The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced today that it has completed the transfer of Driscoll Ranch to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) for inclusion in the District's open space preserve system. The 3,681-acre property, located along Highway 84 in La Honda, was purchased by POST in 2002 as part of its Saving the Endangered Coast campaign.

POST acquired Driscoll Ranch from Driscoll Ranches, LLC for $21 million paid over a three-year period. Now, four years later, POST is transferring the land to MROSD for $9 million. POST is able to transfer the land to the District at a reduced price thanks to public funding provided by the California Coastal Conservancy and the generosity of POST supporters.

"For three decades, Driscoll Ranch has been accessible only to the Driscoll family, guests, and hired ranch hands," said Walter Moore, POST Executive Vice President. "Now, with the transfer of the ranch to MROSD, the property is one step closer to opening to the public. POST's goal with Driscoll Ranch was to insure the continuation of well-managed grazing on the property while opening it for public enjoyment. To that end, the District and the Driscoll family are currently undertaking a master planning effort to integrate the grazing lease held by Driscoll Ranches and traditional uses with future hiking trails, staging areas and other facilities on the property."

Peninsula Open Space Trust

Driscoll Ranch. Click to download a pdf.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has awarded the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) and other agencies in the San Mateo County Weed Management Area (WMA) a combined $100,000 grant to eradicate and control infestations of slender false brome, pampas grass, St. John’s wort, and other non-native, noxious weeds. The grant includes $19,800 to the Peninsula Open Space Trust to assist in eradicating new infestations of Canary Island St. John’s wort on POST lands along Highway 1 near Gazos Creek and $10,000 to POST to help remove and control pampas grass on its 119-acre Pillar Point Bluff property to restore native plant communities and reduce the source of pampas grass seed in the area.

Waves of sand, like dunes, are sweeping across the ocean floor, reports the County Times.  The sand winds up in Monterey Canyon.  And never heard from again.

The Monterey Canyon is the deepest underwater canyon in North America. Much of the sand that ends up in it washes from beaches in Santa Cruz, Capitola, Half Moon Bay and other parts of the Central Coast, said geologist Douglas Smith, an associate professor of science and environmental policy at California State University, Monterey Bay.

Smith and his colleagues have calculated that roughly 300,000 cubic meters of sand a year wash into the canyon — most of it coming from the north — never to be seen again. "That sand is gone forever in our time. It comes back to the surface in geologic time, but not in our time," he said.

To put that figure in perspective, it’s "enough to fill about 30,000 dump trucks a year," said marine geologist Gary Griggs, director of Long Marine Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Cruz. "That’s a lot of sand. That’s a dump truck full every 17 minutes."

Partly as a result, he said, the Monterey Bay shoreline erodes 6 to 12 inches a year on average.

The sand is naturally replenished from cliffs and rivers, but seawalls and dams have diminished these sources.

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary will welcome visitors aboard the new research vessel "Fulmar" at the San Mateo County Harbor District’s 19th Annual Pillar Point Harbor Boat Decorating Contest, on Saturday, December 16 from 6 to 8pm.

The R/V Fulmar, jointly owned by Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries, will be decked out in holiday décor and available for tours. Sanctuary staff will welcome the public and describe the research, education and other activities conducted by the Central and Northern California marine sanctuaries.

High surf is expected on Coastside beaches as well as large swells at sea according to the National Weather Service.

A storm system about 700 nautical milels west of monterey is generating large swells that will arrive along the California coast by Friday evening and will continue through Saturday evening. Swells will increase to 15 feet Friday night and 16-17 Feet Saturday and Saturday night. Strong winds also accompany the storm and gale force wind gusts are expected Friday night when the storm arrives.

A high surf advisory means that high surf will affect beaches in the advisory area, producing rip currents and localized beach erosion.

It is extremely dangerous to fish or observe waves from exposed coastal structures or rocks during high surf conditions. Very large waves can suddenly sweep across previously dry areas.

Persons are advised to remain away from these areas until the waves subside.
Mariners venturing out into the water Friday night and Saturday are urged to make plans in anticipation of these rough conditions.

Preliminary long range forecasts indicate that large swells could continue through early next week. Monitor NOAA weather radio or our website at www.Wrh.Noaa.Gov/mtr for continuing updates.

The Chronicle ran a good story on the YMCA logging controversy Monday.  Everyone who was at the meeting describes the unfriendliness of the audience.

"I realize there is a lot of hostility here. I can feel it," said the YMCA’s vice president of property development Bill Worthington, whose Power Point presentation was repeatedly interrupted by shouting and snickering from the crowd during the community meeting voluntarily organized by the YMCA. "We genuinely want to open dialogue with the public."

...

"But I’d rather live in a dilapidated building than tear down trees in a forest," interjected one YMCA teacher to applause.

Another camp leader then asked how she was supposed to teach conservation to children while a chainsaw cuts down a tree behind them.

YMCA officials insisted that the logging was intended to improve the health of the forest as well as the safety of children, and that they are complying with regulations set by the California Department of Forestry and the Department of Fish and Game.

Worthington said that the YMCA has already changed some of its plans based on feedback from the public and experts. "We’re not trying to take advantage of the situation. We just want the property to be more beautiful, valuable and safe."

Marine and coastal organizations are invited to exhibit at the Sanctuary Currents symposium on Saturday, March 3, 2007 at California State University, Monterey Bay. The 2007 theme is "Ocean Observing Systems".

The symposium will provide a 10’ x 10’ space with 6 ft. table and chairs so that you can display your materials and interact with the public. To reserve a booth, please complete the information below and submit. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so please RSVP early.

Send your organization name, website, contact name, email and phone to Liz Love at [email protected] by January 31, 2007. Not whether your booth requires electricity, or other requirements.

San Francisco YMCA met with concerned neighbors and citizens on their YMCA’s Camp Jones Gulch logging plan Sunday, Dec 3. KQED 88.5 FM will run a report on the meeting, Monday Dec 4 on California Report, at 6:50 and 8:50am. The report was produced by Coastsider David Gorn, who took these photos as well.

It can be streamed live if you can’t hear it on-air (http://www.kqed.org), and it will be archived at the California Report archives.