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KUSP LandWatch
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ogo.gif" width="108" height="109" border="0"> "Listen Live" |
KUSP provided a brief Land Use Report on KUSP Radio from January 2003 to May 2016. Archives of past transcripts are available here.
Week of October 20, 2003 to October 24, 2003
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP Radio by Gary Patton, Executive Director of LandWatch Monterey County. The opinions expressed by Mr. Patton are not necessarily those of KUSP Radio, nor of any of its sponsors.
Monday,
October 20, 2003 –Agricultural Land Conservancy
The Monterey County Agricultural and Historical Land Conservancy
was founded in 1984. It operates as a private, non-profit organization,
and preserving agricultural land is its number one priority. Since
agriculture is a $3 billion dollar business, and represents over
40% of Monterey County’s total economy, this priority seems
quite appropriate. Moreover, growth pressures are putting Monterey
County’s prime farmland at risk. Nothing is easier to develop
than laser-leveled, flat farmland. And since an acre of houses uses
just about the same amount of water as an acre of crops, water is
never a constraint when farmland is converted into subdivisions.
The Conservancy preserves land by accepting agricultural conservation easements. Sometimes, the Conservancy receives these easements as a gift. Quite often, the Conservancy pays for them with funds obtained from governmental bond acts or foundations. An agricultural conservation easement is a legal agreement. The farmer/landowner retains title to the land, but the conditions of the easement prevent any development or use of the land that would interfere with agriculture.
The Conservancy, in other words, is a “land trust” specializing in the protection of commercially productive agricultural land. Find out more by going to the KUSP website, at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Monterey County Agricultural and Historical Land Conservancy Website
http://www.mcahlc.com/
Tuesday,
October 21, 2003 – Land Trust of Santa Cruz County/Greenspace
I’ve been talking about land trusts because these organizations
do critically important work. Local governments, and the regulatory
processes they oversee, are always the agencies that will have the
most long term effect on how we use the land, and how our communities
grow and develop. In a democratic, self-governing society, the rules
we make for ourselves, through the governmental and political process,
always set the basic framework that helps shape the future. But
within that framework, land trusts are playing a key role in preserving
and protecting our natural resources.
I’ve already mentioned the Big Sur Land Trust, whose goal is the preservation of the Big Sur Coast, and the Monterey County Agricultural and Historical Land Conservancy, whose priority is to preserve agricultural land. Greenspace, located in Cambria, works at what might be called the “micro” scale. It has established five neighborhood pocket parks and one four-acre forest preserve and trail. Its popular "Fund-A-Bench" program, which raises funds for stewardship and park maintenance, places commemorative benches in those parks. In Santa Cruz County, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County has permanently protected more than 1,250 acres of natural resource lands since it was founded in 1978.
If you’re not already supporting a local trust, think about getting involved. But don’t forget those public hearings, either!
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Land Trust of Santa Cruz County
http://www.ltscc.org/Cambria-Greenspace
http://www.greenspacecambria.org/Land Trust Alliance “Find a Land Trust”
http://www.lta.org/findlandtrust/index.html
Wednesday,
October 22, 2003 – Inter-Regional Partnership
Today’s a great day to take the afternoon off, and to show
up at 1:30 p.m. at the Villas Conference Room in the Morgan Hill
City Hall. If the boss says, “why?” tell him or her that
you’ve got to get involved in the regional planning efforts
that will undoubtedly have a profound impact on our future, here
along the California Central Coast. Now, you could call in sick,
though that may be pushing the point. To be honest, though, it could
make you sick to think about what the future may hold for the Monterey
Bay Region if we don’t get a handle on the explosively expanding
Silicon Valley.
AMBAG, the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, is comprised of representatives from the Monterey and Santa Cruz County Boards of Supervisors, and from every city within both Monterey and Santa Cruz County. San Benito County and the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista are also involved. Why are all these cities and counties getting together? Partly because state and federal laws say that local governments must cooperate regionally. Mostly, though, because all these local governments face a common challenge, in the form of the “spin off” impacts generated by economic growth in the Silicon Valley.
