2023 Annual Report – Yosemite Conservancy

OUR MISSION

We inspire people to support projects and programs that preserve Yosemite and enrich the visitor experience for all.

Dear Friend of Yosemite,

elebrating Yosemite Conservancy’s accomplishments is always satisfying. The 2023 celebration of our centennial brought extra pause as we looked back on 100 years of philanthropy and extraordinary work in partnership with Yosemite National Park.

In addition to marking this significant milestone, 2023 proved to be an exemplary year in its own right. Yosemite Conservancy funded 50 projects with nearly $15 million in total support to the park.

Winter’s record-setting snowfalls allowed Yosemite waterfalls to gush forth throughout the year, as enthusiastic visitors flocked back to the park at nearly pre-pandemic levels.

To round out a busy year, the donor-funded rehabilitation of Bridalveil Fall transformed the sense of arrival to Yosemite Valley. Bridalveil welcomed even more visitors with ADA-accessible trails and viewing platforms, as well as new parking and restroom facilities. We also opened the new 3,000-square-foot Yosemite Valley Welcome Center, a versatile visitor hub in Yosemite Village.

We’ve included some additional highlights of the past year in this report. We reintroduced traditional fire-tending practices in the black oak groves in El Capitan Meadow; we studied the impact of climate change on myriad animal species, including the threatened Yosemite toad and the endangered Pacific fisher, as well as on giant sequoias and alpine plant communities; we completed the first phase of restoration to Ackerson Meadow, the biggest wetlands restoration project in the park’s history; we restored and protected sensitive areas around Tenaya Lake; and so much more.

We thank you for playing such a pivotal role in all we accomplished last year, and we look forward to working with you to preserve this special place for the next century and beyond.

Steve

Ciesinski, Chair

Frank

Dean, President & CEO

Frank Dean, President & CEO

Steve Ciesinski, Chair

2023

BY THE NUMBERS

TRAIL REHABILITATION & ACCESS

California Conservation Corps crews completed repairs to more than 55 feet of single- and multitier stone walls, 15 steps, and 60 miles of trail maintenance in the Merced watershed.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

A breeding pair of willow flycatchers was found in Yosemite for the first time in 25 years.

More than 1,200 birds were safely captured, banded, and released at seven banding stations.

12 bat species were detected using ultrasonic acoustic recording units, including several listed as species of concern.

15 Pacific fishers were trapped, GPS collared, and released.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

23 alpine and subalpine vegetation plots were surveyed in the backcountry; 400 plant specimens were identified and mounted.

HABITAT RESTORATION

Revegetation crews, including Conservancy volunteers, collected 145 pounds of native seeds from Ackerson Meadow for sowing in 2024.

Conservancy volunteer crews spent 640 hours pulling weeds in Ackerson Meadow.

CULTURAL & HISTORIC PRESERVATION

More than 1,300 people learned about Chiura Obata’s legacy and experienced Yosemite through art.

VISITOR SERVICES & EDUCATION

Two Spanish-bilingual Junior Ranger social media videos were completed, garnering more than 393,000 views

More than 330 Junior Ranger walks and talks reached at least 7,000 youth.

More than 57,000 donors funded 50 + projects in support of the park.

Your Gifts at Work 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

ot surprisingly, donor–funded projects rode the coattails of record snowfall and floods and reacted to the awesome power of fire. From returning to traditional fire-tending practices to monitoring the effects of climate change on alpine plants, our work in 2023 sought to embrace these elements, study them, and use them to the benefit of the park and its inhabitants.

Because of you, this past year also saw the opening of the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center, installation of a new Exploration Center lobby and Yosemite Now exhibit in the former Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, and restoration of Bridalveil Fall viewing areas — three major improvements that offer visitors the opportunity to experience the park in better, deeper ways.

Project HIGHLIGHTS

The new 3,000-square-foot Yosemite Valley Welcome Center is a versatile visitor hub in Yosemite Village. Staffed by park rangers, Yosemite Conservancy employees, and volunteers it features educational and trip-planning resources, as well as a Conservancy retail space. Outside, an expansive plaza creates a gathering place for visitors.

This donor-funded project has transformed visitors’ experience of arriving in Yosemite Valley. Millions of people can now start their journeys with the information they need to stay safe, be good stewards, and enjoy their time in the park.

With major support from Conservancy donors, the project to renovate the 1950s-era facilities at Bridalveil Fall has enhanced the visitor experience and protected surrounding habitat. Improvements to the trail system — including a new raised boardwalk and viewing platforms — provide visitors with safe access to stunning views of the fall while reducing pedestrian congestion. The restructured loop trail links the parking area, a historic carriage road, and vista points, enabling people to enjoy the beauty of the iconic feature in an easy-to-navigate, less-crowded setting.

