Vindictive Radanovich Playing Politics with Lodge

by Carl Pope
Executive Director, Sierra Club

Published in Fresno Bee November 17, 2003

fresnoBee.com

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The century-old LeConte Memorial Lodge in Yosemite National Park, the crown jewel of America's National Park System, is a publicly owned history museum and library operated by the Sierra Club on behalf of the National Park Service. Steeped in tradition, this National Historic Landmark was built by the Sierra Club as a memorial to John Muir's close friend and colleague, Joseph LeConte, an esteemed geologist.

Built prior to establishment of the National Park Service, the Memorial Lodge served as Yosemite's first visitor center, providing information to new arrivals in the valley. During the 1920s, renowned landscape photographer Ansel Adams served as caretaker of the lodge each summer for several years. It is truly a remarkable place, one that welcomes and inspires thousands of Americans, but apparently only incurs the wrath of a congressman hellbent on discrediting and harming the Sierra Club.

Threatens park

Last month, by a one-vote margin, the House Resources Committee passed a bill (HR 2715), sponsored by Rep. George Radanovich of Mariposa, that would pose grave threats to Yosemite National Park. One of the most controversial provisions of his bill would remove the LeConte Memorial Lodge. The congressman's motives for doing this are highly suspect.

In a letter sent to me and several members of the press, Rep. Radanovich admits the immense values of the memorial: "I'm sure that the curator and volunteers that staff the lodge provide a legitimate and valuable service to the public and are dedicated in their service to visitors."

Rep. Radanovich cannot ignore that the memorial welcomes 15,000 visitors every year -- visitors who come from all over the world to participate in lectures, nature walks and musical performances free of charge.

Rep. Radanovich's main objection concerns the "Sierra Club sign in front of the lodge" because he has personal differences with the Sierra Club on matters unrelated to this public facility. Ironically, if the memorial were used solely for private purposes or threatened the ecological integrity of an area, the Sierra Club would have advocated that the lodge be moved long ago.

The Sierra Club formerly owned a campground at Tuolumne Meadows that was voluntarily turned back to the park service because we thought a private use that excluded the public was inappropriate inside a national park. We removed a ski hut at Donner Summit because it was just inside a wilderness boundary.

For the congressman, having the spotlight on LeConte Memorial Lodge serves as a convenient distraction from the other controversial provisions in his bill to prohibit funds for shuttle buses, to put campgrounds back into sensitive, flood-prone areas and to vastly increase vehicle traffic, parking and air pollution in Yosemite Valley.

His plan

These changes contradict Yosemite's 1980 General Management Plan, which included broad public input and was widely accepted as a giant step forward in how the park should be managed.

That plan sought to reclaim priceless natural beauty, reduce traffic congestion, allow natural processes to prevail, reduce crowding, and promote visitor understanding and enjoyment. The bill also rejects a key element of the 2000 plan, which wisely opted for relocating campsites washed out in a previous flood outside of the floodplain. Rep. Radanovich, who doesn't like the findings, wants to script his own plan for the park.

Rep. Radanovich's latest attack on the valley plan would take Yosemite back toward an era of more pavement and congestion, negatively impacting both the natural resources and the visitor experience. Rep. Radanovich simply doesn't get it. Americans love Yosemite National Park. They overwhelmingly support reduced traffic and moving campgrounds away from the floodplain. They support reducing commercialism and crowds in the valley.

And, above all, they don't want a vindictive politician employing blackmail and other bully tactics to realize his political ambitions. In waging this battle, Rep. Radanovich obscures the truth and plays politics with a historic landmark that is enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year.

'Political hostage'

It's sad that Rep. Radanovich has chosen to pick a fight with the Sierra Club rather than address important stewardship issues in one of America's most treasured National Parks. The historic and beloved LeConte Memorial Lodge should not become a political hostage. Americans deserve better.

For more information about the LeConte Memorial Lodge, please visit: http://www.sierraclub.org/education/leconte/.

Carl Pope is the executive director of the Sierra Club.

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Information and Donations

For more information, during the summer contact Sierra Club LeConte Memorial Lodge Curator, P.O. Box 755, Yosemite, CA 95389, 1-209-372-4542; e-mail: leconte.curator@sierraclub.org.

During the winter, contact LeConte Lodge Committee Chair, Harold Wood, P.O. Box 3543, Visalia, CA 93278; phone: (559) 739-8527; e-mail: harold.wood@sierraclub.org

Tax deductible donations to support the new exhibits and renovation efforts of the LeConte Memorial can be made to "Sierra Club Foundation," marked for the "LeConte Lodge Fund."