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Yosemite Park Announces Largest Expansion in 67 Years Yosemite Park Announces Largest Expansion in 67 Years
(about 5 hours later)
Yosemite National Park announced on Wednesday that it is growing by 400 acres thanks to a donation of land along its western boundary. Yosemite National Park announced on Wednesday that it is growing by 400 acres thanks, to a donation of land along its western boundary.
Though the addition is the park’s largest expansion since 1949, it is relatively small in scale: It contributes less than two-thirds of a square mile to a park that covers 1,169 square miles in all. But the parcel, known as Ackerson Meadow, is home to crucial wetlands.Though the addition is the park’s largest expansion since 1949, it is relatively small in scale: It contributes less than two-thirds of a square mile to a park that covers 1,169 square miles in all. But the parcel, known as Ackerson Meadow, is home to crucial wetlands.
“The generous donation of Ackerson Meadow will preserve critical meadow habitat that is home to a number of state and federally listed protected species,” the park’s superintendent, Don Neubacher, said in a statement.“The generous donation of Ackerson Meadow will preserve critical meadow habitat that is home to a number of state and federally listed protected species,” the park’s superintendent, Don Neubacher, said in a statement.
The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit conservation organization that helped make the donation possible, described the area in its own announcement as “a bright island of open grass in a sea of shady forest.”The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit conservation organization that helped make the donation possible, described the area in its own announcement as “a bright island of open grass in a sea of shady forest.”
The trust purchased Ackerson Meadow for $2.3 million earlier this year, contributing $1.53 million to the cost. It worked with the Yosemite Conservancy, which contributed $520,000. The National Park Trust and American Rivers provided further funding.The trust purchased Ackerson Meadow for $2.3 million earlier this year, contributing $1.53 million to the cost. It worked with the Yosemite Conservancy, which contributed $520,000. The National Park Trust and American Rivers provided further funding.
While the land is a small addition to a giant park, parcels like Ackerson Meadow provide critical habitats for hundreds of species of plants and animals, including humans.While the land is a small addition to a giant park, parcels like Ackerson Meadow provide critical habitats for hundreds of species of plants and animals, including humans.
“At just 3 percent of Yosemite National Park’s area, meadows may be home to one-third of all of the plant species found in the park,” the park service said in a statement. “Most of San Francisco’s water is filtered by Yosemite’s meadows, including Ackerson Meadow.” “At just 3 percent of Yosemite National Park’s area, meadows may be home to one-third of all of the plant species found in the park,” the National Park Service said in a statement. “Most of San Francisco’s water is filtered by Yosemite’s meadows, including Ackerson Meadow.”
In 2013, the meadow’s wet soil helped to stave off a wildfire, which left burn scars on trees at the land’s edge. The threat of that encroachment underscored the need to save the land, the Trust for Public Land said.In 2013, the meadow’s wet soil helped to stave off a wildfire, which left burn scars on trees at the land’s edge. The threat of that encroachment underscored the need to save the land, the Trust for Public Land said.
“With climate change, we’re seeing temperatures increasing and snowpack decreasing all across the Sierra,” Sarah Stock, a Yosemite wildlife biologist, said in the trust’s statement. “Meadows are already drying up earlier in the year.”“With climate change, we’re seeing temperatures increasing and snowpack decreasing all across the Sierra,” Sarah Stock, a Yosemite wildlife biologist, said in the trust’s statement. “Meadows are already drying up earlier in the year.”
The park service plans to alter stream flows to help the meadow hold water longer. The National Park Service plans to alter stream flows to help the meadow hold water longer.
In a way, Wednesday’s expansion was long overdue: The original 1890 boundary plans for Yosemite included Ackerson Meadow.In a way, Wednesday’s expansion was long overdue: The original 1890 boundary plans for Yosemite included Ackerson Meadow.