Guess how many times the water portfolio discussion for California mentioned beavers?
I’ll give you a hint. It’s a round number. They of course discussed fish and high meadows and water retention and slow release during the summer months. But the B word was never spoken or even hinted in their efforts. They did talk about nutria being very bad. And mentioned that their killing efforts were hardly killy enough for all the killing they deserved,
But no one ever talked about beaver.
August 8th was also the day that NPS released their EIS plan for managment of the Tule Elk in pt Reyes National Seashore. The stately animals exist no where else in the world and were eliminated from our state by 1876. 10 elk were reintroduced at the very end of Tomales park in 1976. and they have taken hold and thrived. Some escaped their fencing and there are now two free range herds in the park which are causing hazards for the historic working farms in the area.
What should be done?
The EIR considers 6 alternatives, most of which involve killing some of the elk and protecting the ranch lands because they’re “integral to the park:” NPS prefers alternative B which means killing off the free range elk and keeping 120 adult elk at Tomales point to protect new ranching zones in the park. Plan C, D, and E involve some variation of that.
Alternative F involves letting the elk do their thing and has no ranching in the park – which they denote would improve soil, water and air quality.
NPS worries:
However, discontinuing dairy operations in alternative E would result in an adverse impact by removing the opportunity for visitors to observe and experience active dairy ranching in a historic district. Under alternative F, removing ranching operations would eliminate a unique experience for visitors to experience the role of coastal prairie ranching in California and in the historic districts, resulting in an adverse effect for visitors seeking those opportunities.”
Because you know how you take friends from out of state to point reyes to see all the historic ranching. And how you treasure those photographs that remind you of that magic moment when the fog parted and you saw your loved ones surrounded by dairy cows.
So the EIR and all its alternates are up for public review and you have 45 days to let them know exactly how important historic ranching in our National Parks is to you. They won’t accept letters or comments any other way than through their website. Where you can also read the full text of the EIR and each outlined alternative.
And if you’ve ever felt your pulse race because of an approaching Tule elk herd, you should let them know.
