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After years of criticism of this policy (by environmentalists, other federal agencies, citizen groups, and wildlife study teams), the Park Service is now concentrating on keeping humans out of bear habitat and cracking down on poachers. But the Defenders of Wildlife warn that new approaches need to be implemented quickly, "or else there won't be any bears left to talk about".

In other areas, wild animals are actually growing in number. The National Parks and Conservation Association, working with a team from the University of Maryland, has found that some species seem to be profiting from national park visitation. For example, varieties of rodents, birds, reptiles, and insects have increased and have relocated to picnic areas, where there's often edible refuse.

Of course, visitors have also contributed to other changes in our parks, such as soil compaction—which can result in erosion and increased water runoff—and the loss of native vegetation. The study team will soon produce a handbook for visitors, entitled "The Citizens' Action Guide to Visitor Use Management". The booklet should help park managers and volunteers to alleviate the destructive effects of our visits to national parks.

EDITORS NOTE: The worldwide organization called Friends of the Earth is one of the most effective environmental groups in existence today, and the activities of FOE — along with a broad range of other news concerning ecological developments — are described each month in its publication titled Not Man Apart. You can become a member of Friends of the Earth, and receive the excellent tabloid, by sending $25 ($100 for sponsor, $1,000 for life, $12 student/low income) — or $15 for a subscription only — to FOE, Dept. TMEN, 1045 Sansome Street, San Francisco, California 94111.

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