Wild Cherry Canyon Updates
June 16, 2011
Greeting Supporters!
We are excited to share with you this wonderful interview local cable show, "Charter Local Edition" did with me regarding Wild Cherry Canyon!
May 29, 2011
Friends,
We are proud to share with you this recent editorial from the San Luis Obispo Tribune in favor of the WCC project!
Editorial: State should stop dragging its feet on coast purchase
May 19, 2011
Dear Friends and Supporters of Wild Cherry Canyon:
It has been some time since I last wrote, and my apologies for the delay. The effort to protect Wild Cherry Canyon has been through some dizzying ups and downs in these last several months – proof of the fact that there’s probably never been a more challenging time to protect land and create a new public recreation area.
With your help we’ve made tremendous progress; overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles along the way and raising funds when many said it couldn’t be done. But money is only part of the battle. We must also navigate the sometimes maddening realities of state politics before Wild Cherry Canyon is secure. Today those realities have put the project at serious risk.
We at the American Land Conservancy (ALC) have no doubt we will succeed. After all, Wild Cherry Canyon is no ordinary conservation project, and most importantly, we have you on our side. But we’ve reached a critical time and we urgently need your help.
As you know, for several years ALC has been working to conserve Wild Cherry Canyon, the stunning 2,400-acre coastal property adjacent to Avila Beach not far from Montaña de Oro State Park. Most of the $21 million purchase price has been raised, using funds from multiple state and regional agencies and donations from the community.
Now we are only one step away from raising the last $6.9 million needed to purchase the property. These funds would come from California State Parks and be allocated through the state’s Public Works Board. If we succeed, we will expand Montaña de Oro State Park by 2,400 coastal acres. This in turn will enable the acquisition of the adjacent 1,500-acre Hibberd Preserve, which would be transferred to the state at the same time, resulting in a 65% expansion of the park. Further, acquisition of both of these properties would open up the first and only coastal trail in the region, connecting Avila Beach to Montaña de Oro – some twenty miles!
It is important to note that this $6.9 million consists of bond funds, which are available right now and can only be used on conservation projects, and only within the Irish Hills. In other words, these aren’t dollars from the state’s general fund -- they are funds set aside specifically to purchase places like Wild Cherry Canyon. There is no excuse to withhold them, especially when so much is at stake.
But we have a significant problem. To release the final $6.9 million the project must be placed on the Public Works Board (PWB) agenda for a vote, but thus far the state has not acted to do so. If the project is not placed on the PWB agenda, it is essentially doomed to fail -- unless we act. The landowners have been very flexible and patient during this time, as have the funders. But our time is running out.
That is why we need your help, and fast. We urgently need you to write a letter to key decisionmakers in Sacramento urging them to expedite this project and put it on the PWB agenda as soon as possible. You can use this sample letter or better, write a letter from your unique perspective. Please address your letter to all the recipients in the sample, and please pass this request along to anyone that you believe might help. We especially encourage organizations to show their support.
This is a true case of now or never. The protection of Wild Cherry Canyon literally hinges on the project being presented to the Public Works Board for approval. By simply writing a letter persuading the state to take action you can help determine whether this 2,400-acre landscape becomes a permanent public treasure or yet another coastal development. Help us conserve this precious place and leave a legacy that will last for generations.
With gratitude for your steadfast support,
Kara
October 19, 2010
It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you today to report on the passing of Wild Cherry Canyon supporter and friend, Roger Lyon. Roger, who lived in Cayucos, was killed in a plane crash this past weekend while participating in a humanitarian mission.
Roger and his devoted wife Susan have always campaigned to preserve our coastal lands and treasured landscapes, especially in Cambria and San Simeon. As part of the counsel for the Hearst Corporation, Roger played an integral part in preserving the 82,000-acre Hearst Ranch in 2005 - a project American Land Conservancy is proud to have been a part of. Roger was also a founding member of the Cayucos Land Conservancy, providing essential leadership in the organization's many conservation successes. Most recently, he was a passionate advocate for the Wild Cherry Canyon project, generously providing his time, expertise and financial support to ensure that this coastal jewel is conserved for future generations.
All of us at ALC honor Roger's conservation legacy, his commitment to his community, and the profound impact he made on all who knew him. We extend our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to the Lyon family and friends. He will truly be missed.
June 4, 2010
Dear Friends,
We are elated to report that at its hearing last week, the State's Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) unanimously approved $6.735 million in funding for Wild Cherry Canyon! This is an incredible win, and means we are just one step away from project success.
We'd like to thank WCB for its diligent and dedicated efforts to make this funding decision possible. In particular, thanks to WCB Executive Director John Donnelly and WCB Senior Land Agent Pat Dyas. Without the support and vision of these two individuals, we would have never succeeded.
We extend a special thanks to the dedicated local community members who traveled all day long and then some to attend the hearing in Sacramento to voice their support.
