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VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH ventanawild.org Newsletter of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance Volume 17 Number 1 I Spring 2016 Ready to Pounce Acrylic painting by Shawn Gould I shawngould.com Rescue Special Map Remembering at Sykes Camp Insert Paul Danielson The Arroyo Seco Region Protecting the Big Sur Backcountry VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 17 Number 1 I SPRING 2016 VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH Newsletter of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance President’s Message The takeover of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon by armed extremists is a wake-up call for all of us who value and respect our public lands PO Box 506 I Santa Cruz, California 95061 and understand the important environmental (831) 423-3191 I ventanawild.org and societal benefits derived from our collective The mission of the ownership. Some may view the Oregon insurrection Ventana Wilderness Alliance as just another skirmish in the decades-old Sage- is to protect, preserve and restore the wilderness qualities and biodiversity brush Rebellion. But much evidence points to of the public lands within California’s an increasingly well funded and well organized northern Santa Lucia Mountains campaign to privatize our public lands for the benefit and Big Sur coast. of special economic interests. BOARD of DIRECTORS Tom Hopkins, President The real threat now is not a handful of delusional David Jacobs, CPA, Treasurer extremists like the Bundy family. Now the threat comes directly from the Cato Institute, the Maria Ferdin, Secretary American Legislative Exchange Council, and other Koch-funded entities gaining strategic Betsy MacGowan, Director-At-Large Al Budris, Director-At-Large influence in Western state legislatures and Congress. Political forces in Utah are at the fore Greg Meyer, Director-At-Large of the well oiled federal privatization movement, having passed legislation demanding that STAFF the federal government “return” its public lands to state control. Similar legislation has been Mike Splain, Executive Director introduced and is advancing in six other Western state legislatures. The Utah congressional Richard Popchak, Communications and delegation just introduced a bill that would transfer to the state’s law enforcement authority Development Director Bryce Winter, Youth in Wilderness on federal lands. Imagine how a Bundy-like siege of a National Forest would play out under a Program Manager law prohibiting federal enforcement in a county with a so-called “constitutional sheriff.” The Mike Heard, Stewardship Program Coordinator Bundistas would have their way ­­— the public and the environmental resources be damned. Sharol Sevilla, Trail Crew Leader The VWA was founded as an advocacy organization to “protect, preserve and restore” the Julie Anne Hopkins, Botanist/Biologist Betsy MacGowan, Trail Crew Chief public lands in the Ventana region. This very newsletter carries that intention loud and clear Steve Benoit, Lead Wilderness Ranger in its title – Ventana Wilderness Watch – as in, we will be ever-vigilant and keep our eyes on and Trail Crew Leader these public lands. We will act in their defense and for their betterment. And while we, who Maria Ferdin, Trail Crew Leader are fortunate enough to live and work and play in California’s treasured central coast, may NEWSLETTER PRODUCTION feel somewhat insulated from the public land insurrection playing out in the intermountain Editor: Richard Popchak Design: Lynn Piquett west, let’s be mindful that it can happen here. Printing: Community Printers, Santa Cruz Our best defense is ourselves and our personal commitment to “protect, preserve and Printed on 30% post-consumer waste restore” our cherished public lands, both locally and nationally. On the local level, the recycled paper with Agri-based inks. VWA is making a difference on behalf of Ventana region public lands, but fresh new blood ON THE COVER and energy is always needed. It is the volunteers, committee and board members, strategic Exploring the Iowa thinkers, visionaries, and the ever-needed donors and funders that make our work possible. countryside as a child, Shawn Gould Please let me know how you can help. Nationally, we need to remember that every vote sought out the counts. The “green” voters of California can have a positive effect by sending informed and solitude of quiet places where committed public land advocates to Sacramento and to Washington. nothing would intrude into the world of his imagination. Today he explores the West and beyond from his Northern California home but still feels like that little boy running through the fields of his imagination in Iowa. Shawn’s paintings are a blend of photorealism and tonalism. The result is everyday nature seen Tom Hopkins I [email protected] through the eyes of the artist, an illusion that challenges the viewer to suspend their disbelief 2 and free their own imagination. See more of his incredible work at shawngould.com. Take Action on Proposed LPNF Realignment I by Mike Splain The Back Story Besides preserving a world-class viewshed and a reservoir of It’s no secret that Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) has been central coast biodiversity, the District provides clean air, fresh severely underfunded for many years. Nowhere is the problem water, carbon sequestration and agricultural pollinators. And more evident than here in the Monterey Ranger District, where let’s not forget tourism. In an average California year, outdoor an ever-shrinking staff is expected to manage 313,000 acres of recreation generates 732,000 jobs and 85 billion dollars in heavily used public lands. At present, nearly half of the District’s consumer spending. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, Recreation and Wilderness positions are vacant. At this writing at least 59% of all Californians enjoyed the great outdoors last year we have no Wilderness Manager and our Recreation Officer and that doesn’t even include hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing. retired years ago. In the backcountry, “boots on the ground” are The figure is likely even higher in Monterey County, where millions almost entirely volunteers. Critical maintenance work that of visitors congregate at iconic landscapes like the Arroyo Seco volunteers can’t accomplish generally requires VWA-financed Gorge and Big Sur coast. Separated from the southern Los Padres contractors. As agency funding continues to diminish, we’re in by a mere 20 miles as the condor flies, the Monterey Ranger danger of losing the pack stock program that makes such third- District is nevertheless worlds apart. Take away experienced, party efforts even conceivable. localized management and this jewel of the central coast, our collective natural heritage, will inevitably be loved to death. An internal LPNF survey reveals an even more troubling issue – employees have no time to manage volunteers or apply for grants. What You Can Do In other words, agency staffers are too overloaded to make use Although no formal comment process is underway, there is an of the very tools that would lighten their load. You may want alternative to Forest Realignment. A few years ago Congressman to read that last sentence again. If it sounds ridiculously para- Sam Farr introduced a bill designating a Big Sur Management Unit doxical, that’s because it is. Keep in mind that LPNF consists of (BSMU) with a reasonable degree of budget autonomy. Please ask five Ranger Districts – Mount Pinos, Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa the Congressman to reintroduce BSMU legislation right away. You Lucia and Monterey. Each District Office requires staffing, main- might consider mentioning: tenance, information technology and so on. Add to the mix a much 1. The Los Padres National Forest is too large and varied to be larger Supervisor’s Office, a radio dispatch station, and a Congress reduced to two Ranger Districts. Three Districts or (better yet) seemingly hell-bent on starving public lands out of existence. Management Units should be the absolute minimum. Realignment 2. The BSMU should be administered from within Monterey County. Of California’s 18 National Forests, only the Los Padres has more 3. The BSMU should be sufficiently funded to include a Wilderness than three Ranger Districts, so the most obvious way to “balance Manager, a Recreation Officer, a Volunteer Coordinator and a the books” is to reduce Districts. To this end LPNF has embarked robust pack stock program. ■ on a Forest realignment process. According to agency leadership, when the dust settles, we can expect a much leaner Los Padres Contact Sam Farr Today! with at most three Ranger Districts. US Congressman Sam Farr Why You Should Care 100 West Alisal Street Salinas, CA 93901 Consider that the Monterey Ranger District is 85% designated Electronic message: farr.house.gov wilderness and protects the headwaters of six major rivers. Potential realignment of the Los Padres National Forest may limit the agency’s ability to properly manage our treasured landscapes. 3 Please write to Congressman Farr today. Photo donated by Kennan and Karen Ward ©2016 VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 17 Number 1 I SPRING 2016 Rescue at Sykes Camp I by Richard Popchak The importance of the VWA’s Volunteer Wilderness Ranger (VWR) fireman. They had completed a thorough assessment of Joey’s program was highlighted on February 20 of this year when a condition just prior to Franco’s arrival on the scene. backpacker was seriously injured and needed to be rescued Despite the presence of trained, radio-equipped rangers on site, from Sykes Camp. Joey Yee of Daly City was enjoying a first-time all did not go well. The helicopter pilot initially attempted to make backpacking adventure with a group of friends from the Bay Area. the rescue at Barlow Flat Camp, not at Sykes Camp. This delayed An accomplished runner and in excellent physical condition, Joey the extraction. It also created a learning opportunity. The work excused herself from the group to explore on her own for a bit and has already begun to improve the processes necessary to ensure with one miss-step fell 20 feet face-first from a cliff.

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