COASTWALKER THE NEWSLETTER OF COASTWALK Saving the Coast One Step at a Time Summer 2004

Is the The Year in Coastal Accomplishments Imperiled? You know how it seems sometimes that accomplishments by Richard Nichols happen at a snailʼs pace, and that nothing is really getting done? Well, at least I sometimes feel that way. I made a list The wonderful California Coastal of highlights from the past Coastwalk year to help me see Trail - itʼs the public trail we all what Coastwalk volunteers, members and staff really did - fervently want to see finished, and what your donations helped us to accomplish - and here it is, want to hike so as to experience first- off the top of my head. I think itʼs pretty impressive. Inside: hand its beauty, animals and plants, - Linda Hanes, Board President history, people and places. But is it Made history and raised CCT awareness: September Changes at imperiled as a place to inspire and 22, 2003 – Coastal Trail Expedition ʼ03 (CTE 03) members Coastwalk . . . . . 2 nurture us, by the human impacts on both land and sea? finished a 1,196-mile walk down the coast of California. Countless newspaper articles, TV and radio spots and magazine Whatʼs the Big The answer, sadly, is yes. articles featuring Coastwalk and highlighting the California Deal about the big Two new reports confirm what Coastal Trail (CCT) came out of that hike. Hearst Ranch many have known for years. The Pew Lengthened the CCT: We worked with local trail advocates deal? ...... 3 Oceans Commission, comprised of scientists, fishermen, conservationists, and state park personnel to lay out trail routes in Sonoma County, LA Harbor/San Pedro area, Mendocino and San Luis CCT Snapshot: elected leaders, and business leaders Obispo counties. History of the Hearst (funded by the charitable non-profit Millions of Californians hear the Coastwalk message: Ranch ...... 3 Pew Foundation) and the U.S. Oceans Commission, made up of business Coastwalk and our mission were featured in a half hour segment on Huell Howserʼs PBS show, which airs on various Tides & : and military leaders appointed by PBS TV stations statewide, and will be re-run for a few years. Victories for coastal the Bush Administration, reached the Coastal trails accessible to all: We created a new website, advocates . . . . . 7 same conclusions: that the nation must take immediate action to avert the featuring interactive maps that show the CCT route and continuing decline of ocean wildlife descriptions of hikes as well as a daily journal from the CTE and collapse of ecosystems. 03. This website is one of three we maintain..

