Cutting Trees in Yosemite to Preserve View

[Michael Kadillak]

I read in the newspaper yesterday that the Park service is planning on getting out the chain saws early next year to cut down thousands of trees in an effort to preserve the view of some of the iconic views of Yosemite for tourists. Seems that the overgrowth is harming the esthetics. What a bunch of crap. All they would have to do is let nature do its thing once every 15-20 years as it had for centuries and all would be well. Reminds me of the park whacking countless elk in Rocky Mountain National Park because there are no natural predators and the numbers are in excess of what they deem reasonable.

When we attempt to set up nature as we should see it, we always fall far short of expectations.

[Steve Goldstein]

I love the hypocrisy of the Park Service. They have very strict regulations about using mechanized/motorized anything in the parks, but of course the NPS is exempt and can go around using chainsaws when they see fit!

I think they should be allowed to do whatever they want provided they abide by the same rules they enforce on the public. If they want to cut trees, they should do it by hand.

[Bill_1856]

I don't know about thousands of trees (sounds like a bad idea to me), but "topping" those few at "the overlook view" back to their height 50 years ago would be acceptable (to me). Cloning them out in Photoshop just ain't the same.

[JC Kuba]

It reminds me of a story I read in a paper many years back of someone who built a house the side of a hill overlooking Lake Tahoe whose view was obstructed by trees in a state park between his house and the lake. He just hired some people to cut the tops of the trees, on the state park, off. He was fined, but I imagine he had enough money the improved view was worth it for him.

[Preston]

There appears to be a prevailing attitude that active fire suppression by the NPS in Yosemite Valley is the reason for the growth of coniferous trees that are encroaching on the view shed. My belief is that the growth of the pines and willow is a direct result of the natural glacial lake-meadow-forest succession, with active fire suppression playing a role.

Second, there are also feelings that the valley should look as it did in the time of habitation by the Ahwahnechee, who used low intensity fire in order to promote the growth of oak trees for acorns, and grasses for grazing.

I believe the NPS would be more than happy to scour the valley of the trappings of our mechanized society and allow the land to take it's natural course. But, they can't do that. The NPS has done some good things, such as moving some of their operation out of the valley, creating the one-way loop, eliminating private vehicles from Happy Isles and Mirror Lake, etc., and that's a good start.

Michael, I agree with you that we should "let nature do it's thing". However, given the high-value infrastructure currently present, and the threat to human life by fire, the NPS is unlikely to allow a high intensity fire to rip through the valley. A glacier would do the trick... :-)

Personally, cutting hundreds of trees and stands of willow in order to provide visitors with a 'perfect' viewshed is abhorrent to me. My feeling is--leave it be.

It will be interesting to see if this actually comes about.

--P

[Michael Gordon]

I wrote about this on my blog and welcome your comments there.

If the program was really created for wildfire abatement, then why did they name it the "Scenic Vista Management Plan"? The majority of thinning will take place alongside roads, turnouts, and at scenic viewpoints. Hmmm......

[Michael Kadillak]

I don't know about thousands of trees (sounds like a bad idea to me), but "topping" those few at "the overlook view" back to their height 50 years ago would be acceptable (to me). Cloning them out in Photoshop just ain't the same.

The images shown in a compare and contrast view takes out the option of just "topping" a few trees. This is a massive issue as can be see in the link below.


http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_18586909

[Kirk Gittings]

NPS has long considered "parks" as something to be manicured to fit some persons ideal. Look at Mesa Verde and Chaco. Without constant stabilization and reconstruction they would be nothing but piles of rocks with an interesting history.

[SamReeves]

Disagree. Tunnel view, when I was there last time had too many frickin trees. Get the chainsaws out and make some firewood.

[bob carnie]

I remember an article in one of the camera magazines by Fred Picker, where he recommended cutting the trees from the backside so you would not see the fresh cuts.