Category Archives: National Parks

Conservation, National Forests, National Parks

Sportsmen-Legislators, Conservation Groups Discuss Federal Forest Policy

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Today, members of the sportsmen’s conservation community gathered with Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) at a Breakfast Briefing, titled, “The Resilient Federal Forests Act: Wildlife Habitat and Forest Diversity,” hosted by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF).

Speakers addressed issues from funding, increasing litigation, and complicated regulations to wildlife habitat management and public access for outdoor recreation on federal lands, many of which are addressed in H.R. 2647.

CSF President Jeff Crane, CSC Co-Chair Congressman Rob Wittman (VA), and CSC Vice-Chair Congressman Gene Green (TX) introduced H.R. 2647 and its importance, not only to sportsmen and women, but to all users of public lands.

CSC Member and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Congressman Rob Bishop (UT) addressed the audience. “[Forest management] needs more money to be effective, but that alone is not going to solve the problem. There has to be some substantial changes. The Resilient Federal Forests Act is the first step forward.”

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National Parks

Aramark subsidiary Yosemite Hospitality, LLC replaces DNC as primary concessionaire for Yosemite National National Park

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

DNC has been replaced! In a fairly closed bidding process, the National Park Service has selected Aramark for the new 15 year primary concession contract. This contract is the largest single contract offered by the National Park Service.

From the NPS:

Fifteen-Year Contract includes providing overnight accommodations, food and beverage, retail, and other related services to park visitors

The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Yosemite Hospitality, LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark, to receive the new primary concession contract for providing visitor services in Yosemite National Park. The 15-year contract – the largest single concession contract in the NPS – is expected to begin on March 1, 2016, and will include overnight accommodations, food and beverage operations, retail sales, fuel sales, bike and raft rentals, and a variety of other recreational activities throughout the park.

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Conservation, National Parks, Outdoors

Yosemite Nature Notes – Big Trees

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Yosemite National Park is home to some of the oldest trees in North America, the Giant Sequoia. These trees thrive in the Northern California atmosphere, wrapped in warm temperatures and frequent rainfall. The park is thick with vast forests, and they are one of the many attractions of Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Nature Notes No. 11 spotlights these massive trees and great forests of Yosemite National park. It’s certainly worth the time to watch.

According to the Yosemite Conservancy, this year’s donors have an opportunity to have an extraordinary impact on these big trees. “Contributions from our donors are helping to fund the project to restore the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. This is an ambitious, multiyear effort to preserve these majestic trees and reverse 150 years of development by balancing visitor needs with ecological protection.”

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National Parks

Yosemite National Park Expecting Extremely Busy Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Visitors are urged to avoid arriving at park mid-day, due to anticipated high visitation

From The National Park Service:

Yosemite National Park anticipates an extremely busy Memorial Day weekend. Its been a very busy year so far and the park expects high visitation, especially from Friday afternoon until Sunday. Visitors are strongly urged to avoid arriving at the park during the peak hours of 10:00 a.m.to 2:00 p.m. Arriving early in the day or late in the afternoon are the best ways to enjoy the park. Once in the park, visitors are urged to park their vehicles, and enjoy the park utilizing the free shuttle bus service, bike paths, and hiking trails.

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National Parks

Merced River in Yosemite National Park now open to paddlers!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The Merced Wild and Scenic River Final Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement was released in February 2014.  The plan covers the more than 80 miles of Merced River that is within the Yosemite National Park and El Portal Administrative Site and is to serve as the framework to protect and manage river usage over then next 20 years.

From American Whitewater:

Late last week, the Merced River in Yosemite National Park was officially reopened to paddlers! Even though the new Wild and Scenic River Plan was finalized a year ago, the actual rules and regulations for the Park (the Superintendent’s Compendium) still needed to be updated. This finally happened on Friday, April 24, 2015, and is the culmination of seven years of sustained engagement by American Whitewater with the National Park Service and other stakeholders in this process. Allowing paddling was a tiny, yet important component of the grander plan to preserve the outstandingly remarkable values of the Wild and Scenic Merced River.

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