NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Thursday, April 2, 2009

INCIDENTS

Cane River Creole NHP

Tornado Grazes Park, Causing Only Minor Damage

On March 31st, a tornado passed through Bermuda, Louisiana, the community in which the park's Oakland Plantation site is located. When the storm passed through, park staff members were inside the Doctor's House, an 1830's building that is the current location of the onsite office, but were not aware of the imminent danger, as the weather alert radio went off after the tornado had passed. Fortunately, nobody was injured. Oakland Plantation's 44 historic structures received minimal damage. There were areas where roofing was loosened and in some cases blown off and evidence of wind-borne water inside some buildings. Downed limbs are prevalent, and there are also a few downed trees. One archaeological site was exposed when winds uprooted a chinaberry tree near the park's slave quarters. There are also several areas where the historic fence line has been damaged. The damage was comparatively minor, considering that some park neighbors had entire roofs blown off and huge barns demolished. Nearby Beau Fort Plantation, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, sustained roof damage from falling limbs. The extent of the damage at Beau Fort is not known at this time. The park remained closed for the rest of the day, but reopened to the public the following morning when power was restored to the site and conditions were deemed safe. Park headquarters in Natchitoches and the park's Magnolia Plantation near Derry were not affected by the storm. [Nathan Hatfield]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

National Natural Landmarks Program - The Sixth Annual National Natural Landmarks photo contest is now underway, and you are encouraged to enter and send along a submission.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7508" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7508

Blue Ridge Parkway - Steve Stinnett has been named chief ranger for Blue Ridge Parkway, the longest and most visited unit in the National Park System. Steve follows recently retired chief ranger John Garrison, who departed in January.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2286" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2286

Fire and Aviation Management - Biddy Simet, fire program management assistant at Glacier National Park, has received the Jeanie Harris Award for her exemplary contribution to the support and improvement of the NPS Fire and Aviation Management program.

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=7491" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=7491

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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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