AMBAG is sponsoring a Monterey Bay Area-Silicon Valley Inter-Regional Partnership Study, and the Advisory Group for that study is meeting today in Morgan Hill. You can find out more at www.kusp.org.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
AMBAG
Website
http://www.ambag.org/
AMBAG
Membership
http://www.ambag.org/about.html
DRAFT
Inter-Regional Partnership Study (Phase Four)
http://www.ambag.org/pdf/irpph4report.pdf
For
more information contact Kate McKenna at AMBAG
kmckenna@ambag.org; Telephone:
831-883-3750
Thursday,
October 23, 2003 – Elkhorn Slough Foundation
The Elkhorn Slough Foundation is a nonprofit, member-supported organization
working to preserve and restore Elkhorn Slough and its watershed.
The Elkhorn Slough Foundation not only does education and research,
it acts as a local “land trust,” and has been able to
provide permanent protection to a significant portion of the Elkhorn
Slough watershed. The Foundation works closely with the Elkhorn
Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. This is a federal program,
administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
By arrangement with the federal government, management tasks are
carried out by the California Department of Fish and Game.
This brief outline illustrates some of the organizational complexities that are necessary to help protect key environmental resources. Not yet mentioned is the role that Monterey County plays. Land uses in the Elkhorn Slough watershed are under the jurisdiction of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The General Plan Update you’ve heard so much about would make significant changes in existing land use designations. The effect of these changes would be to prevent most new subdivisions within the Elkhorn Slough watershed. New development in the watershed does have a major and adverse impact on the biological resources of Elkhorn Slough, but the right kind of governmentally adopted land use policies, coupled with active work by the local land trust, can make all the difference.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Elkhorn Slough Foundation Website
http://www.elkhornslough.org/esf.htmProtected Lands
http://www.elkhornslough.org/protected.htm
Friday,
October 24, 2003 – Upcoming Tours and Outings
On Wednesday’s edition of this Land Use Report, I suggested
you take the afternoon off and head to Morgan Hill, to take in an
interesting meeting focused on regional governance. Loyal listeners
know that I’m always doing that, handing out great advice on
the very best meetings to attend.
What about actually getting out into the environment itself, as opposed to attending indoor meetings where we can talk about it? That’s a good idea, too! I’ve been focusing quite a bit of attention on land trusts, and would be remiss not to point out that many of the land trusts that operate in the Central Coast region make it a point to host various tours and outings, so members of the public can see firsthand why it’s so important to preserve and protect the natural environment.
If you’ll go to www.kusp.org, and click on the Land Use Report link, you’ll find a set of references to at least some of the tours and outings that are coming up. I also reference the Marine Sanctuary tours you can take under the guidance of Cap’n Steph Dutton. Plus, I’ve provided a link to a list of tours and outings that the Sierra Club leads. There are lots of opportunities to get out in that environment of ours, and to find out how spectacular it really is.
Maybe, when you’ve returned, you’ll be inspired to head to one of those local government venues I’m always talking about, to make sure your local officials are taking care to protect the resources you’ve had a chance to experience.
For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More Information:
Tours of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Reserve - http://www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr.htm#tours
Tours Sponsored by Big Sur Land Trust
http://www.bigsurlandtrust.org/index1.html (Click on “Fall Outings”)Ventana Chapter, Sierra Club
http://ventana.sierraclub.org/schedule/index.shtmlTrails Reports - Ventana Wilderness Alliance
http://www.ventanawild.org/trails/trail.htmlCalifornia Native Plant Society Restoration Projects
http://www.cruzcnps.org/Fort Ord Trail Map – BLM Website
http://www.ca.blm.gov/hollister/trail_map_fo.htmlHikes at Garland Ranch (Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District )
http://www.mprpd.org/events.htmlMarine Sanctuary Tours
http://www.sanctuarycruises.com/conservation.htmlKayak Tours of Monterey Bay:
http://www.montereybaykayaks.com/info/homes.html
http://www.kayakconnection.com/KC_Pages/
Monterey_Bay_Tours.html
http://www.montereykayak.com/kayaktour.htm
Archives of past transcripts are available here
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