The conservation act benefits local recreation, economies, and wildlife
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which will protect forests, shrub and grasslands, and wild streams on California’s Central Coast. This bill was championed in the House by Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA) and passed as part of a larger package of public lands conservation bills. It is supported by a diverse array of more than 500 civic groups and leaders, landowners and inholders, businesses, elected officials, schools, farmers and ranchers, and recreation enthusiasts.
Many of the public lands protected with this legislation provide access to green space near developed communities that are more accessible than national parks in the region. It is the product of years of discussion and negotiation involving local stakeholders interested in the use and well-being of these iconic lands. The package of bills also included the Outdoors for All Act, which will support outdoor recreational opportunities in urban and low-income cities nationwide.
“This is an historic opportunity to protect special places on the Central Coast, secure the first wilderness protection on the Central Coast in twenty years, and leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren,” said San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon. “Permanent protection of Central Coast public lands is key to our region’s tourism industry, to protecting endangered wildlife, and to preserving vital cultural and ecological resources.”
Then-Senator Kamala Harris and Senator Dianne Feinstein championed similar legislation during the last Congress. Now, local leaders and advocates are urging the Senate to act and pass these protections this year.
“I am in full support of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act and I look forward to the day when young disadvantaged kids from my district can discover the new world of the Los Padres National Forest and all the beauty and peacefulness that can be found there,” said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, representing the 5th District. “These new world class trails could metaphorically be looked upon as escape routes to a better world and an antidote to the violence plaguing our communities. I am so very thankful that Rep. Carbajal resurrected this plan that my former boss Rep. Gallegly initiated years ago.”
The bill permanently protects special places in the Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Both areas are home to Native American cultural sites and an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. The Los Padres, California’s second largest national forest, rises from the Pacific Ocean to over 8,800 feet in elevation and provides habitat for 468 species of wildlife, including the endangered California condor and the southern steelhead. The Carrizo Plain contains one of the largest concentrations of threatened and endangered species in the U.S., such as the San Joaquin kit fox and blunt-nosed leopard lizard.
When it’s safe to do so, local community members and visitors to the Los Padres and Carrizo Plain National Monument enjoy outstanding recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, bird watching, horseback riding, kayaking, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and scenic driving. The legislation would designate the approximately 400-mile long Condor Trail as a National Scenic Trail, connecting the northern and southern portions of the Los Padres by a single hiking route.
Prior to the pandemic, the Central Coast was a top tourist destination because of the region’s iconic scenery and world-class restaurants, wineries, and breweries, which yield clear benefits for the local economy. Increased tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities through public lands protections will provide an additional economic boost to local communities, particularly in the area surrounding the Los Padres National Forest, as communities work to recover from the pandemic.
“We’ve worked to protect lands and waters across the country for decades, and we are excited to learn the House of Representatives has passed legislation to permanently protect public lands and rivers throughout our home state of California,” said Hans Cole, head of Environmental Activism at Patagonia. “Americans of all political backgrounds enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities provided by public lands and waters, and protecting California’s natural environment is an important part of how we will slow the climate crisis. We urge the Senate to follow the House’s lead and approve this legislation.”
"With outdoor recreation often privatized, the Central Coast Heritage Act is a step in the right direction in protecting open spaces and securing everybody’s right to the outdoors,” said Rebeca Garcia, Santa Maria Policy Advocate with Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE). “Accessible outdoor spaces are a crucial contributor to improving the overall health of our working class and immigrant families. Communities of color are also often most at risk to unsafe living conditions, and this act will ensure our communities have clean air and water from Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Thank you to everyone fighting for equitable access to outdoor spaces and clean water for our vulnerable communities.”
If signed into law, the Act will protect more than 245,000 acres of wilderness and 400 miles of the Condor National Scenic Trail. It will also create two scenic areas encompassing 34,500 acres and safeguard about 159 miles of wild and scenic rivers.
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The Central Coast Wild Heritage Campaign comprises more than 500 civic groups and leaders, landowners and inholders, businesses, elected officials, schools, farmers, ranchers, and recreation leaders who support Congressman Carbajal’s’ efforts to protect special places, safeguard clean water sources, boost local economies, and enhance recreational opportunities. Learn more: centralcoastwild.org.
Photo credit: Bryant Baker, Los Padres ForestWatch
