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93 Carmel, CA 93922
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Telephone: 831.625.5523 Fax: 831.625.0716 E-mail: mail@bigsurlandtrust.org www.bigsurlandtrust.org
Board of Trustees
CHAIR
Staff
Bill Leahy, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Donna Meyers, DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS Martin McCarthy DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS Sus Danner, CONSERVATION PROJECT MANAGER Heather Brady, STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR Joanna Devers, MARKS RANCH PROJECT MANAGER Donna Walden, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Jo Lynn Rosbach, PROGRAM COORDINATOR Jim Cox, GLEN DEVEN RANCH MANAGER David Zweifel, MITTELDORF PRESERVE CARETAKER
Diane Sena
VICE CHAIR
Stephen Schulte
TREASURER
David Bates
SECRETARY
Linda Charles Phillip Butler Debbie Cervenka Paul Danielson Kent Evans Karen Ferlito Rosalind Fisher Scot McKay Leslie Snorf George N. Somero, Ph.D. Nick Wheeler Phil Wilhelm Marsha McMahan Zelus
Consultants
Law Offices of Zad Leavy and Robin Jepsen LEGAL COUNSEL Doolittle & Ganos
INVESTMENT ADVISOR
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The Carmel River watershed has been the life source of the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding area since people arrived to this wonderful landscape. The native Ohlone and Esselen tribes relied on the river for fresh water and food. So did the Spaniards, who moved their mission from Monterey to Carmel to be in closer proximity to the river. The large Spanish rancheros and later the many California ranches of the late 19th and early 20th century depended on the river and its watershed for their crops and livestock.
As the Monterey area grew in population, the river became both the water source and a recreational area for local families and visitors. Old-timers smile nostalgically as they recount lazy afternoons at the swift-flowing river, swimming in deep pools, dropping a line in their favorite fishing holes, or drifting aimlessly in an inner tube from the Carmel Valley Village toward the coast. But as more and more families called the Monterey area their home, the strains on the river grew. Increased pumping to support the water needs of a burgeoning population began to have detrimental effects on the river and the native plants and wildlife that call it home. Local families saw their river drying up before it reached its mouth and their landscape suffered. Today, government and civic agencies struggle to find solutions that will provide the area with the water it needs while restoring and preserving the river and its inhabitants. continued inside, page 3
Interested in helping to revitalize the native plants and animals of Monterey County? Enjoy the camaraderie of others who share your passion and help to preserve and improve our scenic landscape. Come join The Big Sur Land Trusts growing group of enthusiastic volunteers! BSLT Volunteers lead hikes, share interpretive information, remove invasive weeds, plant native plants, and actively care for the land that BSLT has helped protect for 28 years. Its fun, its sometimes hard work and its always rewarding. For more information about our exciting volunteer opportunities, contact our Stewardship Coordinator, Heather Brady, hbrady@bigsurlandtrust.org, or call 831.625.5523, ext. 110.
The Carmel is a lovely little river. It isnt very long, but in its course, it has everything a river should have.
- John Steinbeck
Carmel River swimming, circa 1950. From the collection of Pat Hathaway at California Views, Monterey, CA
Editorial Services Tom Owens, Tom Owens Communications; Newsletter Design Bunne Hartmann, Hartmann Design Group; Photography Douglas Steakley, and BSLT Staff.
THE BIG SUR LAND TRUST - POST OFFICE BOX 221864, CARMEL, CALIFORNIA 93922 TELEPHONE 831.625.5523
FA X 8 3 1 . 6 2 5 . 0 7 1 6 - W W W. B I G S U R L A N D T R U S T. O R G
got moo?
MY GOAL, SAYS JESSIE, IS TO MAKE SURE A SENSITIVE ENRICHING YOUNG PEOPLES LIVES THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL AND HEALING POWERS OF NATURE AND WIDE-RANGING SPECIES LIKE THE BADGER IS CONSIDERED IN FUTURE CONSERVATION PLANNING OF CALIFORNIAS GRASSLANDS AND OAK WOODLANDS.
