Volume 47, Number 4, 2008
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Volume 47, Number 4, 2008 www.ventana.sierraclub.org MAGAZINE OF THE VENTANA CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB The Pajaro River Watershed Gilroy Watsonville Hollister AUG - OCT OUTINGS See page 7. Map: People for Livable and Affordable Neighborhoods (PLAN). Photos: Lois Robin Explore, enjoy and protect the planet The Pajaro River watershed reaches from Monterey Bay to the Fresno County line hile it is the intent of The Ventana G UEST C OLUMN to print articles that reflect the po- sition of the Ventana Chapter, ideas expressed in The Ventana are those of the au- Wthors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Sierra Club. Articles, graphics, and pho- Fire! tographs are copyrighted by the authors and artists and may be reprinted only with their per- mission. DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS Eyewitness account of the Basin Complex Fire All materials for publication must be received by the deadlines listed below. No exceptions. remember standing in the boutique at But simple things could be seen early on. A chemical compound in the smoke SUBMISSIONS FORMAT the Phoenix Shop in Big Sur on Satur- The Barn Swallows that nest in the build- will activate Ceanothus seeds, so that day, June 21, when that big, dark cloud ings at Whale Point had a hard time find- more of this shrub will grow in the fire Please limit articles to 800 words; letters to 300. All submissions may be edited for clarity and Icame over the coast. I was looking at the ing insects to eat as the air was filled with area in the future. The fire will affect length. Email to [email protected]. Mail panorama of the coastline, thinking that smoke and ash during the first week. The streams and rivers, whether the coming hard copy to editor, address below. nothing good could come of those horri- lack of insects also impacted the Funnel winter is wet or dry. If the winter pro- PHOTOS ble lightning bolts. Spiders who count on catching insects in duces a lot of rain, there may be mud- Photos submitted to The Ventana must meet the I saw one of the bolts strike the hillside, their webs. It was also hard to find any slides. If it is dry, the rivers will be full of following requirements: No laser copies or just beyond the first ridgeline, and it took bees during this time. The good news is ash and sediment produced by the fire. inkjet outputs. Electronic photos should be no only seconds for the first puff of smoke to that the condors were almost all ac- —Terry Hallock smaller than 1200 x 1100 pixels or 300 dpi. materialize. I never dreamed that weeks counted for, and several visited the Re- Cover photos must be 3000 x 2000 pixels. Film later, that same little flicker would still be serve looking for food. photos, slides, or negatives are fine. Please call the editor if you have any questions. burning. The lightning bolt struck in the WHERE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS steepest terrain, in the most inaccessible spot on the coast. Send submissions to Debbie Bulger, Editor, 1603 King Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Email: The Nepenthe Restaurant webcam F ROM THE E DITOR [email protected]. recorded much of the activity the first CHANGE OF ADDRESS week, as the fire spread up and over the coast ridge and both north and south Milkweed magic Do not call editor! Send address changes to: ad- the undersides of many leaves were pin- [email protected] or use the mail in along the ridge top. Then it slowly ap- miracle is unfolding in my front head-sized white dots—monarch eggs! coupon in each issue. proached Highway 1. It refused to be con- yard. Sure enough, a few days later instead of POSTAL NOTICE tained. On July 2 it jumped dozer lines on just eggs, there were tiny caterpillars the Coast Ridge Road, quickly spread to- ALast summer I purchased a packet of chomping at the leaves. I counted at least The Ventana (015057) is published 6 times a year, (Feb., Apr., Jun., Aug., Oct., Dec.) paid by sub- ward the village of Big Sur, and overtook milkweed seeds at Natural Bridges State 12. They kept munching and growing, scription included in membership fee, by The Mount Manuel to the north. Park. I planted them in pots, and the seeds but as the days passed, there were fewer Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, 1001 Cen- Early on, Incident Command paid a sprouted into little seedlings which I later and fewer. ter Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Periodical visit to Big Creek Reserve where I live. planted in the front yard. When we left town for a few days over postage paid Santa Cruz, CA and at additional Nothing much happened that first mailing offices. The next day, the dozer command asked the Fourth of July, there were only two Postmaster: Send address changes to Sierra Club, to be taken up Dolan Ridge, the northern year. left. One fairly The Ventana, P.O. Box 604, Santa Cruz, CA perimeter of the Reserve to see if it was large and one 95061-0604. suitable for a containment line. It took all much smaller. Editors: day to walk the line through poison oak Debbie Bulger, [email protected], When we re- Virginia Draper, assistant editor and mature Ceanothus. A dozer com- turned, there were Production: mander and a Reserve staff member none. Debbie Bulger, Vivian Larkins, flagged the line with pink tape, almost up “Well, you did Dale Nutley to Eagle Rock. The following day, the plant the milk- Writers: group went up to Eagle Rock, and flagged Rita Dalessio, Debbie Bulger, weed near the Virginia Draper, Terry Hallock, an escape route for the dozer operators. If birdfeeder,” my Aliza Wasserman, Lois Robin the fire could not be contained at Dolan daughter ob- Photographers: Ridge, it would burn for weeks more served. Lois Robin, Suzie Bulger Silverman, down the coast. It was true, but Jodi Frediani, Kevin Collins, Steve Zmak While the fire eventually did burn all Dick Simpson, Ed Gilbert, Ventana staff that’s where the Proofreaders the way to the line, it was held after sev- sunny spot is in eral ferocious battles. The fire crew set Charles Koester, Wolfgang Rosenberg Suzie Bulger Silverman my tree-filled Robin Drury, Jeff Alford several backfires to reinforce the line. yard. Besides, Tiny caterpillers were chomping at the leaves. Distribution: Flames leaped 100 feet in the air around monarch caterpillars are supposed to be Keith Wood, Esperanza Hernandez, Eagle Rock. The fire even tried to sneak This year the plants grew like the toxic to most vertebrates. Maybe what ate Beth Lilienthal, Debbie Bulger proverbial beanstalk. Stout stems shot Advertising Sales: into the Reserve at the southeast corner, them was not a vertebrate. Or perhaps a Debbie Bulger near Cone Peak, but, again, fire crews skyward until the plants were more than young bird who learned a valuable lesson. Carpentry & Software: held the line. four feet tall. They sprouted clusters of I too have learned some valuable les- Anonymous It will be some time before the impact white and purple flowers. They were sons when it comes to habitat creation. Chapter website: of the fire can be completely understood. quite attractive. http://ventana.sierraclub.org It’s a little more complicated than I first One day in June I looked out my thought. It’s also a numbers game. But I Correction kitchen window and literally jumped am persistent. I have purchased another with joy. There was a monarch fluttering In our last issue the contact informa- packet of milkweed seeds. I will increase 2008 around the milkweed. Was it true? If you Ventana Publication Schedule tion for Save Our Carmel Neighbor- the size and variety of my milkweed plant milkweed will they come? Was that Issue Deadline Mailing Date hood Coalition was incorrect. This patch. all I had to do? I was ecstatic. #5 Sep. 15 Oct. 1 coalition is concerned with proposed Monarch habitat has decreased #6 Dec. 1 Dec. 17 Later, after the monarch had flown development on the former Carmel markedly. You too can give these exqui- away, I went outside and examined the Convalescent Hospital site. The correct site insects a helping hand. Plant some plants. There was something new, but I Articles received after deadline may email address is milkweeds. had to run to my computer to seek con- not be published [email protected]. —Debbie Bulger firmation. Yes, they were eggs. There on 2 The Sierra Club/Ventana Chapter, Volume 47, Number 4, 2008 Printed on recycled paper Ocean View Plaza project Sierra Club Endorses Obama for President hearing August 6-8 he California Coastal Commission Joins United Steelworkers in call for clean energy future will consider the Ocean View Plaza project August 6 to 8 in Oceanside, the lowest-income Americans affected by TCA. This 92,000-square-foot mixed-use higher energy costs. project with 45-foot tall buildings is pro- • His calls for 25% of U.S. electricity posed for Cannery Row between El to come from renewable sources by 2025, Torito and the Chart House and reaching and for improving energy efficiency in the from the Recreation Trail to Monterey U.S. 50 percent by 2030 would create tens Bay. of thousands of jobs in growing industries Please write letters to the CCC oppos- while at the same time saving the amount ing this project and supporting the staff Americans would have to spend on en- report to: California Coastal Commis- ergy bills.