Management tools and framework for pack stock use and meadow monitoring in Yosemite wilderness

Kuhn, T; Wills, W; Baccei, J; Huppe, H; Thompson, M; Marschall, M; Ratcliff, F; Hopkinson, P; Bartolome, J

The management and monitoring of pack stock use (saddle and pack stock horses and mules) has been the subject of litigation on public lands surrounding Yosemite National Park since at least 1995. Pack stock is used at Yosemite for commercial, administrative, concessioner, and private purposes, and has potential to impact wilderness character and the integrity of natural and cultural resources valued by society. Changes in the magnitude and patterns of use have occurred since Yosemite’s 1989 wilderness management plan. In addition, an array of science-based studies regarding stock use in wilderness have been completed in recent years. As a result, a comprehensive approach to pack stock management can be synthesized from these efforts to inform park planning and augment the protection of wilderness and park resources. The aim is to benefit all parties, including stock users, other park visitors, and park managers. The scope of this report is overnight wilderness pack stock use (i.e., horses and mules) from NPS trails and extending to camp site, access routes, stock holding areas, and forage areas for grazing. This report does not address on-trail use, day use (such as supply trips for the High Sierra Camps), or use by llamas or other pack animals. This information is intended to support the development of the Yosemite National Park Wilderness Stewardship Plan by providing suggestions to enhance current pack stock management. It is not decisive in form or intent; rather, decisions for implementation of information provided in this report are left to the discretion of park management through the record of decision for the Wilderness Stewardship Plan. This report: 1) incorporates existing policies and guidance for stock use types in Yosemite; 2) summarizes past stock use patterns, and; 3) recommends management objectives, tools and a monitoring strategy to augment current guidance and achieve the mission of the park. A suite of best management practices are recommended to determine where (site suitability), when (meadow opening dates), how (handling practices), and how much (grazing capacity) use at a given site might occur, while avoiding, reducing, or mitigating the occurrence of unacceptable impacts. This report reflects the current state of knowledge of pack stock use in the Yosemite Wilderness. Summaries of studies on other topics also are presented in this report as part of recommendations for determining site suitability for pack stock use, meadow opening dates, and grazing capacities. Each of these studies considered a different number of sites or meadows depending upon the park’s knowledge of stock use at that time and the specific focus of each study. We recommend management tools for sites with high use levels but do not detail them for every stock-use site within the park explicitly. Additional monitoring of sites and meadows not yet evaluated could provide further information for more comprehensive management. An adaptive three-tiered monitoring approach focusing on status indicators, diagnostic secondary investigations, and the effectiveness of management actions is then recommended to enhance the preservation of wilderness character and the integrity of natural and cultural resources. We anticipate that, with careful monitoring and adaptive management, pack stock use in the Yosemite Wilderness could continue in alignment with the mission of the National Park Service.

Management tools and framework for pack stock use and meadow monitoring in Yosemite wilderness

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