Yosemite National Park Research Paper

Words: 709
Pages: 3

Yosemite National Park is a great valley, a shrine for human foresight, and has a granite strength. It’s located about 167 miles/3 hours east of San Francisco in California. The park is 1,200 square miles and is known for its cliffs, waterfalls, streams, groves, and biological diversity. Yosemite was initially an inspiration point, and James Hutchings took a group of tourists to that point in 1855. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed federal legislation, which was the first time the government set aside land for a park. Moreover, on October 1st, 1890, Yosemite became a national park, the 3rd national park after Yellowstone in 1872 and Sequoia on September 25th, 1890. Yosemite National Park then added Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley …show more content…
Over 90% of the park's landscape is Cretaceous granitic, with some remnants of older and younger geological history in metamorphic and volcanic rocks. The region's evolution over millions of years, including glaciers like Tioga Glaciation, has led to features like glacially polished granite, U-shaped canyons, jagged peaks, waterfalls, moraines, erratics, and glacial lakes. The park's granitic bedrock fractures significantly influenced glacial erosion patterns. Modern glaciers, like Lyell and Maclure, are indicators of climate change and will soon disappear. Yosemite National Park is home to over 400 vertebrates, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The park's diverse habitats, including foothill chaparral, conifer forests, and alpine rock, provide a home for animals. The park's meadow habitat attracts species that rely on predators and open areas for foraging. However, around 40 species have special status under California endangered species legislation, and three species are believed to be extirpated. Threats to wildlife include natural fire regime loss, non-native species, air pollution, habitat fragmentation, and climate