“Parkitecture†68(2):3-5 by Charles Palmer - Yosemite Online
“Parkitecture†68(2):3-5 by Charles Palmer - Yosemite Online
“Parkitecture†68(2):3-5 by Charles Palmer - Yosemite Online
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ship, and provide additional opportunities to achieve<br />
mutual goals.<br />
MORE ABOUT HUANGSHAN<br />
Huangshan National Park was created in 1982 <strong>by</strong> the State<br />
Council of the People’s Republic of China. It was inscribed<br />
on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990, as just the<br />
17th mixed natural and cultural heritage site. Huangshan<br />
National Park is located in southern Anhui Province, and<br />
covers an area of 154 square kilometers, with an additional<br />
490 square kilometers as buffer zone, for a total protected<br />
area of 644 square kilometers. It is famous for strangeshaped<br />
pine trees, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds, and hot<br />
springs. It is widely acclaimed as a “Fairyland on Earth” for<br />
its unique granite peaks, forests, and floating clouds.<br />
PURPOSE OF THE SISTER PARK RELATIONSHIP<br />
This relationship will promote international cooperation<br />
in benefit to the parks. This will be achieved through<br />
exchange of managerial, technical, and professional<br />
knowledge, information, data, technology, training, and<br />
experience. The relationship will allow the sisters to share<br />
experiences and approaches to collaboration, including<br />
efforts to work with gateway communities, regional and<br />
local economies, friends groups, and partner organizations.<br />
When Chinese officials expressed interest in sending<br />
personnel to <strong>Yosemite</strong> to expose them to the park management<br />
experience of Tollefson and his staff, it rang as<br />
somewhat ironic. If Huangshan has been significant for<br />
millennia to the people of China, then surely the opportunity<br />
for learning the art of preserving natural and cultural<br />
heritage flows both ways. A Sister Park Action Plan will be<br />
prepared to guide future cooperation.<br />
American naturalist John Muir said, “No temple<br />
made with hands can compare to <strong>Yosemite</strong>.” Appropriate<br />
words, and undoubtedly a sentiment shared <strong>by</strong> those who<br />
used their own hands to build temples on the slopes of<br />
Huangshan. People came, but they came for the mountain,<br />
to bask in this spiritual experience that was and is<br />
Huangshan. Sounds like <strong>Yosemite</strong>.<br />
We are hoping to develop a special trip to Huangshan<br />
National Park for <strong>Yosemite</strong> Association members in<br />
the fall of 2007. Watch for more information about this<br />
opportunity to visit <strong>Yosemite</strong>’s sister park and fellow<br />
World Heritage Site.<br />
Jerry Mitchell is the Management Assistant at<br />
<strong>Yosemite</strong> National Park. During his 31 years of federal<br />
service he has worked at several of the “most special<br />
places on earth,” including Grand Canyon and<br />
Zion National Parks. He is currently on assignment<br />
in Washington, D.C. as a Fellow with the National<br />
Park Foundation.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF WEI QIANG<br />
Huangshan National Park<br />
YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, SPRING 2006<br />
11