- To sign the petition click here.
- Time is an issue. If you agree and want to sign the petition, please don't wait. Sooner is better than later (though later will be better than not at all). The amount of local support is one of the Forest Service's criteria for deciding if it will pursue the acquisition, and it can be stopped at different levels as it moves up the Forest Service's chain of command.
- For purposes of this petition, the greater Palo Colorado area/community includes the area from Wildcat Canyon/White Rock Ridge south to the south fork of the Little Sur River. However, anyone can sign the petition, as the issues are broader than this single acquisition and affect all communities around the national forest in Monterey County.
- Not sure if you should sign? Information in the "whereas" section and documents and videos linked to in it may help you decide.
- This petition and signatures will be provided to the Forest Service and elected representatives.
- See who has signed the petition (updated from time to time).
PETITION TO:
The United States Forest Service, Congressman Jimmy Panetta, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, and Congress. FOR THE PURPOSE OF: Preventing the Forest Service from acquiring the Adler Ranch in the Palo Colorado area in Monterey County, California, and to otherwise help protect the greater Palo Colorado community from wildfires. WHEREAS, During the Basin Fire in 2008 the United States Forest Service (Forest Service) failed to open or use the portion of the historic Big Box Firebreak on the perimeter of the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) that for decades had helped protect the greater Palo Colorado area in Monterey County, California, from wildfires that start in the Los Padres National Forest (e.g., video tinyurl.com/Chief-H-Testimony); and WHEREAS, As a result of that failure of the Forest Service to act, the Basin Fire burned over the location of the historic Big Box Firebreak, out of the LPNF and into state jurisdiction, where the fire was stopped by CAL FIRE, the Mid Coast Fire Brigade, and other fire agencies, using the Bixby Mountain Firebreak, which in the past had been a backup firebreak, but during the Basin Fire became the only firebreak between the community and the Basin Fire (see the map, last page of this letter tinyurl.com/Letter-To-WRC-With-Map) ; and WHEREAS, During the Basin Fire the Forest Service delayed opening the historic Big Box Firebreak in other locations in a timely manner, increasing the threat of wildfire to other communities around the LPNF in Monterey County; and WHEREAS, After the Basin Fire people in at-risk communities around the LPNF actively participated in a collaborative process to write the Monterey County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which process included representatives from the United States Forest Service (pages 3 and 89 CWPP tinyurl.com/MoCoCWPP); and WHEREAS, The resulting CWPP includes at section 9.1.1 a recommendation to the Forest Service that the Big Box Fuelbreak be maintained at all times in a condition capable of stopping the spread of wildfire and as otherwise described in the CWPP, which was written with participation by the Forest Service (pages 72-75 CWPP tinyurl.com/MoCoCWPP); and WHEREAS, The resulting CWPP also includes a recommendation to Congress at section 9.3.1 that if the Forest Service has not maintained the Big Box Fuelbreak as described in section 9.1.1 within three years after the CWPP was signed, that Congress enact legislation to enable and require the Forest Service to so maintain the Big Box Fuelbreak (pages 81-82 CWPP); and WHEREAS, In December 2010 the CWPP was signed and agreed to by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and essentially all fire agencies in Monterey County, including federal agencies such as the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Department of Defense, which agreed to the recommendations in sections 9.1.1 and 9.3.1 (signatures at CWPP pages 89-90); and WHEREAS, In 2012 the Forest Service started the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process on a fuelbreak project it calls the Strategic Community Fuelbreak Improvement Project (SCFIP), which proposes fuelbreak work on portions of the Big Box Fuelbreak (tinyurl.com/2012-NEPA-Scoping-Letter); and WHEREAS, As of September 2017, far past the 3-year fuelbreak completion date of 2013 planned in the CWPP, the NEPA process on the SCFIP is only partly