13892 BSLT fall 2015.qxp_Layout 1 10/27/15 4:55 PM Page 1 For loveof the land FALL 2015 BIG SUR LAND TRUST Could an Enormous, From the President/CEO IS MOnTH, BSLT Staff and a few our region has Central Park Bridge a Board members went out on an out- to offer. There iHng to the Martin Dunes just north of is something City’s Divides? Marina. Our group of about a dozen walked magical about Story by Rachel Saunders, Director of Conservation T along a sandy trail which hugged the Reprinted from Zocalo Public Square http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org spending time windswept dunes. The Martin Dunes is one outdoors, In the heart of the city of Salinas sits a nearly 500-acre of the best examples of native coastal dunes whether you property known as Carr Lake. While the city’s general plan habitat in California, which includes several are with old refers to it as “parkland,” Carr Lake is neither a lake nor a rare and threatened plant species as well as friends or get- park. It’s farmland, under cultivation in a heavily urbanized critical nesting habitat for snowy plover. ting to know new people. setting. But that’s not to say the property could never live up Although it had been one of the warmest Help us ex- to its parkland designation. days on the Peninsula all summer, the reli- pand our family President/CEO Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis able onshore breezes typical of the area Indeed, the idea of turning Carr Lake into a major center- by bringing a friend on a hike to one of our cooled us down quickly. As we emerged piece park for Salinas goes back decades. If that were to properties. We promise wonderful things from the dunes, we saw an enormous come to pass, it would be an opportunity to transform Sali- await you! nas in many ways. stretch of beach that seemed to go on for- ever. It was wonderful and rare to feel so SEPTEMBER, BSLT had a Get Ac- Before Carr Lake became farmland, it was the largest of a isolated along the California coast. quainted Hike at Glen Deven Ranch. Our seven-lake system that captured water from an upper wa- gnroup of about 30 included both sup- ST AS WE WERE HEADED back inland, tershed beginning at Fremont Peak, the summit of Central porters new to the BSLT family as well as California’s Gabilan uwe began seeing some action in the I long-time friends. It was a cold and foggy oJcean about two hundred yards out. A mountain range, and morning and our troupe was anxious to get If redesigned, Carr baby humpback whale was breaching and then discharged the out on the trail. Lake would be flow into a magnificent tail slapping. This playful display went on more than just a network of creeks and for about ten minutes as we all stood in Todd Farrington, Community Engagement wetlands flanked by a awe. needless to say, it was an incredible Manager, led our group out to the ridge, park. it would be lush riparian forest for day to be on the land with the BSLT family. sharing the history of Glen Deven and re- cent stories from the nature Camps this a bridge between more than 10 miles to As a donor and supporter of BSLT, you are summer. We learned about our new sup- Monterey Bay. an important part of our family, and we plan communities in a porters, heard stories of their travels and to organize an outing with you at Martin Early in the 20th cen- outings on the land and what inspired their city that many feel Dunes next year. Together we have con- tury, a reclamation ditch support of BSLT. is divided. was built to drain Carr served one of the most spectacular land- Lake and allow flood- scapes in the world. We are a family bound As we approached the ridge and overlook, prone areas to be farmed. In the 1930s, three families of by our love for the region with its rich natu- the fog began to lift, revealing the majestic Japanese heritage took ownership of Carr Lake and con- ral resources, scenic valleys, incredible Ventana Wilderness and the Big Sur Coast. tinue to farm the land to this day, growing high-value crops wildlife and diverse human communities. Thank you to all of our new donors and long-time supporters for joining us on the such as lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and leeks. As we move into the fall season, we hope hike! Now the farmland is entirely surrounded by the densely that you get outside to enjoy all the beauty populated city. It’s a beautiful spot—you’re in a basin with a head-spinning 360-degree view of Salinas and the nearby mountains that surround it—the Gabilan range, as well as the Santa Lucia range and the Sierra de Salinas. And it’s a rare open space—by far the largest—in a city of 155,000. Since the ’70s, city leaders and community members have called for Carr Lake to serve as a badly needed park for Salinas residents. The city has one of the lowest ratios of parkland per resident in California—just 2.9 acres per 1,000 residents, compared to 6.2 acres per 1,000 people in Los Angeles, 6.6 in San Francisco, and 16.6 up the road in San Jose. The national average is about 10 acres per 1,000 people. New research showing the connection between ac- cess to parks and public health benefits has made the need Inside Stories for more parkland even more urgent. Continued on page 2 . 3 The Magic of Big Sur 4 Hearts and Minds 5 Volunteer Spotlight - Tom Reeves 7 Meet our new team members! 13892 BSLT fall 2015.qxp_Layout 1 10/27/15 4:55 PM Page 2 For Decades, Salinas Has Wanted to Transform a Drained Lake into Badly Needed Public Space Continued from cover . rr Lake could be a hub of outdoor recreation ated hospital; well-used community soccer fields; that includes trails and nature viewing, as well the Sherwood Hall performing arts space and as areas for play, and new community spaces sports stadium (home of the annual rodeo); and Cfor music, arts, and culture in a city that lacks places for newer neighborhoods comprising some of the youth and families to gather. Carr Lake could also pro- highest household incomes in the city. Bringing vide opportunities for the community to get involved in people from different parts of the city together a hands-on way to restore the landscape to bring back would help build a stronger, more connected, native habitats. and resilient community. In 2003, the city commissioned a 227-page Carr Lake vi- A park would offer so many benefits to the city sion plan arguing that turning the land into a regional that it seems surprising it doesn’t already exist. park would also improve water quality and flood con- But the land is still privately owned. One can trol. Over the years, continued development upstream imagine that when family history is tied to a spe- and downstream has increased water flow into the cific place, it’s not easy to leave. So far, the fami- lakebed. This has made the site even more important lies that own Carr Lake have not been ready to as a water detention basin that prevents flooding part with their properties, though farming in downstream. The city now requires all proposed devel- that location has become a lot more challeng- opments in the watershed area to neither increase the ing. water flow into Carr Lake nor diminish its ability to hold It is a strategic priority of the Big Sur Land and absorb water. Trust to restore critical landscapes that benefit both Recently, the conversation has been gaining momen- As part of a well-designed park project, Carr Lake could people and the environment. This includes ensuring tum. There has already been some wonderful restora- help manage stormwater, recharge ground water, and that all communities have access to natural outdoor tion in portions of Carr Lake by Cal State Monterey improve the quality of the water that ultimately flows spaces, near where people live and work. Bay’s Watershed Institute and its “Return of the na- into the Monterey Bay national Marine Sanctuary by tives” project. An economic development element The Land Trust is interested in working with the Sali- slowing, infiltrating, and absorbing water, and trapping was recently added to the city of Salinas general plan nas community to help realize the vision of Carr and recycling nutrients. Improved water quality for the that identifies the Carr Lake area as a Lake as a historic park development. This kind of vi- bay would be good for the whole region—from the “recreational/sports/cultural/commercial center- sionary, large-scale project takes time, care, and at- wildlife to the many visitors who enjoy the area’s natu- piece” for the community. This should elevate the tention to city residents’ needs. What would people ral beauty and help fuel its economy. transformation of Carr Lake as a priority for the city, in the many neighborhoods that surround Carr with a robust community engagement process to cre- If redesigned, Carr Lake would be more than just a Lake, including those who historically have not been ate and implement a design that will serve as a posi- park, too. It would be a bridge between communities in heard, most like to see there? What would the Carr tive focal point for Salinas.