Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

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View of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes from Oceano State Vehicular Recreation Area
View of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes from Oceano State Vehicular Recreation Area

The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is the largest remaining dune system south of San Francisco and the second largest in the state of California.[1] [2] It encompasses an 18-mile (29 km) stretch of coastline on the Central Coast of California and extends from southern San Luis Obispo County to northern Santa Barbara County.[3] The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex is home to a unique dunes ecosystem as well as several endangered and threatened species of plants and animals. To protect the dunes environment, much of the Complex has been set aside for conservation. In addition, it is recognized as a National Natural Landmark.[4] Another portion of the Dunes is utilized for recreation, such as camping and Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) use. However, ORV use on the dunes has led to conflict with environmental conservationists. The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is owned and managed by a collaboration of both private and public parties, including the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, the California State Parks, the Nature Conservancy, the Dunes Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center for Natural Lands Management, and the Land Conservancy.[5]

Contents

[edit] Attractions

Within the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex are several distinct regions, each managed by different organizations and used for various purposes.

  • Pismo State Beach-North Beach Campgrounds is located at the northernmost part of the Dunes and is run by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. While visiting the North Beach Campground, guests can enjoy family camping, surfing, swimming, surf fishing, and hiking.[6]
View of Pismo Beach from Oceano State Vehicular Recreation Area
View of Pismo Beach from Oceano State Vehicular Recreation Area
  • Pismo State Beach-Oceano Campgrounds is located further south than the North Beach Campgrounds, near the town of Oceano. The Oceano Campgrounds, like the North Beach Campgrounds, is run by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and also has a nature museum on site.[7]
  • Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is located south of Oceano. It consists of five and half miles of beach open for vehicle use and a large area of the sand dunes open for off-highway vehicle use, including quads, dirt-bikes, and four-wheel drive vehicles. It is the only California State Park where vehicles may be driven on the beach. Each year the park attracts 2 million visitors. The park also offers guests the ability to camp on the beach itself. Other activities available at the park are horseback riding and bird watching.[8] [9]
  • The Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area is a California State Park located north of the city of Guadalupe. Visitors to the Natural Area can walk along the mile-long boardwalk that follows the creek, passing across Oso Flaco Lake, to the ocean.
  • The Dunes Center is an agency developed to promote the conservation of the Dunes ecosystem through education, research and cooperative stewardship. It receives funding from both private and public sources. The actual Dunes Center is located in the city of Guadalupe, in a restored 1910 craftsman bungalow.[10]
  • The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is located in the midsection of the Dunes Complex and can be accessed through the Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area to the north or the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park to the South. The Refuge was established in August of 2001 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the breeding habitats of the threatened California red-legged frog, the western snowy plover, and the endangered California least tern.[11]
  • Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park is located at the southern end of the dunes and is owned by the Santa Barbara County Parks and leased to the Center for Natural Lands Management. In comparison to other areas of the Dunes, Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park is the least damaged by ORV use and introduced invasive plant species. It also has the strongest California least tern and snowy plover nesting areas. For visitors, the Park offers surfing, fishing, and hiking.[12]

[edit] History

The first inhabitants of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes were Native Americans of the Chumash tribe, whose settlements were noticed by early Spanish maritime explorers. However, Europeans did not travel through the Dunes themselves until 1769.[13] These explorers were members of Don Gaspar de Portola’s overland expedition. While staying in the Dunes, the explorers shot a skinny bear by the shores of what is now called Oso Flaco Lake. After eating the bear, two of the explorers died. The skinny bear had been poisoned by the Chumash who, as a means of protection, often incapacitated dangerous wildlife by feeding them tainted meat.[14] This incident resulted in the lake’s name: Oso Flaco or "Skinny Bear."

In 1923, "The Ten Commandments" directed by Cecil B. DeMille was filmed on the Dunes. At the end of production, the massive sets reproducing ancient Egypt were dismantled and buried on the site to prevent reuse. They are still buried there today, and have been the target of various schemes for excavation for decades. Some artifacts have been recovered and are on display at The Dunes Visitor's Center, while others may be seen from time to time as the dunes shift.[15]

During the 1930s and 1940s a group of mystics, nudists, artists, writers, and hermits known as the “Dunites” inhabited the Dunes. They believed that the Dunes were a center of creative energy and even published a magazine called “The Dune Forum.”[16] At the same time, oil companies were buying up Dune land and in 1948, oil was discovered in the Dunes.[17] Unocal, an oil company, began operating the Guadalupe Oil Field in the 1950s.[18] Over the course of the next forty years, Unocal leaked 18 million gallons of petroleum under the Dunes.[19] In 1994, the company publicly recognized the spill and began cleaning up the 2,700-acre (11 km²) site, which is located in San Luis Obispo County immediately north of the Santa Barbara County line.[20]

Starting in the 1970s, measures were taken to protect the natural environment at the Dunes. One of the biggest changes was the restriction of ORVs to the designated Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.[21] This allowed for the other areas of the Dunes to undergo restoration efforts by conservation groups. The process of dune restoration continues into the present.