completed and has stalled due to retirement of the Forest Service employee who was spearheading it, and it is uncertain at this time if the NEPA process will be ever be completed and if construction of the SCFIP will ever start; and WHEREAS, Forest Service officials have stated that concern about being sued should it attempt to maintain the fuelbreak is one reason the SCFIP NEPA process is taking so long; and WHEREAS, Computer modeling of the SCFIP commissioned by the Forest Service demonstrates that the SCFIP would not be sufficiently wide and would not work to stop the spread of wildfire when spotting of embers is considered, even if it were constructed and maintained as designed, and that fire would burn through and around gaps in the SCFIP as it is not a continuous line, and as a result the SCFIP is not consistent with the recommendation in the CWPP agreed to by the Forest Service (e.g., 25 minutes 33 seconds and 27 minutes 54 seconds into the video at tinyurl.com/Fuelbreak-Not-Adequate-Video); and WHEREAS, The Forest Service is now considering acquisition of the Adler Ranch, on which 1.6 miles of the Bixby Mountain Firebreak is located, the last topographically viable location for a firebreak to stop fires that start in the LPNF before they burn through the greater Palo Colorado community (map last page of this letter tinyurl.com/Letter-To-WRC-With-Map); and WHEREAS, The Forest Service recently acquired private land in the Cachagua area that has 1/2 mile of the historic Big Box Firebreak on it, and that land is now shown as new wilderness on a Forest Service map (tinyurl.com/New-Wilderness-Over-Firebreak); and WHEREAS, Wilderness blocks use of mechanized equipment to maintain fuelbreaks before fires start and has caused delays obtaining approval to use heavy equipment in wilderness for firebreaks while fires are burning, increasing the threat of wildfire to lives, property, and resources; and WHEREAS, Congress has repeatedly expanded the Ventana Wilderness up to and over historic firebreaks on federal land, including doing so in 2002 without a hearing, increasing the threat of wildfire to communities around the LPNF in Monterey County (e.g., tinyurl.com/Wilderness-And-Firebreak-Map and tinyurl.com/No-Hearing-One-Minute; and WHEREAS, Should the Forest Service acquire the Adler Ranch, even if it were never designated wilderness, myriad layers of federal law and Forest Service policy would act to hinder or block the Forest Service from preparing for wildfires with a fuelbreak, as NEPA is currently hindering the Forest Service with the SCFIP; and WHEREAS, If the Adler Ranch were in federal ownership it would effectively be impossible for people in our community to enforce any agreement on how that land would be managed by the Forest Service or treated by Congress, that is, any agreement would be illusory because unenforceable; and WHEREAS, At a recent meeting in Big Sur the Acting Forest Supervisor for the LPNF essentially stated that the Forest Service's mission requires that it manage land for the entire nation, not to help protect local communities from wildfires; and WHEREAS, The Forest Service has responded to complaints about illegal campfires and bonfires on Forest Service land by saying it only has three fire prevention patrols for the entire 300,000 acre national forest; and WHEREAS, Given:
We conclude that Forest Service acquisition and federal ownership of the Adler Ranch, the location of 1.6 miles of the Bixby Mountain Firebreak that had to be used to stop the Basin Fire from burning through the greater Palo Colorado community due to Forest Service inaction, would increase the threat of wildfires to lives, property and resources in the greater Palo Colorado community.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned residents and/or landowners in the greater Palo Colorado community do hereby: PETITION the Forest Service to decline to acquire the Adler Ranch or any interest therein and hereby state our opposition to the acquisition; and PETITION our representatives, Congressman Panetta, Senators Feinstein and Harris, and Congress to: 1) Preclude acquisition of the Adler Ranch by the Forest Service; and 2) Enact legislation to enable and require the Forest Service to construct and maintain the Big Box Fuelbreak in the condition recommended in the CWPP, as recommended to Congress in the CWPP by the fire agencies and other entities that signed the CWPP (CWPP pages 72-75, 81-82, and 88-90, tinyurl.com/MoCoCWPP).
