Secretary Salazar Appoints National Park Service Advisory Board
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Vol. 17 • No. 2 • Arrowhead 1 Arrowhead Spring/Summer 2010 • Vol. 17 • No. 2 The Newsletter of the Employees & Alumni Association of the National Park Service Published By Eastern National FROM THE DIRECTOR Secretary Salazar Appoints National ne issue has Obeen dominat- Park Service Advisory Board ing our thoughts and work since late ecretary of the Interior Ken Salazar Eight of the new members previously Outdoors Initiative,” added Secretary April—the devas- Shas appointed 12 new members to served on the independent Second Cen- Salazar. “The issues we face today, such as tating oil spill in tury Commission, which was charged the economy, climate change, connecting the Gulf of Mexico. the National Park System Advisory National Park Service Board. The board, first authorized in with developing a 21st-century vision Americans to the great outdoors, obesity employees sprang 1935, advises the secretary and the for the NPS. In 2009, the commission and the loss of cultural literacy, are all areas into action. Our incident command director of the NPS on matters relating submitted a comprehensive report that that the board can help us address.” teams, experienced professionals to the Service’s work. “The members included sweeping recommendations Members are appointed by the secretary who know how to handle emergen- of the board are highly accomplished for enhancing the ability of the NPS to of the Interior for terms not to exceed cies and disasters, and local park men and women whose creativity share its natural heritage with all Amer- four years. The new appointees are: employees who know the resources and wisdom will help us prepare for icans and engage them in its protection. • Paul Bardacke , senior partner, Sutin, best quickly assembled to support the challenges of the National Park “The mission of the NPS is more vital Thayer & Browne, PC, Santa Fe, N.Mex. the unified command, keep people Service’s second hundred years,” said than ever as we work to fulfill the promise safe, conduct baseline assessments, Secretary Salazar. of President Obama’s America’s Great continued on page 11 protect delicate and irreplaceable structures and ecosystems and prepare for cleanup and long-term restoration. On May 7, Secretary Salazar dispatched me to Mobile, Ala., as President Obama Launches the the DOI incident commander.I joined 400 Department of the Interior employees and more than America’s Great Outdoors Initiative 10,000 others who are working to protect the Gulf’s coastal communi- ties and resources. My role, and that n April 16, President Barack Obama of other senior officials stationed at Osigned a Presidential Memoran- each command center, is to repre- dum establishing the America’s Great sent the Department’s interests as Outdoors Initiative to promote and sup- critical decisions are made to port innovative community-level efforts protect parks and refuges now and to conserve outdoor spaces and to in the months ahead. reconnect Americans to the outdoors. Those of you who keep the The president spoke before leaders rep- parks, programs and offices run- resenting the conservation, farming, ning while your colleagues are ranching, sporting, recreation, forestry, deployed on incidents deserve private industry, local parks and acade- credit too. It’s everyone doing his mia communities from all 53 states and or her part that allows us to respond to and recover from catas- territories at a White House conference trophes like this one. held at the DOI. The NPS was an active participant at the conference, with NPS But let us assume for a moment Director Jon Jarvis moderating one of that a drop of oil never came ashore the afternoon breakout sessions. Tami A. Heilemann, DOI at one of our parks. Even without PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA signs a Presidential Memorandum on April 16 blackened beaches, oiled wildlife or The Presidential Memorandum calls establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. historic bricks wicking oil, every on the secretaries of the Interior and of environmental assault threatens Agriculture, the administrator of the Housing and Urban Development, successes in communities across the national parks and challenges us. Environmental Protection Agency Health and Human Services, Labor, country, and will start a national The well-being of national parks (EPA) and the chair of the Council on Transportation and Education and the dialogue about conservation that sup- relies not only on our own ability to Environmental Quality (CEQ) to lead Office of Management and Budget. The ports the efforts of private citizens and ensure healthy and resilient condi- the Initiative, in coordination with the Initiative will support a 21st-century local communities. tions within park boundaries, but Departments of Defense, Commerce, conservation agenda that builds on continued on page 3 also, because they exist in the larg- er world, on our work with partners to manage on an ecosystem scale. This oil spill is just one dramatic