YOSEMITE CONSERVANCY AUTUMN.WINTER 2012 :: VOLUME 03 . ISSUE 02 Protecting Yosemite’s Diverse Habitats INSIDE Renewed Efforts in the Fight Against Invasive Plants Restoring Upper Cathedral Meadow Youth Learn About Nature Through Photography Expert Insights Into the Yosemite Toad COVER PHOTO: © NANCY ROBBINS. PHOTO: (RIGHT) © KEITH WALKLET. (RIGHT) © KEITH WALKLET. PHOTO: ROBBINS. © NANCY PHOTO: COVER MISSION Providing for Yosemite’s future is our passion. We inspire people to support projects and programs that preserve and protect Yosemite National Park’s resources and enrich the visitor experience. PRESIDENT’S NOTE YOSEMITE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL MEMBERS Yosemite’s Habitats: CHAIR PRESIDENT & CEO Supporting Incredible John Dorman* Mike Tollefson* VICE CHAIR VICE PRESIDENT Diversity Christy Holloway* & COO Jerry Edelbrock am fortunate to have lived in Yosemite National Park, where I spent many years enjoying its beauty — from watching the COUNCIL seasons change in the Valley, to observing Michael & Jeanne Adams Bob & Melody Lind Lynda & Scott Adelson Sam & Cindy Livermore wildlife in the meadows to gazing up at the Gretchen Augustyn Anahita & Jim Lovelace majestic big trees in Mariposa Grove. It Susan & Bill Baribault Lillian Lovelace amazes and humbles me to recognize the Meg & Bob Beck Carolyn & Bill Lowman Suzy & Bob Bennitt* Dick Otter interconnections of these diverse environments. David Bowman & Sharon & Phil Gloria Miller Pillsbury* Many of you probably have experienced similar awe-inspiring moments of Tori & Bob Brant Bill Reller wonder at the beauty of Yosemite’s natural landscapes. That’s why we are Marilyn & Allan Brown Frankie & Skip Rhodes* devoting this issue to highlighting Yosemite’s habitats and their incredible Marilyn & Don R. Angie Rios & Samuel Conlan Norman value, both to the plants and animals they nurture and also to us, as park Hal Cranston* Liz & Royal Robbins visitors and supporters. Read about the latest efforts to remove invasive Leslie & John Dorman* Lennie & Mike Roberts plants and how a high country meadow restoration is providing better Dave & Dana Dornsife* Dave Rossetti & habitat while improving your hiking experience. In Expert Insights, aquatic Lisa & Craig Elliott Jan Avent* Kathy Fairbanks* Marjorie & Jay Rossi ecologist Heather McKenny tells you why Yosemite toads are vital to the park’s Cynthia & Bill Floyd* Linda & Steve Sanchez* ecosystem — and what’s being done to protect them. Don’t miss updates on Jim Freedman Lisa & Greg Stanger* the highly anticipated restoration of Tenaya Lake’s East Beach, experiencing Don & Susan Fuhrer Jennifer & Russ Stanton the high country through art workshops and exciting trail repair news. Bonnie & Rusty Gregory* Ann & George Sundby* Chuck & Christy Clifford J. Walker* Holloway* Wally Wallner & Also in this issue, we’re sharing highlights from our electronic 2011 annual Suzanne & Dan Jensen* Jill Appenzeller report. Read about how your donations make a difference. Jennifer & Gregory Jack Walston Johnson* Phyllis Weber* & Art Thanks to your dedication as donors, these efforts ensure Yosemite’s habitats Jean Lane Baggett remain timeless and beautiful resources. Thank you for your support. Walt Lemmermann* Polly & Ward Wolff* See you in the park, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Superintendent Don Neubacher *Indicates Board of Trustees COVER PHOTO An ice skater enjoys the peace Mike Tollefson, President and solitude of Tenaya Lake last winter. Join Yosemite Conservancy on Facebook and Flickr. 02 AUTUMN.WINTER 2012 :: YOSEMITECONSERVANCY.ORG COVER PHOTO: © NANCY ROBBINS. PHOTO: (RIGHT) © KEITH WALKLET. (RIGHT) © KEITH WALKLET. PHOTO: ROBBINS. © NANCY PHOTO: COVER AUTUMN.WINTER 2012 CONTENTS VOLUME 03 . ISSUE 02 ABOVE First Snow, Tenaya Lake. IN THIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTS 10 EXPERT INSIGHTS 04 STOPPING THE SPREAD Aquatic biologist Heather McKenny discusses the declining populations of Park scientists are using new technology Yosemite toad and what’s being done to to identify non-native plants in order protect them. to develop a park-wide prevention and treatment plan. 12 Q&A WITH A YOSEMITE INSIDER Valley District Ranger Jack Hoeflich answers questions about search and 06 RESTORING HIGH rescue and offers tips for staying safe COUNTRY HABITAT in Yosemite. A restoration project in Upper Cathedral 14 PROJECT UPDATES Meadow in Yosemite’s high country Restoration efforts at Tenaya Lake’s provides better habitat while improving East Beach, 2012 trail repair activities your hiking experience. and monitoring changes in the park’s glaciers. 