|
Name |
Where You Live And/Or Own Land |
Comment |
|
Butch |
Kronlund |
Big Sur |
Nicely done Mike! |
Michael |
Caplin |
Palo Colorado area |
Many thanks to all who are working on this and to those who have signed this petition! |
Lisa |
Kleissner |
Big Sur, east and west properties along highway one |
Sadly, government ownership is problematic rather than helpful when it comes to protecting the wilderness and the community. Private owners care more and do more. Please leave this property in private ownership. |
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado rd. Carmel |
|
|
sunshine |
liss |
Palo Colorado Rd. |
|
Daniela |
de Sola |
Joshua Creek |
|
Brian |
Lyke |
I lived in Palo Colorado Canyon for 14 years and the property my wife and I had owned was destroyed in the recent Soberanes Fire. |
|
Anonymous |
Formerly Palo Colorado Canyon. Currently own a home and ten acres in upper Carmel Valley. |
|
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado/Upper Rocky Creek |
|
|
Patricia |
Ebert |
Upper Rocky Creek Rd. - Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
Laura |
Marshall King |
Reside in Fresno,CA but co-own 2 cabins in Palo Colorado Association |
|
peter |
evans |
SE quarter of the NW
quarter, Range 1 E, Township 18S |
|
Brian |
Morton |
Palo Colorado Rd |
|
Josh |
Quinton |
Upper Rocky Creek, Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
Bree |
Harlan |
South coast of big sur at lucia. Formerly on long ridge in palo Colorado canyon. |
I do not support the acquisition of this property by forest service. They are already incompetent stewards of the lands already in their possession. Why give them more private land to mismanage?!? |
Anonymous |
Big Sur / Pfeiffer Ridge |
The USFS does not have the means to maintain the land they are already responsible for in Big Sur. Acquiring more private property like this and turning it over to the USFS does not help the land or the people. The money should be used to support the land they already own. This property also serves as an important fuel break for the community of Palo Colorado and if it is designated Wilderness, the homes here could lack the protection they need from the fire break. I do not support this purchase. |
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado Road |
|
|
Jennifer |
Johnson |
Upper Rocky Creek Rd |
|
Christopher |
Williams |
Palo Colorado, Greenridge Road |
We
need to maintain extreme fire vigilance at all times. |
Arthur |
Traynor |
Palo Colorado Road |
A
myriad of other private purchasers of this land might be available to those
seeking its sale without the unhelpful intervention of those exempt from
taxation and unaccountable to their neighbors from distorting its fair market
value. |
Anonymous |
Big Sur. |
|
|
Anonymous |
Highway 1; Monterey |
|
|
Betty |
Allen |
Palo Colorado Rd. |
Thank you for all your time and effort. |
Keith |
Harlan |
Lucia, Big Sur |
|
Corinne |
Colen |
COASTLANDS, BIG SUR, |
|
Matt |
Harris |
Big Sur south coast |
Thank you for taking this on and preserving our community. |
Alan |
Buchwald |
Weston Ridge, Big Sur |
Agree fully with the petition without reservation. AB |
D. |
Cole |
Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
G. |
Cole |
Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
Ruth |
Weimer |
Part of the Smith Ranch located adjacent to Hiway One and Rocky Creek Bridge |
|
Anonymous |
Monterey County, CA |
Thank you Butch for everything you do to support the Big Sur community. |
|
Anonymous |
Santa Barbara and Big Sur |
|
|
Seth |
Parker |
Carmel |
Over the last decade I have observed a steady decrease in US Forest Service projects presence and effectiveness. It is my observation that the USFS is overburdened understaffed and underfunded. Rather than further over reach I strongly recommend the USFS focus on current obligations that are not being met. |
Martin |
Dehmler |
Airport
Way |
|
Anonymous |
South Forty, Big Sur |
|
|
Nadine |
Clark |
Coastlands land owner |
|
Anonymous |
currently own land in big sur adjacent to USFS land. they are already way overstretched and cant manage what they have. why add more? |
USFS, both locally and federally, is by its own admission seriously strapped for both cash and human resources, making them unable to protect their existing lands. This is apparently a crisis. So why in heck would we want them to add to their local holdings? |
|
Amy |
Fowler |
Middle Ridge Road |
|
John |
Handy |
Big Sur |
Private land owners are currently better stewards of land especially as it pertains to fire clearances. |
Frank |
Stanek |
Monterey
County CA |
|
Eric |
Mathewson |
18+ Year property owner in Big Sur - Highway One. |
As an 18+year homeowner in Big Sur, there is really nothing more important to Big Sur than maintaining the Highway and containing the chronic fire danger. The Forest Service acquisition of the Adler Ranch, while well intentioned and normally an admirable goal will unfortunately increase the net fire risk in Big Sur. Please oppose the acquisition of the Adler Ranch by the Forest Service as the lack of the privately owned firebreak will endanger the Big Sur community. |
Keith |
Phelan |
Hwy 1 |
Our Forest is our life, must practice good Stewardship in making decisions for the future life of the Forest. |
David |
Beckwith |
Hwy 1, Big Sur |
|
Anonymous |
Monterey |
I lived next to the Adler Ranch and spent time with Axel when he made his annual 6 month visit. He would not want his property tampered with by ANY government agency, but would welcome any and all attention drawn to keep it as is and to serve the surrounding community. |
|
Nancy |
Sanders |
Big Sur |
|
Kendra |
Morgenrath |
Pfeiffer Ridge, Big Sur |
|
Jeffrey |
