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National Academy of Sciences Advisory Committee on Research in
the National Parks
HOW THE COMMITTEE CONDUCTED ITS STUDY
The Committee held five meetings.
The first was held in Washington, D.C., December 7-8, 1962, where it was
addressed by Park Service officials, including Director Conrad Wirth, Assistant
Director Jackson Price, and Howard Eckles, Assistant to the Secretary's Science
Advisor.
The second meeting, combined with a field trip, was held in Everglades
National Park, January 10-12, 1963.
On the evening of January 10, the Committee was briefed on research problems
of the Everglades, and on the following day it made an extensive tour of the
park, including an airplane inspection as well as on-the-ground visits to some of
the park's more critical spots, such as water diversion projects, deteriorating
bird refuges, experimental controlled-fire burns, various areas which show
vegetation changes and effects of fire, hurricanes, and flooding.
The third meeting was held in Washington, D.C., March 8-9, 1963, where the
Committee discussed organization and staffing of the Park Service Research
unit.
The fourth meeting was held in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks,
June 14, 15, and 16. An executive session of the Committee was held at Jackson
Lake Lodge, Sunday, June 16. During the preceding two days, the Committee made a
tour of approximately 200 miles in the two parks. At various inspection points in
the Yellowstone Park, the Committee was briefed on such topics as the fisheries
studies in Yellowstone Lake, grizzly bear ecology and elk migration studies, the
biology of the Northern Yellowstone elk herd, northern winter range studies,
black bear distribution, the hydrobiology of Madison River and headwater streams
and hydrothermal problems.
In Grand Teton National Park the Committee discussed with officials such
problems as the impact of visitors on the Park (visits increased from 144,000 in
1946 to 1,800,000 in 1962); the ski and snowplane, and other mass recreational
areas; the geology of the Teton Range; forest pest control; the national elk
refuge, and the Jackson Hole Biological Research Station which has about 20
researchers in alpine ecological problems, range-type studies and other problems.
The Committee was briefed also on places for proposed location of roads and
facilities in accordance with preservation of park features. The fifth and
concluding meeting was held in Washington, July 19, when the Committee considered
a final report.
During the course of its investigation the Committee, individually and
collectively, consulted with upwards of 100 persons with special competence in
its field of inquiry, including Park Service officials and employees,
representatives of other Federal agencies, scientists with State and local
institutions and agencies, and private investigators. The resources of the
National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council were made available to
the Committee, as well as those of the National Science Foundation. The Committee
consulted books, papers, reports and memoranda on the parks. Individual members
visited many parks, other than the three mentioned, and one member visited all of
them.
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