River’s ‘wild and scenic’ designation may impact Yosemite
By Joshua Emerson Smith, Merced Sun-Star
A well-intentioned plan to preserve the natural beauty of the Merced River may wind up limiting the number of visitors U.S. national parks can have at any one time.
A 1987 federal law designated the river as a “wild and scenic” location that needed to be preserved. To do that today, however, it seems that restrictions could be imposed on the number of visitors allowed into Yosemite and, ultimately, all other national parks.
Under a federal court order, Yosemite National Park officials will have to limit the number of people allowed in park locations at any one time. The ruling is aimed at protecting the Merced River under its “wild and scenic” designation.
Once approved, the plan probably will set a precedent for how all national parks regulate protected lands and waters around the country.
Public comments on the plan can be made until Dec. 14.
Based on a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2009, the Merced River Plan must include specific numbers for how many people can be in areas of the park at one time. This will be the third proposed plan by park officials after more than a decade of legal wrangling, plus $50 million in court costs and other expenditures.
The 9th Circus Court strikes again? It’s getting so I’m starting to wonder if the consequences are truly unintended or not?
Still mad about their stance on Prop 8?
Also, there is no doubt that a few groups want to cut back the number of people in Yosemite. I am on the fence about it. One one hand, everyone needs to see it, more people need to realize that nature is worth making sacrifices for. On the other, the place is kind of like an Ansel Adams theme park. A golf course in the valley? Really? Lots of social trails that are so heavily traveled that they are causing significant disturbance in meadows. People don’t treat it with the respect it deserves. Somehow the military can keep the public off of their large tracts of memorial turf…. but the Yosemite visitors just stomp around. Interesting.
on the other hand, the W&S designation is currently embattled: http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=merced