Rogers |
Partington
Ridge Rd |
|
Anonymous |
next to Adler's |
|
|
Anonymous |
Carmel Valley on the edge of the Ventana Wilderness |
|
|
Anonymous |
Ripplewood, Big Sur |
Wild fires are now a common reality. My priority is that all fire breaks be implemented and maintained. Be proactive now to stop the disasters that history has repeatedly shown us will happen. |
|
Heidi |
Hybl |
Palo Colorado Canyon |
Fires are started by people who don't follow the posted signs in wilderness areas. 57 homes in Palo Colorado Canyon are enough for now. There is almost no enforcement of existing laws. Let's not add more property to the list of places that the Forest Service can't maintain. |
Weston |
Call |
Palo Colorado |
|
Anonymous |
Seaside |
|
|
Paula |
Hazdovac |
Carmel |
|
Anonymous |
Apple Pie Ridge, Big Sur |
|
|
Anonymous |
Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, CA |
It is
outrageous that the USFS acquires, and then does not maintain historical
resources that protect land and people. Converting a property, if owned by
the USFS, to Wilderness is ridiculous when the land can be converted from
green to black by the carelessness or criminality of individuals. I
oppose the acquisition. |
|
Richard |
Jordan |
Pebble Beach,CA |
|
Anonymous |
Monterey |
|
|
Laurence |
Walker II |
White Rock |
Thank you for doing this. At best government/the political class is reactive and late - rarely pro-active. They have little in the way of incentives or disincentives of course. At worst and all too often they are neglectful and their policies are downright destructive. |
Patricia |
Kronlund |
Highway
1 |
I am opposed to the acquisition of the Adler Ranch by the Forest Service. |
Dan |
Reznick |
United States, Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
Anonymous |
Santa Cruz |
|
|
Vicki |
Neidinger |
White Rock Club member |
|
Bannus |
Hudson |
San Francisco & Big Sur |
|
Charles |
Meier |
San Mateo and Tehama counties |
|
Alan |
Perlmutter |
We live and own a business in Big Sur |
|
Mary Ellen |
Klee |
Pfeiffer Ridge, Big Sur |
|
Patrick |
Aldinger |
Monterey California |
Although I live in Monterey, I have worked in Big Sur, and have been a Big Sur community member for 28 years. This acquisition is simply a bad land use decision. Please do not let it happen! |
Cecily |
Hudson |
Pfeiffer Ridge, Big Sur |
|
Anonymous |
I own land and live on Alms Ridge, the ridge you see to the south as you drive up the first part of Nacimiento Road. |
The South Coast Ridge Road used to be a fire break. Since the 2008 fire that severely damaged the Mill Creek watershed...the Forest Service has been unable to keep the brush/trees from growing into the road. Plus there are still a lot of dead trees (from the fire) waiting to fall on the road. Would be difficult for fire fighting equipment to get into this area with the road the way it is. |
|
Brian |
Phelps |
Monterey |
|
debra |
bates |
Highway 1 |
|
Anonymous |
Apple Pie Ridge |
Thanks so much for spearheading this very important petition. |
|
Aaron |
Patch |
I love and own land in Palo Colorado. |
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
|
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
|
|
Saundra |
Salyer |
Palo Colorado Road |
It is of critical importance to keep the Adler Ranch and the firebreak on it in private ownership. This is the recommendation of the Fire Safe Council and CPOA and others guarding the fire safety of our vulnerable wilderness. I lost my home in the Soberanes Fire and was appalled to learn that the maintenance of firebreaks by the Forest Service Dept have been neglected for many years. The Forest Service failed to open firebreaks in a timely manner during the Basin Fire, which threatened our community. It failed to maintain fuelbreaks on federal land before fires as it agreed to in the CWPP, largely due to federal laws which Forest Service officials have no control over. Given this poor and costly record I support every effort to keep the Forest Service from acquiring the Adler Ranch. |
Susan |
Perry |
I live (on weekends, due to Mud Creek Slide!) and vote in Cambria, CA. However, I work in Big Sur at Pacific Valley School, where I sleep/live 4 or 5 nights a week. May consider changing residence address to register as a Big Sur voter. |
|
Anonymous |
Buck
Creek |
|
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
|
|
Clayton John |
Scicluna |
Big sur |
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur near Esalen Institute |
|
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado Canyon Road |
|
|
Coy |
Ware |
Lower Palo Colorado Canyon . This area has decades of overgrown brush, Oak & eucalyptus trees. Monterey County has taken no efforts to help on removal/ maintenance of this fire fuel much less any enforcement to prevent illegal campfires. |
I tend
to be a person against fire breaks in wilderness areas. After seeing the
failures of state and federal management of nearby forests I have changed my
mind. This addition to the unmanaged areas, with near zero
enforcement/presence is a bad move. As Micheal Caplin has pointed out, this
ranch would be mismanaged as well, especially for last minute fire breaks
during a fire. |
Herbert |
Powers, Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
I was
born and raised in Pacific Grove, California. Our family had a cabin in Palo
Colorado Canyon, and I have spent many weeks hiking, camping, fishing and
hunting in the National Forest and adjacent landholdings. That time includes
camping at Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp. |
Christine |
Frank |
114
acres located on topographical maps at Twin Peaks, which is the top of Upper
Rocky Creek Road and is accessed from Palo Colorado Road.
