PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #49: Restoration of Public Lands.
Presiding: D. Gordon
Wednesday, August 7. 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Mohave Meeting Room, TCC.

An evolving Wilderness Restoration Program in Yosemite National Park.

Fritzke, Susan^*,1, Hartman, Vicky¹, ¹ National Park Service - Yosemite National Park, El Portal, CA

ABSTRACT- Wilderness restoration in Yosemite National Park has evolved since its inception 15 years ago. These changes have occurred as a result of an increased understanding of the ecological systems being restored, and the nature of the impacts and human behavior that causes them. Early restoration efforts were intensive due to the following factors: 1) extremely large denuded campsites and trail corridors, 2) a lack of ecological knowledge specific to the subalpine and montane ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada, and 3) the emphasis throughout the infant field of restoration ecology towards the use of propagated plants. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Yosemite program focused on collecting seeds, plant plugs, and cuttings. These were carried out of the Wilderness by stock and taken to various low elevation greenhouses. After propagule numbers had been increased for one to two years, they were transported back into the Wilderness and planted out into areas being restored. An evaluation of long-term qualitative and quantitative monitoring data has encouraged a move away from this heavy-handed approach. Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of working with soils and microsite characteristics, as well as locally gathered organic matter and seeds to set the stage for eventual re-establishment of plant cover. By learning to work with the unique characteristics of the Sierra Nevada with a Mediterranean climate including hot droughty summers, the potential for summer frosts, a short growing season, and newly unglaciated soils we are able to restore more areas with fewer impacts on surrounding sites and lower total restoration costs. The Yosemite Ecological Restoration program continues to explore more efficient ways of doing wilderness restoration work as well as improving documentation and the criteria used for long-term monitoring of these sites.

KEY WORDS: Wilderness, Restoration, Sierra Nevada, Monitoring criteria