2009 Yosemite Forum

Sponsored by Resources Management and Science
Yosemite National Park

An interactive lecture series designed to bring evolving knowledge of the Sierra Nevada to the public and the park.

Lectures are noon–1 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month in the Yosemite Valley Auditorium.

Dec. 8: Examining Visitor-use Patterns in Yosemite and Rocky Mountain National Parks, David Pettebone, a recent doctoral degree recipient from Colorado State University and Social Science Specialist at Yosemite National Park. High levels of visitor use can overwhelm existing facilities, diminish visitor experiences, and impact natural resources. Land managers who understand temporal and spatial visitor-use patterns can implement management actions to mitigate related impacts and to develop long-term plans to address high levels of visitor use; moreover, legal mandates, such as the Organic Act of 1916, require visitor use to be managed in a way that protects natural resources and visitor experiences. Yosemite’s management strives to assess and address patterns during the park’s highly visited summer months.

The Yosemite Forum is a partnership among:

• Yosemite National Park
• The Yosemite Fund
• USGS, Western Ecological Research Center Yosemite Field Station
• University of California, Sierra Nevada Research Institute
• USFS, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Sierra Nevada Research Center

Learn more about the Resources Management and Science division's research and studies--also detailed throughout the Nature & Science and History & Culture information.