Printed on recycled paper see Oceans page 6 see Accomplishments page 5 New Staff at Coastwalk I am pleased to introduce our three new, energetic staff members: Sasha, Rob, and Leila. We will work as a team to improve all aspects of Coastwalk. For many Coastwalk Is... years, our organization was administered by volunteers, and then by myself. As Coastwalk has grown so has the need for the energy of additional staff to accomplish our goals. We are grateful for our partnership with the State Coastal THE COASTWALK MISSION: Conservancy. It has helped us to make this needed expansion.  Complete the California Coastal We will increase our efforts to promote the CCT, educate more people through Trail (CCT) - a continuous trail along summer Coastwalks, and continue to find funding for our efforts. As Executive the entire California coastline. Director, I will do more work with other non-profits, agencies and officials to  Protect the scenic and natural ensure that the Coastal Trail is completed, and work for legislation which protects environment of the coast while our valuable shoreline. Without volunteers, members and walkers, Coastwalk would not exist. You are providing public access. needed now more than ever and we thank each one of you for your continued  Educate the public about the CCT support. and coastal protection, and - Richard Nichols  Coordinate with government, community and trail organizations to promote the CCT, protect public access SASHA ROSE SCHAIBLE and encourage coastal protection. Director of Operations and Development I have always been passionate about the STAFF: environment. It may have started when I was Richard Nichols, Executive Director just a baby: my mother carried me on her Sasha Rose Schaible, Director of back while she helped clean up the 1971 San Operations & Development Francisco Bay oil spill. Helen Shane, Office Manager I feel fortunate to have lived near the Rob Helms, Trail Steward California coast for the past ten years. I visit the ocean often to find Leila Rand, Editor clarity and renewal and want to preserve this beautiful place for future generations. Layout & Design: Leila Rand I started working in non-profit management seven years ago, at Community Vocational Enterprise, a organization that CONTACT INFORMATION: provides vocational rehabilitation. In 1999 I moved to Sonoma County and Coastwalk was hired to manage West County Community Servicesʼ youth program. 825 Gravenstein Hwy. North, Suite 8 During this time I also attended New College of California, majoring in Sebastopol, CA 95472 Culture, Ecology & Sustainable Communities. My studies here renewed my (800) 550-6854, (707) 829-6689 commitment to help create a world where people and nature live in balance. www.coastwalk.org More recently, I worked with West Sonoma County schools to www.californiacoastaltrail.info implement a program for service learning. Here I started a leadership program for students to learn about and act upon environmental and social issues. I also facilitated teacher trainings and created a plan for organizational development that continues to guide the district today. As I learn about Coastwalkʼs history, I see remarkable success and growth, clearly the result of many peopleʼs time, energy and support over the years. Looking to the future, I see that we still have much work to do to complete the California Coastal Trail while we raise awareness and advocate for coastal protection. I am honored to be a part of the next leg of the journey. As the new Director of Operations and Development, I will work hard to increase efficiency and sustain funding so that Coastwalk thrives well New Digs into the future. I will oversee the day-to-day business of the Coastwalk After three years in a small office in office, coordinate staff efforts and organize our “home base” to better downtown Sebastopol, Sonoma County, support our volunteers and various activities. I will raise awareness of Coastwalk has moved to some new digs. our programs and attract new people to our walks through increased Also in Sebastopol, the new office has outreach and by introducing new Coastwalk experiences. Your feedback space to accommodate our expanded staff about Coastwalk is essential and I would love to hear from you. (weʼre now five employees plus several volunteers) and numerous projects. ROB HELMS Our new address is: Trail Steward, CCT Project 825 Gravenstein Hwy. North, Suite 8, My family has a history of community Sebastopol, CA 95472 involvement, starting with my grandparents, If youʼre ever in the area, stop by! who planted what is now a Memorial Forest. My aunt spent endless days improving see Staff page 6 2 Coastwalk News from the California Coastal Trail Summer 2004

Is the Hearst Deal Good for the Public? by Richard Nichols Over a year ago, the Hearst The 82,000-acre Hearst Ranch, Corporation released a one located on some of San Luis page, five-point “Framework for Obispo Countyʼs most breath-taking the Conservation of the Hearst coastal and mountainous lands, has Ranch,” and began recruiting been the subject of a great deal of endorsers for the deal with the public speculation since the Hearst State. At the time the SLOcoast Corporation announced its intention Alliance of environmental groups to make a deal with the State of (including Coastwalk), led by the California to conserve the 128 local San Luis Obispo chapter of square mile property. As it stands, the Sierra Club, did not endorse the Hearst Corporation will gain the framework, but instead $95 million in public funds from called for disclosure of details, the deal. Environmentalists and and at the same time expressed outdoor enthusiasts, among many some cautious optimism that others in the community, have long the framework would benefit argued that the property should the public. In the last year the be preserved for its countless rare Hearst Corporation, along with species of plants and animals, and the American Land Conservancy, that the public at large should have has been in secret negotiations access to its historic coastline. with state agencies to hammer see Hearst Deal page 4

