Entries filed under 'national monuments'

Meet Our 5 New National Monuments, Including San Juan Islands and Rio Grande del Norte

Congratulations, my fellow Americans. We now have 2 additional natural areas to call our own for outdoor recreation, plus 3 new sites where we can reflect on our nation’s history. President Obama yesterday signed proclamations establishing 5 new national monuments, bringing the total of National Park Service units nationwide to more than 400. ...

Posted by Steve T on March 26, 2013 2:00 PM & Tagged national monuments, rio grande del norte and san juan islands | permalink | Comments



398 and Counting: Sites in 6 States May be Added to the National Park System

The National Park system added its 398th unit earlier this month when César E. Chávez National Monument was dedicated on Oct. 8. Where would you like to see the National Park Service add new properties? USA Today reports that sites in 6 states are candidates to join the system. ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on October 22, 2012 11:30 AM & Tagged National Park Service, national historic sites, national monuments and national parks | permalink | Comments



Mount St. Helens: Still Casting a Memorable Shadow 31 Years Later

Mount St. Helens, looking tranquil in this live webcam view under a heavy snowpack, erupted on this date 31 years ago. On May 18, 1980, an earthquake (5.1 on the Richter scale) triggered a mighty lateral blast on the mountain's north face, unleashing a massive landslide that in just minutes flattened 230 square miles and claimed 57 lives. Scientists regard it as the world's largest volcanic landslide in history. More than 3 decades after the blast, with recent floods, earthquakes and tornadoes ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on May 18, 2011 8:47 PM & Tagged Hiking, Mount St. Helens, national monuments and volcanoes | permalink | Comments



Mount St. Helens: 30 Years Later

May 18, 2010, marks the 30th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens in southwest Washington state, roughly 50 miles northeast of Portland, Ore. As described in this USA Today article, the 30 years following the blast has been a boon to scientific understanding on how an ecosystem can recover from a devastating act of nature. I first explored the aftermath of the eruption on a day-hiking visit to the monument in 1984 and in recent years have made an annual pilgrimage to the national ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on May 19, 2010 4:02 PM & Tagged Mt. St. Helens, national monuments and volcanoes | permalink | Comments