© Lauren Himiak

Officials say a law signed by President Obama in May will allow gun owners to openly carry firearms in places like Grand Teton National Park as well as the Wyoming portions of Yellowstone National Park.

The law goes into effect in February and several National Park Service employees and legal experts say the legislation extends to everyone, not just people with concealed weapons permits. This will depend on the law of the state in which the park is located. For example, Wyoming does not require a permit to carry a weapon, so visitors would be able to carry a gun into Yellowstone, so long as they were in the Wyoming portion of the park.

Conservation groups and rangers worry that backcountry travelers will begin arming themselves for self-defense and poachers will be able to hunt in woods without any concern. Although park rules will mimic the state's rules on weapons, this issue is causing concern for many.

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© scmikeburton via Flickr

The National Park Service, National Park Foundation, UPS Foundation, and Apple are teaming up to showcase the biodiversity of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And on November 3, student around the country will interact with rangers and local students from North Carolina and Tennessee in a live broadcast - an electronic field trip.

Interested schools can register to participate through an interactive website which is also available for teachers and students to prepare for the electronic field trip through six learning modules. Modules include interactive games, video podcasts, and lesson plans. During the broadcast, students may call in or e-mail their questions, and experts from the park will be available to answer them. The live 60-minute program will air via satellite, cable and webcast from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 3.

Questions about registration and/or broadcasting can be emailed to Carolyn Hill.

© larryzou@ via Flickr

A new study revealed that on average, the National Park Service conducts 11 search and rescue operations per day. The study was conducted by Travis Heggie, an assistant professor at the University of North Dakota, who analyzed search and rescue reports from 1992 to 2007. Heggie researched more than 65,000 rescues, all of which cost tax payers more than $58 million.

So who needed the most help? Day hikers and boaters. The study also pointed out that weekends were the busiest times for rescue and that majority of those who were rescued were young men.

© minds-eye via Flickr

Everglades National Park is truly a unique ecosystem that's home to several endangered species. It is currently struggling and fixing the Everglades happens to be the biggest ecosystem restoration project globally. It is also serving as a case study for other restoration endeavors world-wide.

The influence of the Everglades restoration touches the lives of diverse communities who call Florida home, including farmers, environmental activists, and inner-city residents. For restoration efforts to be successful, the park needs your participation.

A survey was created by the NPCA and Clean Water Action concerning public involvement in Everglades Restoration efforts. By taking the survey you will help the park explore how government agencies interact with and share information with the public. Feedback and suggestions will be presented at the January 2010 Everglades Coalition Conference.

Take the survey now!