routinely authorized.  Review of the literature showed
that no controlled studies had been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness
of mechanical rodent-proofing in reducing rodent infestation in rural
housing.  

CDC and the Service therefore undertook a collaborative study to evaluate the
effectiveness of mechanical rodent-proofing in reducing rodent infestations
in seasonal housing located at Shenandoah, Sequoia/Kings Canyon and Yosemite
National Parks.  In each park, five or six study sites were chosen.  Each
site contained four cabins or trailers of the same style and age of
construction.  All of the units were inspected for evidence of rodent
infestation by an expert rodent-proofing consultant.  He provided on-the-job
training to maintenance personnel in identifying sources of rodent access and
mechanically excluding them.  The consultant also provided detailed
recommendations for rodent-proofing each unit  Two units at each site were
then randomly assigned to be rodent-proofed, while the other two served as
controls.

During pre-treatment surveys, nearly all (63/68) selected units had past or
on-going rodent activity inside.  Active infestations were found in 59.6% of
the units.  Peromyscus spp. represented 91.2% of all animals caught inside
housing units.  Despite little harborage, rodent activity was common near
housing (290 animals/2254 trap nights).  The most common species was P.
maniculatus (43-50% of all captures).  This species was especially frequent
(from 49-87% of Peromyscus captures) around the foundations of housing units. 
Habitat had little effect on Peromyscus captures.  There were 1.8 Peromyscus
caught along the foundations of housing in modified rural settings with grass
lawns compared to 1.2 Peromyscus caught per unit in sites located in mature
woodlands.

All units except one cluster at Shenandoah were rodent-proofed during the
fall of 1994.  Because of time constraints, there was no follow up evaluation
to ensure that all access points had been eliminated.  Modifications were
made using galvanized sheet metal, quarter-inch hardware cloth, foam
insulation and wooden strips to seal cracks and holes around doors and
windows, pipes, vents, electrical and telephone wires, attics, roof lines and
tops and bottoms of trailer skirts.  

During the spring/summer of 1995, these housing units were reevaluated. 
Rodent-proofed houses were infested significantly less often (3/28) than
control houses (13/36) and the intensity of infestation was lower in
experimental houses (6 vs. 23 mice).  More than 25% of the mice trapped
inside the houses were marked outside the units, demonstrating movement of
mice into unprotected housing.  As in the previous autumn, most of the
animals captured were Peromyscus spp.

These results show that:

1. Rodents, especially those of the genus Peromyscus are common in and
around housing in rural habitats.
    
2. In the absence of rodent-proofing, these species readily move into
housing during the autumn and winter.
    
3. Since the presence and abundance of these species are risk factors for
hantavirus, the study demonstrates the importance of intervention to
potentially reduce the disease risk for rural residents.
    
4. Rodent-proofing can be effectively implemented in rural housing to
minimize rodent activity.  Results of this study would have been even
more dramatic if we had time to recheck for missed rodent access points
after the structures had been initially rodent-proofed. 

5. Rodent-proofing of even badly deteriorated structures can be done
effectively and at relatively low cost.  The major cost is labor -
requiring about two days per unit.  Our total costs for labor and
materials averaged about $600 per unit.
    
6. Follow-up is important after structures have been rodent-proofed, since
it is relatively easy to miss some of the more hidden access points.  
There may be several of these hard-to-find access points in older
buildings that have not been rodent-proofed in several years. 

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

MEETINGS/CONFERENCES CALENDAR

Two calendars alternate in the Morning Report on Mondays - this one, which
contains meetings and conferences, and a second, which contains workshops and
training courses.  If you know of a conference, meeting, workshop or training
session with Servicewide interest and implications, please send the
information along.  Entries are listed no earlier than FOUR months before the
event, EXCEPT in instances in which registration dates close much earlier. 
Asterisks indicate new entries; brackets at end of entry indicate source of
information.  Brevity is appreciated.

3/19-23 -- North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Tulsa,
OK.  Contact: L.L. Williamson, Wildlife Management Institute,
202-371-1808.  [Kathy Jope, CCSSO]

3/26-30 -- "Integration of Cultural and Natural Ecosystems Across
Landscapes," Eleventh Annual Landscape Ecology Symposium,
Galveston, TX.  Contact: Robert Coulson, 409-845-9725;
coulson@igis3.tamu.edu.  [Kathy Jope, CCSSO]

3/31-4/2 -- "Rally II, Working for America's Real Places," Second National
Conference on Heritage Areas, Baltimore, MD.  Contact: Sara
Polster, National Coalition for Heritage Areas, 202-673-4204. 
[Sheila Lee, WASO]

4/1-4* -- SEFA Joint/Cluster Superintendents' Conference, Tuskegee
University Conference Center, Tuskegee, AL.  The hotel can be
reached by calling 1-800-884-5995 outside of Alabama, or 334-727-
3000 within Alabama.  Contact: Willie Madison, Tuskegee Institute
NHS, 334-727-6390.  [Willie Madison, TUIN]

4/10-15 -- Annual Meeting, Society for American Archaeology, New Orleans,
LA.  Contact: Program chairs Paul and Suzanne Fish, 520-621-2556
(phone), 520-621-2976 (fax).  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

4/11-13 -- "History and the Public Interest," Eighteenth Annual Conference,
The National Council on Public History, Seattle, WA.  The
conference will include a program track of NPS sessions. 
Contact: NCPH, 317-274-2716 (phone), 317-274-2347 (fax).  [Beth
Boland, NRHE/WASO]

4/13-17 -- "Planning for Tomorrow's World," APA National Planning
Conference, Orlando, FL.  Contact: Renee Kaiser, 312-431-9100. 
[Sheila Lee, WASO]

4/15-17* -- Trail Accessibility Symposium, Martinsville, IN.  Contact: The
National Center on Accessibility, 317-349-9240 or 800-424-1817.  

