Yosemite Falls Restoration Project Set to Begin in June

by Karen Gaudette, Associated Press
Fresno Bee - May 21, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Within two years, millions of visitors from around the globe who gaze at majestic Yosemite Falls will no longer be distracted by stinky garbage, an aging restroom and diesel exhaust.

As the first major phase of a plan to revive the heart of Yosemite National Park, planners on Monday announced a $12.5 million makeover at the base of the falls, which cascade 2,425 feet from granite cliffs.

"A visit to Yosemite Falls is not what it should be," said Chip Jenkins, the park's assistant superintendent. "A trip to Yosemite Falls is marred by confusion, by a jarring juxtaposition of noise and smells."

A meadow and picnic area will replace a parking lot where tour buses now idle. Stream and forest habitat will be restored and viewing areas, footbridges and trails will be improved in the 56-acre site to accommodate wheelchair users.

Shuttle buses equipped with bike racks will bring visitors to the site, and exhibits will describe the cultural and natural history of one of the world's tallest waterfalls.

The project is set to begin late next month. A staggered schedule will keep the popular attraction open to tourists during construction.

The restoration project is part of a $441 million plan over the next decade to reduce human impact along the Merced River's seven mile path through Yosemite Valley.

Congress and the Department of the Interior recently approved the plan's first phase despite ongoing debate over the number of camping and parking spots that will remain in the valley. Phase one includes the falls project and rebuilding employee housing and parts of Yosemite Lodge that were damaged in a 1997 flood.

Some environmental groups have criticized the plan as a development scheme that's masquerading as restoration. On Monday, however, Jay Watson of The Wilderness Society said his group supports efforts to protect the valley.

The nonprofit Yosemite Fund and the National Park Service have donated or raised about $10 million for the falls restoration, with $2.5 million still needed, said Sam Livermore, the Yosemite Fund's chairman.

The Lower Yosemite Falls Project was designed by Lawrence Halprin, a landscape architect and environmental planner known for building San Francisco's Ghiradelli Square, the FDR Memorial in Washington, D.C. and Sea Ranch, a residential development on California's coast recognized for its environmental sensitivity.