Since the state´s special Yosemite license plates were introduced 10 years ago, the program has raised $7 million that has paid for restoring the base of Yosemite Falls, buying bearproof lockers and protecting the Merced River.

Saturday, the nonprofit Yosemite Fund has scheduled a ceremony at the park to thank the 80,000 people who have bought the plates.

They were introduced in 1993, the first full-color plates for California cars.

“Participants to the license plate program have made a generous contribution to the restoration and preservation of Yosemite National Park,” Yosemite Fund chairman Sam Livermore said.

The plates show the well-known “Tunnel View” sight of the valley, with Half Dome and Bridalveil Falls in the background.