Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks
Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are situated in California's southern Sierra Nevada range, with Sequoia National Park established in 1890 and Kings Canyon National Park following in 1940. The creation of these parks was influenced by prominent preservationists like John Muir and the Sierra Club, alongside the interests of local inhabitants. Both parks are recognized for their stunning natural beauty, including towering giant sequoias, rugged mountains, and diverse ecosystems. However, they face ongoing challenges in balancing environmental preservation with public access for recreation.
Throughout their history, these parks have dealt with issues such as environmental degradation from overuse and the need for effective fire management practices. The introduction of controlled burns has become a vital strategy for maintaining forest health. While the parks attract visitors to renowned areas like the Giant Forest and General Grant Grove, the majority of the land remains designated as wilderness, requiring a permit system to manage access. Additionally, external threats such as air pollution and climate change pose significant risks to the ecosystems within both parks. Overall, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks reflect a commitment to preserving nature while navigating the complexities of human interaction with the environment.
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Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks
IDENTIFICATION: U.S. national parks in California’s southern Sierra Nevada range
DATES: Established in 1890 (Sequoia) and 1940 (Kings Canyon)
An ongoing environmental challenge can be seen in the struggle to maintain a balance between preserving the environment in Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks and allowing the public to have access to the parks’ lands for recreational purposes.
Sequoia National Park and Grant Grove were established in 1890 in California’s southern Sierra Mountains. In 1940 Grant Grove was incorporated into the new Kings Canyon National Park. The impetus for the creation of both Kings Canyon and Sequoia came from the work of such preservationists as John Muir and the Sierra Club, as well as from the desires of local inhabitants of the San Joaquin Valley. When the National Park Service was created in 1916, it established the obligation of all national parks in the United States to provide public resources for recreation as well as to preserve the natural environment. These two aims have proved to be difficult to reconcile, however, particularly in Sequoia and Kings Canyon.
By the end of the 1920s, it was apparent to some that environmental damage was already occurring in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia. Even before 1890 people had enjoyed camping among the redwoods, and it was inevitable that concessionaires would construct cabins and other buildings in the shadows of the great trees. Their fragile root systems were negatively affected by the buildings, the system, and the human traffic that grew over time. It was not until the 1990s, however, that the buildings were actually torn down, to be relocated in areas where they would not have detrimental impacts on the redwoods.
Fire prevention is another concern of national park officials. Time and knowledge have radically altered the approaches taken toward fire prevention in Sequoia, as well as in other national parks. In the 1960s ,park officials realized that periodic fires are necessary to maintain the health of forests because they remove dead material and allow new seedlings to sprout and flourish. A living forest requires fire, and controlled burns became common in the park.
Although most visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon get no farther than the Giant Forest and General Grant areas, both similar in their redwood ambience, both parks are mainly wilderness areas of streams, meadows, and some of the nation’s most rugged mountains. Before the parks were established, the areas had been overgrazed by sheep and cattle. Although this problem ended when the parks were founded, overuse by campers and backpackers continued to be a challenge. Eventually, access to the backcountry was limited through a permit system, the overused meadows were temporarily closed, and all visitors were required to pack out everything that they carried in to minimize damage to the fragile wilderness environment.
Kings Canyon has faced environmental challenges. Its dramatic central valley along the Kings River has been subject to numerous requests for construction, even within the park, and requests that the valley floor be developed for additional visitors. Here, too, preservation has taken precedence over recreation and other development, and human-built facilities have been limited intentionally.
Preservation of the and of ecosystems has continued to take precedence over mere recreation in both parks, with the public generally understanding and supporting the Park Service’s priorities. However, the parks have been subject to threats by forces outside the Park Service’s control, particularly air wafting up from the floor of the valley below and, further afield, the possible long-term dangers of climate change.
Bibliography
Beesley, David. Crow’s Range: An Environmental History of the Sierra Nevada. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2004.
Eldredge, Ward. Kings Canyon National Park. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia, 2008.
"History & Culture." Sequoia and Kings Canyon, National Park Service, 16 Oct. 2023, www.nps.gov/seki/learn/historyculture/index.htm. Accessed 19 July 2024.
Noss, Reed F., ed. The Redwood Forest: History, Ecology, and Conservation of the Coast Redwoods. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2000.
Pennington, Emily. "The Ultimate Guide to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks." Outside, 19 Dec. 2022, www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/national-parks/sequoia-kings-canyon-national-park-guide/. Accessed 19 July 2024.