People don’t often think about President Lincoln when it comes to conservation. However, he changed the course of America’s public lands forever when he signed a law in 1864 setting aside the Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley as protected lands. Overshadowed by the Civil War, this news received little attention, but it set a significant precedent -- places of scenic and natural importance should be protected for the enjoyment of all people.

Department of the Interior