Program

HIGHLIGHTS

Our in-park programs served nearly 712,000 visitors — our biggest-ever reach — representing 18% of all visitors to Yosemite National Park in 2023, including: more than 65,000 people assisted by the Conservancy’s wilderness programs; more than 4,000 people reached through our art programs, including children’s art classes, which were offered free this year and saw a 190% increase in participation; nearly 150,000 people served by our bookstores; and more than 23,000 people who participated in Outdoor Adventures — up 54% from 2022. We also expanded our free public programming, pop-up educational offerings, and roving naturalist presence, offering visitors the opportunity to connect more deeply with Yosemite.

Conservancy volunteers provided the equivalent of more than $650,000 in labor to the park. Work week crews maintained more than 25 miles of trails, restored meadows, and cleared huge swaths of brush and downed logs, contributing more than 4,700 hours of work. Our Visitor Information Assistants reached nearly 472,000 visitors to help orient them to the park.

Centennial HIGHLIGHTS

WE CELEBRATED our first century of service to Yosemite National Park in 2023 with a series of in-park events and donor programs, including a gathering in April at Salesforce Tower in San Francisco; a celebration in Yosemite Valley in June, surrounded by spectacular, ephemeral waterfalls; and a staff event in October.

“I have been visiting Yosemite since we came on a college trip, and it is one of the most scenic and peaceful places I have ever been to. It is my favorite place to visit because of the nature, hikes, and history.”

— ANUPAM GUPTA, MD Leadership Donor

Centennial Celebration Salesforce

Centennial Celebration

(Top) Conservancy President Frank Dean in San Francisco at Salesforce Tower event in April 2023. (Bottom) More than 240 donors and Conservancy supporters gathered for a sunset centennial celebration in Yosemite Valley in June 2023.

“During our first visit to Yosemite 20 years ago, we hiked the Mist Trail with our elementary school-aged children. It was an amazing hike, but treacherous, and we decided to return via the John Muir Trail rather than attempting the slippery, crowded backtrack with our young sons. At the centennial celebration, we learned of the new Mist Trail project and are pleased to continue to support the Yosemite Conservancy in their work. We know they have been an incredible partner to Yosemite in the past and look forward to enjoying the new Mist Trail hike. Maybe with future grandchildren?”

— BRIAN & CHRIS SMITH Leadership Donors

Staff Event

Salesforce

Salesforce

Centennial Celebration

Centennial Celebration

Centennial Celebration

(From top to bottom) Yosemite Conservancy Chief of Yosemite Operations Adonia Ripple holding a ceremonial birthday cake on August 4, 2023 — the Conservancy’s 100th birthday; National Park Service Director Charles “Chuck” F. Sams at the centennial event in June in Yosemite; (Left) Conservancy Museum Store Supervisor Nicole Brocchini at Salesforce event in April; (Right) Photographer, filmmaker, and mountain athlete Jimmy Chin speaks at June event. (Bottom) Yosemite National Park Forest Ecologist Garrett Dickman speaks with Bob Zimmerman at Salesforce event in April.

PHOTOS: (STAFF

Fire & Water PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Traditionally, Native Americans burned oak groves semi-annually to encourage the renewal of favorable understory species, decrease the number of competing conifers, open the understory to aid in gathering acorns, reduce pests, and for other cultural reasons. Conservancy funding enabled a reintroduction of traditional fire-tending practices in El Capitan grove to provide learning and cultural exchanges between fire staff and cultural fire practitioners — and strengthen traditional fire practices to build on successes in managing black oak, a cultural keystone species.

Donor funding allowed the National Park Service to continue studying the effects of different environmental stressors — including drought and fire damage — on giant sequoias. These efforts are informing monitoring and management decisions to increase the resilience of these mighty trees.

A pilot study began to research the impact of wildfire and prescribed burns on populations and habitat of the federally threatened Yosemite toad, helping biologists better understand the impact of fire on this important species.

The isolated population of Pacific fishers in the southern Sierra Nevada, which scientists estimate at fewer than 300 adults, was designated as federally endangered in May 2020. As massive fires, such as the 2020 Creek Fire, destroy tens of thousands of acres of fisher habitat, donor-funded work, including the collaring of fishers, is determining how research and land management can help protect the species. 2023 was the most successful year to date for identifying and collaring potentially reproductive female fishers. Being able to track their movements gives managers critical information to understand their breeding habitat requirements.

