CONDOR CALL - Los Padres Chapter Sierra Club

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Forest Service sued over public review The Los Padres National Forest is being sued to ensure the public is able to review and comment on land-use decisions. Filed by Los Padres Forest- Watch and California Chaparral Institute in December, it challenges regulations that they believe barred public comment. It was sparked by the Tepusquet Fuels Treatment Project, which allowed vegetation cleared across 19,300 acres using chainsaws, dozers, masticators, and prescribed burning. The Forest Service ap - proved the project on August 10, 2009, without preparing an Environmental Assessment, and it further exempted the project from public notice, comment, and appeal, according to ForestWatch. The conservation groups do support the concept of wildland fuel-treatment projects and believe that portions of the Tepusquet project are appropriate. But public review must be part of the mix, ForestWatch maintains. Coalition wins grant The Naples Coalition received $5,000 from The Fund for Santa Barbara in December to continue its efforts to preserve the rural character of the Gaviota Coast. Los Padres Sierra Club is part of the coalition, and has also contributed to the effort over the years. The 485-acre Naples property (AKA Santa Barbara Ranch) is two miles west of the Goleta city boundary on the gateway to the Gaviota Coast. Although the land is zoned for agriculture with 100-acre-minimum parcel size, the County of Santa Barbara has recognized over 200 much smaller lots based largely on an 1888 “antiquated subdivision.” Vintage Communities, an Orange County development company, received tentative approval from the county in 2008 to build 71 large luxury gated houses there, and ever since the coalition has challenged it at the local and state levels. Recently, portions of the tentative approval were rejected by the Board of Supervisors, and another portion sent back by the Coastal Commission as incomplete. To keep up on this and all other issues of the Gaviota Coast, go to: http:/GaviotaAction.org HIKING THE WEB Do you know of a web site that would interest Los Padres Chapter members? Send it in to the Condor Call editor (condorjohn@gnusman.com) or call him at 745-5432. State trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.parks.ca.gov/trails Ag-Eco alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.AgFuturesAlliance.org National outings . . . . . . . . www.sierraclub.org/outings/national Condor comeback . . . . . . . . . . . www.independent.com/bigbirds New Forest Website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://fs.usda.gov/lpnf Eco-film fest features two local activists The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy will present the first-ever Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival in Ventura County in March that includes two important local films. The event will be at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura on Friday and Saturday, March 12-13, from 7 to 10 p.m. The festival includes adventure films from around the world, nature exploration and inspiring stories of activism. Rich Reid’s Watershed Revolution will headline the Saturday show at 7 p.m., followed by Q&A. Reid, who lives in Oak View, produced and directed the documentary about the Ventura River watershed. Co-produced by Paul Jenkin of Surfrider Foundation, they worked for two years experiencing fire, flood, and drought, visually defining an important and essential water system. The documentary has its own website now: www.WatershedRevolution.com On Friday night, Alex Loorz of Ventura will show the short film that won him the Sierra Club’s Brower Youth Award. As a young teen, Loorz was inspired by An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore and founded his own organization, Kids vs. Global Warming, winning wide recognition, including an environmental award from the Los Padres Sierra Club. For full details of these and other films, call 643-8044 or go to: www.venturahillsides.org By Jim Hines Greetings, friends . . . What wonderful life-giving rains we had in January. Our natural world has now become alive, all because of water. On several outings this past weekend, I noticed bird life in great abundance, as many small feeder