4/17-21 -- Annual Conference, American Planning Association, Orlando, FL. 
Contact: 312-431-9100.  [Steve Cinnamon, MWRO]

4/18-21 -- Annual Meeting, Society for Military History, Rosslyn, VA. 
Contact: Dr. Kevin Ruffner, 703-351-2621 (phone), 703-522-9280
(fax).  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]
 
4/19-21 -- "March for Parks", sponsored by National Parks and Conservation
Association.  Contact: NPCA.  ["The NPS Electric Courier"]

4/21-24 -- Scenic Byways '96, Tysons Corner, VA.  Contact: American
Recreation Coalition, 202-662-7420.  [Sheila Lee, WASO]

4/22-28 -- National Park Week.  Contact: Sue Waldron, 202-208-5477.  

4/24-28 -- 30th Annual Military History Conference, El Paso, TX.  Contact:
CAMP '96 Conference, PO Box 1151, Fort Myer, VA 22211.  [Diane
Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

5/1-3 -- First Conference on Research and Resource Management in Southern
Arizona National Park Areas, Hilton East Hotel, Tucson, AZ. 
Contact: Tim Tibbitts, ORPI, 520-387-7662, x 7114.  [Kathy Hiett,
CPSU/UA]

5/2-3 -- "Seeking a Public Audience for Federal History," Annual Meeting,
The Society for History in the Federal Government, Cliffside Inn,
Harpers Ferry, WV.  Lodging arrangements can be made by
contacting the Cliffside Inn (800-782-9437) before April 2nd. 
Contact: Bruce Noble, 304-535-6158.  [Bruce Noble, HAFE]

5/4-8 -- Annual Meeting, The American Association of Museums, Minneapolis,
MN.  Contact: AAM, 202-289-1818.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

5/5-9 -- Annual Conference, National Association of Recreation Resource
Planners, Clearwater Beach, FL.  Contact: Al Gregory or Tim
Bradley, Florida Division of Recreation and Parks, 904-488-2200. 
[Sheila Lee, WASO]

5/7-10 -- "Fire and Ecosystem Management: Shifting the Paradigms from
Suppression to Prescription," Tall Timbers Fire Ecology
Conference, Boise Id.  Contact: Leonard Brennan, Tall Timbers
Research Station, 904-893-4153 ext.222; brennan@bio.fsu.edu. 
[Kathy Jope, CCSSO]

5/15-18 -- Second National Conference, Women in Historic Preservation,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.  Contact: ASU History
Department, Box 872501, Tempe, AZ 85287-2501.  [Diane Vogt
O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

5/17-19 -- "Friends of Trashed Rivers," Coalition to Restore Urban Waters
Conference, Chicago, IL.  Contact: Laurene Von Klan, 312-939-
0490.  [Sheila Lee, WASO]

5/30-6/2 -- Annual Meeting, Society for Industrial Archeology, Sacramento,
CA.  Sponsored by California State Railroad Museum.  Contact:
916-445-7387 (phone), 916-327-5655 (fax), csrmf@ns.net, or
Duncan_Hay@nps.gov.  [Duncan Hay, NMSC]

6/1 -- National Trails Day.  Contact: American Hiking Society, 301-653-
6704.  [Sheila Lee, WASO]

6/5-7 -- "Partnership Opportunities for Federally-Associated Collections,"
conference, Berkeley, CA.  Will address major issues pertaining
to long-term management of federally-associated collections. 
Contact: Fritz Stern, Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, 510-
642-6271 (fax) or fstern@uclink3.berkeley.edu.  [Diane Vogt
O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

6/8-12* -- National Convention, Audubon Society, Washington, DC.  Contact:
Gail Turner, 301-499-0219.  [Sheila Lee, WASO]

6/9-14 -- Seventeeth Annual Meeting, Society of Wetland Scientists, Kansas
City, MO.  Contact: David Wiley, 800-627-0629.  [Leslie Krueger,
AQ/WASO]

6/10-14* -- "Coast to Coast: 20 Years of Progress," 20th Annual Conference,
Association of State Floodplain Managers, San Diego, CA. 
Contact: Charlie Stockman, 202-343-3672.  [Sheila Lee, WASO]

6/10-16 -- Annual Meeting, American Institute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works (AIC), Norfolk, VA.  Contact: AIC, 202-452-
9545 (phone) or vnyaic@aol.com.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

6/12-15 -- "New World: Historic Natural History Collections," Annual
Meeting, Society for the Preservation of Natural History
Collections, Philadelphia, PA.  Contact: Elana Benamy, Academy of
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 215-299-1137 or 1170 (phone) or
benamy@acnatsci.org.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

6/20-24 -- "Beyond the Banks," American River Management Symposium,
Columbus, OH.  Contact: Caroline Tan, 406-549-0514.  [Sheila Lee,
WASO]

6/20-24* -- Quarterly Meeting, Interagency Wild and Scenic River Coordinating
Council, Columbus, OH.  Contact: Chris Brown, 202-343-3758. 
[Sheila Lee, WASO]

7/9-12* -- "Wetlands '96: Forming Fair and Effective Partnerships,"
Association of State Wetland Managers National Symposium,
Washington, DC.  There will also be a session on wetland, flood
plain, and river on-line services and GIS applications.  Contact:
518-872-1804.  [Leslie Kreuger, AQ/WASO]

7/17-19 & 22-23* -- Annual Conference, Society of Ecological Restoration,
Brunswick, NJ.  Contact: 608-262-9547.  [Sheila Lee, WASO]

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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