After many years of planning, the restoration of Ackerson Meadow completed its first phase of donor-supported work in 2023, which included excavation and earth-moving efforts to address massive erosion in the meadow and reestablish the vital wetland habitat. Yosemite Conservancy work week crews, alongside NPS staff, helped to collect seeds that will be used during the replanting in 2024.

2023 was the inaugural salamander survey in Yosemite National Park, providing an important baseline for future studies of an emerging infectious disease that has decimated salamander populations in other wild places. Technicians swabbed salamanders and the samples will be analyzed by USGS National Wildlife Health Center.

Tenaya Lake, considered one of the jewels of Yosemite’s high country, is easily accessed from Tioga Road and is a highly popular summer destination. Donor-supported work helped restore and protect sensitive areas around the lake and completed a surrounding loop trail, some of it wheelchair accessible, benefiting visitors and natural resources alike.

With climate models predicting that some alpine plant communities will be mostly gone within the century, donor-funded work explored how alpine plants in Yosemite have been affected by climate change in the past three decades. Monitoring these plants helps scientists better detect future plant community shifts and conserve unique alpine plant species as climate change continues.

PHOTOS: (TOP TO BOTTOM) © COURTESY OF NPS.

Statement of Financial Position

As of Dec. 31, 2023

Annuities $195,170 Deposits $14,500

Held for Future Use $3,261,916

& Equipment, Net $1,394,788

Lease Right-of-use Asset

Receivable,

of

Liabilities

Payable & Accrued Expenses

Lease Liability $201,102 Grants Payable to Yosemite National Park $2,888,927

As of Dec. 31, 2023

As of Dec. 31, 2023

YOSEMITE CONSERVANCY

COUNCIL MEMBERS

CHAIR

Steve Ciesinski*

VICE CHAIR

Dana Dornsife*

SECRETARY

Robyn Miller*

TREASURER

Jewell Engstrom*

PRESIDENT & CEO

Frank Dean*

COUNCIL

Hollis & Matt* Adams

Jeanne & Michael Adams

Gretchen Augustyn

Jenny Augustyn & Ali Meghdadi

Jessica & Darwin Chen

Diane & Steve* Ciesinski

Kira & Craig Cooper

Hal Cranston & Vicki Baker

Carol & Manny Diaz

Leslie & John Dorman

Dana* & Dave* Dornsife

Jewell* & Bob Engstrom

Kathy Fairbanks

Sandra & Bernard Fischbach

Cynthia & Bill Floyd

Jim Freedman & Karine Joret

Bonnie Gregory

Rusty Gregory

Laura Hattendorf & Andy Kau

Christy & Chuck Holloway

Christina Hurn

Mitsu Iwasaki

Erin & Jeff Lager

Bob & Melody Lind

Steve Lockhart & Karen Bals

Patsy & Tim Marshall

Kirsten & Dan Miks

Robyn* & Joe Miller

Juan Sánchez Muñoz* & Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz

Kate & Ryan* Myers

Sharon & Phil* Pillsbury

Gisele & Lawson* Rankin

Bill Reller

Pam & Rod* Rempt

Skip Rhodes

Stephanie & Mark Robinson

Alain Rodriguez* & Blerina Aliaj

Dave Rossetti* & Jan Avent*

Greg Stanger*

Ann* & George Sundby

Alexis & Assad Waathiq

Clifford J. Walker

Wally Wallner & Jill Appenzeller

Helen & Scott* Witter

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Superintendent Cicely Muldoon

*Indicates Board of Trustees COUNCIL MEMBERS

Mail

Yosemite Conservancy 101 Montgomery Street, Suite 2450 San Francisco, CA 94104

Tax ID 94-3058041

CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Marion Ingersoll mingersoll@yosemite.org 415-362-1464

LEADERSHIP GIFTS — NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & NATIONAL

Caitlin Allard callard@yosemite.org 415-989-2848

LEADERSHIP GIFTS — SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Julia Hejl jhejl@yosemite.org 323-217-4780

PLANNED GIVING & BEQUESTS

Catelyn Spencer cspencer@yosemite.org 415-891-1039

ANNUAL, HONOR, & MEMORIAL GIVING Isabelle Luebbers iluebbers@yosemite.org 415-891-2216

GIFTS OF STOCK Eryn Roberts stock@yosemite.org 415-891-1383

FOUNDATIONS & CORPORATIONS

Laurie Peterson lpeterson@yosemite.org 415-906-1016