OP ED - State of the CA OHV Program

OP - ED

By Don Amador

Feb. 25, 2020

OCEANOFICATION 

 State of CA OHV Program

Like many of you, I have had more than a full plate over the last couple of months but am now back more fully in the OHV saddle.  With the upcoming OHV commission meeting slated for Thursday, February 27, I wanted to share my view on the current state of affairs at the CA OHV Program.

The following comments are hard for me to pen and share because of my long history with the Program and my deep appreciation for the OHV staff that I work with and for the many partners it has in various local and federal jurisdictions.

For reasons I don’t fully understand the Program has entered into a “Dark Ages” status where substantive communications with Park/Division leadership are almost non-existent.   Transformation has largely obliterated the hands-on SVRA superintendent role where management is meaningfully engaged with unit staff and partners in operation of the SVRA.

Probable loss of the opportunity to purchase the 1,300 Blue Oak Ranch, because approved grant monies to help with the purchase of the property -  that would act as a high quality staging/camping area for the BLM’s South Cow Mountain OHV area - are now lost in a bureaucratic black hole in Sacramento. 

While there remains the responsibility of grant applicants to be accountable for grant funded projects, there are a growing number of past and potential future grant applicants (including government agencies) that have told me the massive increase in grant reporting requirements goes far beyond other grant reporting requirements including those who get non-OHV grants from other state agencies.

The Oceano Dunes SVRA PWP - absent any meaningful projects that would benefit OHV recreation – is simply adding momentum to ongoing political efforts that seek to permanently ban OHV recreation at the SVRA while at the same time supporting the continued gross misuse of dedicated OHV funds to manage and support non-motorized recreation at the SVRA and other Park units.

It is my hope the Thursday OHV Commission meeting will provide an opportunity for Parks leadership, Division staff, and stakeholders to reconnect, find solutions, and chart a positive course for our OHV Program.

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COLLABORATION FOR RECREATION – Understand, Respect, and Protect

2011 Agency-User Field Trip - Start of Collaborative Process

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

QWR remains a strong supporter of the collaborative process as it relates to public land recreation planning and management efforts at local, state, and federal areas.

The important role that collaboration plays was acknowledged by the California Coastal Commission at a recent hearing where they directed California State Parks to develop a local collaborative where various land/regulatory agencies, elected officials, businesses, OHV groups, and conservation organizations can work together to help develop responsible management concepts for Oceano Dunes SVRA.

A good example of successful collaboration at a popular recreation area can found at the U.S. Forest Service’s Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. 

Recent Collaborative Open Dune Restoration Project

                                                 Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

In 2014, the Save the Riders Dunes, a local OHV non-profit organization, met with conservation groups to discuss finding common ground with a goal of both protecting open sand resources and providing a high-quality outdoor experience.  That stakeholder process was centered on attending meetings and field trips where information was shared, values appreciated/respected, and new relationships formed.

QWR believes that robust collaborate effort is largely responsible for “Saving” the Oregon Dunes and creating a positive future there for both motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities.

QWR encourages all those engaged in recreation planning efforts to take time to read the highly informative 23 page The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative Report on how this diverse set of interest groups came together in a substantive manner to develop a strategy for managing the Oregon Dunes for current and future generations.

LINK TO OR DUNES COLLABORATIVE REPORT

https://www.saveoregondunes.org/learn/dunes-restoration-strategy/

QWR has an axiom that “The quality of your local FS/BLM/State Park OHV recreation program is or will be directly proportional to the quality of your engagement with agency staff and other users.”

If your club has not done so already, now is the time for your organization to appoint a designated representative(s) to attend local land use planning meetings and make that long-term commitment to help ensure that you and your family continues to have access to high quality trail-based or open sand recreational opportunities.  It is the future of OHV.

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OPINION - OHV TURNOUT STEMS CLOSURE TIDE AT OCEANO DUNES

Packed Main Hearing Room

CA Coastal Commission Hearing, July 11, 2019

OPINION

By Don Amador

July 12, 2019  

  

Historic OHV Turnout Stems Closure Tide at Oceano Dunes  

A huge crowd of 850-1,000 OHV enthusiasts, related businesses, elected officials, and partners made access history yesterday at the Coastal Commission hearing held in San Luis Obispo, California where the long-term future of motorized recreation at Oceano Dunes SVRA was hanging in the balance.  They packed the main hearing room and a number of overflow rooms.