species were out scratching the moist earth for seeds and small insects and the skies were filled with larger birds-of-prey soaring over the fields seeking a fresh kill of rodent. The eagles up at Lake Casitas were quite busy and the fish-eating hawks known as osprey are already making their nests for springs birth. Great blue herons are also building nests and it won’t be long until the cries of baby chicks are heard. The earlier rains of last Fall produced green hillsides and this additional rain will keep the grass greener even longer, ideal grazing for deer herds in the fields around areas like Lake Casitas, Lake Cachuma and Upper Ojai and Santa Ynez Valley. Young sprouts of soon to be spring wildflowers are already appearing ...take a walk along Syca - more Canyon south of Pt. Mugu and you will notice just emerging from the moist soil, violas, brodiea and February-March 2010 • Condor Call 7 Big surf and heavy winds happened around the same time as the first big rains of the year in January. There was no massive flooding so the rains are probably helping to heal the thousands of acres of denuded backcountry caused by a series of wild fires last year in both Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. (Photo by Robert Bernstein) GREETINGS, FRIENDS Rains shower beauty on land JIM HINES amole plants. The early blooming white flowered ceanthous are also quite showy in the Santa Monica Mountains right now. The rivers are flowing with a force which we don’t often see. This is exciting . . . this power of nature. Our Ventura and Santa Clara Rivers drain hundreds of miles of pristine backcountry watershed. That earth is now full and abundant, thus allowing the rivers to flow with the power they were intended for. The skies were washed clean and the nights are brilliantly clear now. Oh, what LIFE rains bring — spend some time out in our natural world and feel its energy, touch the sprouting young shoots and feel LIFE. Watch the soaring hawk as it hunts from the sky and see LIFE . . . listen to the song of the meadowlark in the early morning and hear LIFE . . . sniff the warm fragrance of the first petals of blue ceanthous in bloom and smell LIFE . . . bite into a refreshingly tart wild blackberry and taste LIFE . . . this all in turn allows each one of us to be a part of that wonderful natural LIFE. “International Year of Bio-Diversity” . . . celebrating and protecting all LIFE on our planet. See you on the trail. Celebrate wilderness The Western Wilderness Conference 2010 will take place April 8 to11 on the campus of the UC- Berkeley, and the event will not only include speakers and workshops but also music and outings for fun. “For anyone who cares about the wild places of the West, this is one event not to miss,” said Vicky Hoover, chair, Sierra Club California/Nevada Wilderness Committee. “Wilderness organizations and advocates from all twelve western states, including Alaska, will participate in this grand event,” she added. Some of the topics that will be addressed include ways of getting more children into the backcountry, advocating more effectively for protection, archaeological issues and mentoring new activists, all in a celebration of the West’s wild places. For details, go to the conference website: www.westernwilderness.org A Mission Ridge hike offers excellent views of Santa Barbara and the coastline down to Ventura. Experience new hike areas, consult our outings. (Photo by Robert Bernstein)
Local ocean ‘parks’ enhance wildlife By Greg Helms Ocean Conservancy Work to set aside key local ocean reef and kelp forest areas as marine protected areas (MPAs)— akin to parks or preserves on land—passed a key hurdle as 2009 closed, setting up a final decision affecting our coast this year. Local conservation activists struggled mightily to advance effective protection against strong opposition, but helped produce a still-contested pro posal selected in December by a Blue Ribbon Task Force. The Fish and Game Com - mission will make the final decision this year after hearings statewide, including a Santa Barbara meeting in August. Here in our area, MPAs are very likely for the Point Con - ception and Cojo Reef area, along with a length of kelp-studded UCSB and Isla Vista coastline. For Ventura County, the delicate estuary at Point Mugu is also