Historic bridges of Yosemite Valley under siege

Yosemite National Park, California-perhaps in the Yosemite Valley, no river crossing is more easily photographed than the historic stonemason Bridge: a single arched span, faced with rough
The semi-dome is the most iconic natural wonder in the park, and its prospects are spectacular. Yet the 205-
Under the proposed plan to restore the natural flow of the Merced River, the pedestrian bridge is expected to be demolished.
As a \"wild Scenic River\" designated by the federal government, it is said that when it winds through the valley, its route should be shaped only by nature ---
The bridge changed this direction.
The future after about 80year-
The old stonemason and two other Spenser arch bridges have put environmental activists in trouble, who want the rivers to flow freely and oppose historical conservatives saying that these early examples of the architectural style of country parks are too important culturally, can not destroy.
\"What we\'re talking about is that it\'s arguably the best national resource --
The world famous national park.
What happened in Yosemite resonated across the national park system, \"said Anthony Veerkamp of the National Historical Protection Trust.
That\'s why last month the trust company put the stone masons and the stones of the other two Yosemite valleys
Arch bridge facing the threat of demolition-
Avalon bridge and Sugar Pine Bridge--
On its list of 2012 of the most endangered historical sites.
\"These are not commemorative buildings ---
\"They took design cues from the environment,\" says Veerkamp . \".
\"I don\'t envy the very complicated decisions that the National Park Authority has to make.
Park spokesman Scott Geidman said: \"Four other Yosemite Valley bridges span the Merced River, but only the three bridges are built in the river.
\"Yosemite is famous for its beauty, but in addition to its natural beauty, cultural beauty is also important,\" Gediman said . \".
\"We take this matter very seriously.
We will not make these decisions easily.
\"Yosemite is one of the most striking places in the National Park, with stunning views, exciting hiking and a metropolitan area adjacent to a large population.
Although the park has 1,200 square miles of wilderness, 95% of the 4 million visitors each year live in the Park --by-eight-
Miles Valley, the stands of the semi-dome and granite El Capitan walls, pine trees and stairs drown the sensesStep waterfall.
Known as \"the voice of Yosemite\" by the famous naturalist John Moore, the Merced River flows 81 miles in the park, from its 13,000 feet-meter-high source in Sierra Leone --
317 of Nevada wilderness-
Walk into the tourist sanctuary and pass it.
For more than 15 years, the park has been under pressure from courts and environmental groups to develop a plan that balances public access and strict conservation of the river\'s 1987 federal wildlife and landscape designation.
With the end of the process, various options include limiting the number of visitors to the daily Park, slowing river bank erosion by limiting access, and canceling accommodation in valleys and remote areas and some camping areas.
The designation of wildlife and scenic spots left room for the Park Service on how to protect the rivers, and Veerkamp said the agency should recommend protecting historical resources such as bridges.
Instead, four of the five draft plans that the park authority is considering include demolition of bridges to restore \"free\"
The \"flow conditions\" of Merced \".
Two of these plans spared the heavily trafficked masons, because the impact on the river can be seen there: where the bridge connects the coast is so eroded, so that the arch built to let the horse pass was flooded by 160.
Three-span bridge and 170-meter-long Ahwahnee foot
The feet sugar pine is listed for removal under all four plans as their base stops the flow of water.
From 1928 to 1970, they are part of the road from the Ahwahnee Hotel to the Mirror Lake at the east end of the valley, but today they are only available for hikers and motorcyclists.
\"It looks beautiful,\" said Eugene Krista dennielsen of o\'re\'s.
While she was sitting on the wood that filmed the Ahney Bridge.
\"It was great, but everything was fine here.
It will be sad to see it disappear.
\"Park officials stress that none of these plans are final and they can be modified to free up all or part of the bridge.
The public may register their opinions by September.
\"When you have a historical building in a Wild and Scenic River, we will never say that one is more important than the other, but we must take everything into account . \"
The National Trust stated that these bridges should not be targeted for potential demolition, noting the view of the Federal inter-agency coordination committee on wildlife and scenic rivers, low dams and \"other small structures\" that already exist at the timing of the finger should not be disqualified from wild and scenic rivers.
\"For those who want to maintain the same level of tourist facilities and those who want to see infrastructure reductions, these bridges have become an agency war,\" Veerkamp said . \".
\"They are more looking at them as infrastructure than historical resources that need to be planned for their own extraordinary value.