Take Action Now or More Trails will Disappear in the Los Padres National Forest! Request Congresswoman Lois Capps Protect both Wildlands and Trails.

Take Action Now! Read, Sign, and Share!

Lois Capps is now proposing a public lands protection bill - the Central Coast Wilderness Proposal (CCWP), which is to be part of her legacy. Currently this bill would designate additional Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) public lands with the 1964 “Wilderness” designation. Unfortunately, this particular Wilderness designation contains many “non-wilderness” loop holes which will grandfather in extractive industry and cattle ranching, severely reduce the ability to maintain trails (trails disappear), increase the cost of managing these lands by three to four times while not providing any funding, and will remove the low impact recreation of bicycling. Forty nine percent of the LPNF is already protected as Wilderness and much of the the remaining fifty one percent which the bill would designate as Wilderness does not quite fit the “wilderness” characteristic and is already protected as Back County Non-Motorized.

If Lois Capps wants to create a public lands legacy, request that she use a contemporary Congressional designation like “National Conservation Area” or “Special Use Area” that protects wildlands, trails, and non-motorized recreational opportunities within the Los Padres National Forest. These designations will also keep and build upon a community of forest stewards.

Read the letter below. Sign and Send it. Share with everyone. Use it as is or modify it to express your views. And make your voice heard.

References:
IMBA - Companion Designation Toolkit
Lois Capps - Central Coast Wilderness Proposal
California Wilderness Coalition - Wild Heritage

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To:CA24WildernessComments@mail.house.gov

The Honorable Lois Capps
 2231 Rayburn House Office Building
 United States House of Representatives
 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congresswoman Capps,
Thank you for taking an interest in public land preservation. While I am supportive of measures to preserve lands from over-development and/or irresponsible resource extraction, unfortunately, in its current form, I am unable to support your Central Coast Wilderness Proposal (CCWP).  Because this proposal uses the  1964 Wilderness designation to protect public lands, it does not offer our community a balanced protection of both the Forest and the current non-motorized recreational opportunities with in the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF).
To be clear, these lands have values worth protecting. Forty nine percent (49%) of the LPNF is already protected as Wilderness.  Much of the remaining fifty one percent (51%) which is not consistent with Wilderness requirements, has been protected as Back Country Non-Motorized by the National Forest.
 If you feel that these lands need additional protection through a Congressional Designation, I encourage you to use Non-Wilderness congressional designations, such as a National Conservation or Recreation Area, or Special Management Area, that better suits the actual conditions on the Los Padres and can be tailored fit to the needs and threats that exist.  A bill that can achieve both enhanced protections in the Los Padres National Forest while also accommodating the diverse recreational needs of the surrounding communities will help garner broad community support and increase its likelihood for success.
 The following items are reasons I consider the CCWP’s additional Wilderness designations in the Los Padres National Forest to not fit the bill.  Solutions to these items can be made with the use of a Non-Wilderness congressional designation. 
- these lands are now protected as “Back Country Non-motorized” areas by the Forest Service
- the costs of maintaining new lands designated as Wilderness are greatly increased. The Forest Service states that the management cost of Wilderness is three to four times the cost of managing other land designations.
- the indefinite “grandfathering” of cattle ranching operations and extractive industry claims by the CCWP is not appropriate for the of true character of a Wilderness designation.
- the CCWP reduces access to recreation in the forest in many ways. For example the low impact muscle powered recreation of bicycling is eliminated from trails in this and all Wilderness Designations.  Studies indicate that cycling has approximately the same impact on the environment as hiking and significantly less impact than equestrian use
- the CCWP eliminates the ability of the current non-profit trail maintenance organizations to efficiently care for and maintain the Forest and it’s green infrastructure.
- the CCWP does not include any financial support for management or protection of the Los Padres National Forest and  non-motorized recreational opportunities such as hiking, cycling, or equestrian use.
- no existing threats have been identified for the Los Padres National Forest that warrant additional lands protected as Wilderness.
In its current form, I unable to support this proposal. I am happy to work to a more balanced solution if the opportunity exists.
I urge you to support and champion a modern solution to public land protections in the Los Padres National Forest with a Non-Wilderness congressional designation. Your public service and the Lois Capps public lands legacy should be that of an inclusive problem solver that brings the community together rather than divides those who should be standing together.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter,

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Take Action Now or More Trails will Disappear in the Los Padres National Forest! Request Congresswoman Lois Capps Protect both Wildlands and Trails.

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