Yosemite Tribes Push for Plant Gathering Rights: Share Your Thoughts

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Seven tribes with deep roots in Yosemite National Park are working to restore their practice of gathering plants within park boundaries.

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The Bridgeport Indian Colony filed this historic request in August 2022, representing all seven tribes who have lived and tended these lands for millennia.

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Current park rules make plant gathering illegal without special permission from the park superintendent, impacting the transfer of cultural practices.

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Near El Capitan, tribal members demonstrate their stewardship by maintaining black oak groves through traditional methods like creating burn piles and planting saplings.

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The National Park Service is conducting an Environmental Assessment to evaluate the potential impacts of traditional gathering practices.

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The tribes involved include the Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bridgeport Indian Colony, Mono Lake Kootzaduka'a Tribe, North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, and the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.

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Public input on the proposal is open from January 13 to February 12, 2025, with findings expected in the summer and a final decision in fall 2025.

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Restoring traditional gathering rights could support biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the preservation of cultural practices central to Yosemite's history.

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