Ventana Wilderness Watch
www.ventanawild.org Volume 7 Number 1, Summer 2006X
VWA & Friends of the River I Working together for Wild & Scenic Rivers Campaign
Thanks to the support of the Ventana
Wilderness Alliance and other local groups, in
2002 Congressman Farr passed his visionary
Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act.
This extraordinary bill added 55,000 acres to
the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness areas,
permanently preserving the wild landscapes.
Now our next step is to work on protection for
the wild free flowing rivers throughout the
Wilderness areas. This will ensure protection
for the entire wilderness, since even rivers in
wilderness areas can be dammed and devel-
oped by Presidential Executive Order.
That is why the VWA has partnered with
California’s statewide river conservation
organization, Friends of the River, in order
to protect rivers and streams on public lands
flowing through the northern Santa Lucia Esperanza Hernandez (left) chats with Hannah Schoenthal-Muse of Friends of the River at the Chuck
Haugen Conservation Fund Picnic in May.
Mountains. Friends of the River has a thirty
year track record of working successfully with Friends of the River has recently hired documents the segment classification and
local interests, agencies and elected officials to Hannah Schoenthal-Muse as the Central Coast outstanding values of each river.
add rivers and streams to both the state and Coordinator and opened an office in Monterey. In upcoming months we will need help
federal Wild & Scenic Rivers System. The goal Hannah is working with the VWA to educate the educating agencies, elected officials, land-
of our campaign is to legislatively protect these public and mobilize support for the following owners, business owners and the general public
rivers through federal Wild and Scenic Desig- rivers: Arroyo Seco River, Tassajara Creek, about the outstanding values of these rivers and
nation, which would prohibit any new dams or north and south forks of the Little Sur River, the need to protect them. We will be doing
developments, protect water quality and require Carmel River, San Antonio River, Nacimiento outreach at community events, giving presenta-
that federal land along the rivers be managed River, Willow Creek and San Carpoforo Creek. tions and leading hikes along the wild rivers.
to protect their free-flowing character and Currently we are working with local organiza- If you are interested in helping in any way with
outstanding values. tions to develop a formal proposal which the Wild Rivers Campaign or would like more
information, please contact Hannah Schoen-
VWA Annual Gathering at Jacks Peak thal-Muse at [email protected]
VWA members and supporters celebrated Additional information and an online
petition is available at
National Trails Day at our annual gathering on
June 3. Steve Evans of Friends of the River www.ventanawild.org/projects/rivers/
spoke about the Wild and Scenic Rivers Cam-
paign and USFS District Ranger John Bradford
presented trail crew leader Dave Knapp with a
national Recognition of Service Award for
achieving over 1,000 hours of volunteer service
last year. The trail crew put on a great crosscut
saw demonstration and, as usual, the food was
excellent!! Patagonia Outlet in Santa Cruz
donated a variety of door prizes. d1
Steve Evans of Friends of the River addresses
the gathering.
Look for news of upcoming VWA gatherings and other events
on the VWA website, www.ventanawild.org
VWA Member Profile I Julie Anne Delgado
A native Michigander, Julie Anne has additional time in college taking both wildlife
lived in California for 26 years. She received and botanical-related course work, as well as
her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biol- ecology. That way, I would qualify for a va-
ogy from CSU-Fresno in 1990 and a master’s riety of professional opportunities. I actually
degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology started out as a wildlife biologist, focused on
from San Francisco State University in 1999. avian ecology, but I kept getting distracted by
Her primary educational and occupational the plants. So I switched my career to botany
foci have been avian and botanical studies and learned to bird primarily by ear…so that
and conservation. The USDA Bureau of Land I could look at plants while knowing what was
Management (BLM) has employed Julie Anne going on with the avifauna at the same time.
Q
for more than 20 years. Recently, the BLM
named Julie Anne the Resource Protection Yes, I’ve witnessed you doing
and Partnership Coordinator for the California just that in the backcountry.
Coastal National Monument (CCNM). She Please share with us one of VWA Board Member Julie Anne Delgado.
began working from the CCNM headquarters
your favorite bird sightings.
Q
office in Monterey in April of this year.
