Park System

George B. Hartzog Jr., a former director of the National Park Service, who led an unprecedented expansion of the nation's system of parks, wildlife refuges and historic sites and who helped secure passage of the National Historic Preservation Act in 1966, died June 27 at Virginia Hospital Center of complications from diabetes and kidney disease. He was 88 and lived in McLean. In almost nine years as director, Mr. Hartzog used personal charisma, political savvy and deep-rooted knowledge of the nation's park system to...

In his Sept. 9 letter , William Pepelko correctly stated that cuts in the National Park Service's budget over the years have diminished its ability to adequately maintain park facilities. Not stated in the letter were the related problems created by the efforts of well-meaning but ill-advised conservation organizations to bring more lands into the park system. Perhaps it is time to say "enough" until we can take proper care of what we already have. Pete Bermel, Great Falls

Fredericksburg, Va. — Chatham Manor , the elegant 241-year-old Georgian house that served as a Union headquarters during the Civil War, remains a must-see stop on tours of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. But the grounds are not as they once were. The gardens are overgrown, and the greenhouse has broken windows and rotting wood frames. The park's superintendent, Russell Smith, noted that the family that occupied the home in the 1920s "had nine or 10 gardeners.

Fredericksburg, Va. — Chatham Manor , the elegant 241-year-old Georgian house that served as a Union headquarters during the Civil War, remains a must-see stop on tours of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. But the grounds are not as they once were. The gardens are overgrown, and the greenhouse has broken windows and rotting wood frames. The park's superintendent, Russell Smith, noted that the family that occupied the home in the 1920s "had nine or 10 gardeners.

In his Sept. 9 letter , William Pepelko correctly stated that cuts in the National Park Service's budget over the years have diminished its ability to adequately maintain park facilities. Not stated in the letter were the related problems created by the efforts of well-meaning but ill-advised conservation organizations to bring more lands into the park system. Perhaps it is time to say "enough" until we can take proper care of what we already have. Pete Bermel, Great Falls

Jerome P. Akman [" At Least Our Dogs Will Be Okay ," Close to Home, March 8] surely is not a dog owner. His opposition to a vibrant and improved park system in Washington, including off-leash areas, smacks at the quality of life so many people need these days. Owning a dog in the city or suburb is a challenge, especially with the space constraints. For those who chose to own dogs and are conscientious about providing them with sufficient off-leash activity, supporting the development of "dog parks" with their taxes is a bargain.

The troubled Montgomery Parks Foundation could become a fundraising organization for the county's park system, according to the development director of the only self-supporting park system in Montgomery Country. The Planning Board created the foundation in 1992 to support and enhance the county's park system, but questions about its purpose and funding were ongoing. The foundation's board of trustees voted in December to suspend operations and transfer leadership to new trustees while the Planning Board determined the foundation's...

The National Park Service says it is satisfied with the results of a year-long inspector general's investigation that found no criminal violations by John A. Latschar, the superintendent of one of the agency's most popular facilities, Gettysburg National Military Park. It will not say, however, how it handled a violation of department policy that was documented in the course of the investigation -- Latschar's use of his office computer over a two-year period to search for and view more than...

Sandy Kosch used to pedal her bicycle to Lake Accotink on summer days when she was growing up in Burke. Now that she lives farther away in the Sully District, she drives there to walk or bike. But these days, Kosch said, she is thinking of leaving her car at her parents' house near the popular water park to avoid a new $4 entrance fee that will take effect this summer at Lake Accotink and three other county water parks. And she predicted that many other people who are unhappy about the fees will do something...

Continuing his push to identify more historic sites important to the nation's Hispanics, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar touted a new report Wednesday that identified several sites tied to Latino heritage in Colorado and New Mexico — including one in his own back yard — that could one day become national parks or historic landmarks. The report, requested by Salazar, is part of the secretary's push to establish more national parks and historic sites tied to minorities . The Obama administration's...

