AMERICAN SAMOA NATIONAL PARK'S

American Samoa National Park's 10,500 acres of paleotropical rainforests, pristine coral reefs, and magnificent white sand beaches are located on the three South Pacific islands of Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta'u.

Two lush rainforest preserves and a coral reef are home to unique tropical animals including the flying fox, Pacific boa, tortoises, and an array of birds and fish.

From the mountaintops down to the ocean's edge, these islands are covered with a diverse, mixed-species, paleotropical (Old World) rainforest. Samoa's rainforest is closely related to that of Asia and Africa, as opposed to the neotropical (New World) rainforests of Central and South America.

Depending on elevation, the forest can be characterized as coastal, lowland, ridge, montane, or cloud forest. In addition to many species of trees, vegetation here includes vines, ferns, lichens, epiphytes (air plants), and mosses.

The Manu'a Islands (Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u) of eastern American Samoa are famous for their history, culture, and spectacular beauty. The wildlife of Manu'a is also special. Since the Manu'a Islands are only 60 miles east of Tutuila, one might expect that the same kinds of birds and animals would be found in both places, but in fact, there are four species of birds living in Manu'a that do not occur on Tutuila.

The most beautiful of the birds of Manu'a is Samoa's only parrot, the segavao, or blue-crowned lory. This tiny jewel of a bird, only 7 inches long, is colored with emerald-green back and wings, ruby red face and throat, and a sapphire-blue crown. In historic times these colorful feathers were used to decorate fine mats.

American Samoa is home to many different birds and fish and a few very interesting mammals. There are more than 35 species of birds, both resident and migratory, including seabirds, water birds, forest birds, and shore birds. The cliffs and sea stacks are ideal nesting habitat for tropical seabirds, while the rainforest is home to collared kingfishers, cardinal and wattled honeyeaters, blue-crowned lories, Samoan starlings, purple-capped fruit doves, many-colored fruit doves, Pacific pigeons, and banded rails.

Bats are the only native mammals found in American Samoa. They are harmless to people. There are two species of flying foxes (fruit bat) and one insect-eating bat species here. The fruit bats, the Samoan flying fox and the white-collared flying fox, are as large as one pound, with a wingspan of 3 feet. They eat pollen and fruits and serve an essential role in the ecology of the native rainforest by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds.

Of the park's total area of 10,500 acres, about 8,000 acres are rainforest. Depending on elevation, this forest can be characterized as coastal, lowland, ridge, montane, or cloud forest. In addition to many species of trees, plants found here include vines, ferns, lichens, epiphytes (air plants) , and mosses.

Samoa's rainforest is closely related to that of Asia and Africa, as opposed to the neotropical (New World) rainforests of Central and South America. In mixed-species forest, no single tree or plant species dominates. The rainforests within park boundaries are largely intact, and extend uninterrupted from sea level up to cloud forests on mountain summits. This is the only rainforest of its kind protected within a US national park.

Subsistence farming is allowed on some park lands. Near villages that border on the rainforest there are small plantations where taro, coconut, banana, breadfruit, papaya, mango and other crops are grown for a family's consumption.

Amalau Valley
The Amalau Valley is a good place to watch above the trees for flying foxes.

Coral Reefs
The coral reefs off the coast of Ofu Island are among the healthiest in the South Pacific.

Flying Fox
The Samoan flying fox, a giant fruit bat, has a wingspan of about three feet and weighs almost one pound.

Matafao Peak
Matafao Peak is Tutuila Island's tallest mountain at 2,142 feet.

Mount 'Alava
Mount 'Alava rises up from the Amalau Valley to tower above the ocean at 1,610 feet.

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia preserves about 40,000 acres of Atlantic Coast shoreline, mixed hardwood and spruce/fir forest, mountains, lakes, and several offshore islands. Each headland, bay, and inlet reveals the majestic interface between sea and land.

Acadia's rocky headlands bear the brunt of enormous energies unleashed in waves that batter cliffs and erupt in lofty spray. Behind these headlands lie Acadia's forests and mountains, made easy to explore by an extensive system of carriage roads.