On top of that, Julie Anne became a One of my favorite sightings in the recent What will the VWA look like
Board Member at large when she was voted past was at Willow Creek during the “Return 20 years from now?
into the position at the April meeting of the to Wilderness” clean-up. It was dusk and I
VWA Board of Directors. We recently had an watched a California spotted owl snag a gray
We’d all like to have that crystal ball. How-
opportunity to interview Julie Anne and learn squirrel as it was jumping through the brush.
ever, I do know the VWA will look pretty gray
more about her life and interests. Presumably, the squirrel was going “home”
(haired) in the next 1, 5, 10 or 20 years if
for the evening. I really like gray squirrels;
we are unable to continue to reach youth. So,
Q
however, it was a great observation. The owl
How will your role as the BLM I’d like to focus on involving young people,
then started contact calling its mate in a nest
Resource Protection and including children of active parents and
nearby. It was very cool.
schools, in some of the activities. I picture
Partnership Coordinator for
Q
the VWA continuing to grow, still providing
the California Coastal National What is your perspective
the warm, energetic community that it is at
Monument mesh with your on the botany of the Ventana present. I believe it is of equal importance
role as a member of the Wilderness? to inspire bilingual (or multi) individuals so
VWA Board? What I have found particularly intriguing in that we are able to include interested people
the Santa Lucia Range is the biological diver- from the other dominant cultures in the
My new position in the BLM working on the
sity. Plant communities and species composi- Central Coastal California area.
CCNM is obviously focused off shore. How-
Q
ever, the watersheds throughout the California tion vary due to the geology, elevation gradi-
ent and other environmental factors. I’m still What do you see as the most
coastal mountains that flow into the Pacific
Ocean impact marine life and water quality, in the learning stages and it's very exciting. serious short-term and long-
term threats to the Ventana
Q
such as those that originate in the Santa Lucia.
The CCNM has partnerships with many land How will you encourage and Silver Peak Wilderness?
management, educational, marine, cultural, others to become involved
Fundamentally, the most serious short- and
government and nongovernmental entities with the VWA? long-term threat to all public lands is poor
up and down the California coast where the I hope to involve folks in the VWA by leading management (private and public). Proper land
land meets the sea. My new position will pres- field trips into the fantastic Ventana and Silver management, based on sound science rather
ent opportunities to coordinate educational/ Peak Wilderness areas. I want people to see than politics, is the only way our wildlands,
interpretive outings, influence management the wilderness we are supporting. That is how including wilderness areas, can be protected
decisions, and participate in public events I became involved. I have led field trips for the from myriad existing threats. The reason I
throughout California. This meshing could BLM and the California Native Plant Society say this is because land management encom-
provide public outreach opportunities for the for many years and I love doing it. My focus passes making decisions on everything from
VWA as well as the CCNM. will be plants, animals and conservation – fire regimes/suppression, grazing and other
Q
and they will be fun! I also learned a great commodity-driven activities, allowed forms of
What drove you recreation, human carrying capacity, main-
deal during the Willow Creek clean-up about
to study botany? the eagerness that people have to volunteer. tenance, wildlife management, etc. In the big
I’d like to assist with more large-scale volun- picture, land management will also have an
Passion. Nature has held me in awe since I teer projects. enormous role in how we respond to the global
was very young. It was very natural for me to
study biological sciences in college. I spent Member Profile continued ➤➤
Black Cone Trail Project I Update
The VWA’s ongoing Black Cone Trail completion of VWA-funded rare plant and The nine-mile Black Cone Trail is in the
Project took a big step forward this past spring archeological surveys, the worst 2.5 miles of very heart of the Ventana Wilderness and
with the re-grading of 2.25 miles of the trail tread was re-graded in 2004 by a Forest Service connects trails in the Carmel River drainage
tread by Donald Hays Trail Contractors of trail crew that was also funded by the VWA. on the north with trails in the Arroyo Seco
Tahoe City, California. Inspired by the This past May the Donald Hays trail crew drainage on the south. Each year volunteers
opportunity presented by the Kirk Complex re-graded 2.25 miles of tread to the north of from the VWA Trail Crew contribute hundreds
Fires of 1999, the VWA formally adopted the the section re-graded in 2004. Grants from of hours cutting back chaparral to keep the
long-abandoned Black Cone Trail and led Patagonia, Inc., the American Hiking Society Black Cone Trail corridor open to the hiking
volunteer efforts that reopened the trail to and donations from the VWA membership and equestrian public. d1
hikers and equestrians in 2001. Following funded this latest re-grading effort.
Earns National
Return to VWA Trail Crew I Recognition, Certifications.
Wilderness The VWA Trail Crew has had their efforts
recognized by Chief Dale Bosworth of the
Return to Wilderness, the 28 minute docu- US Forest Service. At last month’s gathering
mentary video of the VWA-led Willow Creek District Ranger John Bradford presented VWA
Clean-Up Project was recently completed. Trail Crew Coordinator Dave Knapp with a
The video, filmed and edited by Ed Schehl beautifully framed Certificate of Appreciation
of Raindancer Environmental Media, is an signed by Chief Bosworth in Washington,
inspiring account of what a group of dedicated recognizing the fact that the crew has contrib-
volunteers can do to restore their local public uted over 1,000 hours of volunteer service to
lands. It is our hope that the video can be used the trails of the Ventana and Silver Peak
to inspire other groups to undertake similar Wilderness. Monterey District Wilderness
public lands restoration projects in their areas. Trails Manager Patrick Bailey also presented
To that end, we are exploring making the video each crew leader with a solid bronze Los
available to the public from our website with Padres National Forest belt buckle featuring
additional distribution in the form of DVDs. the timeless image of a condor in flight as an
Return to Wilderness was shown on Santa expression of appreciation at the local level.
