Barbara Boxer: “I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 125th anniversary of Yosemite National Park, a California treasure…”

“I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 125th anniversary of Yosemite National Park, a California treasure nestled against the stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act, a landmark bill granting 39,000 acres of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California. This was the first time the United States had ever set aside land to protect it for the public to enjoy. Three decades later, Yosemite became the Nation's third national park--1,500 square miles of stunning waterfalls, magnificent sequoia trees, breathtaking mountain peaks, and portions of ancestral homeland for several American Indian tribes and groups. Over the years, Yosemite National Park has been a leader, becoming the first national park to hire a female law enforcement ranger, open a museum, and establish partnerships to help preserve Yosemite for future generations. Yosemite has also championed efforts to reduce waste and pollution by establishing recycling programs in the 1970s and operating a fleet of hybrid electric shuttle buses. Since its earliest days, Yosemite National Park has provided sanctuary, comfort, and inspiration to millions of visitors from across the globe who come to experience its natural splendor, rich geologic history, and abundant wildlife.…”