** Can 'selfie stations' help with overcrowding in national parks?
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Thursday, September 2, 2021
Sunset at Yavapai Point in Grand Canyon National Park. Photo: Michael Quinn, NPS ([link removed])

Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, the chief spokesperson for the National Park Service, confirmed ([link removed]) what is already widely known, that yes, parks are more crowded than ever, saying ([link removed]) , “It’s no secret that this summer has been one of our busiest summers ever. We don’t have official numbers, but preliminary visitation statistics show that the most popular 12 to 15 national parks are seeing record numbers.”

One of the biggest issues facing parks is that many visitors want to take their own perfect photograph of the same iconic site, causing a chokepoint for crowds to gather. At popular spots in Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, some visitors have fallen to their deaths ([link removed]) while taking photos, prompting the park service to create a guide for safe selfie-taking. One option to avoid such accidents is to erect a "selfie station ([link removed]) ," a wooden stand that is designed to hold a camera for a safe and easy photo experience.

One approach for dealing with crowds that is gaining traction is the use of reservation systems ([link removed]) to visit popular sites, cutting the total number of visitors permitted to enter to begin with. The park service also launched an app ([link removed]) this year that points people to other public lands near popular parks in case they are turned away, an acknowledgement of a hard truth: perhaps there simply isn’t always enough space at America’s most iconic attractions for everyone who wants to visit them.

Despite the massive crowds, the traffic, and the noise, the park service says it’s a good thing that so many people are getting out to experience parks and public lands. “We want people to have exceptional experiences and we’re looking at ways to enhance opportunities for people to plan to have the best experience and stay safe,” says ([link removed]) Anzelmo-Sarles.
Quick hits


** The clock is ticking for Biden to reform the broken oil and gas leasing system
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Carlsbad Current-Argus ([link removed])


** BLM aims to attract more solar and wind energy projects on public lands
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Reuters ([link removed])


** House Natural Resources Committee first to review budget reconciliation bill, including funding for Interior
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E&E News ([link removed])


** Scientists don’t entirely understand how water forms and moves through mountain watersheds
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Colorado Public Radio ([link removed])


** Can 'selfie stations' help with overcrowding in national parks?
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The Guardian ([link removed])


** Montana residents sue power plant, coal mine, alleging damage from coal dust
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Billings Gazette ([link removed])


** Sweetwater lake will receive permanent protections through LWCF acquisition
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** Essay: Anxiety and hope in wildfire-prone Oregon
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High Country News ([link removed])
Quote of the day
The mountains are really the water towers for much of the freshwater in the world.”
—Erik Hulm ([link removed]) , project manager at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
Picture this


** @BLMNational ([link removed])
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This #WildernessMonth ([link removed]) , join us on a journey around our nation to highlight wilderness managed by the BLM. With ~10 million acres in 10 western States, wilderness offers opportunities for solitude, recreation & personal reflection. More from @WhiteHouse ([link removed]) , [link removed] ([link removed]) .

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