Electronic Newsletter, April 28, 2008

April 28, 2008

Merced River Plan Public Workshop: Revised Agenda
The National Park Service cordially invites you to participate in a public planning workshop devoted to the new Merced River Plan on Saturday, May 10, 2008, in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. A series of public planning workshops will continue to be scheduled throughout the duration of the planning process. The purpose of these workshops are to engage the public in objective discussions and exercises designed to involve the participants in developing the new plan.

On May 10, 2008, the objectives of the public planning workshop will be to: (1) Discuss the implications of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling on the Revised Merced River Plan; (2) Discuss the new direction and scope of the new Merced River planning process; and (3) Discuss the future of the public planning process; what is working and what can be improved?

The objectives previously described for this workshop have shifted in response to the court's ruling which can be found on the park's web site in the following location: https://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/litigation.htm.

Please RSVP to Elexis Mayer, Project Manager by Wednesday, May 7, 2008, if you are able to attend either through email or by phone: [phone].

Park entrance fee for workshop participants will be waived.

For more information on this and other Yosemite projects, visit online at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/planning.htm.

El Portal Market Burns in Yosemite National Park
Historic building a park fixture since 1934
The El Portal Market, one of El Portal’s oldest buildings burned to the ground today in a blaze which was reported by El Portal residents at approximately 5 am. Firefighters from the National Park Service, DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., and Mariposa County responded to the fire. The market has been closed for renovations since late March.

The El Portal Market, built around 1934, originally served park visitors travelling to Yosemite by railroad. The market was operated between 1966 and March, 2008 under the general partnership of Vaughn, Vaughn, and Carter. The current operator was scheduled to open the market in late spring, 2008, when renovations were complete. The market has served El Portal residents and park visitors since the mid-1930s as both a general merchandise store and a community meeting place. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

For updates and more information about this, visit online at https://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/epm.htm.

Planning for the Future of Interpretation and Education in Yosemite
The National Park Service at Yosemite National Park is pleased to announce the intent to develop a Comprehensive Interpretive Plan (CIP), which will outline a comprehensive approach to interpreting park natural and cultural resources. The CIP is necessary to ensure long-term protection of resources through visitor understanding and enjoyment. The final product of this effort will guide interpretation and education in Yosemite for the next five to 10 years.

The planning process will begin with two workshops scheduled for May 1 and May 20, 2008, both from 9 am to 4 pm. We invite you to join us for one or both.

The first workshop is designed to outline primary and secondary interpretive themes for Yosemite. An interpretive theme is a statement that tells a story about Yosemite and its resources. Multiple themes and sub-themes need to be developed to properly tell the stories of Yosemite's compelling scenery, geology, ecology, human history, and wilderness.

The second workshop will convene providers of interpretation in and around Yosemite including NPS staff, associated American Indian tribes, NPS concessioners, Yosemite Association, tour companies, community museums and others.

If you would like to participate in either of the workshops, we request your RSVP by April 25, 2008. We will forward an agenda and location information to respondents as the date gets closer. For questions concerning the CIP and the workshops and to RSVP please contact Tom Medema 209/372-0642 or by email.

If you are unable to attend we still welcome your ideas and comments, and will be posting our progress on the web at https://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/cip.htm.
We look forward to working with you on this very important project.