Yosemite, again in corporate crosshairs, embodies the long war over US national park privatization

Reports suggest the Trump administration is considering transferring a small portion of Yosemite National Park to a private developer, raising concerns among park advocates and the public about the privatization of public land.

The proposed deal involves a land swap: the government would give the developer a small area of park land to build a private access road between a proposed resort and the park.

In exchange, the developer would purchase land of similar value near the park or elsewhere in California and transfer it to federal ownership.

This deal has not yet been finalized, according to a government spokesperson.

Environmental advocates and park staff have expressed worries for over a year that budget and staffing cuts to the National Park Service (NPS) could lead to further privatization of park land and business operations.