Mapping the CCT In the midst of all the drama surrounding the Hearst by Rixanne Wehren Ranch deal, we can forget the actual piece of land Coastwalk volunteer mappers will be out on the that everyone is fussing about. Yet this land is not trail this summer with their GPS units and cameras, only a stunning, diverse slice of the State, including detailing the California Coastal Trail. They will what we have hoped will be a new 18-mile length be using a set of fieldwork maps I, as Coastwalk of the CCT, but an actual place with a living, Mapping Coordinator, have made, in order to locate breathing history. In many ways this history mirrors certain points along the trail, and collect information Californiaʼs as a whole, and reminds us all why about them. We are collecting data on over 60 access to public lands, and particularly to our coast, characteristics, from firepits to trail surfaces to is so important. Our beautiful coastline is a huge impassable rocks, and taking pictures of each site. part of what defines us as Californians. To know The use of GPS technology is making this project about the coast and its history is to know more about the most geographically accurate listing available ourselves. Thatʼs why, from time to time, you will find anywhere of coastal access points, parks, trails, public in our newsletters little snapshots of the history and marinas, etc. GPS is the global positioning system that lore of a particular slice of the CCT. We hope in this allows a GPS receiver to display the exact location, way to make the Trail more alive for our readers and and record the latitude and longitude coordinates ourselves. for any point on earth. Our volunteers will be seen The Hearst Ranch, stretching from the ocean over carrying a GPS, camera and notepad for recording the the Santa Lucia Mountains, up to Los Padres National CCT Snapshot see CCT Snapshot page 5 see Mapping page 4

Coastwalk 3 4 CCT News, continued more accurate positions. accurate more with updated be will points these mappers, Coastwalk the from in come positions GPS ocean. new and As Trailthe access to where of idea good a viewer the give can and readings, GPS accurate more the without maps, these on positioned already are Commission Coastal the by developed viewing. points close Access for maps section into up divided are and website, the on now maps county-wide Los have and Angeles, Sonoma counties, Coastwalk active most two The drawn. being now are maps the and year a over for collected been has data base The placed. be will data new the which upon counties the for maps base of development the on depends withyour web browser. theInternet. Look for itat datainto commona database, and itwill bedisplayed over thisway, volunteers from all over California can feed their forma just like the paper one toenter the information. In abletogointo the new Coastal Trailweb page and call up GeographicInformation System (GIS). Themapper will be thedata tothe web site, and eventually into computerizeda techworld with the use ofweb-based forms for moving home-office,inmany cases) shifta ismade tothe high- effort. field low-tech a in attributes and locations Mapping include: framework original the of spirit the with odds at seem that deal the of highlights the of few agreement. the Ain questions unanswered and decision. wise a indeed was framework the of endorsement early withholding that conclude SLOcoast to the Alliance leading deal, the in compromises and loopholes huge are there ranch, the on easement conservation a place does and State, the to land coastal the of acres 1,000 over sell does agreement the While agreement. conservation the of substance the of part only outlining State, the by released of. disclosure for calling been the has that Alliance details very the out Deal Hearst forasignificant part of the route. Thisis in stark contrast CaliforniaCoastal Trail(CCT) adjacent to the highway sceniccoastal sites, and will restrict access, forcing the Corporationwill retain ownership of three of the most  This field effort, and the display on the web, also web, the on display the and effort, field This Asthe data comes back into the office environment (or issues many are There was document 500-page a Monday,12, On July TheHearst cont. from page 3 frompage cont. cont. from page 3 frompage cont. www . californiacoastaltrail.info Ragged Point on the Hearst Ranch Hearst the on Point Ragged

