When John Muir laid out the plans for Yosemite National Park in 1890, one of the things he’d included in the massive park was an area called Ackerson Meadows, which is a meadow and wetland area some 400 acres near the park’s Big Oak Flat entrance. For whatever reason, that never happened, while other parks came into being. Since then, Yosemite has become one of the nation’s most beloved parks, and the National Park Service hasn’t taken their eyes of Ackerson Meadow. Yosemite National Park is now 400 acres larger thanks to the addition of Ackerson Meadow.
The purchase was arranged by The Trust For Public Land, who payed $2.3 million for the 400 acres of land. It’s a relatively small plot, but it’s full of some incredible biodiversity, with a third of all of the plant species found in the park in the area. The purchase was organized by private donors and a variety of public land trusts, and it comes just a month after the National Park Service celebrated its 100th birthday. It’s the park’s largest acquisition since 1949.
“It’s a stunning open meadow surrounded by forest habitat, which supports a wide variety of flora and fauna species and offers new meadow experiences for park visitors,” said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher of the park’s new edition. “This meadow is a remarkable gift to the American people, coming at a historic time as we celebrate the Centennial of the National Park Service.”
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