Infos querbeet zu NPs, NMs, SPs, etc.

250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

Zitat

Commemorating 250 Years of Revolution in Boston

2025-2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Siege of Boston (1775-1776). Following the first shots at Lexington and Concord, colonial forces laid siege on Boston for 11 months while the British Army tried to maintain control of the town and the harbor. This siege was the first chapter of the eight year war for American Independence.

Join the National Parks of Boston as we commemorate significant moments of this siege and consider how successive generations of Bostonians looked to this pivotal moment as inspiration in later political and social movements.

Mehr dazu hier.

More National Park Service Sites Announce Hour Reductions And Campground Closures

Zitat

National parks continue to make changes. Cancelations are ongoing, along with delays for visitors following the layoffs. Concerns are also growing over US National Park campground reservations, with several parks delaying the process, or keeping quiet about future plans.

In the following, we have the very latest on National Park closures and hour changes. Some parks have changed availabilities, while getting rid of certain activities altogether.

We'll take a closer look at that situation, and what visitors can expect when heading towards the likes of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and Denali National Park and Preserve.

National parks have announced more closures, along with a change in the hours. This trend continues to grow following the layoffs that have taken place across national parks in the US. The layoffs are expected to extend throughout March and into April.

Denali National Park and Preserve also made a major announcement, canceling all youth camps for 2025. Curecanti National Recreation Area is also set for some changes.

Link

This Is the Quietest Trail in the U.S. - and It Follows a Stunning 76-mile Scenic River

Zitat

For peace and quiet, head to Nebraska's Niobrara National Scenic River.

True silence is something most people rarely get to enjoy. Even when we're exploring seemingly remote places, human-made noises can still reach our ears, be it airplanes buzzing overhead or the distant rumble of a highway. That's why Quiet Parks International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving silence, started identifying, evaluating, and recognizing the quietest parks and trails in the world.

The first trail in the United States to receive the rare “Quiet Trail” designation is a watery one: the Niobrara National Scenic River, located near Valentine, Nebraska. The nationally protected waterway is a popular destination for river recreation—from canoeing on calm, early-morning water to floating on tubes with friends. But, it is also surprisingly quiet.

The trail was awarded Quiet Trail status in October 2023. To earn the designation, qualitative and quantitative sound data was collected from the river over two years.

“Our testing process is very exact," Gordon Hempton, cofounder of Quiet Parks International, said in a statement. "Beyond collecting standard acoustic data, each team member must agree, unanimously and unhesitatingly, that natural quiet prevailed throughout the testing period. The Niobrara River’s splendid geologic landscape, unusual atmospheric conditions, and outstanding wildlife all contributed towards a positive outcome,”

The 76-mile Niobrara National Scenic River stretches from Valentine, Nebraska, to just north of Newport, Nebraska. It is also where six major ecosystems converge, resulting in around 160 plant and animal species. The presence of a diversity of wildlife only makes the waterway’s role as a quiet escape even more important; quiet places benefit all living things, not just overstimulated humans.

“Quiet is rare globally, as 97 percent of the U.S. population faces noise pollution from sources like aviation and highways," said Susan Cook, a superintendent at Niobrara National Scenic River. "Destinations where one can experience the pure sounds of nature are becoming increasingly scarce, so we are thrilled to be able to offer this at Niobrara National Scenic River."

While Niobrara National Scenic River is the first Quiet Trail in the U.S., it does have two international counterparts. There's Cuifeng Lake Circular Trail in Taiwan's Taipingshan National Forest as well as the Montañas Vacías Bikepacking Trail in Spain. Trails around the village of Finnhamnen in the Kvarken Archipelago of Finland and Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii are currently being evaluated.

Alles anzeigen

Link

San Francisco eröffnet neuen Küstenpark Sunset Dunes

Zitat

San Francisco hat mit dem Sunset Dunes Park ein neues Naherholungsgebiet geschaffen. Der rund 20 Hektar große Küstenpark am Ocean Beach entstand aus einem gesperrten Highway und verbindet nun laut Tourismuswerbern Erholung, Kunst und Naturschutz.

Wo zuvor Autos fuhren, sind künftig Spaziergänger, Skater und Radfahrer unterwegs. Mit dem Sunset Dunes Park wurde in San Francisco ein 3,2 Kilometer langer Abschnitt des früheren Great Highway dauerhaft in eine Strandpromenade umgewandelt. Die neue Anlage verbindet den Golden Gate Park mit dem Zoo am Sloat Boulevard und erstreckt sich über 20 Hektar direkt an der Pazifikküste.

Bereits während der Corona-Pandemie hatte die Stadt den Highway provisorisch für den Autoverkehr gesperrt, teilt San Francisco Travel mit. Daraus entwickelte sich ein Konzept, das nun als Kaliforniens größtes Fußgänger-Umbauprojekt umgesetzt wurde.

Der Park setzt auf ein klares Leitsystem, das Wege für Fußgänger und Strecken für zügigere Aktivitäten trennt. Mit farbigen Wandmalereien und Skulpturen wolle man dem Ort einen künstlerischen Charakter verleihen, so die Macher. Zudem sorgen in Sunset Dunes Hängematten, Sitzbereiche, Outdoor-Fitnesszonen und Parcours für Abwechslung.

Neben der Freizeitnutzung spielt laut San Francisco Tourism auch der Umweltschutz eine Rolle. Bereits im Februar pflanzten Freiwillige über 1.500 einheimische Strandgräser zur Stabilisierung der Dünen und zum Schutz vor Erosion. Weitere Renaturierungsprojekte seien geplant, um die Artenvielfalt zu stärken.

Alles anzeigen

Link