moo land you say? Why the name Moo Land? The property has been in the de Dampierre family true Carmel Valley pioneers for decades. The matriarch of the family, Genevieve de Dampierre, was given the nickname Moo by one of her young children who had trouble pronouncing Mom. The nickname stuck, and eventually this stretch of land along the river cherished by Genevieve became known as Moo Land. Descendents of the de Dampierre family have long held strong philanthropic interests in Carmel Valley. In fact, they donated the property on the river bank opposite Moo Land as the site of the current de Dampierre Little League Field, as well as 500 acres of the future Garland Ranch Regional Park. The family had for years granted a lease on Moo Land, allowing neighbors and visitors to use the property as part of the Carmel River Trail. A seasonal bridge on the trail enabled Garzas neighborhood kids to walk or ride their bikes to the Little League Park. Hikers, joggers and equestrians from the neighboring Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club also enjoyed the access to Garland Ranch Regional Park provided by Moo Land. A few years ago the family decided to put the property up for sale and the lease was not renewed. Public access to the property was restricted, the seasonal bridge was removed and a vital neighborhood link vanished. For Garzas kids to reach the Little League Park, they had to bike or walk up to busy Carmel Valley Road or more likely, their parents had to drive them. the missing link When preparing the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program, The Big Sur Land Trust realized that Moo Land represented an invaluable addition to the Carmel River Trail. Whats more, this is an area of steep terrain where opportunities to access Garland Park are very limited. Moo Land represents the only immediate area where hikers can reach both the Saddle Trail and Gabilan Trail inside Garland Park. BSLT contacted the de Dampierre descendants and began negotiations for the purchase of Moo Land. An option to purchase the property was reached in June and BSLT successfully completed the acquisition in September. The BSLT received a grant of $1.9 million from the California State Resources Agency River Parkway Program to pay a portion of the acquisition and restoration costs. The total project cost is over $2.3 million. BSLT hopes to raise the remaining funds needed to restore Moo Land in the coming year through community support, and welcomes contributions earmarked for this project. We are extremely excited about the acquisition of Moo Land, said Sus Danner, Conservation Project Manager with the BSLT. It is such a strategic location for both the River Trail and the local neighborhoods. This ensures the permanent protection of a vital trail network in Carmel Valley Village. According to Danner, Moo Land will undergo an ambitious restoration effort. Three acres of degraded floodplain will be restored to deciduous riparian forest, benefiting wildlife such as migratory songbirds, California red-legged frogs and steelhead trout. Invasive weeds will be removed, trails improved and riverside recreational opportunities enhanced. Plans call for picnic tables, benches, trail signs, interpretive panels and the return of the seasonal footbridge across the river. We want to partner with Carmel Valley civic and youth organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, Little League, the Carmel Valley Village Improvement Committee and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, said Danner. Together, we can create a river parkway site that engages the community and invites people to the rivers edge. Upon completion of the restoration, the 32-acre parcel will be given to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District and become part of Garland Ranch Regional Park. To friends and neighbors, it will always be Moo Land.
Community Partnerships
Jessies assistant, Mark Elbroch, set up a camera with an infrared trigger outside of the badgers burrow on Marks Ranch. The photographs confirmed the discovery. It was really exciting to see him at Marks Ranch, said Jessie. In corridor ecology, its the hardest data to get documentation that animals are actually using a corridor. It was really lucky for us to catch this guy going back and forth. And if hes doing it successfully, there must be others.
The Big Sur Land Trust takes great pride in our community partnerships, particularly when they involve enriching young peoples lives through the educational and healing powers of nature (see Marks Ranch story on page 5). Here are a few other snapshots of our recent alliances.
TEEN ENRICHMENT SUMMER CAMP
WHATS NEXT? Jessie Quinns grant expires at the end of this year. At that point, she will write a species status report that will provide, for the first time, a detailed statewide overview of the health of the badger population. At this point, Jessie is hesitant to provide a conclusion on the size of the badger population in Monterey County. She guesses there are about a dozen in the grassland habitat on the Fort Ord property. Its hard to tell exactly how many there are because they are so elusive, she says. Jessie does note that the local population seems healthy, that there is plenty of prey and that the vegetation and soil are ideal for burrowing animals. As long as the badgers have wildlife corridors available to roam, hunt and grow in population, she says, things look up for this rarely seen and not well understood species.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS LITTLE KNOWN ABOUT BADGER BEHAVIOR, THEIR INTERACTION WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT OR THE STRENGTH OF THEIR POPULATION.
WILDERNESS YOUTH PROJECT
Serendipity
G R O W S AT O D E L L O F I E L D S
New Organic Farm Takes Root at Mouth of Carmel Valley
Some may call it luck, good fortune serendipity. But as the saying goes, you make your own luck. Jamie Collins of Serendipity Farms certainly made her own luck in securing a lease to operate an organic farm at Big Sur Land Trusts Odello East field at the mouth of Carmel Valley. And it appears BSLT had serendipity on its side as well, finding a partner at its own doorstep who shares its vision of a vibrant organic farm at the mouth of Carmel Valley. The Odello Fields have been a Highway 1 landmark at the mouth of the valley since the Odello family began growing artichokes in 1924. When farming operations ceased in the 1980s, there was a groundswell of community support by residents who wanted to be sure that local farming continued on the site, rather than development. More than 20 years ago, the Odello East fields were permanently dedicated to agriculture and natural areas. The portion of the farm on the west side of Highway 1 is now part of California State Parks, and much of it is being restored to a natural wetland. The Big Sur Land Trust became owner of Odello East. Our goal has always been to return Odello East to a functioning organic farm, said Susanna Danner, Conservation Project Manager for The Big Sur Land Trust. Agriculture is such an important part of our community. Now weve found a great partner to turn that vision into reality. Jamie Collins is a 33-year-old California native and crop science graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who has been running her own organic farms in Monterey County for more than five years. She started Serendipity Farms on a 4.5 acre parcel she leased in Moss Landing, raising sunflowers and beets and selling them to local buyers. With that initial project under her belt, Jamie tried her hand at growing organic tomatoes, farming 1.5 acres on Meadows Road in Carmel Valley. Her new venture was an immediate success. I made more money on my acre-and-a-half of tomatoes than I did on my four-and-a-half acres in Moss Landing, Jamie recalled. The buyers I sold to said they would take more if I could grow them, so we got four more acres in the Valley. By 2003, Jamie and her farming partner, Roberto Garcia, were up to 7.5 acres of heirloom tomatoes. They continued to expand their organic farming operation until it grew to almost 30 acres, including
JAMIE COLLINS IS THRILLED TO HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN BRINGING FARMING BACK TO THE STORIED ODELLO FIELDS AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS SHE IS THE IDEAL STEWARD FOR THIS BELOVED PIECE OF LAND.
her current U-Pick tomato farm near Mid Valley. Water and soil issues convinced Serendipity Farms to consolidate its operations down to 10 prime acres, and Jamie oversaw a successful organic farming business that made a strong name for itself in the local community. In addition to selling every Tuesday at the Old Monterey Farmers Market on Alvarado Street, Jamie supplies a variety of stores and restaurants. Local clients include Trader Joes, Whole Foods Market, Hacienda Hay & Feed, Garden Bistro, Montrio and Jeffreys Restaurant, as well as New Leaf Markets, Shoppers Corner, Felton Market and Ben Lomond Market in Santa Cruz County. Brokers sold her produce nationwide. With demand increasing, Jamie began searching for additional prime farmland to lease for her growing organic operations. At that time, Jamie turned her attention to Odello East. She discovered that the land belonged to The Big Sur Land Trust and inquired as to its plans for their 49 acres. Impressed with Jamies background, her obvious concern for the land and a winning proposal for Odello East, BSLT entered into a lease agreement with Serendipity Farms. Jamies vision for the farmland includes community involvement and hands-on education for school kids, as well as organic agriculture that is complimentary with the mouth of the river. Already, the 49 acres of Odello East have been plowed and the irrigation system repaired. More than 15 acres have been subleased to an organic strawberry farmer, Felix Plascencia, who plants in November for a spring crop. Meanwhile, Jamie readies other sections of the field for her first winter crop of peas, chard, kale, cabbage and beans. Soon, artichokes will once again grace the Odello Fields. Longer term, the Carmel River Trail will traverse Odello East providing the public an up close and personal look at organic farming. Jamie has long been involved with the Monterey County Farm to School Partnership and will team up with The Big Sur Land Trust and other community organizations to continue student activities at Odello. She is already conducting education programs with Tularcitos School in Carmel Valley, is a farm consultant with Carmel Middle School, and mentors interns from both CSUMB and Hartnell College. Jamie is thrilled to have an active role in bringing farming back to the storied Odello Fields and by all accounts she is the ideal steward for this beloved piece of land. Its hard work, but its so rewarding to be here in such a visible, well known place, she said. I love it and look forward to a great partnership with The Big Sur Land Trust.
CIRCLE
The Land & Legacy Circle is an honored group of donors who make the notable decision to include The Big Sur Land Trust in their charitable estate plans. Their legacy gifts make a personal and lasting statement in protecting our glorious, irreplaceable landscapes for generations to come. Besides gaining the satisfaction of knowing that their legacy will play a significant role in BSLTs conservation efforts, Circle members are invited to the Land & Legacy annual luncheon as well as exclusive hikes and tours. In addition, members receive a framed and personally dedicated photograph of protected lands. There are a variety of ways that The Big Sur Land Trust can be part of your estate planning, including: Bequests Wills and Living Trusts Reserved Life Estates Real Estate Stock Retirement Plans and Insurance Policies
Jeanne Holmquist
very enthusiastic about The Big Sur Land Trust and got me involved. Jeannes recent involvement includes trips to Glen Deven Ranch to enjoy the annual Land & Legacy Luncheon and to participate in three raptor releases in conjunction with her other favorite organization, the SPCA. A bench at the ranch honors her friend Phyllis and serves as a favorite spot to sit and share the vista with friends. This year, Jeanne instituted a challenge grant of $100,000 through the BSLTs Presidents Circle. Through this grant, the Phyllis Krystal Foundation will donate $100,000 to the Land Trust if President Circle Members put together a matching donation. Big Sur Land Trust is probably the most important organization to me in my estate giving, said Jeanne. When I leave this chapter and go on to the next one, then I know there is going to be somebody who will carry on for me and The Big Sur Land Trust.
Life income gifts such as a pooled income fund or a charitable remainder trust are options that allow donors to realize multiple benefits with one investment. You can increase your income, receive a charitable-contributions deduction, avoid capital gains tax and support The Big Sur Land Trusts conservation goals. For more information about our Land & Legacy Circle and the creative gift options that can help you achieve both your financial and philanthropic goals, please contact the Land Trust at 831.625.5523.
Im kind of a Chamber of Commerce for The Big Sur Land Trust, quipped Jeanne Holmquist, a member of our Land & Legacy Circle. Indeed, Jeanne is a most active and vocal supporter, including the BSLT in her own estate plan and serving as custodian for the estate of Phyllis Krystal. Phyllis was like my adopted sister, said Jeanne, a Pebble Beach resident and former Principal of Robert Down Elementary School in Pacific Grove. She was
Community Support
BSLT welcomes all members of the community who wish to contribute to the Marks Ranch project through donations or volunteerism to contact Joanna Devers at the BSLT office. For more information regarding the Ventana Wildlife Societys after-school and summer programs, contact Alena Porte at 877.897.7740. 5
continued from page 1 objective of the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program, the plan has a specific goal of making the Carmel River and surrounding lands more accessible to both residents and visitors. First-hand experiences with the river and the landscape will lead to a deeper appreciation for the Carmel, said Bill Leahy. This in turn will cultivate personal commitments to preserve this wonderful resource. A key component of increased accessibility is the development of an integrated trail and parkland system along the Carmel River. These trails and parklands will not only provide opportunities to recreate along the river, but will provide critical access points that will interconnect existing trails through Garland Regional Park, Jacks Peak, Palo Corona, Hatton Canyon, Point Lobos and Big Sur. Plus, the trail systems will serve Carmel Valley residents with walking, biking and equestrian paths that provide new and exciting ways to get around their neighborhoods without having to jump in the car. The trails will link schools, shopping centers, businesses and parklands in a walkable town that will enhance the local community and reduce highway traffic. Education will be a large part of the effort to reconnect people to the river environment. Education opportunities are being identified and informative signage will be installed at key locations along the river parkway trails. The BSLT and its partners will conduct guided hikes and other education programs to explain the local landscape, flora and fauna. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP The key to our success with the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program is community partnership, said Donna Meyers. The Big Sur Land Trust is dedicated to playing an active facilitation role, but it is truly a community effort. Carrying out the 25-year restoration plan will indeed require financial resources. The BSLT has set a goal of raising more than $40 million over the next 25 years through grants, gifts and donations. Funds will be used to purchase land, fund easement agreements, construct trails and restore and preserve the river landscape. The BSLT is exploring the establishment of a Carmel River Trust, a dedicated fund targeted specifically for Carmel River projects. Community members and scientific experts will be sought to form a River Trust Advisory Committee that will help establish priorities. Additional volunteers will be needed to contribute to the ongoing conservation planning process as well as to execute the restoration efforts.
The Land Trust is Pleased to Welcome New Board Members and Staff
Debbie Cervenka / Board Trustee Debbie Cervenka is the Executive Vice President of Phillips Plastics Corporation, where she has spent the past 28 years. She currently leads the Marketing and People Services groups within Phillips and serves on the Board of Directors.
Debbie was educated at the University of WisconsinEau Claire, majoring in journalism and communication. She currently is an advisory board member for the Applied Science Program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout; serves on the board of directors for the CoPaPi Lake Association; serves on the board for the Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc., Northwest District; and is a trustee of The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin. Residing in Northern Wisconsin, Debbie and her husband Bob have a home in Carmel Highlands.
GROUNDBREAKING STUDY
THE CAGEY BADGER
Many people dont realize that the Carmel River is a very significant river in California, with a long cultural and environmental history, said Donna Meyers, Director of Conservation Programs with The Big Sur Land Trust (BSLT). But the local community knows its importance and local families and organizations are stepping up to help recover and restore the Carmel. Now, the BSLT is joining this community effort to save the river in a big way. It is facilitating the development of a Carmel River Valley Conservation Program, a 25-year plan designed to restore the natural function of the Carmel River and reconnect the river to the local community.
TRACKING THE ORNERY BADGER To study the badger population requires that the burrowing animals be trapped and implanted with radio transmitters. This is certainly not a task for the timid.
PRESERVING THE LANDSCAPE THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING THE AMPLE SUPPLY OF CLEAN WATER NEEDED TO CREATE A HEALTHY RIVER.
Nick Wheeler / Board Trustee Nick Wheeler began his career in commercial photography in 1969 in San Francisco, after graduating with a B.A. in Architecture from Stanford University. In 1971, he moved to Massachusetts where he resided for the next 33 years.
His career focus has been architectural photography, including a book with Doris Cole, Architecture of the Boston Public Schools. His work has been published in most major architectural magazines worldwide and he was the recipient of the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for career achievement. More recently, Nick published an extensive photographic exploration of the Badlands of North America and his work was the subject of one man shows in Washington, DC, and Boston. Nick and his wife Whiteley returned to California in 2004 and they currently reside within the Santa Lucia Preserve.
They have a reputation for being hostile, defensive and downright ornery. But the badgers that populate Monterey County near the Highway 68 corridor have been the center of attention of Jessie Quinn, a 31-year-old PhD. candidate at UC Davis. Jessie has been tracking these nocturnal creatures in Monterey County for more than two years during her first-of-its-kind study.
Trapping them requires finding their burrows during the day while the badgers sleep deep inside. According to Jessie, the badgers are extraordinary diggers, excavating 15 to 20 holes a day in search of food (mostly ground squirrels, gophers and other small rodents) and shelter. Badgers rarely spend more than a night or two in the same burrow. Once Jessie finds an occupied burrow, she sets up a body snare at the entrance. Its a snare designed specifically for badgers made to slide closed around their chests but with a stop that prevents the badger from being squeezed or choked. Once snared, the badger typically tries to hide back in its burrow. Jessies task is to dig the badger out and, with the help of an assistant and a catch pole, get the critter into a burlap bag. Badgers dont have a lot of physical defenses, she explains, but they make up for it with a really surly attitude. The bagged badgers are taken to a vet clinic where the transmitter is implanted. They are then returned to the spot of capture and released. To date, Jessie has captured and radio-tagged 10 badgers on Fort Ord.
THE RETURN TO A HEALTHY RIVER According to Bill Leahy, Executive Director of The Big Sur Land Trust, the Carmel Valley River Conservation Program is ambitious, yet realistic. The program will establish benchmarks in terms of the current health of the river and then work with the scientific community to measure progress as conservation and restoration programs are implemented. Factors such as river flow, water quality, health and abundance of plants, fish and other river animals, and the vibrancy of wetlands and other habitats will all be measured. The BSLT will facilitate a variety of projects over the next 25 years to restore natural floodplains and replant trees and other native plants. BSLT will partner with existing organizations to help raise funds, facilitate solutions and implement projects.
Joanna Devers / Marks Ranch Project Manager Joanna Devers has worked in the field of private land conservation for more than eight years. After graduating with a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Maryland, Joanna worked five years with The Nature Conservancys (TNC) Mexico Program. There, she led fundraising, marketing and community outreach efforts raising more than $5 million for community-based conservation projects throughout Mexico.
Joanna left TNC to pursue a Masters degree in International Environmental Policy at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. During her masters program, Joanna conducted a research project funded by the Tinker Foundation documenting the use of conservation easements in Latin America. Her report, published in both English and Spanish, provided baseline information for a five-year study to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation easements in the Latin American Region. Joanna started working with The Big Sur Land Trust as a contractor in January 2005 and joined the staff full time in May 2006. As the daughter of Colombian parents, Joanna spent her summers growing up in Bogot, Colombia, and developed native fluency in both English and Spanish. She resides in Marina with her husband Chris and daughter Sofia.
WHY BADGER BADGERS? Badgers, Jessie explained, are wide-ranging grassland carnivores that appear to be sensitive to the fragmentation of their habitat. Currently, there is little known about their behavior, their interaction with their environment or the strength of their population. Badgers are considered a species of special concern. That designation generally denotes a population that is historically small or currently decreasing, but has not been designated as threatened or endangered. My goal, says Jessie, is to make sure a sensitive and wide-ranging species like the badger is considered in future conservation planning of Californias grasslands and oak woodlands. Working on a grant from the California Department of Fish & Game and UC Davis Wildlife Health Center, Jessie is focused is on a group of badgers on Bureau of Land Management property at Fort Ord. Of particular interest are their migrating patterns and the continuing availability of the wildlife corridor necessary to ensure their long-term survival. Fort Ord is somewhat isolated by Highway 68 and all of the development around it, explained Jessie. It isnt linked to the contiguous open spaces that reach south to Santa Lucia and the Ventana Wilderness, except for some very tenuous connections across Highway 68 near Marks Ranch and Toro Creek. The question concerning Jessie was whether the badgers could successfully migrate back and forth across the Highway 68 corridor. If the wildlife corridor used by badgers and similar wide-ranging creatures is severed or severely strained, the very existence of the local population can be put in jeopardy. It could denigrate their ability to hunt, find water, mate and escape predators. I dont know that Fort Ord alone would be big enough to support a healthy badger population long-term, she said. If there was no longer a corridor across the highway, then the population could be on its way out.
The key to our success with the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program is community partnership.
Organizations such as the Carmel River Steelhead Association and the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy have been working for years to improve the health of the river, said Leahy. We see our efforts as a true partnership and collaborative effort with these dedicated groups. The Land Trust is committed to restoring the Carmel River as a partner with the local community. Some of the BSLT river restoration projects are well through the research and design phase and nearing implementation. The Odello East Study and Restoration Plan, for example, will help restore the natural floodplain at the mouth of the Carmel River, invigorating wetlands and fish populations while providing added flood management for nearby businesses and neighborhoods. Replanting trees and shrubs at the recently acquired Moo Land property (see story, page 2) and elsewhere upriver will reestablish native forest and provide needed habitat for a variety of local species. CONSERVATION OF IMPORTANT LANDSCAPES The Carmel Valley Conservation Program addresses vital community issues throughout the entire Carmel River watershed, including thousands of acres of public and private lands stretching the length of Carmel Valley. Preserving the landscape throughout the watershed is critical to maintaining the ample supply of clean water needed to create a healthy river. One of the primary goals of the conservation program is to encourage the continuation of the family ranching tradition in Carmel Valley. The BSLT is developing innovative private landowner agreements that monetarily reward families who agree to continue their ranching operations. By working with local ranchers, The Big Sur Land Trust hopes to preserve critical wildlife corridors and pristine oak woodlands. CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE RIVER While preserving the open landscape is a major
AN EXCITING DISCOVERY Through the use of radio telemetry, Jessie has tracked the badgers movement on Fort Ord for months. Jessie theorized that the badgers may be crossing Highway 68 but had no proof. She contacted the Monterey County Parks Department to ask if she could try tracking badgers at Toro Park but, for liability reasons, they turned her down. While speaking on her research before the CSUMB Watershed Institute, Jessie met Sus Danner of The Big Sur Land Trust. After a few meetings, it was agreed that Jessie could track for badgers on Marks Ranch, adjacent to Toro Park. The first attempts were disheartening to say the least. We couldnt find any, anywhere, said Jessie. We searched the entire ranch. Undaunted, Jessie continued periodic searches on Marks Ranch. Finally, success. Earlier this year, one of the badgers that had been previously captured on Fort Ord turned up on Marks Ranch. Radio signals showed that the badger stayed on the ranch for long stretches and successfully crossed Highway 68 several times as he traveled back and forth along the corridor.
The BSLT will facilitate a variety of projects over the next 25 years to restore natural floodplains and replant trees and other native plants.
Additionally, partnerships with groups such as the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy, the Carmel River Steelhead Association, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Monterey County Water Management Agency, The Nature Conservancy and local municipalities and businesses will continue to play a key role. Weve done a lot of planning and studies, said Meyers. Its time to start putting projects on the ground. Now is the time for the community to come join us and get involved in this wonderful river.
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