reminder of this reality. NPS Director Says 2011 Budget As we move forward, volunteers will be crucial to our recovery and restoration efforts. We appreciate their commitment and honor the Demands Creative Change accomplishments of all those who support our work and make it their own. In May, we presented the ifficult economic times call for cre- “This budget supports our mission,” college-aged youth to career opportuni- George and Helen Hartzog Awards Dativity, NPS Director Jon Jarvis told Director Jarvis said in his testimony before ties in natural and cultural resources man- for Outstanding Volunteer Service members of a House subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee, agement,” Director Jarvis said. “In 2011, to some amazing volunteers. It’s March 16 when he presented the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment we hope to add $5.8 million to expand important to take time to recognize bureau’s 2011 budget request. “I know and Related Agencies. “This budget sup- this program to 29 parks and dedicate and be thankful for our volunteers some people believe the use of ‘govern- ports the gains we’ve made with the back- another $6.4 million of fee receipts to and co-workers especially in the ment’ and ‘creativity’ in the same sen- ing of Congress. It supports Secretary of youth-powered projects such as trail midst of crises. tence is oxymoronic, but it doesn’t have the Interior Ken Salazar’s goals to pre- maintenance and trail building at parks With this in mind, I want each of to be. It can’t be.” serve treasured landscapes, addresses the across the National Park System. This you to know how much I truly The $2.73 billion budget proposal for challenge of resource stewardship made program provides opportunities for appreciate not only what you do the NPS is $22 million less than the 2010 more difficult by global climate change young people to explore their national every day, but also how you step appropriations, “a fact of these economic and encourages all Americans—especially parks while they help visitors discover our up without hesitation in extraordi- times,” Director Jarvis said. “We will be the youth of our nation—to discover a shared heritage. And they earn a paycheck nary situations. I am humbled to creative to meet the needs of park visitors, personal connection to national parks.” for a summer.” serve as your director. protect park resources and continue our The 2011 spending plan includes two The budget continues a $10 million —Jonathan B. Jarvis partnerships that help revitalize commu- important programs for young people. appropriation for climate science. Director nities through local recreation and his- “Last year we received $5 million for toric preservation projects.” internships to introduce high school and continued on page 11 2 A rrowhead • Vol. 17 • No. 2 Focus on the Parks • Over 200 people gathered Feb. 5 to ladder and related mechanical and electri- Visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ parks in the Northeast, Southeast and officially begin construction of the new cal systems. dino/parknews/new-dinosaur.htm to read National Capital regions, as well as mem- Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Fish Hatch- “We join the tribe in celebrating con- more about the discovery and access a bers of partner organizations and park ery. A groundbreaking ceremony at the struction of their new hatchery,” said copy of the paper. The fossil remains were constituents. Under his expert advice, par- hatchery site on the tribe’s reservation Olympic NP Supt. Karen Gustin. “This excavated from the 105-million-year-old ticipants gained practical field experience along the Elwha River was followed by a marks another important step towards Cedar Mountain Formation in Dinosaur by pruning the aged, overgrown and community dinner hosted by the tribe. Elwha restoration—the hatchery will pro- NM. The new find contains rare and spec- declining boxwood to reinvigorate the The new hatchery is a critical compo- duce populations of salmon and steelhead tacular fossils, including the only complete deteriorating plantings and reestablish the nent of the Elwha restoration project that will help restore the Elwha River after sauropod skull in the entire Western site’s historic character. and will help maintain existing stocks of the dams are gone.” Hemisphere from the last 80 million years •A new exhibit, entitled A Family Elwha River fish during dam removal The Elwha River Ecosystem Restora- of the Age of Dinosaurs. Shattered, at the Chancellorsville Visitor and produce populations of coho, pink tion project is the nation’s largest dam This announcement is the result of sev- Center at Fredericksburg and Spotsyl- and chum salmon and steelhead vital to removal to date and one of the largest eral years of research, beginning with vania County Battlefields Memorial excavations started in the late 1990s. The restoration. “We as tribal council and construction projects in the history of NMP focuses not only on the tragedy of site contains not just one individual but staff are following the path our elders the NPS.