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Post Office Box 506 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 | 831-423-3191 www.ventanawild.org vwa@ventanawild.org |
September 11, 2000
National Park Service
Planning and Partnerships Team
Special Resource Study of Fort Hunter Liggett
600 Harrison Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94107
SCOPING COMMENTS -- NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FORT HUNTER LIGGETT FEASIBILITY STUDY
Dear Planning and Partnership Team,
As part of the scoping process undertaken while conducting the study of the potential acquisition of parts of Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) by the National Park Service (NPS), as well as exploring the potential for a cooperative management agreement between NPS and the Army for certain portions of FHL that will remain under the control of the Army, we hereby respectfully submit the following comments for consideration:
1) PRESERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF NATURAL RESOURCES:
As a result of Army management practices to date as well as those of the previous private ownership, the wildlands of FHL contain a significant amount and array of natural resources seldom seen elsewhere in California. In your draft proposal, please make every effort to ensure that these priceless natural resources remain undisturbed, and that opportunities for further study by the scientific community be expanded.
As part of the draft proposal, we encourage NPS to adopt the Natural Resources Conservation Goals and Recommendations as presented in chapter 4, pages 45 through 50, of the Fort Hunter Liggett Natural Resources Conservation Report of March 1998, sponsored by the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society and the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. A copy of the Goals and Recommendations are included with these comments and made a part hereof by reference.
2) PRESERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF CULTURAL RESOURCES:
From the Hacienda to the ruins of long-abandoned homesteads to Native American village sites, FHL contains a significant amount of both historic and pre-historic cultural heritage resources. Please include in your draft proposal the measures that will be taken to ensure the protection of these cultural treasures.
3) ENHANCEMENT OF PUBLIC ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES:
With the exception of those individuals who engage in recreational hunting and fishing, it is nearly impossible for the public to gain the necessary permissions to access any of the lands of FHL.
In your draft proposal, please consider extending the same access privileges as those currently enjoyed by hunters and fishermen to other non-extractive members of the public, such as wildlife photographers, botanists, artists, and naturalists among others. Such access should, of course, be subject to the same or similarly stringent rules and regulations as those currently in place for the hunters and fishermen.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input into this important study. Please keep us informed with regard to the project's progress.
Sincerely,
Boon Hughey, Vice President and Secretary
Ventana Wilderness Alliance
Enclosure
Cc: Congressman Sam Farr
Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society
Monterey Bay Chapter, California Native Plant Society