Parkgoer shares disturbing photo of rule-breaking tourists in off-limits area: 'People just don't care'

While signs at national parks can sometimes feel like they just get in the way of a perfect photo, they are usually there for a very good reason. Unfortunately, not adhering to posted signs could have adverse effects on the surrounding area. 

One Redditor witnessed the disregard for posted signs firsthand at Yosemite National Park.  

The concerned parkgoer took to the Yosemite subreddit to document a disturbing scene they witnessed at the national park. In the Redditor's post, they provided two pictures of a group of people wandering around a field that had been marked off-limits. 

In the pictures, a sign can be seen in the foreground reading, "Area Closed. Restoration In Progress." Whether an intentional act or simply an honest mistake, the people could have jeopardized the viability of the restoration in the national park. Wandering into off-limits areas could also disrupt wildlife, which endangers their safety. 

As one commenter noted, this isn't exactly unheard of at certain scenic locations. "It's really unfortunate and a daily occurrence," wrote the user. "Most of the time when we warn them and ask them to get out, they say they didn't know or didn't see a sign."  

Restoration projects, especially those inside our national parks, are much-needed attempts to protect wildlife, ecosystems, and even historic sites. Without restoration projects, these areas could eventually become too damaged to repair.  

Yosemite has undergone a variety of restoration projects over the past 20 years. These projects include removing invasive plants, repairing social trails, cleaning up riparian areas, and restoring wetlands. 

The Ackerson Meadow Restoration Project, expected to be complete in 2025, has a goal of restoring 230 acres of scenic meadows and is the largest project of its type in Yosemite's history.

Despite undergoing several restoration projects at once, national parks like Yosemite normally remain open to the public. But parks remaining open isn't the same as permission to ignore safety warnings.

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"It's sad that Yosemite Valley is being destroyed and torn up because of the lack of caring. It's not about seeing the sign or the language," wrote one frustrated commenter. "People just don't care."

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