https://www.topozone.com/california/monterey-ca/summit/twin-peaks-32/ |
|
Anonymous |
Carmel Highlands |
|
|
Elizabeth |
Housel |
Carmel Highlands |
Big Sur Kate is my go to girl! |
Anonymous |
Rinconada Dr, Carmel Valley |
|
|
Anonymous |
Highway 1 (Esalen's property) |
|
|
Anonymous |
Pfeiffer Ridge Road |
|
|
Anonymous |
Our family homestead is located in upper Palo Colorado, on Rocky Creek. |
|
|
C W |
Freedman |
Big Sur |
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
The government is understaffed, and too crippled by confusing and conflicting regulations to take care of the wildlands it already has. I figure the average private landowner would do a better job. |
|
Arden |
Handshy |
Live in Pacific Grove; Work on Big Sur Coast as a Land Use Facilitator, assisting owners getting permits. |
Agree completely with talking points in the petition. |
Tim |
Birchby |
Bixby Canyon |
|
Lisa |
Gering |
Willow Creek, Big Sur (South Coast) |
The USFS doesn't need to add to their land acreage that they are unable to care for. Let it stay in private ownership, with people who will be stewards of the land and thus help the communities around them when fires break out. |
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
|
|
Anonymous |
Greenridge |
|
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado at the 2.2 mile marker |
|
|
Anonymous |
Pali Colorado Cyn |
Help keep our community safe from fires. |
|
Elizabeth |
Barnes |
Joshua Creek |
|
Anonymous |
Upper rocky creek. |
Thanks to everyone working on this. |
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado cyn/ uppergreenridge |
|
|
Lorrie |
Kempf |
PaloColorado Canyon |
More funds are needed for enforcement and management of our forest. Spending more moneys to acquire lands is not only poor management but against the whole idea if protecting wilderness and residential areas. |
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado Road |
Signing petition to help protect our community from wildfires |
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado Rd |
|
|
Stephan |
Mayer |
Upper Rocky Creek, Palo Colorado |
|
don |
herington |
Palo Colorado rd. |
|
Norm |
Cotton |
Palo Colorado Rd. |
I believe that acquisition of the Adler Ranch by the Forest Service would place our Palo Colorado community in risk of being overrun by wild fire. It is the last location a fire break can be put in before it reaches our community. History shows that the Forest Service has been unable to maintain the big box fire breaks due to federal regulations, even though they promised they could and would do it. I believe that the Adler Ranch would be best left in private ownership so that the fire break can be kept open. |
Alex |
Kane |
Garrapata Canyon |
USFS seems to have too much on its plate and not enough financing or personnel to maintain what it has responsibility for now. Please don't add this community safety resource (firebreak protection) to the responsibilities of an already overburdened agency. Protect this fire break for our community and decline USFS acquisition of the Adler Ranch. Instead, spend those funds on maintenance and improvement of what is already under USFS purview. |
Bruce |
Merchant |
Garrapatos Road, off Palo Colorado Road |
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
||
Kathryn |
Schoendorf |
Highway 1, Big Sur |
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado |
||
Charlie |
Cascio |
Palo
Colorado Road |
|
Joe |
Schoendorf |
HIGHWAY
ONE |
|
Mike |
Faulkner |
Palo Colorado rd. |
|
Anonymous |
On Highway 1 near Julia Pfeiffer State Park. |
||
carissa |
chappellet |
Big Sur |
|
Steve |
Beck |
Pear
Valley Road |
|
Anonymous |
South coast big sur |
||
Dennis |
Maloney |
Garrapatos Rd |
|
Lois r. |
Merritt |
Big sur |
Opposed to federal regulation of this important fire suppression area. |
Robert |
Sayre |
Carmel |
The track record of
USFS &/or State Parks of CA owning, protecting and maintaining a
property is not good; We have learned this from the latest fires in Big
Sur. |
Warren |
Masten |
Palo Colorado |
|
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado |
||
Pamela |
Baker Dexter |
Coast Route Highway 1 |
|
Aengus |
Wagner |
Pfeiffer Ridge |