Wildlife includes 40 mammal species, 11 species of amphibians, over 273 species of birds, and 7 species of reptiles; more than a dozen other terrestrial and marine mammals have been identified on adjacent lands or water bodies.

While most visitors spend their time within the Mount Desert Island portion of the park, the Schoodic Peninsula and Isle au Haut hold wonders of their own.

Deep shell heaps indicate American Indian encampments dating back 6,000 years here, but prehistoric records are scanty. The first written descriptions of Maine Coast Indians, recorded 100 years after European trade contacts began, describe American Indians who lived off the land by hunting, fishing, collecting shellfish, and gathering plants and berries.

BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison's unique and spectacular landscape was formed slowly by the action of water and rock scouring down through hard Proterozoic crystalline rock.

No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The Gunnison River within the Black Canyon drops an average of 95 feet per mile (18 meters per kilometer), one of the greatest rates of fall for a river in North America.

The canyon offers opportunities for spectacular drive-up viewing, short walks to many canyon overlooks, hiking trails and routes, wildlife viewing, birding, camping, picnicking, photography, fishing (physically demanding access), bouldering, inner-canyon hiking and climbing.

Inner Canyon
As in any wilderness experience, you should be prepared to adapt to the conditions found there. This is an on-your-own experience. There are no maintained or marked trails into the inner canyon. Routes are difficult to follow. Hikers are expected to find their own way and to be prepared for self-rescue.

While descending, study the route behind, as this will make it easier on the way up when confronted with a choice of routes and drainages. The hike into the canyon and back up is very strenuous. Bring high energy foods and at least 4 quarts of water per person.

A sports drink is recommended. River water must be treated but remember that wading in the cold water (40F) is hazardous. At levels above 450-500 cubic feet per second the combination of high, swift water and cold temperatures increases the danger. Also be aware that poison ivy grows in the drainages and along the river.

North Rim
Animal and bird life abound on the North Rim. Some commonly seen animals include deer, coyote, porcupine, yellow-bellied marmot, chipmunk, and squirrel. Occasional sightings are also made of badger, bobcat, and black bear. Bird watchers should keep an eye out for such species as red-tailed hawk, white-throated swift and violet green swallow, Clark's nutcracker, raven, western tanager and falcon (prairie and peregrine).

Rock climbing on the sheer, vertical walls of the North Rim is a popular activity with advanced and expert level climbers. Remember this when you get the urge to throw a rock over the edge. You can bike on the North Rim Road but not on the trails. Pets on a leash are welcome everywhere except for the North Vista Trail.

Hikers should be aware that limited cattle grazing is permitted on the North Rim. Please keep cattle gates closed should you encounter them. Horseback riding is permitted only on North Rim Drive and Deadhorse Trail. Hikers should give riders the right of way by stepping off the trail and avoiding sudden movements or noise.

South Rim
From the rim of the Vernal Mesa, enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the San Juan Mountain Range, Uncompahgre Valley, and Bostwick Park to the south. To the north, look for the West Elk Mountains, Painted Wall, Gunnison River, and Black Canyon.



NEXT

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS SOUTH AMERICA

The Galapagos Islands are famous for the rich diversity of life found on their 120 volcanic islands, located directly on the Equator about 1000 km off the Pacific coast of South America.

Naturalist Charles Darwin's monumental work On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection was based largely upon observations he made during a five-week stay in the Galapagos in 1835, while on the 5-year journey of exploration of the HMS Beagle. Elevations range from sea level to the 1,707-metre summit of Wolf Volcano, one of many extinct, dormant, and active volcanoes found throughout the 766,514 hectares of protected islands and 7,990,000 hectares of marine reserve within the Galapagos Archipelago.

Habitats include varied coastal vegetation, mangrove swamps in coves and lagoons, arid zones of cactus and other species, and moist upland forests and shrublands in the high-elevation fog belt. Wildlife includes 11 subspecies of the Galapagos giant tortoise, each on a different island; marine iguanas, which graze on rocks under the sea; Galapagos penguin, Galapagos flightless cormorant, Galapagos hawk, lava heron, and dozens of other bird species; and mammals including Galapagos fur seal, Galapagos sea lion, and two species of bats.

