Bald Knob Fire Update

The Bald Knob Fire, burning on Forest Service land in McDowell County, remains at 40 acres. The fire, which was reported on July 17, received minimal amounts of rainfall this week from isolated storms.

While rainfall stalled any additional spread of the fire, the amount of precipitation was not enough to extinguish the burning fuels that are sheltered in the rocky cliffs below Bald Knob. With dry conditions and low humidity predicted for this weekend and early next week, the fire activity may increase as leaf litter dries out. Members of the public near the communities of Woodlawn, Sevier and those traveling along State Highway 221 can expect to see increased smoke over the weekend, with heaviest smoke likely to occur in the afternoons when temperatures are high and humidity low.

Firefighters placed an information board at the Woodlawn picnic area off of State Highway 221 that members of the public can view to learn more about the fire and the benefits of natural ignition wildfire in fire-adapted ecosystems like Bald Knob.

A temporary closure of a section of the Mountains to Sea Trail between the footbridge over the North Fork of the Catawba River and Dobson Knob Road (Forest Service Road 106) remains in place.

The fire is moving naturally across the terrain in an area where damage from Southern Pine Beetle created high levels of fuels. This area is adjacent to multiple prescribed burn areas that have recently been treated as part of the Grandfather Restoration Project which will limit the fire’s ability to spread rapidly. The Columbine Wildfire Module, a specialized unit experienced in managing fires for multiple objectives, is assisting with the “confine and contain” strategy currently being employed. Firefighters are monitoring the fire, scouting for potential fire lines, and taking hourly weather observations to provide real-time data for fire managers. 13 personnel are assigned to the fire.

The cause of the fire was likely lightning though the ignition source remains unconfirmed. Cooperating agencies include the North Carolina Forest Service, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, McDowell County Emergency Management, and The Nature Conservancy.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
HikinginGlacier.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Pourquoi procréer ? Avoir ou non des enfants ? (partie #1)

Pourquoi procréer ? Avoir ou non des enfants ? (partie #2)

Severe Storm Damage Closes Road in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

The Shillalah Creek Trail, used to access the historic Hensley Settlement in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, has been closed to all visitor use due to severe damage caused by recent heavy rains.

Deep ruts and undercutting of road edges have made the 4.6-mile-long road impassable and very unstable. Heavy water continues to run off of the mountain and down the road, eroding its surface and subsurface. Any type of visitor use – whether by pedestrians, horses, bicycles or vehicles - could result in serious injury.

Hensley Settlement tours, conducted by park staff, have been cancelled for the season. The August 12th Shooting Star Spectacular at Hensley Settlement has also been cancelled.

For more information, visitors can call the park visitor center at 606-246-1075.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
HikinginGlacier.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

GÉOPOLITIQUE : Il règne un bordel sans nom au Moyen-Orient et les Etats-Unis n'y sont pas pour rien !

Salut à tous,  

Du site : Slate.fr : 

   ¨ Aujourd'hui, tout le Moyen-Orient est en guerre. L'incohérence stratégique de l'administration Obama n'aura fait que précipiter la région dans le chaos.

   Si le chaos généralisé que connaît aujourd'hui le Moyen-Orient n'est pas entièrement imputable à l'administration Obama, reste que sa politique étrangère dans la région est un échec complet.

Irak, Syrie, Libye, Yémen ! 
    Aujourd'hui, le capharnaüm en est à un niveau littéralement inédit. Pour la première fois depuis les deux Guerres mondiales, quasiment tous les pays allant de la Libye à l'Afghanistan sont impliqués dans un conflit armé (avec le sultanat d'Oman comme notable exception). Le chaos, l'incertitude et la complexité que connaissent la versatilité et bien souvent l'incohérence des alliances et des inimitiés en présence a de quoi donner le vertige.

Obama avait bien dit qu`ilse désengageait, non ? 
   Ainsi, pourquoi ne pas reprendre tout simplement nos billes et laisser ce feu s'éteindre de lui-même? D'ailleurs, quand on y pense, n'était-ce pas là notre plan? La raison de l'élection de Barack Obama?

Les leçons du passé ! 
   Comme le 11-Septembre nous l'a appris –et comme l'ont démontré les récents événements en Europe, en Afrique, au Canada et aux Etats-Unis– dans le monde d'aujourd'hui, des problèmes qui pourraient sembler lointains peuvent très bien et très vite se faufiler dans nos rues ou dans celles de nos alliés.

La responsabilité de la maison Blanche !
  Dès lors, si l'administration Obama n'est évidemment pas responsable de la plupart des racines, ni des nombreuses causes aggravantes de la mêlée actuelle au Moyen-Orient, il est aussi vrai qu'elle ne peut se permettre de tourner le dos à ces soulèvements/conflits, de prendre des mesures à moitié pensées, ni de faire le choix d'actions principalement réactives et largement improvisées en l'absence de toute stratégie globale.

Le poids de l`Iran ! 
   Voilà l'ironie des années Obama qui, malgré l'espoir d'une nouvelle ère et d'une amélioration des relations régionales incarné dans un discours prononcé au cœur du monde arabe, verront en fin de compte un changement «pour le mieux» se faire non pas avec les arabes, mais avec les perses.

