{"id":9774,"date":"2013-10-10T05:56:03","date_gmt":"2013-10-10T11:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=9774"},"modified":"2026-04-04T06:54:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T11:54:00","slug":"open-our-national-parks-wildlife-refuges-and-monuments-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/10\/open-our-national-parks-wildlife-refuges-and-monuments-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Open our National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and Monuments Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday on the local news I saw that Governor Herbert offered to fund the reopening of Utah’s five National Parks which are Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, and Capitol Reef. Local law enforcement would step in to keep our Utah National Parks open.<\/p>\n

\"AA very cold 2012 Christmas morning at Bear River MBR, northern Utah – One of 555 National Wildlife Refuges<\/span><\/p>\n

What do I think about that plan? Hell yeah, open the parks. NOW.<\/p>\n

The (Utah) governor’s office says the economic impact of the federal government shutdown on Utah is approximately $100 million because October is a peak tourism month for many national parks in the state.<\/em><\/p>\n

Another article on the planned opening of Utah\u00a0National Park\u00a0as posted on NPR: County In Utah Threatens Takeover Of National Park Areas<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

This is stupid. There are approximately 59 National Parks<\/strong>, 103 National Monuments<\/strong> and 555 National Wildlife Refuges<\/strong> that are shuttered because of the federal government shutdown. Every community near the Parks, Monuments and Wildlife Refuges is suffering HUGE financial losses because of this shutdown. Tourists that wanted to see our national treasures have been turned away.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Bald Eagle on the Bear River<\/span><\/p>\n

Our National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and Monuments are being held hostage by a few<\/em> elected officials and it is past time for that to stop.<\/p>\n

Do your jobs. That is about as simple as I can put it.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday on the local news I saw that Governor Herbert offered to fund the reopening of Utah’s five National Parks which are Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches and Capitol Reef.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[151,124,27,26],"tags":[4004,4021,4008,4152,519,4035,343,4050,102,4032,373],"class_list":["post-9774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bald-eagle","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-bird-photography","tag-box-elder-county","tag-haliaeetus-leucocephalus","tag-nature","tag-nature-photography","tag-photography","tag-snow","tag-wildlife","tag-wildlife-photography","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge-mia-mcpherson-3636.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-2xE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":120356,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/02\/02\/world-wetlands-day-and-utahs-abysmal-protections-of-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":9774,"position":0},"title":"World Wetlands Day And Utah’s Abysmal Protections Of Them","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is World Wetlands Day, and we need to protect and preserve our wetlands. Wetlands provide a wide range of ecological, economic, and social benefits.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fall visit to Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge-wetlands-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge-wetlands-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge-wetlands-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge-wetlands-mia-mcpherson-8431.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7781,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/07\/isnt-it-time-for-the-national-wildlife-refuge-system-to-create-a-wildlife-conservation-stamp\/","url_meta":{"origin":9774,"position":1},"title":"Isn’t It Time For A Wildlife Conservation Stamp?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a win\/win proposal for the National Wildlife Refuge System and for everyone who visits them. For every person who is concerned about the future of out National Wildlife Refuges and for every organization who supports conservation of our public lands and the nation's wildlife.","rel":"","context":"In "Bald Eagles"","block_context":{"text":"Bald Eagles","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/diurnal-raptors\/bald-eagle\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stormy sky over Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge-mia-mcpherson-7477.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge-mia-mcpherson-7477.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge-mia-mcpherson-7477.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge-mia-mcpherson-7477.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28436,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/09\/20\/a-fishing-american-white-pelican-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":9774,"position":2},"title":"Fishing American White Pelican at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This American White Pelican image was taken in July near the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I like how it shows the pelican fishing for food.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fishing American White Pelican, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-feeding-mia-mcpherson-7119.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-feeding-mia-mcpherson-7119.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-feeding-mia-mcpherson-7119.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-feeding-mia-mcpherson-7119.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14780,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/18\/fracking-does-not-belong-in-our-national-wildlife-refuges\/","url_meta":{"origin":9774,"position":3},"title":"Fracking Does Not Belong In Our National Wildlife Refuges","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 18, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Oil and gas companies want to come in our National Wildlife refuges to explore for oil and natural gas, they want to exploit; not preserve and protect, the resources found within the boundaries of our National Wildlife System.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Centennial Mountain view from Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5059.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5059.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5059.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5059.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49715,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/12\/07\/public-lands-under-fire-just-think-about-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":9774,"position":4},"title":"Public Lands Under Fire – Just Think About It","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Like to fish? Hunt? Watch wildlife? Recreate on public lands? Then think real hard at what the reduction of existing national monuments mean and the precedent that might be set.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Morning light on Flaming Gorge","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/flaming-gorge-reservoir-mia-mcpherson-4891.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/flaming-gorge-reservoir-mia-mcpherson-4891.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/flaming-gorge-reservoir-mia-mcpherson-4891.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/flaming-gorge-reservoir-mia-mcpherson-4891.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":34790,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/01\/13\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge-and-beyond\/","url_meta":{"origin":9774,"position":5},"title":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and Beyond","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is a winter wonderland right now and although it is very quiet it is still teeming with life.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wintry View of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bear-river-winter-mia-mcpherson-2792.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bear-river-winter-mia-mcpherson-2792.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bear-river-winter-mia-mcpherson-2792.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bear-river-winter-mia-mcpherson-2792.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}