under consideration and would join the MPAs established in 2003 at the Channel Islands National Marin Sanctuary. Strong contention remains regarding inclusion of the most unique and diverse reef in Santa Barbara County—a submerged pinnacle system called Naples Reef. Called the most productive marine area in our region by scientists, inclusion of Naples Reef in our MPA system is critical—both for the Reef itself and for its potential to benefit unprotected areas nearby. MPAs are open to recreation and enjoyment, but are closed to harvest or resource extraction. The idea is to restore and sustain ocean wildlife via a network of marine protected areas throughout the length of southern California’s coast. Last year’s struggle for a network of MPAs last year included an array of ocean stake - holders and conservation advocates, including Ocean Conservancy, Santa Barbara Channel Keeper and the Envir on - mental Defense Center. This effort stems from the Marine Life Protection Act, which calls for protection of select areas of Cali - fornia’s coastline. Scientists indicate that the rapid increases in the size and number of fish and wildlife produced by MPAs— such as those recorded at the Channel Islands—are key to restoring and sustaining ocean abundance in the face of extensive seafood harvest, coastal pollution and impending climate change. Strong local support ex - pressed in letters, emails and attendance at the hearings this year will be critical so ensure meaningful and effective protec- EAVESDROPS “We do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” —John Steinbeck in “Travels with Charlie,” quoted in emails by Ojai District Ranger Heidi Anderson, who invites volunteers to take a working trip on the trails to help repair them. She’ll send you the schedule for work parties; just call her at 646-4348 Ext. 309 or email:handerson@fs.fed.us The waters around the Channel Islands are protected by a marine sanctuary, but there’s a movement to create a network of Marine Protected Areas off our mainland shores. Shown is Anacapa Island. (Photo by Kurt Preissler) tion for our spectacular underwater habitats. For ongoing updates and information, contact me at: Club’s trips go ‘everywhere’ The new 2010 Sierra Club trips sport over 300 adventures to choose from—at least half costing under $1,000—so there’s something for all people regardless of experience or funds. For a taste, how about: Smoke jumping in Montana, Women’s beginning backpacking in Ansel Adams Wilderness, Canoeing the Ozarks’ Current River, International adventures beyond tour guides, Family week in the Adirondacks, Red Rock Kaleidoscope: Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona; trips for seniors, bicyclists, kayakers, backpackers, skiers, family; family and work trips to our own Channel Islands—or go to the Galápagos; ghelms@oceanconservancy.org More information is available at: www.CalOceans.orgClu service trips (AKA Volunteer Vacations) in which you work for part of the time enhancing the outdoor environment in exotic places for a fraction of commercial costs. And that’s not all, but the list and scope is so long, it’s best to go to the website where you can search for what you want and be surprised along the way: www.sierraclub.org/outings/national Next issue of Condor Call comes out 1st of April DEADLINES: Editorial: March 15 Advertising: March 20 Questions? Call 745-5432 The full shot from the Cover . . . A casual group of Sierra Club leaders known as the Dirty Rotten Rocksuckers go climbing nearly every month in Joshua Tree. The real big event is during December, in which the rocks are decorated with luminaries. Our own Condor John Hankins started the tradition years ago, honing the technique to using flameless candles. (Photo by Martin Parsons) Outings . . . (continued from page 6) OUTINGS DUE SOON: Group outings chairs should ready their outings for the next Condor Call schedule, covering the Jun-Sep plus the 1st week of October. Questions? Contact Gerry Ching (gching@cox.net). May 3 MONDAY MORNING WALK: Meet 9:04am at bus stop, Oak and Thompson. Bus to Santa Barbara, Alice Keck Park, Court House. Lunch at Janines. 