Most of the breeding land birds of the Galapagos Archipelago are endemic to the islands, as are one-third of the vascular land plants. With the exception of two marine tortoises, all the reptiles of the Galapagos are endemic as well, including marine iguanas, terrestrial iguanas, many lizards and geckos, and 11 subspecies of Galapagos giant tortoise. Green turtles and hawksbill turtles are common in the waters surrounding the islands, and the green turtles breed on sandy beaches.

Native mammals of the Galapagos are few, owing to the 1,000 km span of Pacific Ocean between these volcanic islands and the mainland. The six native species include Galapagos fur seal, Galapagos sea lion, two species of rice rat, and two species of bat.

It is possible, in some seasons, to arrange tours of the Galapagos upon your arrival in the islands. This is reportedly less expensive than advance bookings on the mainland.

CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK

This magnificent tropical wilderness domain is one of the last major old-growth rainforests in Central America.

Encompassing more than 54,000 land hectares and 2,400 of ocean, Corcovado National Park is a lush realm of misty cloud forests, oak woodlands, deep swamps, hot sandy beaches, and impenetrable rainforests.

More than 500 tree species occur here, in an incredibly diverse array of habitats that are home to 367 species of birds, 140 species of mammals, 51 species of amphibians, 64 species of reptiles, 40 species of freshwater fish, and more than 6,000 species of insects.

Crocodiles, jaguars, pumas, white-lipped peccaries, and howler monkeys roam the forests, while hummingbirds, parakeets, and scarlet macaws enliven the skies.

Activities include dayhiking, extended wilderness backpacking, beach swimming, snorkeling, and wildlife observation.

THE COPPER CANYON MEXICO

The Copper Canyon of Mexico is renowned for ruggedness, remoteness, and the vastness of its scarcely-explored reaches.

Encompassing the roughly 64,000 square kilometres of the Sierra Taruhumara, it is not a single canyon at all, but a vast domain of many deep canyons, abrupt precipices, torrential rivers, and spectacular waterfalls that comprise the largest canyon system in North America.

The name Copper Canyon, or Barrancas del Cobre, derives from a copper-walled segment of the larger Rio Urique canyon, and over time has been applied to the entire canyons region.

Within this region lie four or more canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon of Arizona, and the newly-discovered 453-metre plunge of Piedra Volada falls, the highest waterfall in Mexico and among the five highest on Earth.

Vegetation ranges from forests of oak, pine, juniper, and cottonwood to wildflower meadows and subtropical canyon bottoms. Wildlife includes black bear, puma, deer, boar, and 300 species of birds.

The Tarahumara Indians of Copper Canyon are runners over vast distances of rugged trails, and it is these trails that provide foot access from the railway trailheads to most areas of this scarce-developed region.

5 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE CLIMATE CHANGE RUINS THEM FOREVER

CNN.com has an interesting article naming the five places that everyone should see before they are forever altered by climate change, which is already having an indelible effect on our planet.

This list was compiled by Bob Henson, the author of The Rough Guide To Climate Change, who wants to give travelers a heads up on the best places to visit in the near future, as they are also the most likely to see the most drastic changes in the near future.

The list includes The Great Barrier Reef, whose coral reefs are now threatened by warming waters, causing them to die at an alarming rate. The GBR is a popular tourist destination and is considered one of the best places to SCUBA dive and snorkel in the world, which has hastened some of the damage. With so many people visiting, and the environment already fragile, the likelihood of causing harm is increased.

New Orleans, Louisiana also finds its way onto Bob's list for obvious reasons. Hurricane Katrina made us all painfully aware that the city sits below sea level and is precariously protected by a series of walls and levies. As the planet warms up however, and the polar icecaps melt, the sea levels are going to rise, endangering New Orleans further. It's possible that the city may not even exist at all in the future.

