January 1935

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES CONSERVATION NUMBER

January 1935 Volume xiv Number 1

THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published Monthly Volume xiv January 1935 Number 1 Conservation in the National Parks

CHARLES G. THOMPSON

Superintendent Yosemite Nat'l Park The national park conception is tional areas were visited by nearly an original contribution by the Un3 1/2 millions of people. And in these ited States to the science of govparks and monuments true conservation. Fortunately, the national servation is beginning to reach one park idea was conceived compare of its highest pinnacles. atively early in our national life Conservation is a much abused before the great scenic exhibits of and at times misunderstood word, the West had been homesteaded but, as we define it, the conservaand developed beyond possibilities tion of an area permits its approof redemption for public use. From priate use, without abuse. In the this primary idea a great system has parks it is proper that this generadeveloped, comprising now 24 nation should eat its cake, if we can tional parks, 1 national historical provide that succeeding generations park and 67 national monuments, have that cake. The one primary embracing a total domain of over and absolutely controlling necessity 20,000 square miles or close to 13 is that we do nothing, and that we million acres; in addition, the Napermit nothing, to impair park tional Park Service administers value against the day that our several national military parks, successors in turn take over the rebattlefield sites, national cemeteries, sponsibility. and miscellaneous memorials. The Each of the parks is distinguished wisdom of the early sponsors of the from the other members of the idea is best illustrated by the fact great family by certain salient that last year these great inspiracharacteristics; each park is the

most distinguished specimen of its much more simple, In Yosemite, for type within the national boundaries. example, practically all of the huThe Grand Canyon, incomparable man pageantry that led to the in itself, is not to be compared with settlement of the West was enacted the Yellowstone, Crater Lake, the here, with consequent harmful efYosemite, Rainier; for there is no fects. The Indians were here for unbasis of comparison in a galaxy known ages, working their will with where each is a star of the greatest the bow and arrow, the trap, fire. magnitude. Not only is each park and other primitive instruments, all distinctive and of characteristic of which impacted upon both the value geologically or otherwise, but flora and the fauna of Yosemite. each has its own wilderness featFollowing them came soldiery, the ures and wilderness values. The discoverer, the explorer, the trappreservation of the flora and the per, the hunter, the prospector, the fauna in each park is a major reminer; in turn there followed the sponsibility, a responsibility which settler the hotel man, the business we of the National Park Service are man, the homesteader, the orcharddischarging better each year, partly ist. For years the familiar cycle because the Federal Government of plowing, planting, and harvesting has been more and more generous was accomplished in Yosemite Valin its attitude and appropriations ley; countless thousands of sheep for the parks, but also because the ranged the entire park for years, American people themselves each and the cattle men grazed a majoryear become more protective in ity of the acreage of Yosemite until their viewpoints and in their habits four years ago when through the while in the park, Increasingly, too, generosity of John D. Rockefeller we benefit by the active participapurchases of land and of equity elition in our councils and our adminminated cattle grazing, we hope istration by several influential forever. The logger, operating upon groups and many individuals to privately owned lands, felled milwhom conservation, particularly in lions of board feet of the world 's the parks, is almost a religion. best sugar pine and yellow pine There is a mistaken impression from thousands of acres within entertained by probably a majority the park. Countless pack horses and that the National Park Service, mules had been ridden over the when it was organized less than two entire area, scattering seeds of decades ago, took over the adminexotic plants. Indeed Yosemite has istration of a group of areas which been only comparatively primeval were then primeval. these last four or five decades. Regrettably, this is not true, beThe task, then, to which the Nacause the task would have been tional Park Service necessarily has

addressed itself has been the rewithin the park boundaries of the storation and preservation of every various species that should have virginal aspect. Continuously the found a perpetual haven in CalifService has been maneuvering ornia 's great park. Deer breed in against every influence that could Yosemite, but in the fall they leave further damage the natural features the protection of the park to drift of each park. The suppression of the below the snow line and are out of forest fire hazard was one of the Federal keeping. And civilization first obvious necessities; the conspells no good to wildlife, because trol of insect menaces which were inevitably the pressure of developtaking heavy toll of some of the ment just outside the parks reacts most distinguished forests has been toward, the extinction of now this a major preoccupation; protection and now that species. An unbalanced situation once here among wildlife creates an unexpected unbalance elsewhere. witting but ruthless destruction by hordes of people is a never-ending problem. Fortunately, Mother Nature The process of disruption is insidious, but continuous and ruthless. Unless by some fortunate chance is forgiving, so the ravages wrought by years of abuse are fast additional protective safeguards are becoming repaired. In the four provided in areas surrounding cershort years that have elapsed since tain of the parks, we Americans the elimination of cattle grazing, certainly may expect to see some of the upland meadows are becoming our most interesting wildlife pass lush and are fast restoring with over the horizon into extinction. glaring displays of wild flowers; My space here does not permit and I have yet to find the man who even a brief resume of the innumrecalls a time when the forests of erable devices invoked in the salYosemite were quite so healthy and vaging of park values. But I must vigorous as they are in 1934. mention briefly that our responsibUnfortunately, no scheme of manility involves not only the prevenagement and no amount of retion of harm through natural causes sources can re-establish the wild or the carelessness of people, but we life that once roamed the Yosemite also are vigilant against all of those mountains. The Sierra Grizzly is nibbling processes which, though extinct. The Mountain Sheep have each might appear insignificant, yet gone from this area. No one ever in the aggregate would be ruinous. sees the Wolverine. In a domain We ponder, too, every so-called imeven as large as Yosemite 's 1,176 provement, to be certain that our square miles there is not sufficient own-over-zealousness may not lead area or range of altitude to encomto over-development. The construcpass the year-round protection tion of too many roads, trails,

hotels, and other similar facilities employees on the various payrolls would in the long run completely in Yosemite of which about 500 are wreck the conceptions of the foundemployed directly by the National ers and today 's true friends of the Park Service the balance being CCC parks. We are not interested in promen, road contractors, and emviding facilities to take care of ployees of the various park opersuch peak loads as visit the parks ators. The permanent Civil Service on holidays and big week-ends. The staff numbers only 71. parks are not mountain Coney IsAn enormous amount of planning lands, but are areas set aside for the and of minutia obviously is done benefit and enjoyment of the people by this small group. Such apparent- —not merely our own generation, ly simple things as the prevention but for all time. And please let me of contamination of water supplies, underscore heavily the last phrase traffic safety, public order, sewage —for all time. For in the preservadisposal, sanitation, the generation, tion to posterity of the enormous and distribution of power and light, inspirational values that reside in naturalist service, forestry, mainthese parks there resides our greattenance, etc., cover an enormous est responsibility. range of activities of which the usIn conclusion let me emphasize ers of the park are seldom conthat the task breaks down into two scious. phases of conservation. The first But even that is not the pinnacle is the conservation of natural of our effort or of our hope. Men features, I already have briefly outand women jaded by their busilined. The other phase is the connesses and by the routine of everyservation of the morale and the day living may find in these wondhealth of the vast numbers of Amerful areas a new freedom of spirit, ericans who annually find a refuge a renewed sanity, a finer philosfrom the cares of every-day life in ophy of living, and certainly a more such great areas as the Yosemite. perfect health. Life is lived almost Yosemite alone cares for nearly entirely out of doors, and all of third of a million people annually; the recreations appropriate to a last year they arrived from every national park lead toward a better state and territory over which flies bodily tone. The days are stimulatthe American flag, as well as from ing and zestful, and in the evenings 37 foreign countries. To provide groups assemble in that warm friadequately for their safety and comendliness created only by a camp fort is at once a duty and a privfire in the wilderness. Our rangers ilege. The degree to which Fedand our ranger naturalists weave eral resources are utilized in acamong all of these people to whom complishing this safety and comthey are hosts, contributing a kindly fort is best illustrated by the stateand efficient service and a better ment that there are close to 2,500 understanding of all of the extra-

ordinary natural history revealed even the ordinary vista from the here. No man or woman, no matter window of his home with a new how thick the veneer of indifferunderstanding. Each park, therefore. ence he or she may assume, can is in its final analysis not only inspend a day amid the wonders of a spirational and recreational, but national park without responding to educational in the most genuine its influence. Every person who sense possible. And toward this edulearns from our ranger naturalists something of the vast processes and cational phase we are moving carevast ages that have gone into the fully but continuously to a bettermaking of Yosemite or of the ed public service and a fuller park Grand Canyon is certain to view conservation. Wildlife Policies in Yosemite (By A. E. Borell, Naturalist) When the Pilgrims arrived about and drastic changes. The forests 300 years ago, America was a great were cut, the lakes and swamps natural park. Magnificent forests drained, streams were dammed, covered extensive areas with streams ground was cleared and cultivated, and lakes of pure water adding their and birds and mammals were killed charm to this virgin wilderness. or crowded out. It was obvious Deer, bears, wild turkeys, passenger that unless something were done the pigeons and other mammals and following generations would be debirds were so numerous they played prived of the wilderness joys which an important part in the food supply had meant so much to their foreof the settlers. Fox, beaver, mink, fathers. We are therefore forturaccoons and many other fur-bearnate that there were farsighted and ing mammals provided not only public-spirited men who exerted the robes and articles of clothing for influence which resulted in the the settlers, but such quantities of creation of National Parks, and Fedpelts were shipped to Europe that eral and State Wild Life Preserves. they furnished one of the main Among these areas the National sources of cash income. Indeed, Parks are outstanding as wild life fur-bearing mammals were so important. Yellowstone National Park portant that quest for them rewas created in 1872 and other parks sulted in the exploration and setfollowed until we now have 23, each tlement of much of this country. of which is an absolute preserve for These happy conditions were not all forms of native flora and fauna. destined to last. The aggressive Each Park was chosen because of white man brought about sudden its outstanding scenic and scientific

interest and was set aside for the for the extermination of the mounbenefit and enjoyment of the people tain sheep within the area which for all time. is now Yosemite Park. In addition One of the policies which govto taking the forage, domestic anierns the administration of our Namals likely introduced certain distional Parks is the policy that they eases to the wild animals. A few are to be maintained in as near individuals gained by the grazing their natural conditions as possible. privilege, but one of the Park 's finest Of course, grazing, logging, trapping big game animals was exterminated, and hunting are eliminated under and thousands of visitors have been this policy. It is easy to underdeprived of the privilege of seeing stand how many people, especially mountain sheep. I have mentioned those living in the vicinity of the the case of mountain sheep in YeParks, are opposed to any Park semite only, but similar examples regulation which interferes with are found in every section of the their individual privileges. Even to country. this day the National Parks' adIn addition to competition with ministrators have to fight contingame mammals we must also consider ually to protect our Parks. The the effects of grazing on the smaller people who are thinking more of animals and birds, on the wild flowtheir personal gain than of the welers, upon forest reproduction, and fare of the following generations upon water-shed protection. insist upon the right to graze doIt is hard to understand how any mestic animals inside the Parks, to one with a feeling for the welfare shoot the game, to cut the timber, of our National Parks or for futo dam the streams and drain the ture generations can expect the lakes for power and irrigation. privilege of trapping fur-bearing Many hunters and ranchers bring mammals within any National Park. pressure to have the predatory birds Many species of fur-bearers are and mammals eliminated from the near the point of extermination. The fauna of the Parks. protection afforded by our National Let us think about a few of the Parks is apparently the only hope above objections to this Park polof saving certain species, for exicy. How can we graze Park ample the grizzly bear. Those who meadows with domestic stock and see only the economic value of our not interfere with the welfare of the wild life must remember that the native wild life? Throughout the parks serve as great reservoirs for pioneer period thousands of sheep, the fur-bearers which thrive therecattle and horses were grazed within and spread out to surrounding out restriction and it is probable that areas thus bringing a lasting income this grazing was largely responsible to the trappers in the vicinity.

The reasons for protecting the game birds and mammals, forest trees, streams and lakes are so obvious there should be no need for discussion. Now we come to an issue which is a continual source of agitation. Why should the predatory birds and mammals (coyotes, foxes, mountain lions, skunks, weasels, bobcats, badgers, hawks, owls, etc.) be protected inside the Parks when they are persecuted continually outside? The fact that they are persecuted so continually outside the Parks is just reason in itself for setting aside certain areas where they can continue to exist. Because certain animals interfere with our individual desires should any one generation have the right to say that they have no place on the face of the earth? Furthermore, there is much that we do not know about the food habits of our predatory animals and we may be condemning certain species to extermination without just trial. We like to shoot thousands of our game birds and mammals and then lay their disappearance entirely to predators. I recently asked a rancher why there were so few cottontails and brush rabbits in a certain region. He replied that the scarcity was due to the presence of hawks, owls, coyotes and bobcats and added that the quail were becoming scarce for the same reason. During the next month I hunted quail several times in that vicinity and found that there were hunters in nearly every canyon carrying on a continual bombardment. The hunters scour these canyons daily during an open season of six weeks and then lay the disappearance of quail and rabbits entirely to the predators. They forget that the pioneers of the region found more predatory birds and mammals and also more quail and rabbits than we have today. Of course I know that predators destroy some domestic stock and game birds and mammals, but I feel also that predators play a part in the control of gophers, mice, jackrabbits and ground squirrels. They tend to keep down disease among our game birds and mammals by killing the sick ones, and thus assist in check ing the spread of epidemics. We know that the predator does not get each bird or mammal which it attempts to kill. Mr. Jay Bruce, state lion hunter, says that a mountain lion gets, on the average only one of each three deer which it stalks. I

believe it is obvious that the more ing features of their trip to Yovigorous and more alert individuals semite. will escape and live to reproduce Every species of bird and mamtheir kind, thus keeping the species mal should be protected inside our at a high state of fitness. Parks unless it is definitely known that one species is eliminating some other then it should be controlled but never exterminated. Even if it were advisable to eliminate a certain species, say the coyote, from our Park fauna there would be the difficult problem of how to do it without killing other desirable species. If traps were used, animals such as foxes, tree squirrels, and some birds would be destroyed. Poison is out of the question because of its indiscriminate destructiveness to wild life. Therefore because predators help Shooting is the only method and to keep down plagues of rodents, this is of little value because the help to check epidemics of disease, coyote is primarily nocturnal and and help to keep our bird and mamis usually wary. Shooting gets only mals at a high state of fitness they a few of the tamer ones which are do have a definite place in the the individuals which should be progeneral scheme of nature. If nattected as they are the ones which ural enemies are killed off deer and the visitor is most likely to see. ground squirrels become so numerAt one time grizzly bears were ous that they destroy wild flower found in Yosemite but they were displays. This has already occurred exterminated before the area was in Yosemite Valley. set aside as a National Park and Furthermore we must think of now they are probably extinct the thousands of people who have throughout the state. We do not never seen nor heard a coyote. Octhank our ancestors for extermincasionally a coyote comes to ating the grizzly bear. Neither will feed at the bear pits. Here the future generations give us credit many of the people in the crowd if we exterminate any species of the get their first view of the animal birds and mammals which we call about which they have heard so predators. much. They get a real thrill and It would seem that in so far as our remember it as one of the outstandNational Parks are concerned the

harm or benefit of our birds and that the balance of nature has almammals should be disregarded. In ready been upset in some of our a country as large and wealthy Parks through the elimination of as the United States there should certain species of plants and animals. be at least a few places where all forms of animal life can continue Is this any reason why we should to live for the pleasure and educanot exert every effort to conserve tion of the many generations which the native species which are in our will follow us. Some people argue Parks today? Conservation of Birds C. A. Harwell, Park Naturalist We take our bird life too much for granted. We complacently think that what we have we will always have; that nature is bountiful and though some birds do grow nesting sites when coupled with scarce they will surely bounce back natural causes like drought, storms, to normalcy. We refuse to admit diseases and predators is very seriously that the destruction of bird life is very seriously reducing the numbers of reduced by hunting, trapping, poisoning many species, if not actually threatening operations, and our ruin of causing their extinction.

Five species of American birds years than were produced. The have been hunted to extinction in drought of 1934 was the severest our time. The best known example and the most widespread in the hisis the passenger pigeon. In the tory of the United States Weather memory of a number of readers of Bureau. Waterfowl are finding thouthis article it was thought unnecessands of lakes and ponds dried up sary to give this bird any protecwhere formerly they could rest and tion for in their flight they darkfeed. Our sportsmen should reaened the sky. Hunted on their lize the seriousness of this crisis nesting grounds America soon during the next few years and heed found the destruction was beyond the slogan of the Isaac Walton repair. The last known pasleague— "Take a little—leave a lot!" senger pigeon died in captivity in 1914. The last great auk was killed on Eldey island, Iceland, in 1844; a Labrador duck was last reported seen December 12, 1878; the last record of an Eskimo curlew was reported at Hastings, Nebraska. April, 1926; the last lone heath hen, carefully guarded at Martha's Vineyard since 1930, has passed on. The whooping crane will perhaps be the next of the species to go. Trumpeter swans have been greatly reduced. Now a small nesting remnant is being carefully protected in Yellowstone National Park in In fact they should leave off huntan attempt to save the species. The ing waterfowl entirely until there California condor, the largest bird is sufficient stock to populate the of flight on our continent, may be idle breeding grounds of the north. found now only in a very restricted now scarcely a tenth occupied acmountainous region of southern cording to studies of our BiologiCalifornia. Bird lovers of the cal Survey. world make long journeys to catch We have introduced several spea glimpse of this rapidly vanishing cies to take the place of rapidly master of the air. There are perpassing or extinct native birds. haps no more than a hundred left. English sparrows brought to New The waterfowl of North America England to combat insect pests of are now confronted with disaster. city trees have themselves become More birds were killed the last few pests to all of us westerners. They

are now establishing in Yosemite. major objective. Through its naStarlings liberated in New York in turalist service, by means of nature the nineties are rapidly spreading walks, illustrated lectures and talks westward. Soon we will face them around camp fires, through muas a problem out here. Pheasants seum and trail-side exhibits, and partridges are being brought through NATURE NOTES now becoming in to replace vanishing upland game widely distributed, through inforbirds but with what success it is mative circulars and guide books. too early to prophesy. How can we the public is being educated to apthink that a balance established by preciate the value of the smaller nature through long ages of adjustas well as the larger natural feament, suddenly disrupted by great tures which we are striving to predecimation of some species and the serve. We have demonstrated conextinction of others can now be reclusively that to know is to prostored by the importation of these tect. In this program birds are givalien species? What is to be done? en due emphasis. Certainly the ten per cent of our You may ask, "How can I know population who are sportsmen know the birds?" I would say start obshooting will have to be decreased. serving those close at hand. Keep As to waterfowl, we have it this a note book. Check your observayear in a shortened season and retions with some standard book on duced bag limit. The ninety per birds and with study skins or cent of us who are non-hunters, in mounted specimens available at fact all of us, should know the museums. Learn of the bird bandeconomic and aesthetic importance ing program being carried out by of bird life. We should know of two thousand banders under our nesting activities, feeding habits, Biological Survey. Cooperate with and bird migrations. We should them or become one of them. Join know of their friendliness and their an Audubon society or some bird need of friends. Such knowing will study group. If there is none in encourage protection. your locality, organize one. By all Certain hawks and owls now permeans, conduct your bird study secuted will be accorded our best afield. Nature is the supreme friendship when it is known they teacher. Learn to know birds by feed almost entirely upon harmful their songs. Learn the thrill of rodents and insects. Every fish and shooting with a camera. Attract game commission is organized not birds to your homes. The Departonly to enforce protective laws, but ment of Agriculture, Washington, to teach its citizenry these things. D. C., has a number of helpful Our National Park Service now pamphlets available. makes an educational program a There are about one thousand

kinds of birds here in the west. find as you seriously study birds Hundreds of them are marvelous and begin to know the thrill that songsters; all of them are distinctcomes with each new discovery you ly interesting. How many of them will find yourself becoming an aldo you know? I am sure you will ardent bird conservationist. Membership Fee Reduced At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Yosemite Natural History Association on December 4, 1934 it was decided to lower the membership fee from $2.00 to $1.00 a year. Membership in the Yosemite Natural History Association includes a years subscription to Yosemite Nature Notes. Club offers with American Forests and Nature Magazine will be reduced accordingly, $5.00 a year for all three or $3.00 a year for either one with NATURE NOTES. Present members will have their subscriptions extended. The policy of NATURE NOTES will remain the same except that more special issues similar to this January Conservation number will be attempted. In this way, we hope to build up a series dealing with all phases of Yosemite natural history which can be sold as separates at ten cents each. We earnestly solicit your continued cooperation and in view of the reduced membership fee, will endeavor to interest your nature-loving friends in joining with us.

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