[edit] Geography and environment

The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes were formed by a combination of factors including beach sand which was blown inland by the wind and the Santa Maria River which brought sediment to the coast.[22] Dune-building began 18,000 years ago with the Nipomo and Orcutt Mesas.[23] This Dune System has the highest dunes on the entire western coastline of the United States. Among these, Mussel Rock Dune is the highest, measuring approximately 500 feet (150 m).[24] Another rare geographic treasure is Oso Flaco Lake, a freshwater lake located amid the Dunes.[25]

Even though the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes consist of moving sand with extremely low moisture that is seemingly deprived of nutrients, it is home to a variety of flora and fauna. There are at least 18 endangered species of plants living in the Dunes.[26]

The Dunes are separated into uplands and wetlands habitats. Uplands include the fore dunes, back dunes, and sandy beaches. The fore dunes begin at the high tide line, where only low growing plants with deep root systems (such as sand verbena) can live. The strong winds, salt spray, and massive amounts of sand make this area uninhabitable for other types of plants. The back dunes, just behind the fore dunes, are stabilized and covered with plants.[27] The back dunes are dominated by shrub species like mock heather, dune lupine, coastal buckwheat, and blochman’s senecio. The sandy beaches are a harsh environment with no plants able to survive there. The wetlands include the areas that contain water: salt marshes, fresh and brackish-water marshes, swamps, and mudflats. Plants that live there are adapted to dynamic environmental conditions including high salinity concentration and extreme temperatures. [28]

Weeds have been introduced into the Dunes environment both purposefully and accidentally and threaten the native plant life. Various native plants are being choked out by invasive species like European beach grass.[29]

Many species of animals can be found among the Dunes. Over 200 species of birds live there, such as the western snowy plover, American peregrine falcon, California brown pelican, and California least tern. Other animals also depend on the dunes such as the california red-legged frog, coast garter snake, deer, black bear, bobcats, and mountain lions. Beetles, butterflies, lizards, saltwater and freshwater fish habitate among the dunes as well. [30]

[edit] Controversies

[edit] Off-road vehicles

The Oceano Dunes Controversy basically involves two groups: those who feel off-road vehicle use should be banned from the Dunes because of its environmental impact on air quality, pedestrian safety, and wildlife, (i.e. it destroys the endangered snowy plover's territory), and those who believe the ability to drive off-road vehicles on the beach is beneficial recreation. The first group feels that particulate matter is released into the wind when off-road vehicles crack the dune crust, affecting populations in the surrounding areas, especially those downwind. They also contend visitors hauling large trailers containing off-road vehicles to the dunes impact the safety of pedestrians in Grover Beach and Oceano. Advocates for protecting the snowy plover are concerned that the increasing numbers of off-road vehicles driving in the bird’s habitat will continue to decrease their nesting sites as it has in the past couple of decades.[31] On the other hand, advocates for off-road vehicle usage argue that the State Park has allowed people to enjoy using vehicles on the Oceano Dunes for the past 100 years, with the county benefiting from the high revenues brought in by the Vehicular Recreation Area.[32][33]

[edit] Opposition

From educational programs to environmental restoration projects, associations such as the Sierra Club,[34] the Dunes Center,[35] and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service[36] work to protect the environment. These groups often utilize community meetings to address the issues of conservation, protection and restoration of our environment.

The concern felt by the Sierra Club's Santa Lucia Chapter lies in the management of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.[37] Presently, the Park allows off-road vehicles in snowy plover habitat, and it is thought that this directly correlates with the decrease in nesting sites. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Snowy Plover nesting sites dropped from 88 to 32 sites in the past 20-30 years as ORV use increased.[38] Due to loss of habitat and nesting sites along the California Coast, the plover is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).[39]

Environmentalists argue that the snowy plover does not just breed on any coastal area; they seek protection in the dunes. Tom Jordan, a contract environmental scientist with Unocal since 1994, studied data on the bird’s nesting sites and found that snowy plovers “prefer the beach and the flatter areas,” such as on top of the dunes, where they can watch for predators.[40] Plovers rely heavily on the safety of the dunes, which vehicle usage compromises.

Increasing traffic on the dunes escalates the problem, especially during the holidays. Memorial day weekend is one of the Park's busiest, and coincides with the snowy plover’s peak breeding season.[41] The threatened snowy plover is small in size and with the extra commotion is easily run over.