Thank you so much to these individuals:
- Cherie Aispuro (Legislative Assistant to Supervisor Bruce Gibson and conservation advocate)
- Susan Devine (Legislative Assistant to Supervisor Adam Hill and conservation advocate)
- Jennifer Doyle (Realtor and conservation advocate)
- Rachel Duchak (Owner of Central Coast Foodie and Communications Director for Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers)
- Nancy Farrell (Owner of Cultural Resource Management Services, historian, and conservation advocate)
- Kathy Longacre (President of SLOPOST and advocate of parks, trails, outdoor recreation, and conservation)
- Carolyn Moffatt (Commissioner for Port San Luis Harbor District and coastal advocate)
- Kelli Schonher (Owner of GEObispo, map maker extraordinaire, and conservation advocate)
We'd also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Russell Austin and his team at Murphy, Austin, Adams, Schoenfeld LLP, whose expertise has guided the project since its inception. As with the Hearst Ranch, the conservation of Wild Cherry Canyon is only possible because of Russell's extraordinary legal and strategic counsel.
Finally, we'd like to thank all of YOU! Your letters to WCB were so important and helped us achieve this fabulous victory. WCB itself commented on how this project had received more support than any other project in years. Who could say "no" to that!
We will continue to keep you posted on efforts to finalize the Wild Cherry Canyon conservation project. Again, thank you so much; we are making conservation history!
Gratefully,
Kara
3/16/2010
Greetings, friends and supporters (old and new!) of Wild Cherry Canyon!
It has been some time, and so we thought we'd provide a project update. First, despite the economy and other fiscal challenges, we are happy to report that the project is STILL ALIVE! The landowners have been extremely patient and generous, and have extended the deadline date until June, and we think we're going to make it - I'd say we're mile 24 of a conservation marathon. We can see the finish line, but some obstacles remain until we close escrow and open up a fabulous new 4000-acre coastal park (and a 20-mile coastal trail!) for you and the community.
We have two significant public hearings ahead of us - the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the Public Works Board (PWB). The WCB hearing is scheduled for May, followed by PWB. If those hearings go as planned, we hope to have all the funding in place by this summer, with escrow closing not too long thereafter. We are also working now to finalize the legal documents (no small task) and get the funding already allocated by various entities into escrow.
How then, can you help (you may be asking!)? In two ways. First, if you have a moment, please write to the state funding agencies, and thank them for their support, as well as urge their continued cooperation during this final stretch. These agencies have worked extremely hard in putting Wild Cherry Canyon all together, and so a little note of thanks from you I am sure would be very appreciated. Here's the contact information:
| Ruth Coleman Director CA State Parks 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 |
John Donnelly Executive Director CA Wildlife Conservation Board 1807 13th Street, Suite 103 Sacramento, CA 95811 |
Sam Schuchat Executive Officer CA Coastal Conservancy 1330 Broadway, 11th Floor Oakland, CA 94612 |
(If you'd be so willing, please copy your letter to American Land Conservancy at our new address: 369 Pine Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94101.)
Thank you sincerely for your amazing, awe-inspiring support of Wild Cherry Canyon every step of the way. Thanks to you, we are almost there!
Kara
12/11/2009
Greetings, new and long-time supporters of Wild Cherry Canyon!
We at American Land Conservancy would like to thank all of you for your never-ending support of the project this year. We have some happy news to report: our ever-patient and generous landowners have agreed to a six-month extension of our purchase option. That means, notwithstanding the current freeze of state conservation bond funding, the project lives on and our dreams of protecting Wild Cherry Canyon forever are still alive.
We have some other happy news to report: Financial support by this community continues to inspire and amaze us. We'd like to thank the following individuals for their recent generosity: John McCollister, Gloria Northcote, Ann Robinson (her second gift!), Herb and Nancy Smith (also their second gift!), and Esther and John Gowan. We also received large donations from the following organizations: California Native Plant Society - San Luis Obispo Chapter, and the Science and Environmental Education Development (SEED). THANK YOU!!
Finally, because conservation should not be all work and no play, we'd like to invite you on the annual Bill Denneen hike to Mussel Rock/Paradise Beach in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, on January 1, 2010. As you may know, Bill has been leading this hike for countless years. He will still be hiking with the group, but he says he may not go the whole distance. (We'll see about that!) In any event, the day should prove to be a great experience for those who participate. Here are the details:
When: January 1, 2010 at 9:30 AM
Where: Meet at Guadalupe Beach (take Main Street to the west from Santa Maria until you hit the parking lot on the beach, or drive south on Highway 1 through Guadalupe, turning right/toward the west on Main Street)
What to Bring: Water(!), food, layered clothing, sunscreen (it is almost always sunny!), hat, and shoes comfortable for a beach and dune hike. If you feel like it, perhaps bring a poem, or something inspiration to share with your fellow hikers.
Other Details:
Expect a moderately strenuous hike of 4-5 hours, depending on your speed of travel. Kids are welcome, and there's no problem turning back early if you don't want to make the whole trip. Sadly, Fido has to stay at home. Our family tradition is to stop for lunch after wards at one of the great restaurants in Guadalupe. Make your own tradition! If you do come, please let us know so we have an idea of what to expect. If you are willing to help as a leader or "sweeper" please let us know. Please let me know too if you have any questions.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all - hope to see you on the dunes!
Kara
250 Montgomery Street Suite 210 San Francisco, CA 94101
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