Release Date: March 7, 2013
Contact: Jennie Kish Albrinck, 760-367-5520
Joshua Tree National Park has issued revised park regulations contained in the Superintendent's Compendium, a list of park-specific regulations National Park Service superintendents are authorized to issue under the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR Section 1.5).
The compendium supplements the Code of Federal Regulations with park specific regulations necessary to maintain public health and safety, to protect environmental and scenic values, and to protect natural and cultural resources. The regulations also aid scientific research, establish guidelines for the implementation of management responsibilities, establish equitable allocation and use of facilities, and establish guidelines to avoid conflict among various visitor activities.
The 2013 revisions to the Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent's Compendium include the following:
- Prohibition of loitering at park visitor centers after established hours has been added. This prohibition does not include obtaining brochures, viewing park information on exterior exhibits, or using public restrooms.
- Prohibition of anchoring or tying off to vegetation for recreational climbing was added.
- New and replacement stainless steel fixed anchors and corresponding hangers, rappel rings, quick links, and chains may only be neutral or rock-colored.
- Group campsite boundaries were defined as 50 feet from the picnic tables or fire grate.
- A requirement that wood pallets have all nails removed and that the pallets be broken into pieces that fit inside the exterior walls of government-provided fire rings before they may be burned was added.
- In addition to existing regulation, wording has been added which acknowledges public safety as a justification to prohibit access to mine adits and shafts.
- The use or possession of alcoholic beverages in government buildings has been amended to conform to the policy of the Secretary of the Interior which prohibits the use or possession of alcoholic beverages unless by written exemption from the Secretary.
- There has been a change in contact information for obtaining park research permits. The new site is https://www.nps.gov/jotr/naturescience/research.htm.