The Sierra Club's long-term goal is to see the plovers taken off of the endangered species list. To accomplish this, they proposed year-round fencing to protect plover habitat, but the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area rejected the idea.[42] Soon after the decision, a plover was killed by an off-road vehicle in a recommended area for fencing. The Sierra Club sued the State Parks for violating the ESA by not providing enough protection for the snowy plover, as well as the California least tern and steelhead trout.[43]

In the case's settlement, the State Park was given the responsibility of researching, fundraising, and establishing an education program about the snowy plover. The Parks must close off an additional half-mile of the beach between March and October, the plover's breeding season.[44] Additionally, they must find alternate routes to avoid vehicles crossing the Arroyo Grande Creek because it is inhabited by the steelhead trout.

[edit] Support

Organizations of volunteer outdoor recreationalists, such as California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA),[45] American Sand Association,[46] and the California State Parks,[47] support the right to allow vehicle access to public lands, while respecting California’s natural resources. One way CORVA does this is through educating their members on the constantly changing environmental rules by addressing current issues as well as engaging in trail maintenance projects.

The Oceano Dunes is the most popular off-road park in the state because it is the only area in California where people can legally drive on the beach.[48] The Oceano Dunes camping and recreational facility has been a favored site for more than 100 years.[49] Trips to the Dunes have become a family ritual to many. With increased fencing limiting outdoor recreational activities, vehicle owners are concerned that they will lose access to such a unique attraction.

Also, with 2 million visitors a year, the county earns an extra 150 million dollars in revenue from tourism.[50] Local businesses need this tourism to stay afloat.

Even with much of the Oceano Dunes already fenced off, limiting the number of off-road vehicles allowed on the dunes, the plover remains threatened. A little known fact is that the fencing also provides a protected area for snowy plover’s natural predators to increase.[51] ORV riders continue to fight for their right to ride ORVs on the Dunes, not only for their enjoyment, but as a moderator against predators as well.

The Oceano State Vehicular Recreation Area has taken measures to protect the snowy plover by blocking off specific areas from vehicles and creating rules for visitors to protect the birds. Some rules are: adhere to the 15mph speed limit, do not enter the enclosed areas, keep dogs on a leash at all times, and rid the beach of trash that could attract snowy plover predators.[52] Also, during the busy holidays, extra rangers come into the park to guarantee that the rules are enforced.[53]

[edit] Ownership

For 25 years the County of San Luis Obispo has leased 584 acres (2.36 km²) of the Dunes to the State Department of Parks and Recreation, free of charge.[54] With the lease expiring in June 2008,[55] the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors has a few options, including sale of the land, renewal of the deal with the state, or creation of a deal requiring the state to pay rent. To determine whether or not to sell the dune property to the state, two public hearings were held April 17, 2007.[56] To sell the property, four-fifths of the supervisors must vote in favor of it but in order to renew the lease or simply not sell the proposed land, a majority of only three votes is needed.[57]

The State Parks offered to pay $4.86 million dollars for nearly 600 acres (2.4 km²) of beachfront property that is directly in the middle of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation area.[58]

Various groups and individuals would like to see the land sold to the State Parks. Currently, the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area uses one third of the beach territory for off-road vehicles use.[59] Off-roaders are concerned that since the decision is in the hands of the county, San Luis Obispo County's environmental community may advise more restrictions on the land if it isn't sold. Land available for vehicle use has already been reduced from 15,000 acres (61 km²) to 1,500 acres.[60] The State wants to buy the land in order to secure a place for off-road vehicles for the future. They claim that not all the land in their possession would be used for off-road vehicles and camping, and that part of the land would be set aside as preserve areas, as the County wants.

On the other hand, many oppose the sale of this land to the State Parks and dislike that ORVs are allowed in this area. Locals argue that because of off-road vehicle use at the Dunes, they suffer from noise, pollution, and heavy traffic disrupting their personal lives. Community members also want to use the beach for activities such as picnics, swimming, and walking, but cannot because the vehicles make it unsafe. In addition, environmentalists are still concerned about the fragile habitat that off-road vehicle use could potentially harm. Those who oppose the sale of the Dunes believe that if the Dunes remain in the hands of San Luis Obispo County, their concerns are more likely to be addressed.