Of course, the ongoing debate is, should we rush off to visit these places, as well as the other three on the list, thereby increasing the chances of those places being altered forever. Or should we stay home, and limit our footprint? That is a question that all travelers will be wrestling with for years to come.

HISTORY OF BERLIN WALL

Basic Facts (at the time of July 31, 1989)
Total border lenght around West Berlin: 96 mi / 155 km
Border between East and West Berlin: 27 mi / 43.1 km
Border between West Berlin and East Germany: 69 mi / 111.9 km
Border through residential areas in Berlin: 23 mi / 37 km
Concrete segment wall: 3.6m (11.81 ft.) high, 66 mi / 106 km
Wire mesh fencing: 41 mi / 66.5 km
Anti-vehicle trenches: 65 mi / 105.5 km
Contact or signal fence: 79 mi / 127.5 km
Column track: 6-7 m (7.33 yd) wide, 77 mi / 124.3 km
Number of watch towers: 302
Number of bunkers:20
Persons killed on the Berlin Wall : 192
Persons injured by shooting: ca. 200

The border between East and West Berlin is opened and daily half a million people cross the border from one part of the city into the other. Many East Berliners go into the cinema or discos in the West, they even work in the West or they go shopping in the West. Women get the first seamless panty hoses in the West, tropical fruits are only available there. The life in the West was much better than in the East after 1948.

West Germany including West Berlin had got financial help through the Marshallplan from the USA. In East Germany a communist system was established and many people had to suffer under repressions of the Communist party. In May 1952 the open border (Zonengrenze) between East and West Germany was closed by the East German government. In the years after 1952 it became more difficult and dangerous to escape to the West over this border.

However, the sectorial borders between East and West Berlin were not closed. Many East German citizen went to East Berlin and from there to West Berlin. Once arrived in West Berlin they stayed there or were fled out to West Germany. East Germany lost too many skilled workers in these years. Another big problem were the two currencies in Germany and especially in Berlin. West German DM had been exchanged into East German DM at a rate of 1:4 (1 DM West = 4 DM Ost) in West Berlin.

People with West German DM could get goods very cheaply in the Eastern part of Berlin. The East German government saw no other way to prevent from escaping to the West via Berlin than closing the border between East and West Berlin on August 13, 1961. The fall of the Berlin Wall had begun with the building of the Wall in 1961. However it took about three decades until the Wall was torn down.

Several times people in the Communist countries rised up against the Communist system but they failed. The victims of the uprisings against the Communist dictatorship in Berlin 1953, Budapest 1956 or Prague 1968 will never been forgotten. In 1989 the first free labor union was founded in the communist Poland.

The end of the communist system had begun. The Soviet Union could control their satellites yet but with the new leader Gorbatshov their politics changed in 1984. Gorbatshov's reforms, Perestroika and Glasnost should renew the stalinistic system in the Soviet Union but not replace the communist system. The reforms in the Soviet Union also had its effects on the other communist countries, especially in Poland and Hungary.

On August 23, 1989 Hungary opened the iron curtain to Austria. Months before East German tourists used their chance to escape to Austria from Hungary and in September 1989 more than 13 000 East German escaped via Hungary within three days. It was the first mass exodus of East Germans after the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

Mass demonstrations against the government and the system in East Germany begun at the end of September and took until November 1989. Erich Honecker, East Germany's head of state, had to resign on October 18, 1989. The new governement prepared a new law to lift the travel restrictions for East German citizen. At 06.53 pm on November 9, 1989 a member of the new East German government was asked at a press conference when the new East German travel law comes into force. He answered: "Well, as far as I can see, ... straightaway, immediately." Thousands of East Berliners went to the border crossings.

At Bornholmer Strasse the people demanded to open the border and at 10.30 pm the border was opened there. That moment meant the end of the Berlin Wall. Soon other border crossing points opened the gates to the West In that night the deadly border was opened by East Germans peacefully.

The Berlin Wall today

The German are thorough people. The Wall was completly removed and there are only a few parts which can still be found. One of the most asked question is: "Where is the Wall?".