LOS PADRES FORESTWATCH Fall 2019 Salinas Monterey FORESTWATCH ADVOCATES JOIN NATIONWIDE CHORUS AGAINST LOOKING ACROSS Carmel River NATIONAL FOREST ROLLBACKS The Trump administration has proposed drastic changes to environmental protections for national for- THE FOREST Carmel valley ests. These changes would effectively gut the National Environmental Policy Act as it relates to the Los Padres and other forests throughout the country by creating massive loopholes for commercial logging and other activities while eliminating opportunities for public comment. Read more on page 4. An update on how we're protecting your region Big Sur Big Sur River Salinas River King city Table of Contents Arroyo Seco River YOUTH HELP REMOVE TRASH ON LA CUMBRE PEAK Base Camp .............................................................................................. 1 We teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara over the summer Comings and Goings ........................................................................... 1 San Antonio River to clean up La Cumbre Peak. These students, ranging from elementary to high school, explored the peak, enjoyed the ocean views, and gave the area Carrizo Victory ................................................................................... 2 a makeover! Logging Lawsuits ................................................................................ 3 NEPA Rollbacks ................................................................................... 4 Ojai WILD! Highlights ........................................................................ 5 Connecting Communities to Our Public Lands ........................... 6 FOREST SERVICE TO CONVERT STORM-DAMAGED ROAD TO NEW TRAIL Getting the Lead Out ......................................................................... 7 We were excited to see the Forest Service select an environmentally-friendly alternative Membership Has Its Benefits ............................................................ 7 to their La Brea Restoration Project that will decommission extremely-damaged roads and convert them to new hiking, biking, and horseback trails. These trails will serve as new ForestWatch Goes to Washington ................................................ 8 access points to the San Rafael Wilderness. Stellar Support: Rose Foundation ................................................. 8 Upcoming: Santa Barbara WILD! ........................................................ 9 San Luis Obispo HALTED! NEW DRILLING & PIPELINE IN THE CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT FORESTWATCH TAKES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO COURT OVER LOGGING PROJECTS Cuyama River Carrizo Plain The Bureau of Land Management upheld our appeal of their decision to allow drilling of a This summer, we spearheaded a legal challenge to two commercial logging projects near Mt. Pinos approved by the Forest new oil well and construction of a new pipeline in the Caliente Mountains of the Carrizo Service without proper environmental review or public input. One of the projects threatens California condor roosting sites. Plain National Monument. See page 2 for more details. Read more on page 3. New cuyama Santa maria Sisquoc River Frazier park FORESTWATCH TEAMS UP WITH SEAVEES TO CLEAN UP SANTA PAULA CANYON VOLUNTEERS AND FORESTWATCH TEAM Piru Creek ForestWatch teamed up with our good friends at SeaVees in Santa Barbara helped clean up Santa Paula Canyon on Earth UP TO CLEAN THE PLAYGROUND Day. They hiked to Big Cone Camp and back, picking up over 100 pounds of trash along the way! Santa Ynez We joined forces with AppFolio to remove trash throughout The Playground, a popular hiking and climbing spot in the Santa Barbara frontcountry. The group made it all the way Santa Ynez River Sespe Creek through the maze of boulders and even explored the famous Narrows—all while removing broken glass and beer cans. Santa Barbara Santa Clara River Ojai OJAI WILD! A MAJOR SUCCESS! Ventura Thank you to all of our guests, vendors and volunteers for helping to protect RESERVE YOUR SEATS AT THIS YEAR’S SANTA BARBARA WILD! Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Come enjoy an afternoon of friendship, auctions, live music, farm-to-table delectables and advocacy for our backyard. FALL2019 Cover Photo: Sunset on the Santa Ynez Mountains, by Bryant Baker BASE CAMP We often talk about the work we do in the context of future generations—protecting our national forests today so that future generations can continue to explore and enjoy them tomorrow. This summer, I saw this dynamic play out firsthand while taking our two boys—ages 7 and 9—on their first overnight backpacking trip in the Sierra. FORESTWATCH We hopped across boulders, crossed mountain streams, and BOARD conquered switchbacks. We were rewarded with extraordinary views of snow-capped peaks, wildflower-speckled meadows, starry ALLAN MORTON, President nights, quiet solitude, and a healthy sense of adventure. Santa Barbara Jeff Kuyper Executive Director It was an experience they’ll never forget. Their highlight was making RUSS RADOM, Vice President flavored snow-cones from a patch of snow a short hike from camp. Santa Ynez Valley But for me, the highlight was watching their curiosity unfold around every corner, the “wild” in TERRI LAINE, Secretary CARRIZO VICTORY wilderness freeing their imaginations. Around the lake, one brother carved a stick and stalked Oak View around the shore, hoping to spear a fish, while the other gave the fish names and secretly scared PATRICIA KROUT, Treasurer ForestWatch Halts Plans for New Oil Well and Pipeline them away so that they wouldn’t get caught. This lasted for hours. Santa Barbara Our public lands make moments like these possible. America’s national forests, national parks, RACHAEL BARKLEY This summer, the California Bureau of The oil well would have been drilled Carrizo Plain National Monument is and national monuments give us all hope for the future. They bring families together, create Ojai Land Management (BLM) halted plans on an existing oil pad that hasn’t been a vast expanse of grasslands and stark memories, and remind everyone – younger and older alike—about the truly important things for a new oil well and pipeline in Carrizo productive since the 1950s. Two years ridges known for their springtime CHRIS COLLIER in life. Plain National Monument. The decision ago, the oil company confirmed plans wildflower displays. Often referred to as Camarillo Conservationist Kris Tompkins says it best: “If you want to build an army of people who love nature, was in response to an appeal of the to abandon the pad, remove the old “California’s Serengeti,” it is one of the you have to get them out into it. You can’t protect a place unless you understand it. You can’t love it until ANNA DELASKI project’s approval, filed last year by Los drilling equipment, and restore the area last undeveloped remnants of the vast you know it.” Santa Ynez Valley Padres ForestWatch and the Center for and return it to the monument. The native grasslands that once carpeted ETHAN STONE Biological Diversity. It would have been work was never done. California’s inland valleys. Our public lands are places where we can all go to recharge our shared commitment to the first well approved by the Interior protecting the outdoors. They are places we can take our loved ones, so that they too can know Santa Barbara “We have precious few wild places left,” The Carrizo Plain is critical for Department since the monument was said Jeff Kuyper, Executive Director of the long-term conservation of the it, understand it, love it, and protect it. SAM THOMAS established in 2001. Thousand Oaks Los Padres ForestWatch. “The monument dwindling biodiverse southern San From the Sierra to the Rockies, from the Appalachians to the Cascades, and from the Andes to The agency's deputy director found that is already surrounded by oil development. Joaquin Valley ecosystem. It links the Coast and Transverse Ranges right here in our own backyard, thank you for building our the Bakersfield Field Office approved The line has to be drawn.” other valuable wildlife habitat like the army of people who love our shared public lands. Together we can continue making a difference FORESTWATCH the project without evaluating Los Padres National Forest, Salinas while building the next generation of wilderness stewards. greenhouse gas emissions, and how Valley, Cuyama Valley, and Bitter STAFF the project might impact threatened Creek National Wildlife Refuge in and endangered wildlife, and the western Kern County giving birds COMINGS AND GOINGS JEFF KUYPER climate. The field office was ordered and animals room to roam. As the Executive Director to conduct a new environmental impacts from climate change and Join us in bidding a fond farewell to Nathan Wallace! He served on analysis, including a consultation expanding regional industrialization BRYANT BAKER our Board as our financial advisor for two years, helping set up a Conservation Director with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife pressure our remaining wild places, system to accept donations of stock as a tax savings for our donors, Service. an uncompromising commitment to enacting policies to improve our long-term financial sustainability, REBECCA AUGUST The proposed well site is located Existing oil leases were “grandfathered” in their protection is the only hope that introducing us to new supporters throughout the Ojai Valley, Director of Advocacy at the base of the Caliente Mountains under the monument proclamation signed they will endure