Cruz Public Access TV several times in June. The crew is humbly honored, to say the least,
Additional showings on local public access and eager to get back out on the trail.
and PBS stations in the central coast region are In other crew news, Crew Coordinator
being pursued. If you have access to television Dave Knapp and Crew Leader Robert Parks Dave Knapp accepts Chief's award from MRD
media outlets and can help facilitate showings have just completed a week-long Forest District Ranger John Bradford.
please email:
[email protected]. We Service training course in Quincy, California,
will mail you a DVD right away. d1
where-by they’ve added certificates for coming down or ready to come down in
crosscut saw felling and crosscut saw training wilderness following the 1999 conflagration,
to the ones for crosscut bucking that they these new skills will serve the crew – and the
already hold. With all the fire-dead trees trails – well. d1
➤➤ Member Profile
Ventana Wilderness Alliance
warming crisis that is already having negative Post Office Box 506 I Santa Cruz, California 95061 I Phone 831.423.3191
impacts on many of the world’s forests. Email
[email protected]Q
OFFICERS NEWSLETTER
When you are not involved in P r e s i d e n t Jon Libby I [email protected] PRODUCTION
conservation activities, what V i c e P r e s i d e n t Tom Hopkins I [email protected] Design I Lynn Piquett
do you like to do with your S e c r e t a r y Dennis Palm I [email protected] Printing I Mission Printers
T r e a s u r e r David Jacobs I [email protected] Assistant I Peggy Dilfer
free time?
I love to read, garden, hike, and gourmet cook BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE
Julie Anne Delgado I [email protected]
and share the meals with family and friends,
Boon Hughey I [email protected]
bird, botanize, and spend time with my kitties.
Rich Popchak I [email protected]
I enjoy many activities but I do not like to sit
The Ventana Wilderness Alliance is an IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
around. I especially love being out in Nature
with my best friend. d1
Dues and donations are tax deductible.
PRSRT STD
Post Office Box 506 U.S. Postage
Santa Cruz, CA 95061 PA I D
Santa Cruz, CA
Permit No. 575
Address Service Requested
Wilderness Presentations
Over the past year, members of the VWA Society, Environmental classes at Soquel and Alliance, contact Jon Libby, Jon@ventanawild.
Board of Directors have made presentations to Paso Robles High Schools, San Jose State Uni- org, or Dennis Palm, [email protected].
community groups. The presentation is entitled versity and Paso Robles Rotary. If you have an d1
“Wilderness in Your Own Backyard.” Groups organization that would be interested in a
included the El Paso de Robles Historical presentation by the Ventana Wilderness
Site Steward
Partners in Preservation I Awards
Heritage Resources of the Los Padres Archeologists. If you are interested in additional
National Forest recently sponsored a gathering information about the program, contact Dennis DAte Event
for Partners in Preservation Site Stewards. It Palm at [email protected] or Brenda
Reed, Archeologist, at [email protected]. d1
August Benefit dinner for the Ventana
Wilderness Alliance at Greens
was held at the Heritage Resources Center, Restaurant in San Francisco.
Paradise Road, Santa Barbara. Watch the listserv for details when
they become available. This event
The afternoon included lunch, a rock art will sell out fast. If you are not on
seminar, and a flint-knapping demonstration. the listserv, now may be the time
to get on. Email mike@ven-
Several site stewards were recipients of awards tanawild.org to get on the list.
for their volunteer efforts. Dennis Palm, Site October Quarterly Board of Directors
20 Meeting, details to be announced
Steward and VWA Board Member, received via listserv.
a framed photograph of the building of the January Annual Membership Business
Arroyo Seco Trail from Joan Brandoff-Kerr, 20, 2007 Meeting. By popular demand the
VWA will reinstate the Annual
Forest Archeologist. All awards were prints Membership Business Meeting.
from the Forest Service archives. This will be an interactive meet-
ing with VWA volunteer reports
Site Stewards in the Partners in Preserva- and membership feedback and
involvement. Details to follow via
tion Program monitor historic and prehistoric
listserv.
archeological sites within Los Padres National Coming Wild and Scenic Rivers Show Me
Forest and the Ventana and Silver Peak Events Tours. Watch the VWA website
calendar for river tours this fall.
Wildernesses. They receive classroom and field Dennis Palm, Site Steward and VWA Board See www.ventanawild.org/events for details.
training conducted by the Forest and Zone Member, receives award.
