Beauty takes a lot of work. Each year our Vegetation and Ecological Restoration (VER) team labors long to rehabilitate and maintain our cherished park terrain in a variety of projects, some which form our Merced River Plan (MRP). This year, Karla Destephen, a Yosemite Leadership Program Student Intern from UC Merced, found herself among the crew’s ranks. Here, she talks about some of her work this season: “On the road coming from Arch Rock Entrance into Yosemite Valley, you can see two pullouts on the right which provide visitor access to a beautiful view of the river. This has attracted many people every year. As a result, the soil is very compacted to the point where plants cannot grow. Gravel from the side of the road falls down the slope, eroding the riparian habitat... and impacting the ecosystem. Little by little we lose wild nature for us and future generations. The [VER] crew decompacts the land, adds soil, duff, and then spreads seeds... [according to] planting plans to have a specific idea of where to plant seeds and where to settle a trail to still allow access to river.” Elsewhere in the park, Karla continued last year’s efforts to restore the Ahwahnee Meadow back to its former wetland habitat that had been disrupted by historic hydrologic alterations: “In 2021, a restoration crew re-contoured the area and revegetated it with plants and seeds. During hot, dry summers, we need to keep plants alive until they are well established. We set up a sprinkler system to water the restoration area. We also spread wood chips on the areas of bare soil to help retain water moisture and stabilize the soil from erosion. “Enjoy the beauty that Yosemite National Park has to offer and support the efforts of the people working towards the restoration and preservation of wild habitat and native species,” she says. “To protect Yosemite's Wild and Scenic Merced River, please use established access points to the river to prevent the riverbank from eroding. It's essential to recreate responsibly so every invested effort to preserve native habitats are successful so that we can all keep enjoying it for generations to come.” #yosemitenps #yosemite