1:20pm bus return. Pat 643-0270 (VEN) May 6 MONDAY MORNING WALK: Meet 8:30am at Mission Plaza to carpool to Los Padres National Forest for hike to Potrero Joan, 4 mrt. Pat 643- 0270 (VEN) May 8 LITTLE PINE MOUNTAIN: A challenging hike to a 4,000 foot peak in the back country. Strenuous 12.5 mrt. Bring lunch and plenty of water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. CHRISTINE 963-2347 (SB) May 9 SUMMERLAND WALK: Join us for a 3.5 mrt walk through the back hills of Summerland. We’ll use little used paths, starting at Oceanview Park, to walk the trails above Summerland, returning on the back streets of the town. Easy, but lots of hills. Meet at 9am at the Bank of America parking lot, Hope Ave & State St. Bring water and a light snack. GERRY 964-5411 (SB) May 10 MONDAY MORNING WALK: Meet 9am at Corner Park and Bard in Port Hueneme to walk to Bubbling Spring trail and to the lighthouse. Pat 643-0270 (VEN) May 15 LOST VALLEY TRAIL: Hike from Nira camp to Lost Valley Trail. Hike along Lost Valley Trail for 7 miles to Hurricane Deck for lunch. Great views of San Rafael Wilderness. Strenuous 15 mrt. Bring lunch and plenty of water. Plan for an all day trip. Call hike leader for details. We’ll leave at 7:30am. NOTE EARLY START TIME! TONY 867-1929 (SB) May 16 THREE POOLS BEYOND SEVEN FALLS: Primitive trail, some rock climbing. Bring swimsuit. Difficult but short 5 mrt. Bring lunch and water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. DAVID P. 705-3025 (SB) OUTINGS DUE: Outings for inclusion in the Condor Call are due NOW. All Group outings chairs should send their Jun-Sep outings to Gerry Ching (gching@cox.net) May 17 MONDAY MORNING WALK: Meet 8:30am at Mission Plaza to carpool to Ojai Los Padres National Forest to Cozy Dell trail (uphill). Pat 643-0270 (VEN) May 22 SADDLEROCK–HOT SPRINGS–COLD SPRING LOOP: Hike on parts of seven trails in a moderate loop of about 5 miles. Bring lunch and water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. ROBERT 685-1283 (SB) May 23 MORE MESA: Morning loop walk around this extensive coastal bluff. Children welcome. Slow paced 2-3 miles or so. Bring water and a snack. Meet behind B of A on upper State Street at Hope Ave. at 9am. VICKI 563-4850 (SB) May 24 MONDAY MORNING WALK: Meet 8:30am at Mission Plaza to carpool to Lake Casitas. 4 mrt on South Shore Trail. Pat 643-0270 (VEN) May 29 RED ROCK TO GIBRALTAR DAM AND THE MINE: Hike up the road to Gibraltar Dam and on to an old mercury mine. Then walk back past a popular swimming area. Moderate-strenuous 10 mrt. Bring swimsuit, wading shoes, lunch and water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. TONY 455-4212 (SB) May 30 ENNISBROOK: Morning walk through this Montecito area with large trees and plants near San Ysidro Creek. Flat, slow paced 2-3 miles. Children welcome, bring water and meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. DAVE 563-4850 (SB) June 5 SWEETWATER TRAIL: A hike from the Bradbury Dam lookout to the Lake Cachuma County Park. We’ll explore a portion of the park before retracing our steps. Easy 5mrt. Bring a light lunch and water. Meet behind the Bank of America on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. If you are coming from north of Santa Barbara, you can meet us at the trailhead. Call for instructions. GERRY 964-5411 (SB) June 6 DEVEREUX POINT: Stroll slowly exploring around this creek area to the shoreline. Slow paced 3 miles or so round trip. Children welcome, bring water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. KEITH 965-9953 (SB) June 12 GAVIOTA CAVES EXPLORATORY: Hike from Gaviota beach to the caves and wind tunnels in the ridges above. This will involve off-trail cross-country exploration. Difficult and moderately strenuous. Some rock scrambling and agility required. About 5 mrt. Bring lunch and water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 9am. ROBERT 685-1283 (SB) June 13 DABNEY CABIN: Long car pool to Nira Campground, then a long nearly level hike down Manzana Creek to Dabney Cabin. Strenuous 14 mrt. Bring lunch and plenty of water. Meet behind B of A on upper State St. at Hope Ave. at 8am. NOTE EARLY START TIME! TONY 455- 4212 (SB)
Page 1 and 2: Vol. ’10, No. 1 of 6 February-Mar
Page 3 and 4: 2 Condor Call • February-March 20
Page 5 and 6: 4 Condor Call • February-March 20
Page 7: 6 Condor Call • February-March 20

CONDOR CALL - Los Padres Chapter Sierra Club

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?