19 PROGRAM UPDATES 08 PARKS IN FOCUS: YOUTH DISCOVER YOSEMITE Find your inspiration by taking a high country art workshop or attending an arts THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY and science forum at Parsons Memorial Middle-school youth from the Lodge next summer. San Francisco Bay Area focus on nature 30 READER PHOTOS through photography. Yosemite Conservancy supporters share their special Yosemite memories. YOSEMITECONSERVANCY.ORG :: AUTUMN.WINTER 2012 03 PHOTOS: © COURTESY OF NPS. © COURTESY PHOTOS: “Himalayan blackberry has displaced more than 100 acres of native vegetation in meadow and riparian areas with high plant and animal diversity.” — GARRETT DICKMAN Biologist, National Park Service REMOVING INVASIVE PLANTS STOPPING FROM YOSEMITE THE SPREAD YELLOW STAR THISTLE SPOTTED KNAPWEED HIMALAYAN BLACKBERRY PHOTOS: © COURTESY OF NPS. © COURTESY PHOTOS: irdsongs, majestic waterfalls, granite monoliths and diverse wildflowers: These features are part of the spectacular natural ecosystems that make Yosemite National Park so special and memorable. Many people come to the park to experience the landscapes for which Yosemite is famous. Unfortunately, the visitor experience can be greatly compromised when weeds outnumber wildflowers. Highly aggressive invasive plants, such as yellow star thistle, Himalayan blackberry, cheat grass and velvet grass, threaten native vegetation, alter food supply for wildlife, increase fire OPPOSITE PAGE TOP A team of volunteers survey plants in Tuolumne Meadows. ABOVE Volunteers help remove invasive plants, such as the potential and reduce recreational quality. mullein and bull thistle pictured. “Himalayan blackberry has displaced more than 100 acres of document invasive plants by taking a picture and a GPS native vegetation in meadow and riparian areas with high plant and point, and providing some basic but critical information animal diversity,” according to Garrett Dickman, a biologist for the about the plant. This app is available for free at CalFlora: National Park Service in Yosemite. “Yellow star thistle has displaced calflora.org/phone. Thanks to technological innovations, you many native plants, reduced the food supply for wild animals, and don’t have to be a park botanist to help survey invasive plants. the sharp spines stop hikers from even walking through it.” Along with park scientists, volunteers are encouraged to go hiking and capture valuable data about non-native species Invasive plants are not a new issue, as many species have been throughout Yosemite’s vast terrain. in the park for decades. People intentionally planted some species for landscaping, such as foxglove, bachelor buttons “We cannot do this project without the help of volunteers,” and black locust. Yellow star thistle likely arrived by accident Dickman says. “The park is too big for a handful of botanists on contaminated material such as hay or gravel. Cheat grass to survey, so we are asking for help from volunteers to survey sticks to clothing, car tires and animal fur, while Himalayan and treat invasive plants.” blackberry was planted for food. In the past three years alone, park biologists have discovered more than 30 new non-native In 2011, hundreds of volunteer weed warriors surveyed about species, and all of them arrived in Yosemite by accident. 280 acres of Yosemite Valley and manually removed invasive plants such as bull thistle. In 2012, volunteers incorporated To combat the spreading problem, Yosemite Conservancy the use of the smartphone app in survey efforts. This year, is working with the National Park Service to fund a multi- a group of Yosemite Conservancy work week volunteers also year comprehensive invasive-plant survey throughout the treated several acres of bull thistle and surveyed dozens of park. “This project will give us a picture across the landscape acres of prime habitat in Yosemite Valley for invasive plants. of which invasive plants are in the park and where they are located,” Dickman explains. “We will use this information to Visitors can help prevent the introduction of non-native species by reprioritize locations and species for treatment.” making sure shoes, cars and camping gear are clean before arriving in the park. Any burrs or seeds stuck to gear can accidentally The data collected from the survey will be used to create computer hitchhike to Yosemite and spread from there. Guarding against models and will form the basis for an effective prevention, invasive plants doesn’t stop at the park’s boundaries. You can also early-detection and rapid-response program for invasive-plant help your local communities by landscaping with native plants management in Yosemite. Park biologists have already made and by not planting species known to be invasive. By working enormous strides and are vigilantly guarding Yosemite Valley from together and staying informed, we can ensure Yosemite’s natural aggressive species moving farther up the Merced River corridor. habitats thrive for generations to come. Technology is playing an important