California Coastal Dunes Added To State Park
The protection last week of 40 acres of rare coastal dune habitat is the first step in a plan to set aside 1,000 acres of wildlife habitat.
The 40 acre addition to Morro Bay State Park supports several endangered and threatened plant and animal species. The project also advances efforts to create the Morro Bay Dunes Greenbelt, a proposed habitat and trail corridor of more than 1,000 acres connecting Montana de Oro State Park and Morro Bay State Park.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) bought the tract in Los Osos for $1.5 million from a private seller. The parcel was then transferred to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to be protected as part of Morro Bay State Park.
“TPL commends all our partners for their tremendous work helping to make this greenbelt a reality,” says Margaret Eadington, senior project manager for TPL. “As partners, we continue to work together year after year, piece by piece, to achieve the goal of a fully connected greenbelt.”
“The purchase of this critical habitat protects endangered species and helps preserve the Central Coast’s natural beauty,” said state Senator Jack O’Connell, a Democrat who co-authored the Coastal Resources Grant legislation that helped fund the land purchase.
Morro Bay is ranked as a top 10 bird sanctuary across the nation each year by the National Audubon Society. It was also accepted into the National Estuary Program in 1995 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to its diverse yet imperiled resources.
The property is home to several endangered and threatened plant and animal species found only within the Morro Bay watershed, including the endangered Morro shoulderband snail, the threatened Morro manzanita, and the sensitive Morro blue butterfly. The public ownership of the property protects these species, their habitat and the open space that still surrounds the community of Los Osos.
The property also contains archeological resources including ancient middens of the Chumash Native American people.
The Morro Estuary Greenbelt Alliance (MEGA) has worked with the adjacent Los Osos Middle School to start up the Earth Club, a science curriculum involving native plant restoration of coastal dune habitat. The students learn about, propagate and plant native dune vegetation in their backyard classroom on state park lands.
“This land is a beautiful place, it draws us in, where we discover truths and gain solace. We are truly surrounded by a treasure in our own backyards,” said Marla Morrissey, president of MEGA. We often don’t know what is precious until we are about to lose it. We have the vision to protect these dunes for all our children.”
Provided by theEnvironmental News Service.
