Great Basin's survival hinges on management by Mark LaPointe, Outpost Staff In this package: Cloistered oasis is treasure Grab Highway 50 kit Park claims long history Visitors escape stress No seasonal boundaries Baker guards gate An eye on the future The Great Basin National Park doesn't rest on its laurels. It can't afford to. As is the nature of the game, its survival depends upon attracting visitors and sharing the wonders hidden within its boundaries. Park management needs to continue to protect the land that isolation has protected for centuries while attracting more people to the region each year. One of the main concerns of the park is the number of visitors. Without upsetting the unspoiled nature of the park and respecting the limited ability of Baker to handle increased visitors to the region, National Park management continues to look at ways to attract and accommodate more and more people. Frank Norris, a National Park Service Historian in Denver, Colo., said the historical reasons for the park's low visitors numbers have to do with its age and its isolation. "In general, the highest visitor totals go to the oldest parks, the largest parks, those near large population centers and those with a history of advertising by major railroad lines. Yellowstone, for example, was a part of Northern Pacific advertising, Glacier by the Great Northern and Grand Canyon by the Santa Fe." In addition to looking at increasing numbers, the park also has specific plans for the future. Park Superintendent Becky Mills Managing a park like the Great Basin includes much more than simple trail maintenance. Photo by Karin Winters shared some of the park's goals, "We are improving our cave management, the Lehman Cave trail and trail lighting. We are implementing a fire management plan. We plan to improve and increase our exhibits." Park officials also are looking at ways to manage the less-accessible parts of the park. Along with management plans, Mills focuses mostly on the general mission of the park that she sees as providing for the public's enjoyment and as preserving the land and its resources for future generations. Of course, as with any long-term plans, funding is a factor. To Mills, that is one of her greatest objectives, "Most challenging at the moment is to serve this mission and implement the park's plans in an era of limited budgets." Nonetheless, that's what Mills enjoys most. She enjoys working with the park employees, the community and the visitors and the sense of mission her job espouses. For visitors like Karin Winters, that is part of the allure of the Great Basin. She encourages others to make the journey no matter how far. She does have a single note of caution, "It's a really great place to relax, so I would recommend visiting with the right frame of mind. Prepare to enjoy nature as it should be enjoyed -- peacefully."   copyright 12/10/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost Nevada Outpost is produced by students at the Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost  TOP