org at Nierlich Don or California Central and WehrenRixanne contact at way,this Trailplease Coastal in the about knowledge the to contributing in interested are you If mapping. trail coastal at hand their try and training some get will volunteers more many that hope we and trails, coastal the on out get to love Coastwalkers expeditions. weekend few a on county entire an cover could mappers two that see can we experience Bay.this Bodega From of all Wetime. drive covered including hours, 5 about in sites ten did easily and quickly very technology the learned both They Breyfogle. Jon and Hanes Linda members board County Sonoma with June in data this recording us. of all to belongs coast Our value. full get restrictions. stronger and process conservation transparent more a and sites, home proposed the of clustering genuine a access, coastal full are: concern ranch, including in undisturbed wild lands. wild undisturbed in including ranch, the throughout spread are and parcels 25-acre actually  winery,logging. a and development,  providingfull access to the shore. tothe framework promise of acontinuous CCT route The Hearst Corporation is demanding huge concessions huge demanding is Corporation Hearst The We had a workshop on use of the GPS and camera for camera and GPS the of use on Weworkshop a had to right a has public the spent; being is money Public in Southern California. Southern in The 27 five-acre clustered home parcels are parcels home clustered five-acre 27 The mining and gas oil, allows easement The ideal agreement. The areas of major of areas The agreement. ideal an than less this make that issues many the explore fully State the that asking is and period, comment public the of extension an for calling SLOcoast is The Alliance approval. state for timeline short coast. the on parcels scenic most three the of ownership continued and sites, home employee 15 another inn, 100-unit a ranch, entire the over out spread sites home 27- the including State, the from The $95 million deal is on a on is deal million $95 The [email protected] cct@coastwalk. Coastwalk in Northern in

CCT Snapshot cont. from page 3

Forest in the north, covers an area of 128 square area, which is now a sea otter preserve, and home to large miles and is the largest functioning cattle ranch on populations of sea lions. Californiaʼs coast. Yet its long history, which embraces A drought in the 1860ʼs decimated the cattle population Native Americans, Spaniards, settlers and Hollywood and led to rapid sell-offs by the rancheros. An influx of moguls, is far more colorful than these statistics would settlers, including Swiss who opened dairies and New imply. Englanders who planted orchards, arrived and in 1865 When Europeans arrived in what is now the central the multi-millionaire George Hearst purchased the lands coast in 1769, the Salinan Indians were living, farming comprising the Hearst Ranch. He also constructed a new and trading in the area currently encompassed by the wharf at Point San Simeon, which opened the region up to Ranch. Salinan remains dating back 10,000 years have large ships transporting goods to and from mercury mines in been found in the area. The Salinans and other local the area. tribes coexisted peacefully prior to the advent of the Hearstʼs son William Randolphʼs is of course the name Spanish, and the tribe survived fairly intact until the most associated with the Ranch. In his early 20ʼs he US took control of California, at which time it was assumed proprietorship of the San Francisco Examiner, decimated. Until recently the Salinans were considered which his father had acquired as payment for a gambling “extinct,” but the tribe is currently experiencing a cultural debt. He sensationalized the paper with banner headlines renaissance and is examining channels for cultural and and lurid reporting and soon created a vast media empire, national preservation of the tribal homeland ushering in an era of “yellow” journalism. He was The Santa Lucia Mountains, home to more than half reputed to have initiated 1898ʼs Spanish-American War of Californiaʼs native plants and to nationally prized as a way to boost his newspaper sales, and is accused of oak savanna habitats, have always been tremendously using his papers to whip up xenophobic sentiments (for wild lands. The Spanish Explorers were unnerved by example, his papers were said to be anti-Mexican; Hearst them, and the early settlers would not explore them. had lost 800,000 acres of prime timberland to Pancho But other parts of the area were quickly tamed, as Villa), as well as of being pro-Nazi in the 1930ʼs. the San Miguel Mission annexed much of the coastal Hearst was also infamous for his alliance with movie grasslands for cattle grazing. In 1836 the Spanish star Marion Davies, who lived with him at San Simeonʼs governor of California took over the Missionʼs lands Hearst Castle, and as the subject of Orson Wellesʼ Citizen and divided them into 3 ranchos which remained intact Kane, the release of which he tried to prevent by blackmail, until George Hearst acquired them later in the century. intimidation and smear campaigns, but which nonetheless Meanwhile, San Simeon Point became home to a survives as a classic. whaling station and a small commercial center. At this Since the late 1950ʼs, the Castle and environs have been time, there were still no roads to the area, and visitors, property of the State, while ranching activities continue including Russian fur traders and Aleut hunters in on the remainder of the vast Hearst Ranch. Activists have pursuit of sea otters and their fur, would come by boat fought hard to preserve its land from development. The to a small wharf. The sea otter was brought to the lands encompassed by the Ranch, with their uniquely brink of extinction by the hunting, and was believed to Californian history, should belong to all of us. Who knows be extinct until rediscovered in the San Simeon coastal what history we may make there?