CA State Park Director, Lisa Mangat, Talks About Need

for Coastal Commission to Allow PWP Process to Move Forward

The 8-2 vote to defer the Coastal Commission’s staff recommendations - so as to allow the California State Park Public Works Plan (PWP) public process for Oceano Dunes SVRA to play out - was also the result of State Parks taking a strong position against the Coastal Commission report and a lot of hard work by various parties before the hearing as highlighted in the LA Times article below:

LINK TO LA TIMES ARTICLE

https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-oceano-dunes-ohv-california-coastal-commission-20190711-story.html

It’s not often the Coastal Commission is forced to look affected citizens in the eye about how their closure proposals will devastate local businesses and communities where shop owners will be forced to close and lay-off staff and the newly unemployed will not be able to pay their mortgages or put food on the table.

San Luis Obispo County District 4 Supervisor, Lynn Compton

Speaks in Strong Support of Oceano Dunes SVRA 

The Coastal Commission was also confronted with the fact their staff did not consult with local government agencies that were also blindsided by the staff report.

Proud Duner Stands in Support of OHV Recreation

While the vote result was significant, the key element in the Coastal Commission decision was to direct staff to work with State Parks to create a collaborative stakeholder group that would include representatives from the Coastal Commission, CA OHV Commission, State Parks, local government, OHV groups, businesses, and conservation interests.  That venue would allow for more robust and meaningful discussions between the Coastal Commission and other members of the group.

Rugged Radio Shows Up to Defend Local Business

I don’t view the Coastal Commission decision as a major “OHV Victory” but rather an event that earned its place as a seminal moment on the land access timeline alongside other significant issues such as the S21/CA Desert Protection Act, Clinton/Gore Roadless Initiative, 2005 Forest Service Travel Management Rule, and the 2007-2017 fight to restructure and permanently reauthorize the CA OHV Program.

Coastal Commission Staff Continue to Front OHV "Dust Plume" Hoax

While OHV lives on to fight another day in the battle for Oceano Dunes SVRA, we have some immediate action items and those are:

Encourage OHV Stakeholders to Be Active in the PWP Process

Challenge False APCD/Coastal Commission OHV Generated “Dust Plume” Assertion

Challenge Stipulated Order of Abatement

Continue to Build OHV Political Force  

Be Prepared for Future Legal Challenge

The greater OHV community should be proud of what they accomplished at the hearing.  Your attendance and testimony made more of an impact than you can ever know.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend what will go down as a major milestone in OHV political history.

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Don Amador has almost 30 years in the field of land use management, policy, and politics.  Don writes on recreation and environmental issues from his office in Oakley, CA.  He may be reached via email at: Damador@cwo.com

"Signs" are Important Communication Tools

South Border Fence at Oceano Dunes SVRA

Festive lights at shopping malls, decorated store fronts, and carols playing in many venues are all signs the Christmas season is upon us.  Signs are important forms of communication.   Land management agencies also use “signs” to communicate their commitment to high quality recreation and resource protection.

Boundary Fence between Motorized and Non-Motorized Area

One example of that commitment is Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) located on California’s Central Coast.   Managing about 1,500 acres of open OHV sand riding and another 1,500 acres for non-motorized uses requires a complex system of “signs” that include border fencing, travel management placards, and public education.

Placards are used to advise users about speed limits, dangerous surf, and where to camp.  With over 1.6 million recreationists visiting the SVRA each year, maintaining those signs is a must. 

Dune Condition Advisory Sign

Insuring the integrity of the border fencing that separates the motorized area from the non-motorized section requires a constant vigil due to blowing sand or sand washed in by the tide.

Native plants are protected by exclosures in the OHV open area.  Exclosures (specific areas fenced in to protect important natural or cultural resources) have proved effective management tools in many sand-based state and federal OHV open areas.

Vegetation Islands (Exclosures) within SVRA OHV Open Area 

QWR believes the ongoing public education program at the SVRA is also an important sign the agency has dedicated a significant amount of time to help users, school children, and local residents understand the many recreational, natural, and cultural resources that reside within the unit.

SVRA Education Program on Cultural Heritage

The aforementioned signs are the most effective (and often the only management tool the public sees) method by which a land agency communicates its commitment to the public and the resource.  Other “signs” can include level/type of law enforcement, route markers, and understandable maps.

QWR believes the quality of an agency’s signing program is directly proportional to the rate of user enjoyment, public compliance with regulations, and success of the unit’s mission, vision, and values.