Is it too soon to delist Yellowstone grizzlies like this one? I think so.

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I think it’s too early to take the grizzly off the list. In recent years, various factors have combined to paint a less rosey picture. The loss of whitebark pine nuts, climate change, increased subdivision sprawl bordering national forest land, increased illegal ORV trails that break up solid habitat and the uncertain fight over unprotected roadless areas all combine to paint a more realistic picture.

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BILLINGS, Mont. — One of the most pristine expanses of wilderness in the lower 48 states grew even wilder over the last two decades, with the resurgence of grizzly bears across 9 million acres in and around Yellowstone National Park.

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PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Estimates of the number of mountain lions in the Black Hills continues to grow, possibly topping 210 animals.

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It’ll cost you a little bit more this year to visit some of our national parks, but you’ll also get a little more for your money — new visitor centers, new exhibits, museums and other facilities.

Out west, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming will unveil a new Discovery and Visitor Center in mid-August that will provide “stunning views of the Tetons through floor-to-ceiling picture windows,” said the park service’s Gerry Gaumer.

Couldn’t I get that Teton view just by walking outside? Building more stuff won’t bring more visitors, it will just add more buildings to the land. What’s next…a tram to the top of the Teton’s, Euro-style?

Obviously part of the reason why campground and entrance fees are up across the board.

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The National Parks Conservation Association, a non-partisan group that lobbies on behalf of national parks, recently called on Congress to allow the park service to bring back the less expensive pass, which allowed free entry to the 145 parks that charge fees. Another 246 national park sites do not have entrance fees.

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Washington Trails Association volunteers, including Knoke and Dewell, are the best shot the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest has at recovering from $5 million in trail damage left by the winter storms of 2003 and 2006 and more than a decade of declining maintenance budgets. Since 1993, the non-profit has grown from 250 hours of volunteer service to 75,000 hours in 2006

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The U.S. Forest Service has released a final 10-year management plan for Allegheny National Forest that doesn’t go far enough in setting aside wilderness areas.

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Tahoe National Forest is proposing to close 2,450 miles of unauthorized off-highway-vehicle trails that have been used for years to halt problems such as erosion and impacts on wildlife.

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BEDFORD — Mist-net for birds, play great games, build bird feeders and houses, meet Smokey Bear, and win prizes at the fifth annual International Migratory Bird Day sponsored by the Hoosier National Forest on May 19 at the Hardin Ridge Recreation Area.

The Flaming Lips with “Do You Realize” from their masterpiece “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots”: