Future Prospects for Yosemite

Through continuous preservation, research, and environmental protection, Yosemite National Park should have a bright future as both a vacation destination and a wildlife sanctuary.  Ongoing scientific research is a critical part of this prospect, covering topics such as declining animal species studies, invasive plant removal strategies, and human carrying capacity issues.  Yosemite has a resource management staff of over 100 people and also processes hundreds of research permits each year for its staff and outside interests.  ("Yosemite National Park" 2011) Scientists and wildlife activists take part in keeping track of endangered species sightings, invasive plant and animal species, and the number of visitors that come to the park each year.  Fire management is another way in which Yosemite staff protects the park-- Yosemite's fire management program is designed to protect life and resources, but also to ensure the continuation of fire as a natural process.  Naturally occurring fires allow forests to be thinned, the recycling of nutrients, and the decomposition of dead, woody debris.  If scientists continue to control and observe the occurrence of fire in Yosemite, further ecological problems will be avoided.  Preservation is a final major element of Yosemite's future, and it is through preservation that the park will continue to thrive off of tourism for years to come.  Yosemite archaoelogists have found over 1,500 sites that hold material remnants of past lifeways.  Architects make sure to create any buildings with a rustic design in order to blend the buildings in with their natural surroundings. Excessive vegetation growth has also adversely impacted the park's iconic views and scenic vistas, meadows, and discrete line of sight.  This has compromised the visitor experience and impacted natural and cultural resources in Yosemite.  The National Park Service Organic Act and the Scenic Vista Management Plan are two government-sponsored programs that will prevent this overgrowth from occurring in the future. (Jenkins 2011)