Accomplishments cont. from page 1 Join Us at the Far-reaching mapping project: GPS and photo volunteer teams gathered data for a California coast web map in at least five counties. Beach Record number of walks: We planned and are leading 23 summer hikes. Leadership and collaboration: Coastwalk attended and presented at several Everyone is invited to participate trail and coastal coalition conferences. in one of the biggest volunteer events Outreach: We showed the Coastwalk and CTE 03 slide show to of the year - the annual California numerous groups statewide. Coastal Cleanup Day, happening Youth education: We presented the CTE 03 story to several 6th grade up and down the coast on Saturday, classes in Orange County. September 18, from 9 a.m. to noon, Promotion: Coastwalk produced a DVD featuring the CTE 03 hike and CCT, with a beach party to follow. and held a party to celebrate its release. Get your copy for $20.00 Coastwalk is helping to organize the Volunteer skills upgraded: We conducted two weekend trainings for Sonoma County event; call us at (707) Summer Walk volunteers. 829-6689 for more info. To help out Increased staff: We very recently hired one full-time Operations in another coastal county, go to: www. Manager and two half- time staff members, a Trail Steward and an Editor. coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html Larger space: We moved to a new, larger office in Sebastopol.

Coastwalk 5 Staff cont. from page 2 the neighborhood pool and park; Helms Park now serves as the Forest Creek Garden Club & Vensel Creek Restoration Headquarters. I am looking forward to carrying on the family tradition with Coastwalk. As a student in Sonoma State University's Environmental Studies and Planning program, I studied species interactions and biological reserve design. On campus, I volunteered at the Fairfield Osborne Preserve and with the Copeland Creek Restoration Project. As an intern, I worked at the Bodega Marine Reserve, where I was active in the restoration of native dunes and grasslands. For the last year, I have worked at REI in Santa Rosa as a camping specialist. I developed the Stewardship Program for the store and we have successfully completed six stewardship projects in the County. Now, as the Trail Steward for Coastwalk, I can continue in my goal of educating the public to preserve the coastline. I will set up a Coastal Trail Committee for each county involved in the CCT. Committees will become familiar with actual and potential coastal trail routes, and will inform Coastwalk about the status of existing and future trails, allowing us to work together in the CCT decision-making process, and eventually to encourage routes to improve coastal access. Over time these Committees will take on the responsibilities of stewardship and oversight for their portions of the CCT. A major part of Coastwalkʼs mission is to educate the public about the CCT. I plan to set up clinics and attend events to further educate Californiaʼs youth and encourage them to volunteer with the CCT project. It is essential that todayʼs youth becomes familiar with Californiaʼs natural resources, because they will be the next stewards of the CCT. With the help of people of all ages and backgrounds, we can complete the California Coastal Trail.