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur Apple Pie Ranch |
||
Erlinda |
Hiscock |
Clear Ridge |
|
Nancy |
Wheeler |
Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
doug |
paul |
carmel highlands |
|
Michael |
Emmett |
Carmel Highlands |
The
Fire Safe Council For Monterey County has also sent a letter opposing this
land acquisition by the USFS because of the critical wildfire safety
concerns. |
anina |
marcus |
carmel highlands |
|
Elena |
Ungaretti |
Carmel Highlands, Carmel |
I prefer that firebreaks be maintained. Why could people sue over protecting land, forest and housing from wildfires??? |
Anonymous |
South of pfiffer bridge |
||
Anonymous |
Carmel Highlands |
||
Michael |
Uppman |
|
|
Lygia |
Chappellet |
Rancho Rico, Big Sur |
I believe in order to support a community the land owned in that region needs to be at least half owned by individuals who live there. When there are too many absentee landlords, such as the US, State and county governments, or investment only owners, the land is not kept up and not protected well enough. The ecology and the community risk fire, erosion, and death when there is a lack of good site specific stewardship. In Big Sur we are now well over 80% owned by the government, most of which is unattended, off-site ownership. If we want our community to survive, we must reverse the trend of having the government own so much land here. |
ted |
maehr |
Palo Colorado Road |
The Forest Service is unable to steward their current land holdings. I do not support the acquisition of this land by the USFS. |
Melissa |
McGrain |
Clear Ridge Road-Big Sur |
|
Madonna |
Zellitti |
Mal Paso Rd |
|
Jill |
Whenmouth |
Carmel Highlands |
|
Jay |
Kruft |
Carmel Highlands |
This seems to be a case of "spend this year's allocation money so you get a raise next year" I could be wrong, but I don't see how federal ownership would be a benefit. |
Sally Anne |
Smith |
Carmel Highlands |
|
Gordon |
Wheeler |
Palo Colorado Road |
|
Carlos |
Vasquez |
I live at Post Ranch Inn Employee Housing |
|
nancy |
bennett |
carmel meadows |
Michael |
Faulkner |
Palo Colorado rd. |
|
Anonymous |
Carmel Highlands |
||
Sheila |
Sheppard |
Pfieffer
Ridge Road, |
Big
Sur is one of the most unique areas of our state and of this country. The local
people have a deep connection with the land and have been stewarding it for a
very long time. They know best how to deal with the unique circumstances that
that involves. |
Anonymous |
Highway 1, Carmel |
||
lynne |
boyd |
Carmel Highlands, have owned there for 20 years, lived there for 15, and treasure our neighborhood. |
Quoting another on this site, "USFS, both locally and federally, is by its own admission seriously strapped for both cash and human resources, making them unable to protect their existing lands." I strongly support this petition, and do not support USFS acquiring additional lands they are not resourced to manage, especially in case of fire. Watching the fire licking just behind the ridge was a scary sight! Based on recent history, we've seen the Forest Service reluctant and slow to enforce a fire break. Thank goodness the firebreak was there--on private lands,-- to keep the fire somewhat in check and out of the Highlands. The intricacies of this issue could easily be misunderstood--thanks for the hard work in getting the word out that our firebreak's existence is safest in private hands, on private lands. |
Heather |
Chappellet Lanier |
Rancho Rico, Big Sur |
During
my lifetime in Big Sur, the ability and will of the State and Federal
governments to care for their lands has decreased while their acquisitions
have increased. |
ANDREW |
LUERSEN |
Palo Colorado Rd |
If you have never been forced to flee wildfire at a moments notice - I envy you. Imagine scrambling for your pets, hard drives and family photos, a change of clothing, maybe some prized or valuable chatchkis - and off you go - into evac limbo for God knows how long or wondering if your home still stands for days or weeks at a time without accurate intel.... Alder Ranch public hiking trail truly sounds delightful but...no. Too close to home for all of the dumb, unsupervised activity I've witnessed the public do over the years. Sell it to a Big Shot who will leave a local Caretaker in place and soon forget he owns it and we don't have to worry every night for most of the year. |
