Viewpoints on Yosemite Management

Tourist In Yosemite

You've been coming to Yosemite for many years. You enjoy the accommodations at the lodge and the opportunity to go out to dinner. On the other hand, you resent the crowds and traffic you have attempted to escape by coming to the mountains.

Delaware North
(Yosemite Concession Services Corporation)

You operate the hotels and business operations for a contract worth more than $1 billion in gross revenue. You will turn back 20.2% to the federal government, which will own all major buildings in Yosemite.

Concession Worker

You work at the lodge and have worked in the park for ten years. You like the luxury of living in Yosemite Valley. If the lodge is moved, your job will be eliminated.

National Parks and Conservation Association

You are a member of an organization dedicated to preserving Yosemite and other national parks. You believe facilities and development should be located outside the park and that a regional transportation system should be set up, using concession fees.

Yosemite Institute Instructor

You are an instructor at an educational institute in the park and teach people how to protect Yosemite and other wilderness areas. You are a conservationist, but if all development is moved out of the park, your organization will be affected and will need to relocate.

Artists, Photographers and Writers

You visit Yosemite by yourself to gain inspiration for your artistic work. You also participate in annual workshops offered in the park and meet old acquaintances. You would be willing to use public transportation if it meant less congestion in the park.

Resident of El Portal

Your small town outside the park may become a much larger city if all the development in the park is relocated. The town is on a Wild and Scenic River, which would be affected by development.

Business Owners in Outlying Areas

If there is a reduction in the number of people allowed in Yosemite Valley, your business could suffer. On the other hand, more people might seek your services if services inside the park were limited.

Biologists

You study the restoration of impacted ecosystems in the park. You believe that a general reduction in commercialization and the number of cars will enable the park to restore some of its already impacted ecosystems.

Tour Bus Company

You are the owner-operator of a tour bus company, and many of your visitors are from Japan, Germany, Holland, and England. Currently, the Park Service limits the concessionaire to only 18% of its rooms for tour bus groups. You believe that if the Park Service would raise this to 22%, there would be 120 fewer cars overnight in the park and less congestion.

Sierra Club Members

You belong to the conservation organization founded by John Muir, whose primary goal is to preserve the natural systems in the park. You believe that development in the park should not exceed the limits set by the General Management Plan and support innovative, regional transportation possibilities.

National Park Service

Your job, as a team, is to listen to all sides of the General Management Plan debate and vote on a plan for how the valley should be managed. Consider all the perspectives presented in the debate and decide on the best plan of action to fulfill the mission and goals of the National Park Service for future generations.

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