Ne pas faire preuve de naïveté !
   «Laissez les gars du cru se démerder» n'est pas plus une stratégie de politique étrangère américaine que le «ne faites pas de conneries». Au mieux, il ne s'agit que d'une modalité de cette stratégie et, en réalité, nous avons affaire à une abrogation de responsabilité face à des relations porteuses d'éléments économiques, commerciaux, politiques ou encore militaires cruciaux pour l'influence et les intérêts des Etats-Unis¨...   (Lire l`article au complet)

http://ift.tt/1HBN7k1

Pégé

Windows 7 / Windows XP Pro / Windows Vista / Ubuntu 10.04 LTS / Voyager 11.10 / Linux Mint 10 MacOS X iBook, version 10.4.11 ¨Tiger¨.

( SI TU NE SAIS PAS, DEMANDE... SI TU SAIS, PARTAGE ! )

National Park Service Launches Kentucky National Park Pentathlon

This week the National Park Service (NPS) launched the Kentucky National Park Pentathlon, inviting those who visit all five NPS sites in the state to earn a special free commemorative patch. The Pentathlon is in recognition of the NPS 2016 Centennial.

"The National Park Service was created 100 years ago to protect America's national treasures and provide opportunities for people to enjoy and understand them," said Stan Austin, NPS Southeast Regional Director. "During the NPS Centennial, we encourage everyone to find a park that has special meaning to them and enjoy what it has to offer."

Pentathlon participants can earn the commemorative patch by visiting all five Kentucky national parks by April 2017 and participating at a least one activity at each park. Kentucky has all or part of five national park sites within its borders:

• Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (Larue County) includes the country's first memorial to Lincoln, built with donations from young and old, and enshrines the symbolic birthplace cabin. For over a century, people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. His early life on Kentucky's frontier shaped his character and prepared him to lead the nation through Civil War.

• Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area (McCreary County) encompasses 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau and protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

• Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (Bell and Harlan Counties) provided the first great gateway to the west. The buffalo, the Native American, the longhunter, the pioneer - all traveled this route through the mountains into the wilderness of Kentucky. Modern day explorers and travelers continue to explore this great gateway and the many miles of trails and scenic features found in the park.

• The Fort Heiman unit of Fort Donelson National Battlefield (Calloway County) and the rest of the area played a critical role in the Civil War. After the fall of Fort Donelson, the South was forced to give up southern Kentucky and much of Middle and West Tennessee. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, and railroads in the area, became vital Federal supply lines. Nashville was developed into a huge supply depot for the Union army in the west. The heartland of the Confederacy was opened, and the Federals would press on until the "Union" became a fact once more.

• Mammoth Cave National Park (Edmonson, Hart, and Barren Counties) preserves the cave system and a part of the Green River valley and hilly country of south central Kentucky. This is the world's longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles explored. Early guide Stephen Bishop called the cave a "grand, gloomy and peculiar place," but its vast chambers and complex labyrinths have earned its name - Mammoth.

Possible activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoeing, camping, volunteering, attending a ranger-led tour/presentation, bird-watching, visiting a park's museum, seeing a park's film or any other activity available at the parks. Participants can do the same activity at all five parks or try something different at each location.

"The Kentucky Parks Pentathlon is a wonderful way to experience the five national parks across the state," said Niki Stephanie Nicholas, Big South Fork Superintendent. "Each one has spectacular resources and a wide range of recreational opportunities."

For more information on the Kentucky National Parks Pentathlon, call the Big South Fork Park's Headquarters at (423) 569-9778.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
HikinginGlacier.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Northern Rivers Geology Immortalized by the National Library of Australia!

People will have noticed that I have been very quiet of late. Unfortunately there are many family matters which are taking all my spare time and therefore this blog is suffering in the short term. The local newspaper ran a story about my family that may help to illustrate where my efforts are presently focused. A big thanks to Lismore City Lions Club, the congregation at Cross Roads Presbyterian Church and many anonymous donors who have helped our family recently.

http://ift.tt/1CBJBs9

However, even though I've been unable to post further stories on this blog I was chuffed to be contacted by the National Library of Australia seeking permission to be added to their web archive called PANDORA. The National Library describes PANDORA thusly:

The National Library's PANDORA web archive has been building a collection of Australian websites since 1996. Many of the significant sites preserved by PANDORA, such as the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games website are no longer available on the web.

So, wow! A big honour to be asked and one that I will accept. I was wondering what would happen to all my posts if blogger hit the wall. 

Yellow-Poplar Trees Damaged By Weevils in Cherokee National Forest

U.S. Forest Service officials at the Cherokee National Forest (Forest) say visitors to the Forest may see areas of dead foliage on some trees. Leaves are dying and turning brown as a result of damage caused by the yellow-poplar weevil. The insect primarily impacts yellow-poplar trees, but can also feed on other species in the magnolia family and sassafras trees.

Adult weevils begin feeding on leaf and bud tissue in April and May. They mate, lay eggs, and newly pupated adult weevils emerge in late spring/early summer. The newly emerged adults may cause extensive damage to leaf tissue. As a result, the leaves die and turn brown. By mid-July the weevils will drop to the ground and remain inactive until the following spring.