Continuing his push to identify more historic sites important to the nation's Hispanics, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar touted a new report Wednesday that identified several sites tied to Latino heritage in Colorado and New Mexico — including one in his own back yard — that could one day become national parks or historic landmarks. The report, requested by Salazar, is part of the secretary's push to establish more national parks and historic sites tied to minorities . The Obama administration's most senior Hispanic...

Parking in the District? There's an app for that. Drivers will soon be able to use a cellphone to pay for any of the city's almost 17,000 on-street, metered parking spots. The system is one of a flurry of high-tech moves to overhaul the District's aging meter network and address two perennial complaints of motorists: Meters are frequently broken, and hauling around fistfuls of quarters is a pain. "The goal is to give people options," said John Lisle, a District Department of Transportation spokesman.

CHEYENNE, WYO. -- A soon-to-be-implemented policy for scientists who are permitted to conduct research in national parks will give the National Park Service a share of profits from their work. The policy is expected to go into effect early next year following more than a decade of concern and a lawsuit over "bioprospecting" in Yellowstone National Park. Bioprospecting -- a hybrid of the words "biodiversity" and "prospecting" -- is the search for organisms that promise scientific breakthroughs in medicine and...

The National Park Service says it is satisfied with the results of a year-long inspector general's investigation that found no criminal violations by John A. Latschar, the superintendent of one of the agency's most popular facilities, Gettysburg National Military Park. It will not say, however, how it handled a violation of department policy that was documented in the course of the investigation -- Latschar's use of his office computer over a two-year period to search for and view more than 3,400...

Back on the Fourth of July, a longtime Maryland activist and his sign-carrying sidekick were out meeting voters before the fireworks when, they say, police ordered them to immediately get rid of their campaign placard. Now that campaign foray in a Montgomery County public park is prompting a legal dust-up over free speech. On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union called on officials who govern parks in Montgomery and Prince George's counties to junk a broadly written set of rules requiring government...

The troubled Montgomery Parks Foundation could become a fundraising organization for the county's park system, according to the development director of the only self-supporting park system in Montgomery Country. The Planning Board created the foundation in 1992 to support and enhance the county's park system, but questions about its purpose and funding were ongoing. The foundation's board of trustees voted in December to suspend operations and transfer leadership to new trustees while the Planning Board determined...

The Mall, home to America's most revered monuments and memorials, needs some serious sprucing up, as The Post has reported ["America's Unkempt Front Yard," front page, June 18]. But we shouldn't forget another national treasure that is also under threat from neglect and disrepair: the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Given its contribution to the Washington region's quality of life, perhaps it's time we recognize it as "Washington's Back Yard" and treat it with the attention and care that such real estate deserves.

The Montgomery County Revenue Authority plans to ask the county's Park and Planning agency to allow it to back out of a lease deal at Sligo Creek Golf Course, saying that unless it can build a driving range at the site, the finances won't work. The revenue authority has also entered into talks with the city of Rockville about possibly taking over operations at its RedGate Golf Course. The moves have sparked concern among golfers and some local officials, who are questioning whether employees are being well treated,...

When you think of a suburban park, you might think of something rolling and green, with a little mulchy square for a playground and perhaps a backstop that hints at a baseball diamond. If so, Fairfax County would like you to expand your definition. On Saturday, the Fairfax County Park Authority dedicated Merrifield Park, a little brick plaza with benches and a fountain, hemmed in on one side by a sleek new complex of condominiums and shops called Merrifield Town Center. Though not necessarily a park in the way some might be...

THE OVERALL number of visitors to national parks has fallen over the past decade, from more than 286 million in 2000 to 275 million last year. More significant is that per capita park visitation is at its lowest since 1975. Since 1990, it has ceased to be true that the average American visits a national park at least once a year. Whether this reflects an increased interest in other forms of entertainment, a general aversion to outdoor activities or tightened family budgets, it is a distressing trend -- especially as the government pumps nearly $3...