LEILA RAND Editor Most of my working life has been devoted to some form of outreach for non-profits. “Outreach” for me has taken many forms: Iʼve recruited and trained L.A. activists to go door-to- door in their neighborhoods to get out the vote; I spearheaded and publicized a volunteer family law clinic for Mendocino Countyʼs legal aid program; Iʼve written and designed the publications for a childrenʼs advocacy organization. I am thrilled to be putting my experience to work in the service of Coastwalkʼs mission. In the four months that I have been here, Iʼve enjoyed working with the dedicated, creative and fun group of people that is the Coastwalk board and staff. My part-time positionʼs goal is getting the Coastwalk message out to the public in a meaningful and compelling way. This often means updating the “look” of our publications and casting a fresh eye on our content. I am editor of this newsletter, and work with the webmasters on the content and design for all three of our websites (look for the newly re- designed Coastwalk website – www.coastwalk.org - to go live this month). I also am re-doing the Coastwalk brochure and working with staff and board members to brainstorm about future publications like an Annual Report. Iʼm always looking for volunteers to provide content for the newsletter and websites, so if you like to write and have some ideas, please donʼt hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or (707) 829-6689. Oceans cont. from page 1 The reports cover both land- and ocean-based problems. Among those on land the primary ones, in GOODBYE ANNE our view, are coastal development and sprawl, which Coastwalk Volunteer Coordinator Anne Peterson has are wiping out shoreline and wetlands habitats, and moved on to greener pastures –- we will miss her cheery non-point pollution (run-off from streets, agricultural presence and great efficiency! pesticides and chemical fertilizers), which fouls and One of Anneʼs greatest accomplishments was spearheading closes beaches at an alarming rate. the media campaign for the 2003 Coastal Trail Expedition, Major causes of ocean decline include point- an effort by 10 Coastwalk members who hiked the entire source pollution (sewage treatment and cruise ships, length of coastal California. Her hard work resulted in over for example) invasive species, over-fishing, habitat 60 print, radio and television pieces covering the Expedition. destruction by trawling, bycatch and climate change. Anne also coordinated three seasons of our volunteer- The Pew report found three primary reasons led Coastwalks, overseeing all aspects of this huge for the deteriorating conditions. First, we have undertaking; prepared summer walk brochures and two exploited ocean resources without regard to the volunteer handbooks and compiled an updated Volunteer consequences. The second is the fragmented nature Training Manual. We thank her for her dedication and of ocean governance; many agencies with conflicting wish her the best of luck. jurisdiction and rules, and thirdly, the fact that Until the dust settles from our restructuring, the governance has focused on saving individual species existing staff will share the volunteer coordinatorʼs (whales, for example), not whole ecosystems. tasks. If you or someone you know is interested in Sweeping changes are recommended based on volunteering for Coastwalk, please contact Richard a fundamental change in values: towards an ethic Nichols ([email protected]) or Sasha Rose Schaible of stewardship of and responsibility for the oceans. ([email protected]) at 1-800-550-6854. Only if society at large embraces real conservation see Oceans page 7

