Electronic Newsletter, January 24, 2008

January 24, 2008

You are invited to attend a User Capacity Symposium at Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is hosting a User Capacity Symposium on February 6-8, 2008 in Yosemite Valley. The symposium will be facilitated by a neutral party, Mary Orton from The Mary Orton Company, LLC (www.maryorton.com), an environmental and public policy mediation and facilitation firm. Approximately 150 people from across the country are expected to attend. The public is welcome and invited to attend.

RSVP is required by February 1, 2008 to Jim Bacon by email or by phone at 209/379-1067.

The purpose of the symposium is to further the understanding of and explore approaches to addressing user capacity in national parks and other public lands including Yosemite National Park, by engaging public land managers, researchers, elected officials, tribes, and the general public in an open dialogue.

The objectives of the symposium are to:

• Understand why planning and managing user capacity is important.
• Build a common understanding and language for the range of user capacity approaches.
• Explore current perspectives on and approaches to addressing user capacity.
• Identify and understand the effectiveness and consequences of different management strategies addressing user capacity.
• Explore the application and implications of different user capacity strategies in Yosemite.

An expert panel will present on:

• History and context of user capacity
• Approaches to user capacity
• Case studies from the Colorado River through Grand Canyon, Inyo National Forest, and Wild and Scenic Rivers across the country
  

Confirmed Presenters:
Dr. David Cole, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute
Dr. Glenn Haas, Aukerman, Haas and Associates
Linda Jalbert, Grand Canyon National Park
Bob Lamb, ORCA Consulting
Dr. Bob Manning, University of Vermont
Gary Oye, Inyo National Forest
Dr. Tony Prato, University of Missouri – Columbia
Al Shacklett, ORCA Consulting
Dr. Bo Shelby, Oregon State University
Dr. Doug Whittaker, Confluence Research and Consulting

In addition to presentations, roundtable conversations will allow for input, ideas, and questions from and with all symposium participants. This will be a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge about user capacity through presentations by experts, and dialogue with researchers, local stakeholders, and land managers from around the country.

Dates: February 6 - 8, 2008
Location: Yosemite Lodge, Cliff Room
Yosemite National Park, CA
Please note that lunch is not included
Agenda: DAY1: Wednesday, February 6
9 am – 5 pm
Facilitated session
DAY 2: Thursday, February 7
9 am – 5 pm
Facilitated session
DAY 3: Friday, February 8
9 am – 12 pm
Field trip in Yosemite Valley
Contact: RSVP by February 1, 2008 to
Jim Bacon, Planner, Yosemite National Park
Phone: [phone]
Email
If you require lodging information for the symposium, please contact Jim Bacon at the above address.
www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/symposium.htm

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SAVE THE DATE! Merced River Plan Public Planning Workshop: Saturday, February 23, 2008
Please join Yosemite National Park for the second Public Planning Workshop devoted to creating a new Merced River Plan. This public workshop will present the DRAFT Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORV) of the river corridor, and participants will be asked to join in an exercise focusing on Desired Conditions (the future conditions to be achieved) for the ORVs.

The Draft ORV Report will be available online beginning Tuesday, February 5, 2008 on the park's website at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/newmrp.htm. Additional workshop materials will be available online prior to the workshop.

Please RSVP to Elexis Mayer by phone at 209/379-1377 or by email, no later than Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Tuolumne River Plan Public Planning Workshop: On February 9, 2008 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm in the Valley Visitor Center Auditorium, the NPS will host the next in its ongoing series of public planning workshops. The workshop will focus on developing indicators of river health and quality visitor experiences for the Tuolumne River Plan. Workshop details will be posted to the park's website at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/trp.htm.

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Remember to submit comments for Vogelsang Backcountry Utilities Improvement Project
Public scoping for this project opened on Tuesday, January 15, 2008, and will be open until February 13, 2008. A link to project information will be posted on the park's website at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/vogelsang.htm. A public meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 from 1 pm to 5 pm during the monthly Open House in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium.

Comments can be submitted at public meetings, by mail, fax, email, and through the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) commenting system. A draft document will be available for public review in summer 2008. To request a hard copy or CD ROM version of the Environmental Assessment and to submit written comments:

Mail: Superintendent, Yosemite National Park
Attn: Vogelsang Backcountry Utilities Improvement Project
PO Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
Fax: [phone]
Email
PEPC: https://parkplanning.nps.gov

For more information on park planning efforts, visit the website at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt