1957

THE HAPPY ISLES NATURE CENTER

By Douglass Hubbard, Park Naturalist With Illustrations by the Author Many visitors to Happy Isles, in prepared and donated seven exhibYosemite Valley, this summer were its valued at $3500. Several fine artsurprised not to find the fish hatchery ists were literally drafted into service to which they had become accusto prepare exhibits. These included tomed. In its place was a sign readWilliam D. Berry, John Boone, Mr. ing "Happy Isles Nature Center." A and Mrs. A. W. Hood, Vergena Kollook in the door attracted them into ler and Ed Vella. Excellent taxidera bright, cheerful lobby with a friendmy work was accomplished by ly ranger-naturalist on duty. From Herman Beck, also for the NFJM. the lobby their interest was drawn Money willed to the Yosemite Nato a colorful exhibit room, with such tural History Association by Elizathemes as "Every Season is Best in beth E. Morse was used to purchase

YOSEMITE, "

"Enjoying Yosemite, " animal miniatures and for other es- "Backpacking is Fun, " and "Bears sential exhibit materials. The CaliDon 't Need Can Openers." But leifornia Department of Fish and Game, lowing Confucius ' addage, let ' s let in addition to making the building the pictures take you on an armavailable, donated funds for the exchair visit : hibits on "" Trout for Yosemite, " an How did the Happy Isles Nature attractive unit which tells the history Center come about? This is a story of fish rearing and stocking in Yoof interest and hard work on the part semite, from pack string to airof many people. I was in Washingplane-drop. Eggs are hatched and ton, D.C. at the time approval was fingerling trout reared in two troughs given by National Park Service Dirwhich are part of the exhibit. Varector Conrad Wirth to use the buildious manufacturers generously coning, available as a gift from the tributed items of equipment for the California Department of Fish and exhibits on backpacking and the Game, as an interpretive center, history of photography. rather than raze it. Rough interior Last but not least the Yosemite sketches made at that time were junior Ranger Program reached an dressed up and improved by my all time high in attendance by havcolleagues and became the working ing a meeting and working space of plans for the center. From April until its own in attractive surroundings. In June when it was opened, staff memaddition to morning sessions weekbers, artists, and "draftees" spent aldays, afternoon meetings for native most every weekend and many crafts and two evening campfires nights in exhibit preparation. Local weekly—geology and Indians, were engineering and maintenance crews held. Strictly for the youngsters, were occupied with building repairs parents could watch the Junior and demolition of unneeded tanks Ranger activities but they were reand sheds. Yosemite and Regional quired to stay outside of the fence! administrators helped by finding reAs one of Yosemite 's first serve funds where none existed and MISSION 66 projects, the Happy holding them for our use (no adIsles Nature Center has already vance programming was possible, taken its place as a major unit in of course). The National Foundation Yosemite's interpretive program, as for Junior Museums, through its dirthe more than 42,000 visitors who ector, John Ripley Forbes and Expassed thru it this past summer will hibit Supervisor J. Robert Sewell, attest. We hope you can see it soon.

THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF

THE Yosemite NATURALIST division AND

THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, INC.

John C. Preston, Superintendent D. H. Hubbard, Park Naturalist Robert F. Upton, Assoc. Park Naturalist W. C. Bullard, Asst. Park Naturalist R. W. Carpenter, Junior Park Naturalist W. W. Dunmire, Park Naturalist Trainee

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

visitorS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEE Yosemite AT EVERY SEASON. Art: Vergena Koller

LIGHTWEIGHT EQUIPMENT AND TASTY, DEHYDRATED FOODS MAKE BACKPACKING A PLEASURE ON THE PARK 'S MANY TRAILS.

Art: Ed Vella

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ABOVE: THE CALENDAR SHOWS MONTHLY ACTIVITY OF YOSEMITE BEARS.

Tor

RIGHT : VANISHING SPECIES. THE GRIZZLY BEAR AND WOLF ARE EXTINCT IN CALIFORNIA, THE SIERRA BIGHORN NEARLY SO. LOWER RIGHT : "BEARS DON'T NEED CANOPENERS" SHOWS THE POWERFUL TEETH AND JAWS OF THE SIERRA BLACK BEAR.

Art : Bear calendar, Win. D. Berry; Vanishing species, J. Robert Sewell (gift of National Foundationfor Junior Museums); Bear teeth, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Hood.

L.4 & - Ii ll.1 I k dIg.. Mall

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COUNTERCLOCKWISE: GLACIERS CUT SHEER WALLS UP WHICH TROUT COULD NOT SWIM. FISH PLANTING WAS BEGUN BY EARLY RESIDENTS, CONTINUED BY CAVALRY DURING ARMY ADMINISTRATION OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK.

Art: Ed Vella

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Yosemite'S ANIMALS THEN AND Now :

LEFT,, DEER GROUP AND MOUNTAIN LION; CENTER, BEARS AND COYOTE; RIGHT, GRIZZLY BEAR, WOLF AND MOUNTAIN SHEEP.

Art : J. Robert Sewell, gift of National Foundation for Junior Museums. Animal miniatures : Louis Paul Jonas

ABOVE : NATURE 'S HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT..`-_1ZLiW kikab ts...L_L UV I n i ll siNI (

ABOVE : PROTECTIVE COLORATION. TURNING HANDLE RAISES BACKGROUND, SHOWS HOW FAWN IS PROTECTED BY BLENDING INTO SURROUNDINGS. BELOW : THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM

(for ages 7-13) MEETS AT HAPPY ISLES IN SUMMER. RANGER

NATURALISTS LEAD PROGRAM OF NATURE ACTIVITIES STRESSING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF NATURE AND NATIONAL PARKS.

Art : J. Robert Sewell, gift of National Foundation for Junior Museums. Taxidermy by Herman Beck.

Robert McIntyre,

NATURE WALKS LED BY RANGER-NATURALISTS ARE A REGULAR AND POPULAR FEATURE OF YOSEMITE'S JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, WHICH MEETS EVERY SUMMER WEEKDAY MORNING AT THE HAPPY ISLES NATURE CENTER IN YOSEMITE VALLEY. THANKS!

Without the help of many individuals and organizations the Happy Isles Nature Center would not be a reality today. The National Park Service expresses its appreciation to following :

COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS

California Department of Fish and Game National Foundation for Junior Museums

DONORS

Ansco, Binghampton, New York Himalayan Pak Co., Monterey, California Argus Cameras, Ann Arbor, Michigan A. I. Kelty Mfg. Co., Glendale, California Dri-Lite Foods, South Gate, California Polaroid Corp., Cambridge, Massachusetts Eddie Bauer, Seattle, Washington Recreational Equipment Cooperative, Seattle Yosemite Park and Curry Company, Yosemite, California

ARTISTS

Ansel Adams John Boone Vergena Koller William D. Berry Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Hood J. Robert Sewell Ed Vella