The Soul of Yosemite: Finding, Defending, and Saving the Valley's Sacred Wild Nature - Softcover

Moritsch, Barbara J

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0983179727 ISBN 13: 9780983179726

Publisher: Bear Clover Books, 2012

Synopsis

Yosemite Valley's finely-woven ecological fabric is unraveling due to a combination of too many visitors and too much development. Barbara J. Moritsch gained a stunning insider's view of park management when she worked as a biologist in Yosemite Valley between 2002 and 2005. In The Soul of Yosemite, she shares her passion for the Valley, addresses management decisions that resulted in severely degraded natural resources, and presents a new vision that will fully embrace the Valley's incredible uniqueness and restore its wild nature. Moritsch strongly urges the National Park Service to reduce the impact of humans on Yosemite Valley once and for all, to bring their management focus back to the basics: natural beauty and wildness, and to recognize Yosemite's unique role as an emissary for wildness in the world-a much more important role than serving as a playground for the masses.

About this title

Review

"...why is development still calling the shots in Yosemite Valley rather than protection of the resource?
The uniqueness of this book lies in exploring that question by taking us behind the scenes...All of it makes for a riveting, if troubling, read."
Alfred Runte, Author of National Parks: The American Experience (Reviewed for National Parks Traveler, April 9, 2012)

"I hope that her suggestions for bringing the park back to what it should be, a sanctuary of wild nature, will happen. This book should be read by anyone who loves our national parks and assumes that they are still being cared for as treasures of natural beauty instead of money making opportunities."
Sandra Scott, Author of His Red Journal: Finding My Father

"The Soul of Yosemite" may be the most important book about preserving Yosemite since John Muir died 99 years ago. Barbara Moritsch has become an incarnation of the spirit of John Muir, pleading for a rational approach to restoring the physical, mental and spiritual health of his beloved cathedral."
Lowell H. Young, Author of Biodesign Out for A Walk

...the beauty and nature that the author seeks to protect and defend are so well-defined and described. Something that worked really well was the language the author used, elegant even when used to describe something as simple as conversation reminiscing about a camping trip. Good work! I really enjoyed your passionate voice for the wilderness. It presents the central conundrum of the wilderness, that its appeal to modern Americans is what has led to its preservation, but that same appeal is drawing the wilderness to the brink. Judge, 22nd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards

Edition details

• Publisher: Bear Clover Books
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0983179727
• ISBN 13: 9780983179726
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336