On Tuesday April 17, 2007, the San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors voted not to sell the 584 acres (2.36 km²) of land to the State.[61] However, the sale of the land has still not been officially determined. With a 4-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors agreed to privately decide the fate of Oceano Dunes land.[62]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Preserve-Rancho Guadalupe Dunes. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  2. ^ [http://www.dunescollaborative.org/ The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes: A Haven for Wildlife and a Destination for People]. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  3. ^ Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  4. ^ South County Area Conservation Projects. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  5. ^ Preserve-Rancho Guadalupe Dunes. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  6. ^ California State Parks. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  7. ^ California State Parks. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  8. ^ California State Parks. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  9. ^ [http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=406 Adventure No.101 Oceano Dunes SVRA State Vehicular Recreation Area]. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  10. ^ About us. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  11. ^ Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  12. ^ Preserve-Rancho Guadalupe Dunes. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  13. ^ Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Areas. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  14. ^ On the Trail - Oso Flaco Lake. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  15. ^ Ten Commandments Archaeological Site. Retrieved on May 17, 2007.
  16. ^ Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Areas. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  17. ^ CONSERVATION CHRONOLOGY OF NIPOMO DUNES COMPLEX. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  18. ^ Leavenworth, Stuart (April 27, 2003). Dunes' spills still focus of cleanup. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved on May 04, 2007.
  19. ^ Leavenworth, Stuart (April 27, 2003). Dunes' spills still focus of cleanup. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved on May 04, 2007.
  20. ^ Leavenworth, Stuart (April 27, 2003). Dunes' spills still focus of cleanup. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved on May 04, 2007.
  21. ^ CONSERVATION CHRONOLOGY OF NIPOMO DUNES COMPLEX. Retrieved on May 01, 2007.
  22. ^ Geography of the Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  23. ^ Geography of the Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  24. ^ Geography of the Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  25. ^ Legacy Project: Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes (English). Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  26. ^ Geography of the Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  27. ^ Geography of the Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  28. ^ Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Interpretive Master Plan (English). Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  29. ^ Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge (English). Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  30. ^ Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge (English). Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  31. ^ Suty, Jim (February 17, 2002). Feds to conduct plover study in Oceano Dunes (English). The Sacramento Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  32. ^ Chawkins, Steve (April 17 2007). Oceano Dunes' unhappy campers (English). LA Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
  33. ^ unknown (April 15 2007). County should keep its part of Dunes (English). The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  34. ^ The Sierra Club (English). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  35. ^ Dunes Center (English). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  36. ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (English). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  37. ^ Grunwald, Lois (5/7/04). Preserve the Oceano Dunes! (English). The Sierra Club, Santa Lucia Chapter. Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  38. ^ Suty, Jim (2/17/02). Feds to conduct plover study in Oceano Dunes (English). The Sacramento Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  39. ^ Grunwald, Lois (5/7/04). Preserve the Oceano Dunes! (English). The Sierra Club, Santa Lucia Chapter. Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  40. ^ Laurenzano, Heidi (11/15/01). Snowy Plovers'new digs (English). The Santa Maria Times. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.
  41. ^ Sneed, David (12/14/04). Access fight far from over - Oceano Dunes (English). The San Luis Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  42. ^ Grunwald, Lois (5/7/04). Preserve the Oceano Dunes! (English). The Sierra Club, Santa Lucia Chapter. Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  43. ^ Sneed, David (12/14/04). Access fight far from over - Oceano Dunes (English). The San Luis Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  44. ^ Sneed, David (12/14/04). Access fight far from over - Oceano Dunes (English). The San Luis Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  45. ^ California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA) (English). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  46. ^ American Sand Association (English). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  47. ^ the California State Parks (English). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
  48. ^ Chawkins, Steve (4/17/07). Oceano Dunes' unhappy campers (English). LA Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
  49. ^ Chawkins, Steve (4/17/07). Oceano Dunes' unhappy campers (English). LA Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
  50. ^ unknown (4/15/07). County should keep its part of Dunes (English). The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  51. ^ Sneed, David (12/14/04). Access fight far from over - Oceano Dunes (English). The San Luis Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  52. ^ Rosato, Joe (5/22/03). Protection of Snowy Plover at Oceano Dunes Remains A Top Priority for State Parks (English). The Santa Maria Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  53. ^ Rosato, Joe (5/22/03). Protection of Snowy Plover at Oceano Dunes Remains A Top Priority for State Parks (English). The Santa Maria Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  54. ^ Chawkins, Steve (4/17/07). Oceano Dunes' unhappy campers (English). LA Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
  55. ^ Cuddy, Bob (4/15/07). Decision Day for Dunes (English). Friends of Oceano Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  56. ^ Charlton, April (4/16/06). A look at issues targeting sale of the Oceano Dunes (English). The Lompoc Record. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
  57. ^ Charlton, April (4/16/06). A look at issues targeting sale of the Oceano Dunes (English). The Lompoc Record. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
  58. ^ Cuddy, Bob (4/15/07). Decision Day for Dunes (English). Friends of Oceano Dunes. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  59. ^ SLO supervisors will privately decide fate of Oceano Dunes land (English). examiner.com (4/18/07). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  60. ^ SLO supervisors will privately decide fate of Oceano Dunes land (English). examiner.com (4/18/07). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  61. ^ SLO supervisors will privately decide fate of Oceano Dunes land (English). examiner.com (April 18, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  62. ^ SLO supervisors will privately decide fate of Oceano Dunes land (English). examiner.com (April 18, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.

[edit] References