6 Coastwalk Oceans cont. from page 6 will any changes in policy take place. The report states, “Human well-being and the well-being of our coasts and oceans are interdependent. We depend on marine ecosystems and they depend Tides on respectful treatment.” (Page 20). The recommendations are aimed at fulfilling Trails the promise of stewardship of the coast and & ocean, including: SEA OTTERS COMING BACK  A revamping of governance to bring Good news for sea otters: the US Geological Surveyʼs together conflicting jurisdictions and take an spring 2004 survey has shown an appreciable increase, ecosystem approach, to a total of 2,825, in the population of the threatened  A new system of fisheries management to California sea otter, which was hunted to near-extinction. protect fish and habitat, This is a 12.8% increase from the 2003 total, and  Confronting coastal sprawl by curbing contributes to a 3-year running average increase of 9.8%. development and redirecting resources away from For the southern (Californian) sea otter to lose its status as development subsidies and towards restoration, “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, a 3-year especially by the Corps of Engineers, running average count of at least 3,090 sea otters would  Limiting all forms of pollution. need to be observed for three consecutive years. These reports depict a terrible legacy of coast The bad news is that only the male population appears and ocean destruction on a huge scale, and ask to be increasing – the number of reproductive females government and citizens to reverse the trend and has basically remained stable for the past 10 years or so. restore the ecosystem. Coastwalk is one small Further studies are being undertaken by a collaborative team environmental organization among many who of privately- and publicly-funded scientists to discover why are working to ensure a healthy future for all this is and how to help boost the female population. earthly inhabitants. We must demand that our local, state and Federal governments reverse the terrible losses to a once-healthy ocean. GARCIA ESTUARY PRESERVED Coastwalk will continue to do our part to protect The Nature Conservancy led the effort to acquire, for the coast, call for strong policies, and encourage permanent protection, 1,711 acres on the Stornetta Brothers state government to treat these reports with the Ranch at the mouth of the Garcia River in Mendocino utmost seriousness. Individually we have a duty County. A portion of the land will continue to operate as a to elect officials who have a strong conservation family ranch under a conservation easement, with provisions and environmental ethic. If we donʼt do this, our for the protection of threatened and endangered speciesʼ healthy coast and ocean, and coastal trail, will be habitat. The remainder of the property includes the estuary lost forever. of the Garcia River, coastal wetlands, 2.5 miles of coastline, Postscript: I just returned from the Blue Visions and Sea Lion Rocks island, which will be included in the Conference in Washington DC, where coast California Coastal National Monument. Public access will and ocean activists, scientists and academics be provided along the coastline. addressed the issues raised in the reports. After two days of workshops and presentations, ELLWOOD MESA CLOSER TO PRESERVATION it became clear that a Federal bill mandating The Trust for Public Land secured a victory when the a complete overhaul of the human relationship Coastal Conservancy unanimously approved a $4 million with the coast and ocean is the priority. A bill, grant towards its efforts to save the 137-acre Ellwood nicknamed BOB, the Big Oceans Bill, is about Mesa property in Goleta, at the eastern gateway to the to be introduced to the House by Monterey in Santa Barbara County. The Ellwood Congressman Sam Farr. Senator Barbara Boxer Mesa is a significant transition zone containing monarch is introducing a companion bill to the Senate. butterfly groves, grasslands, and vernal pools; its purchase In the early 1970ʼs, public outcry brought will not only protect critical habitat for creatures including us the much needed and comprehensive Clean the Monarchs, who annually over-winter there, but will Water, Clean Air, and Endangered Species Acts. add nearly a mile to the California Coastal Trail. The The Oceans Bill is equally important. This bill remaining $3 million of the $20.4 million required to will be considered during the 2005 session of purchase the property will be accounted for when the city Congress. Public demand for change is the only of Goleta swaps some adjacent land for the developerʼs way it will happen. I urge all of you remaining interest in the Mesa, and acquires the Mesa to who care about our coast and the be managed together with Santa Barbara Shores Park. waters that define it to closely watch for this bill and do everything you can to support it.

Coastwalk 7 Have you been to the coast this summer?

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Coastwalk Sebastopol, CA 825 Gravenstein Hwy. North, Suite 8 Permit No. 21 Sebastopol, CA 95472

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Coastal Trail Maps and Photos Now on the Web

Those with wireless hand-held computers can view Coastwalkʼs new, detailed maps of the California Coastal Trail (see article by Rixanne Wehren on page 3) out in the field, but for the moment, most of us will be looking at them at home. The trail maps and other information are based generally on those in Coastalkʼs two- volume description of the Trail, Hiking the California Coastal Trail [Lorentzen & Nichols] (contact the Coastwalk Store at [email protected] to order yours), and on the California Coastal Commissionʼs Coastal Access Guide, but they will be continuously supplemented and updated by volunteers as can only be done on the web, with clickable icons showing — including photos and text — the trail and its access points. Check out www. californiacoastaltrail.info and click through to the Hikerʼs Guide! When complete, there will be 5,000 points along the CCT that page visitors can use to find out where to park, picnic or play, or Coastwalk Websites to track projects underway for the Trailʼs completion. The project visit: is led by Don Nierlich ([email protected]), Rixanne Wehren www.coastwalk.org for news about Coastwalk and Stan Bluhm, with technical support from Marker 7, a San www.californiacoastaltrail.info for news about Francisco-based web-media firm. Care to volunteer? People with the California Coastal Trail different skill are needed, such as photographers, writers and GPS and www.californiacoastaltrail.org for Trail enthusiasts; contact Jon Breyfogle ([email protected]) or Rob pictures, lore and facts Helms ([email protected]).