When abundant, the weevils destroy the leaves and buds of terminal and upper branches and in extreme cases may defoliate entire trees. Growth of trees may be slowed and tree form may also be affected. Most healthy poplar trees will be able to withstand the defoliation caused by the weevils, but they may suffer aesthetic damage.

The yellow poplar weevil is native to the eastern U.S. The last recorded significant outbreak has not been recorded since the late 1960’s. Adult weevils are about 1/10 of an inch long and are a dark brown or black in color. There are at least five recorded parasitic wasp species that are known to prey on the weevils and their larva. Frost in late spring also reduces the size of weevil populations.

Foliage destruction temporarily reduces the aesthetic values of yellow-poplar trees and sometimes reductions in growth may be experienced. However, most healthy trees are able to withstand an infestation. The outbreak should subside on its own.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
HikinginGlacier.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

A Wild Way to Move

This is a pretty cool video from Parks Canada, which shows how wildlife crossing structures and highway fencing in Banff National Park have reduced large animal deaths by more than 80%.

As you travel through Banff, animals are traveling as well - over your roof and under your wheels. So which animals adopted these crossing structures first? Which animals prefers overpasses versus underpasses? This video captures five years of wildlife movement through the lens of a remote camera in Banff National Park, and provides some interesting insights on how these structures have saved the lives of both animals and humans:



You can learn more about this project here and here.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
HikinginGlacier.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Lettre d`un vieux père à son fils ! (*)

Salut à tous,                                                                     

   Si un jour tu me voies vieux, si je me sali quand je mange, et que je ne réussis pas à m`habiller, soit compréhensif, et souvient toi du temps que j`ai pris pour t`apprendre.  

   Si quand je parle avec toi je répète toujours les mêmes choses, ne m`interromps pas, écoute-moi, quand tu étais petit, je devais te raconter chaque soir la même histoire avant que tu ne t`endormes.

   Quand je ne veux pas me laver, ne me fait pas honte, souviens toi quand je devais te courir après en inventant milles excuses pour que tu ailles au bain.

   Quand tu vois mon ignorance pour les nouvelles technologies, donne-moi le temps nécessaire, et ne me regarde pas avec ce regard ironique, j`ai eu tant de patience à t`apprendre l`alphabet.

   Quand par moment je n`arrive pas à me souvenir, ou que je perds le fil de la conversation, donne-moi le temps nécessaire à reprendre la mémoire, et si je n`y arrive pas, ne t`énerve pas, la chose la plus importante n`est pas ce que je dis mais le besoin d`être avec toi et de t`avoir là, à m`écouter.

   Quand mes jambes fatiguées n`arrivent plus à tenir la cadence de tes pas, ne me considère pas comme un boulet, viens vers moi et offre moi la force de tes bras, comme je l`ai fait lorsque tu as fait tes premiers pas.

   Quand je dis que je voudrais être mort, ne te fâche pas, un jour tu comprendras ce qui me pousse à le dire, Essaie de comprendre qu`à mon âge, on ne vit pas, on survie.

   Um jour tu découvriras que malgré mes erreurs, je n`ai toujours voulu que le meilleurs pour toi, que j`ai tenté de te préparer la route.

   Donne-moi un peu de ton temps, donne-moi un peu de ta patience, donne-moi une épaule.

   Aide-moi à avancer, aide-moi à finir mes jours avec amour et compréhension, en échange, je n`aurai que mon sourire et l`immense amour que j`ai toujours eu pour toi.

   Je t`aime, mon fils…

*(Dj Sem)

Pégé

 Windows 7 / Windows XP Pro / Windows Vista / Ubuntu 10.04 LTS / Voyager 11.10 / Linux Mint 10 MacOS X iBook, version 10.4.11 ¨Tiger¨.

( SI TU NE SAIS PAS, DEMANDE... SI TU SAIS, PARTAGE ! )

Kayaker Dies In Accident On Little Pigeon River

The NPS Morning Report disclosed today that rangers in the Great Smoky Mountains responded to a report of a kayak accident in the Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon River in the Greenbrier section of the park.

On the evening of July 2nd, Kenneth C. Worthington, 53, of Apex, North Carolina, capsized his kayak and floated to the river edge, where friends pulled him from the river. Rangers, Gatlinburg Police Department officers, and Gatlinburg Fire Department personnel performed CPR on Worthington before he was transported to LeConte Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
HikinginGlacier.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Throwback Thursday

Mariposa Grove was one of the first federally protected tracts of land in the world. In 1864 Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, which deeded the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees to the state of California for protection as a forest reserve. Due to concern over damage from livestock and logging, John Muir led a movement to establish a larger national park that encompassed the surrounding mountains and forests. However, when Yosemite National Park was established on October 1, 1890, it excluded the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove. In 1903 Muir took President Theodore Roosevelt on a three-day camping trip near Glacier Point. During the trip Muir convinced Roosevelt to take control of the valley and the grove away from California. Finally, on June 11, 1906, Roosevelt signed a bill that would merge the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove with Yosemite National Park.




Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies