VOLUME 12 / NUMBER 3 / AUTUMN 1996

RECENT CONSERVANCY ACTIONS Orange County Wetlands to Be Restored Big Sur Public Access Planned Humboldt County Forest to Be Saved Protection for Estero de San Antonio Rare Coastal Habitat on Carmel Mountain to Be Purchased Guadalupe Visitor Center The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve Orange County Wetlands to Be Restored The largest coastal marsh restoration ever attempted in southern California may soon begin in Orange County, bringing to a close two decades of controversy over the future of the 1,200-acre Bolsa Chica wetlands. With $67 million from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, plus $1 million from the Coastal Conservancy, 880 acres of these wetlands will be purchased, enhanced, and protected. The ports have agreed to provide funds for this project to offset adverse impacts from proposed improvements in San Pedro Harbor. The Bolsa Chica wetlands are the remnant of the vast marshes that once stretched along much of the Orange County coast and far inland. Most were diked and filled or drained decades ago. The remainder has been damaged by oil extraction, which continues. In January the Coastal Commission authorized the development of 180 acres of the Bolsa Chica historic wetlands for residential use, acting against the strong recommendation of its staff that they be preserved in keeping with the provisions of the California Coastal Act. A consortium of state and federal agencies and the ports is now proposing an alternative that would reduce the lowland acreage available for development to 42 acres, compensate Signal Bolsa Corporation for the sale of 880 acres, and provide for restoration of approximately 600 acres of wetlands. The remainder of the lowlands purchased would be restored after the existing oil wells are phased out. In October, the Coastal Commission gave the "go-ahead" for this alternative. Prior to completing the acquisition, the parties must determine if the funding gathered is sufficient to carry out the project and how the project may be affected by the presence of any contaminants. An extensive field investigation to determine the distribution and concentration of any contaminants has just been completed, and several agencies are analyzing the data. Other agencies working to acquire and restore Bolsa Chica wetlands include the California Resources Agency, the Department of Fish and Game, State Lands Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

JULIA McIVER

Big Sur Public Access Planned Coastal travelers along Big Sur will soon have a new spot to stop, picnic, and watch wildlife. The Coastal Conservancy has acquired 24 acres 50 miles south of Carmel, west of the town of Gorda, and is funding access improvements along with habitat protection. The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County is about to build public access facilities on four acres next to the highway. From here, visitors can try to spot nesting peregrine falcons and look down on beaches where elephant seals lounge.

Humboldt County Forest to Be Saved Ten years of negotiations between the Eel River Sawmills of Fortuna and a coalition of government agencies and nonprofit organizations have concluded in an agreement that will protect the 515-acre Mill Creek Forest on the Mattole River near Petrolia, in Humboldt County. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which owns the adjacent King Range National Conservation Area, will contribute almost $2 million toward the purchase and will own the property, most of which is now owned by the timber company. The Coastal Conservancy will contribute $468,000, and the California Department of Fish and Game will contribute $72,000, filling the gap between the BLM contribution and the full value of the property. The purchase will permanently protect more than 200 acres of old-growth Douglas fir, tan oak, and madrone, spawning grounds for coho and silver salmon, and nesting sites for the northern spotted owl. A trail will be built, enabling hikers to travel from the Mill Creek Forest over Prosper Ridge to the ocean. The local nonprofit Mill Creek Watershed Conservancy has been working to accomplish this purchase for more than a decade. The complex details were orchestrated by the American Land Conservancy, which plans to close the deal in November. Protection for Estero de San Antonio In August the Conservancy committed $200,000 to reduce erosion along Stemple Creek and protect the environment of Estero de San Antonio on Bodega Bay. The fjord-like estero is surrounded by ranches and is accessible to the public only by boat. It is part of the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. The Coastal Conservancy's funds will be added to over $500,000 worth of grants and services already spent or committed by other agencies and local landowners to reduce erosion and restore habitat of sensitive species. The Marin County and the Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation Districts will use the Coastal Conservancy's funds to stabilize stream banks, reintroduce native species into stream corridors, and restrict cattle from stream channels. Also working in this watershed is the Shrimp Club, a group of local 4th and 5th graders who have been helping to restore the habitat of the endangered California freshwater shrimp. Rare Coastal Habitat on Carmel Mountain to Be Purchased In September the Conservancy approved a loan of $2 million to the City of San Diego to help purchase and protect the 80-acre "Mesa Top property" on Carmel Mountain, east of Del Mar and near Torrey Pines State Beach. The City has $7.5 million available for the $9.5 million purchase and will reimburse the Coastal Conservancy within five years of the acquisition. Carmel Mountain, which offers spectacular views of Los Penasquitos Lagoon and the coast, contains coastal sage scrub habitat and the largest remaining block of southern maritime chaparral. The property connects with other protected habitats, including the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve and the Los Penasquitos Lagoon. The Coastal Conservancy will work with the City and other agencies and organizations in preparing a management plan for the property. The plan will include measures to improve wildlife habitat and allow limited public access. The City's funds for the property's purchase will come from a hotel surcharge tax approved for this purpose by voters in 1996. Funds immediately available to the City are limited, however, and so the Coastal Conservancy's bridge loan is needed to acquire the property. Purchase of the Mesa Top property is part of greater local and state efforts to protect endangered habitats while providing for continued economic development. Protection of the habitat is called for in the City's Multiple Species Conservation Program, which, in turn, is a component of the state's Natural Community Conservation Planning Program for southern California.

CAROL ARNOLD

Photo: Guadalupe Visitor Center A visitor center was opened October 13 on Highway 1 in the City of Guadalupe, Santa Barbara County, to assist local residents and visitors in finding their way to the wonders of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve. The center, which will be staffed by volunteers, is a collaborative effort of the Coastal Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, Guadalupe Historical Society, People for Nipomo Dunes, Guadalupe Redevelopment Agency, and Guadalupe Chamber of Commerce.

CAROL ARNOLD

Photo: The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve grew by 1,692 acres in October as the Coastal Conservancy acuired the Dune Lakes Limited property with funds set aside by Proposition 70. Coastal dune scrub and freshwater lake/marsh communities on the property are among the highest quality remaining in California. The Coastal Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy negotiated the complex $2.1 million acquisition. The property interests, including both free-title and conservation easements, have been transferred to The Nature Conservancy, San Luis Obispo County Land Conservancy, and the California State Parks Department for management.