NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Monday, December 9, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-679 - Grand Canyon NP (Arizona) - Airplane Crash

On the morning of December 1st, South Rim rangers were notified that a
single-engine Piper Saratoga approaching Grand Canyon did not have enough
fuel to reach the airport.  As rangers and emergency apparatus responded, the
pilot - C.C., 38 - radioed that he'd made an emergency landing and
that no one on board had been injured.  C.C. had landed the plane on a
dirt road about seven miles southwest of the park, but the plane had left the
road and struck brush and trees.  It was a total loss.  Investigation
revealed that C.C. had not taken on enough fuel to make the flight from
St. George, Utah, to the park.  The interagency response team included units
from the park, concessioner, Forest Service and county.  [Dave Brennan, SDR,
South Rim, GRCA]

96-680 - Coronado NM (Arizona) - Marijuana Seizure

Late last week, maintenance worker Henry Ruiz spotted a pick-up truck with a
plywood covered bed heading down Montezuma Pass toward the visitor center at
a high rate of speed and reported it to ranger Scott Sticha.  Sticha stopped
the truck, found 20 packages of marijuana in it, and arrested the driver. 
Two more vehicles, both apparently associated with the first in a drug
smuggling operation, soon passed the scene.  Ranger Bill Smith pursued one;
when he attempted to stop it, the driver abandoned the vehicle and ran
towards the border with Mexico.  It was found to contain another 15 bundles
of marijuana.  The description of the third vehicle was broadcast and the
vehicle and driver were found at a convenience store eleven miles from the
park by state police.  The driver was the wife of the driver of the first
vehicle.  Officers found marijuana residue in the vehicle.  A total of 805
pounds of marijuana was seized in the first two stops.  Two people were
arrested and all three vehicles were seized.  Customs agents are continuing
the investigation, which may result in further seizures and arrests.  [Scott
Sticha, PR, CORO]

96-681 - President's Park (D.C.) - Special Event

President Clinton lit the national Christmas tree during the annual "Pageant
of Peace" ceremony on the Ellipse on the evening of Wednesday, December 5th. 
Logistics for the evening program were coordinated by the NPS (50 rangers, 46
Park Police officers, and 34 volunteers) and the Secret Service.  [Margaret
Chandler, IO, PRPA]

                   [Additional incidents pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Badlands NP (South Dakota) - Update on Black-Footed Ferrets

Between August 21st and November 14th, 67 black-footed ferrets were turned
loose in prairie dog colonies on Forest Service and park administered lands,
the largest release on the Conata Basin/Badlands prairie dog complex since
the reintroduction was initiated in 1994.  All of the animals were fitted
with radio collars to collect data on these elusive creatures, including
movement, dispersal, distribution, activity profiles, and survivorship.  The
animals were given time to acclimate to their new environment.  Predator
harassment was reduced by erecting electric fence exclosures around prairie
dog colonies where the ferrets were released.  General coyote reduction on
USFS administered lands occurred for five weeks.  As of December 7th,
monitoring efforts confirmed the loss of 28 black-footed ferrets (42% of
release) from the following causes - great horned owls (12), coyotes (9),
badgers (2), a ferruginous hawk (1), and unknown (4).  Twenty-five ferrets
were detected by spotlighting surveys, snowtracking, and radio telemetry 30
days after release (a total of 37%), considered a minimum number since past
experience has shown that not all animals are discovered even with intensive
monitoring.  Last summer, nine adult black-footed ferrets and five wildborn
litters were detected, with two more litters suspected.  As hoped for,
population monitoring confirmed the presence of ferrets successfully
occupying new habitat up to five miles from initial release sites.  Since
1994, 134 captive bred juvenile and 36 captive bred adult black-footed
ferrets have been released into the prairie dog complex.  Biologists estimate
a population of about 40 free-ranging ferrets in the Conata Basin/Badlands. 
An additional large release is being planned for next year, with the goal of
establishing a self-sustaining, free-ranging population by the new
millennium.  [Bruce Bessken, RMS, BADL]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

TRAINING AND WORKSHOP CALENDAR

Two calendars alternate in the Morning Report on Mondays - this one, which
contains training courses and workshops, and a second, which contains
meetings, conferences and events.  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.

1/5-10  -- Managerial Grid: Phase I and Instructor Preparation Seminars,
Cape Cod, MA.  Phase I is a prerequisite for attending the IP
seminar.  Sponsored by ANPR.  Cost: $500 for members, $550 for
non-members.  Deadline for applications is December 6th (not
January 10th, as appeared last time); they should be sent to
ANPR, PO Box 307, Gansevoort, NY 12831.  Contact: Ann Baugh, 520-
638-2691, or Bill Wade, 540-999-3400.  [Bill Wade, SHEN]

1/13-14 -- Files Improvement, National Archives, College Park, MD. 
Fundamentals of developing and using filing systems for the
management of federal records, including principals, case filing,
subject filing, practices, technology (including electronic
records), and applications.  Cost: $280.  Contact: George Chalou,
301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

1/19-24 -- School of RV Park and Campground Management, Oglebay Park,
Wheeling, WV.  The school is divided into two phases of four days
each in consecutive Januarys.  Training on all aspects of
campground facility management and operation.  Cost: $710,
including room and board.  Contact: Sue George, 800-624-6988,
ext. 4019, or 304-243-4019.  [Mark Maciha, CACA]

2/10  -- Introduction to Records Management, National Archives, College
Park, MD.  Overview of records operations, including
understanding terminology, concepts and requirements of records
management, introductory electronic records management, and
disposition programs.  Prospective attendees must register at
least three weeks in advance.  Cost: $140.  Contact: George
Chalou, 301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/11-12 -- Disposition of Electronic Records, National Archives, College
Park, MD.  Cost: $140.  Contact: George Chalou, 301-713-7100 x
259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/13  -- Electronics Records Issues, National Archives, College Park, MD. 
Overview of the major issues and problems faced in managing
federal electronic records.  Cost: $140.  Contact: George Chalou,
301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/19-21 -- Window Conference and Exposition for Historic Buildings II,
Washington, DC.  Over 60 experts will discuss appropriate repair
and replacement of same.  Tours, workshops, and exhibits by over
40 manufacturers and repair companies.  Contact: Either Brooks
Prueher, 202-343-1185 (phone) or at NP-WASO-HPS (cc:Mail), or
write to Historic Window Conference, PO Box 37127, Washington, DC
20013-7127.  [Brooks Prueher, HPS/WASO]

2/24  -- Managing Audiovisual Records, National Archives, College Park,
MD.  Management of the special problems and requirements of
audiovisual records in a federal agency.  Contact: George Chalou,
301-713-7100 x 259.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]

2/24-27* -- NPS Ranger Cyclist Basic Course, Lake Mead NRA, Boulder City, NV. 
Two courses in one - the first 20 hours (General Ranger Cyclist)
cover topics general enough to provide interpretive and other
non-commissioned rangers an opportunity to develop the skills
needed to safely utilize bicycles in their programs; the
additional 20 hours (Law Enforcement Ranger Cyclist) are specific
to law enforcement applications.  Tuition: $85.  Nominations must
be received in park priority by February 3rd.  Contact: LAME Las
Vegas Bay at NP-LAME (cc:Mail), attention Bike Patrol Team. 
[Randy Neal, LAME]

                                *  *  *  *  *

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

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