NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, March 28, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-121 - Big Bend (Texas) - Poaching Convictions

A three-day undercover surveillance operation resulted in the arrests of two
Mexican nationals on plant poaching charges on the Mesa De Anguila on March
21st.  The two men, J.G.-C. and G.G.-C., were charged in
connection with illegally gathering and attempting to smuggle candelilla, an
indigenous plant that can be processed into a form of wax.  The operation was
begun on March 19th in response to numerous reports of candelilla poaching
occuring along the Rio Grande near the entrance to Santa Elena Canyon. A wax
camp had been established in Mexico across the river from the suspected
poaching location.  Both men had been contacted previously by rangers and
warned not to collect candelilla on the United States side of the river. 
Rangers also confiscated three burros, pack saddles, and approximately 80
pounds of illegally harvested candelilla.  The men and their burros were
escorted on foot across the mesa, a very remote section of the western end of
the park, to Lajitas, where they were then trasported to a jail in Alpine,
Texas.  Both pled guilty in magistrate's court to misdemeanor Lacey Act
charges and 36 CFR violations for distributing and possessing natural
resources.  J.G.-C. was sentenced to 19 days in jail and G.G.-C.
was sentenced to 15 days in jail.  Both men, who were in the country
illegally, will be turned over to Border Patrol for deportation after serving
out their sentences. [Bill Wright, DR, West District, BIBE]

96-122 - Rock Creek/C&O Canal (D.C.) - Pollution Investigation

For many years, the Army Corps of Engineers operators of the district's water
supply facility at Dalecarlia have periodically discharged heavily
chlorinated water into Battery Kemble Run, a tributary of the Potomac River,
as part of the facility's cleaning operation.  These discharges, which were
in violation of the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1311), killed all aquatic life in
the stream and created strong odors which resulted in numerous complaints
from park neighbors and visitors to Fletcher's Boathouse, a park concession
facility.  A joint investigation was launched by the Park Police, the SSO's
Ranger Services office and EPA's Criminal Investigation Division.  Shortly
after it was begun, Corps managers determined that it was in their best
interest to eliminate the illegal discharge to preclude prosectuion.  No
further enforcement action is contemplated.  The Dalecarlia facility has been
the subject of numerous complaints and inspections by EPA, and the Corps is
now attempting to turn over the facility to local officials.  [Einar Olsen,
CR, RSD/SSO, NCFA]

96-123 - Point Reyes (California) - Shipwreck; Two Fatalities

The 24-foot fishing vessel "Miss Kitty" capsized along the park's outer coast
around noon on Sunday, March 24th.  The two occupants of the boat were thrown
overboard into rough seas.  Park visitors called 911 to report the incident;
the park, Coast Guard and county sheriff's office responded.  One victim was
pulled ashore; CPR was attempted, but without effect.  A search by all
parties for the second occupant of the vessel continued through Tuesday.  He
has not been located and is presumed dead.  The vessel is being removed from
the beach. No spill of hazardous materials occurred.  [Don L. Neubacher,
Superintendent, PORE]

96-124 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Alabama/Tennessee) - Drug Arrests

Two significant drug arrests which occurred in the Tupelo District in the
past few months have resulted in several additional drug-related arrests by
local authorities.  Cleveland Oliver was arrested on November 24th for
possession of marijuana and Valium pills.  He expressed his willingness to
cooperate and supply information on the source of the drugs.  This
information and the subsequent joint investigation by rangers and the
county's narcotics task force led to the arrest of two people and the seizure
of considerable amounts of drugs (marijuana, methamphetamine and Valium
pills), paraphernalia, $8,000 in cash, eight weapons, and a Chevy Blazer.  On
February 23rd, two people were arrested in the park for possession of
marijuana.  They also offered to cooperate and provide information on their
source.  Rangers and deputies executed a search warrant the next day and
arrested an individual for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute
and for receiving stolen property.  [Tim Francis, ACR, NATR]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Right Whale Beaching

Rangers were called out by local police to investigate the beaching of a
deceased North Atlantic right whale on the evening of March 9th.  They worked
late into the night to secure the carcass before the high tide took it out to
sea. The first attempt to secure it was unsuccessful.  The 44-foot whale, a
member of the most endangered of all whale species with fewer than 300 in
existence, finally came to rest about one mile south of its original
location. Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the Center
for Coastal Studies in Provincetown and the New England Aquarium assisted in
the necropsy performed by the aquarium's director.  The results of the
necropsy are not complete yet, but scientists found a nine-foot gash on the
back of the young adult male, leading to speculation that the animal was hit
by a ship.  Rangers and maintenance workers employed heavy-duty winches on
four-wheel-drive vehicles and a backhoe to move large sections of flesh and
bone.  Because of the rarity of this type of whale, it was important to
collect all parts for research.  Rangers will continue to monitor the area
until all of the remains are removed.  [CRO, CACO]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Correction - There have been several changes to the hearings listed in the 
"Upcoming in Congress" section in Tuesday's Morning Report.  The planned
House subcommittee mark-up of H.R. 2941, the housing bill, has been postponed
to some time in April.  The full committee will mark-up H.R. 2107, to amend
the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to "improve visitor services"
through a recreation fee program; H.R. 1129, to designate the route from
Selma to Montgomery as a National Historic Trail; and HJRes. 70, to establish
a memorial to Martin Luther King in Washington, D.C., or its environs. 
[Monique VanLandingham, WASO Legislation]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

Climbing Management - A draft climbing management plan and environmental
assessment for Acadia NP will soon be available for public comment and
internal review.  If you're interested, contact Charlie Jacobi at 207-288-
5463 or at either ACAD Resource Management at NP--NAR (cc:Mail) or
Charlie_Jacobi@nps.gov (Internet).

Trapping Information Sought - John Davis at New River Gorge is looking for
research informatin on trapping beavers in national parks, and would also
like to know what other parks had to do to permit beaver trapping if it
wasn't already by enabling legislation.  He can be reached at NERI RM&VP Land
at NP-NERI.

Course Offering - Stever Wunderley at USFWS advises that he has a few
openings in a "Law Enforcement for Managers" course which is to be held next
week (Wednesday through Friday) at Cape Charles, Virginia.  Anyone from the
NPS who would like to attend should contact him at 304-876-1600 extension
376.

OBSERVATIONS

"The important thing is for you to receive a full dividend from (your visit
to a national park)...not only through lungs filled with clean air and eyes
soothed by natural beauty, but spirits enriched beyond immediate
understanding.  I myself don't know how to describe (the) ability of the
parks to lift up the soul.  One of the best writers on the parks, Freeman
Tilden, referred to an ancient undefined Greek concept of a 'fifth essence,'
beyond fire, air, earth, and water.  'Any thoughtful person,' Tilden wrote,
'may find and meditate upon this Fifth Essence in his own backyard.  Not a
woodland brook, not a mountain, not a field of grass rippling in the breeze
does not proclaim the existence of it.  But...a consumate expression of this
ultimate wealth of the human spirit...is to be found in the National Park
System...Many a man has come to find merely serenity or scenic pictures - and
has unexpectedly found a renewal and affirmation of himself.'"

                                   Director Connie Worth, from his
                                   introduction to "America's
                                   Wonderlands: Our National Parks,"
                                   1975

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.

                                  --- ### ---