EPIC Celebrates Victory over State Parks

 

Press release from EPIC:

CRESCENT CITY, Calif. — The Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) is celebrating a victory at Tolowa Dunes State Park, in Del Norte County on the banks of the pristine Smith River.  Beginning this month, the California Department of Parks and Recreation will no longer allow private cattle grazing on state park land.

In May 2011, EPIC notified the Parks Department that their permits authorizing a private dairy farm to graze cattle on 230 acres of public land along the Yontocket and Tolowa Sloughs were illegal, and that the grazing was adversely impacting those acres and surrounding habitat.  For many years, the private grazing permits violated laws governing the management of California’s state parks, and the California Coastal Act.  EPIC’s persistence in this endeavor in coordination with local citizens made a difference, and the Parks Department will now comply with its legal duties and respect the intended purpose of Tolowa Dunes State Park.

“We are pleased that the Parks Department made the right choice here, siding with native wildlife over private cattle grazing at this unique state park.” said Andrew Orahoske, conservation director for the Environmental Protection Information Center. “We’re looking forward to assisting with the development of a restoration plan for the property, including restoring the wetlands and sloughs of the Smith River Estuary.  This area will once again provide critical rearing habitat for juvenile salmon and offer refuge for other imperiled species,” concluded Orahoske.

This victory for Tolowa Dunes State Park underscores EPIC’s commitment to defending threatened state parks throughout northwestern California.  Other threats to state parks in Del Norte County include the proposed closure of the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and the Caltrans proposal to widen U.S. Highway 199 through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, potentially destroying ancient redwoods forever.  As another example of EPIC’s success, in July 2011, EPIC secured a preliminary injunction in federal court halting Caltrans’ widening of U.S. Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park based on irreparable harm to ancient redwoods.

 Students and faculty at Stanford Law School’s Environmental Law Clinic assisted EPIC in convincing the Parks Department to remove cows from Tolowa Dunes State Park.

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15 Comments
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Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

the cows got kicked off ? 🙁 that’s so sad ( please don’t take my odd statement, for not understanding whats really going on here, Then maybe u try and explain it to me,,,,,,,I GET IT, i just don’t like it )

Fred Mangels
Guest
12 years ago

You’ll like it even less when EPIC gets people kicked out of the parks, Rebecca. That’s where they’re headed with this.

Fred Mangels
Guest
12 years ago

You’ll like it even less when EPIC gets people kicked out of the parks, Rebecca. That’s where they’re headed with this.

guy
Guest
guy
12 years ago

What is the Caltrans proposal to widen 199 through Jed Smith?

guy
Guest
guy
12 years ago

What is the Caltrans proposal to widen 199 through Jed Smith?

Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

I am at a loss,,what is land for is not for animals to use ? would these people rather have the cows smushed together into smaller fields and or stalk yard type areas,,,,like thats better,,,,

Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

I am at a loss,,what is land for is not for animals to use ? would these people rather have the cows smushed together into smaller fields and or stalk yard type areas,,,,like thats better,,,,

Dr. Gonzo
Guest
Dr. Gonzo
12 years ago

These parks and the land therein weren’t designed to have cattle, a non-native species introduced by European settlers, graze upon them. Cattle even over vast spaces can do significant and sometimes irreversible damage to a landscape, both in terms of soil and vegetation. The majority of these parks were set aside in trust for the public to use, both for recreational and educational purposes, as well as for ecological reasons. However, there is a difference between Federal Law and State Law and what is allowed on public land held under either jurisdiction. Have you ever here of the “tragedy of the commons”? I also recommend looking up the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 and the Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 simply for reference since most states had to comply and this sheds light on much of the debate surrounding the right to graze livestock. Many states adopted their own interpretations of the law or went a step beyond and passed even more stringent regulations. I’d say go EPIC! (on this one at least)

Anyone more versed in Rangeland Management and Public Land Use Policy feel free to correct me if I should be wrong but that is to the best of my knowledge.

Dr. Gonzo
Guest
Dr. Gonzo
12 years ago

These parks and the land therein weren’t designed to have cattle, a non-native species introduced by European settlers, graze upon them. Cattle even over vast spaces can do significant and sometimes irreversible damage to a landscape, both in terms of soil and vegetation. The majority of these parks were set aside in trust for the public to use, both for recreational and educational purposes, as well as for ecological reasons. However, there is a difference between Federal Law and State Law and what is allowed on public land held under either jurisdiction. Have you ever here of the “tragedy of the commons”? I also recommend looking up the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 and the Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 simply for reference since most states had to comply and this sheds light on much of the debate surrounding the right to graze livestock. Many states adopted their own interpretations of the law or went a step beyond and passed even more stringent regulations. I’d say go EPIC! (on this one at least)

Anyone more versed in Rangeland Management and Public Land Use Policy feel free to correct me if I should be wrong but that is to the best of my knowledge.

Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

here is Garberville we have groups of drifters and pissed off bums defecating in the bushes around buildings, maybe that group can come fight for the trees and brush here. get them kicked out

Rebecca
Guest
Rebecca
12 years ago

here is Garberville we have groups of drifters and pissed off bums defecating in the bushes around buildings, maybe that group can come fight for the trees and brush here. get them kicked out

Foggy
Guest
Foggy
12 years ago

I understand that EPIC had little to do with this decision by SPs. In fact this was in the works for years at the request of permitting agencies and local Tribes. EPIC is just taking credit for something they really had little to do with.

Foggy
Guest
Foggy
12 years ago

I understand that EPIC had little to do with this decision by SPs. In fact this was in the works for years at the request of permitting agencies and local Tribes. EPIC is just taking credit for something they really had little to do with.

Staff
Member
12 years ago

The Daily Triplicate has more on the story.

Staff
Member
12 years ago

The Daily Triplicate has more on the story.