Call To Action, Campers:
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The next New Merced River (MRP) Planning Study is May 10Th. It will address "management zoning," which we want to emphasize that the distance from Clark's Bridge to the Swinging Bridge should be zoned for camping. Essentially saying that the river is 81 miles long, let's set aside 2 miles of it for camping and you can do all the other stuff for the other 79 miles. If you intend to go, please RSVP to Elexis Mayer in Yosemite ’s planning department at: Elexis_Mayer@nps.gov

We hope that many of you can attend to make a good showing, and so that campers can get more involved in the support of camper interests in Yosemite Valley . Your new faces will be very welcomed. Remember it is your presence that first counts; you do not need to be extremely knowledgeabe to attend....just interested.

Here is why we need to comment, why we need to attend these planning meetings, and how we need to go about it:
Most people have no clue what an ORV is or how they should respond. Here’s some information you should know. The law suit offered some great wording in the footnote: "Although recreation is an ORV that must be protected and enhanced, see 16 U.S.C. 1271, to be included as an ORV, according to NPS itself, a value must be (1) river related or river dependent, and (2) rare, unique, or exemplary in a regional or national context. The multitude of facilities and services provided at the Merced certainly do not meet the mandatory criteria for inclusion as an ORV."

This is in relation to pools, tennis courts, mountain sports shops, restaurants, cafeterias, bars, snack stands, gift shops, rental facilities, etc... So because we want camping to be an ORV we must be sure to use this terminology when speaking with planners, or writing letters to them.

Camping is a "root activity" for the recreation ORV; that it is out of family friendly auto-based camping experiences that climbers, backpackers, fisherman, hikers, etc. evolve. Children camping with their parents in a front-country experience introduces the up close and personal relationship with nature that leads to these other activities--a seed that will germinate...

But again, we must tie it in to the river-related use, and rare, unique, exemplary language. We need participation from our members, so if you can, be sure to email the planning department and get involved. Your ORV comments are necessary ASAP in order to be timely, so go to: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrpdocuments.htm
You may wish to reveiw the Draft ORV document before you comment so that you can get a sense of what topic you choose to comment upon. You can comment on any ORV category and make as many comments as you desire. Get the kids involved and make it a family event. Remember that the best comments are the ones that describe why camping in the Valley is unique to this river and which values or activities set it aside from other places. It is all in the "uniqueness. "
Go to the planning meetings, especially the May 10th meeting on Management Zoning. Remember, the YNPS is court ordered to make a new Merced River Plan so your comments are very valuable. The previous plan was just thrown out in court; this event saved, for now, the removal of North Pines Campground and, since the non repair/replacement of the flood damaged campsites and campgrounds was based upon the old plans (including the Yosemite Valley Plan), now is the opportunity to plan their replacement via your ORV comments.