<html> <head> <style></style> </head> <body class='hmmessage'> I will reprise my list post of March 2009, this time with a different photo.  If I zoom in on the original at full resolution, you can see the workers planting trees.    “Progress Report on Yellowstone National Park Highway System. Season of 1937, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Public Roads, District No. 3, Denver CO.”    "Probably the most interesting and beneficial projects completed during the 1937 season were the Fishing Bridge and the Parking Area in the vicinity of Old Faithful. Both of these areas in the past have been uncomfortably congested and the completed improvements not only allow greater freedom to traffic but also add considerable beauty to the roadside in the particular localities. Some 2,000 local trees, mostly evergreens, were planted on these two projects, as well as many shrubs and some grass."   Photo and data courtesy YNP archives. Box D-183.   In this project they also "improved" the parking at Riverside geyser, from a free for all parking area to more structured parking, with trees planted in that area as well.  At Fishing Bridge trees were planted between the road and the structures, (store and gas station area.)     In all photos you can see mature trees among the newer implants, possible "natural" or planted and grew since Scott's 1912 photo.  What's natural, beneficial, an improvement, or monkeying with nature?  Developed areas have somewhat different rules than backcountry, that's another argument in itself, as we have learned.  You may decide for yourselves.     Email me if you are planning on attending one of the EA scoping period open houses.  I might be able to attend one of them.      MA   M.A. Bellingham <A href="mailto:mabdepot@msn.com">mabdepot@msn.com</A> <hr />The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. <a href='http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_3' target='_new'>Get started.</a></body> </html>