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USFS Releases “Coastal Zone Visitor Use Management” (CZVUM) Strategy for the Monterey Ranger District (MRD)

For the last three years, the VWA, the Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest, a USFS Enterprise Team, Community Association of Big Sur (CABS), and Big Sur/South Coast residents have collaborated in the development of management strategies to help address the impacts caused by a burgeoning increase in visitors on the National Forest lands of Big Sur and the South Coast. The VUM strategy helps provide a roadmap for managing and sustaining the region’s natural resources by addressing visitor use. The CZVUM makes no decisions about the management of the Big Sur/South Coast, but rather provides a roadmap for potential future management actions.

The following is intended as a summation of sections of the VUM strategy most relevant to the VWA’s mission.

PORTIONS OF THE VUM MOST RELEVANT TO THE VWA'S MISSION

Pine Ridge Trail/Big Sur Wild and Scenic River

The eventual establishment of a visitor permit system for the wilderness portion of the Pine Ridge Trail (PRT) extending from the Big Sur Multi Agency Facility (MAF) to Sykes Camp is recommended. Management strategies and actions leading to this outcome are outlined in greater detail in the CZVUM. A comprehensive survey and analysis of current campsite conditions will be necessary to determine the carrying capacity of four existing camps: Ventana, Terrace Creek, Barlow Flat, and Sykes. The VWA hopes to be involved in this survey effort. The CZVUM also recommends a revision of the Big Sur Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive River Management Plan. This revision process could be used as a vehicle to help set user capacity.

Plaskett Ridge Designated Dispersed Camping Pilot Project

Plaskett Ridge Road has long been subjected to overcrowding by “car camping.” Due to its proximity to Highway 1, the area is frequently overwhelmed by visitors unable to find camping spaces available at the nearby Plaskett Creek and Kirk Creek Campgrounds. There is an opportunity to move from the current unlimited dispersed camping along Plaskett Ridge Road to designated dispersed camping, where visitors only use previously designated campsites. Many details need to be explored and analyzed to implement this project.

South Coast Dispersed Camping

Successful implementation of the Plaskett Ridge Road Designated Dispersed Campsite project could lead to its general application in other overcrowded dispersed camping areas in the South Coast Ridge area. These could include Prewitt Ridge, Los Burros Road from Highway 1 to Coast Ridge Road, Alms Ridge, and the San Martin Top area.

Plaskett Ridge Road Wilderness Signage

The northern boundary of the Silver Peak Wilderness borders Plaskett Ridge Road with a setback of 100’ from the edge of the road. Currently, due to a lack of signage indicating the location of the wilderness boundary, there is considerable vehicle trespass into the Silver Peak Wilderness. A management strategy promoted by the CZVUM calls for the installation of signage defining the Silver Peak Wilderness boundary along Plaskett Ridge Road. The VWA is actively involved in promoting this and other signage projects within the MRD.

Visitor Education

Throughout the CZVUM, there is considerable emphasis on the importance of visitor education. Two areas of focus for the VWA are the Pine Ridge Trail wilderness portal near the MAF and the South Coast Zone. Management actions for the South Coast Zone could include visitor information kiosks located at Nacimiento Ferguson Road, Los Burros Road, and Plaskett Ridge Road. There is also the suggestion that these locations could be staffed by volunteers, providing information on local conditions, during busy times of the year. The CZVUM also promotes the expansion of the trailhead ambassador program, currently a VWA undertaking.

Additional Camping Opportunities

An important observation noted in the CZVUM is that many visitors seeking camping spots on the South Coast Ridge areas would rather be camping closer to the ocean. Campsites close to Highway 1 and the ocean are either booked or quickly filled year-round. The CZVUM explores the options of expanding existing campgrounds, as well as creating new ones.

Salmon Creek Station

The CZVUM promotes the concept of reconstruction of the old Salmon Creek Guard Station into a staffed visitor center offering a southern gateway to the South Coast/Big Sur region. In addition to providing information to visitors, the station could also host other visitor amenities.

We encourage you to read both the pdfreport and pdfappendices for a more complete understanding of the management strategies outlined. You can download and share a pdfPDF of the above VWA mission-specific synopsis here. Note that many of the management strategies proposed in the CZVUM are not “off-the-shelf” solutions, and will require NEPA (environmental) analysis before implementation.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact:
Gordon Johnson
Senior Policy Analyst
Ventana Wilderness Alliance