Anonymous |
Carmel Highlands |
Please do not allow this land to be opened up to camping, and, by extension, campfires which could potentially spark dangerous wildfires. |
|
Lori and Jon |
Zobler |
Palo Colorado |
We are long term residents who have lived and owned our home/ property in Palo Colorado for 30 years. We are adamantly opposed to the acquisition of the Adler Ranch by the Forest Service. |
stephen |
trapkus |
palo colorado road |
let's
protect our homes from wild fire devastation and |
Fred |
|
Own in Palo Colorado Canyon |
Acquisition by USFS is a bad idea; thanks Mike for bringing matter to our attention. |
Lynette |
Tolentino |
Garrapatos
Road |
|
Anonymous |
Green Ridge, Palo Colorado Canyon |
Burned in the Soberanes Fire. |
|
kira |
godbe |
Bixby Canyon watershed |
|
Nancy |
Harray |
Bixby Canyon |
Protect Big Sur: oppose the purchase of Adler Ranch by the Forest Service, an agency already spread too thin. |
Anonymous |
Along Bixby Creek |
||
Lorenzo |
Ferlinghetti |
Bixby Canyon, Old Coast road. Lower gate beach road. |
It is very critical to maintain the fire break for the safety of our community if another wild fire should happen. |
Stevan |
Chandler |
Bixby Canyon |
|
Marilouise |
Jackson |
Bixby. Canyon |
Fire breaks must be maintained! |
Anonymous |
Bixby Canyon |
Land/wilderness acquisition carries with it the legal obligation to maintain the land. History has shown that the Forest Service has not complied with that obligation... to the demise of nearby properties and wilderness. |
|
Anonymous |
Long ridge - own |
||
Helen |
West |
Carmel |
|
Charles |
Oey |
Lower Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
Sanford |
Colb |
Palo Colorado Rd |
Safe and competent stewardship of the land is critical. |
Julia |
Keller |
Monterey, CA |
Currently looking at purchasing land I this area. This acquisition poses a huge risk to the love cal communities. The cal fire is spread thin enough protecting the land they already have. Please don't let this acquisition take place!!!! |
Anonymous |
palo colorado |
||
Pam |
Peck |
Palo Colorado area / Upper Rocky Creek Road |
Seeing the signatures and comments above, it is clear there is no local support for acquisition of the Adler Ranch by the Forest Service, in fact, there is local opposition. I oppose the acquisition, and hope you, our elected representatives, support the safety of our community by opposing it as well. |
Andrea |
Juhan |
Palo Colorado |
Regardless of how hard
we work as land owners to make our homes defense able - we need Help from the
fire break. |
Fran |
Leve |
yankee point drive |
|
douglas |
george |
Palo Colorado Rd |
Thanks for more great
work Mike on behalf of your neighbors in such matters |
Anonymous |
Palo Colorado Road |
|
Emily |
Chandler |
Bixby Canyon, Big Sur |
|
Anonymous |
I own a home inside the National Seashore in MA. |
Living inside the National Seashore, which does not have active fire prevention management in our area, is a constant concern. There is no clearing allowed on public land (in fact there is a $10,000 fine for cutting a branch). Fallen trees and debris have built up over decades. This is a hazardous condition for forest fires and is of major concern to us. |
|
Laura |
Marshall King |
Palo Colorado Canyon Rd |
|
Eric |
Mathewson |
highway one, Big Sur |
|
Blaine Dunham |
Birchby |
Bixby Canyon |
Many people have come forward to oppose this acquisition contrary to region 5's report to Washington D.C. It is a clear & present danger for the community of Big Sur. Please Mary Adams & Congressman Panetta, who clearly clearly cares very much about this coast. This is also a direct threat to the "Golden Triangle" of Carmel, North Big Sur. Look what just happened in Napa is that what you want to happen here? This is an essential fire break that should be protected. Thank you for your consideration. |
Mary Ellen |
Scharffenber |
Coastlands, Big Sur for 20 years. Now Alta Mesa neighborhood of Monterey. |
|
Daniel |
Dolk |
Monterey |
|
Anonymous |
Highway 1 |
||
Yolanda |
Gurries |
Garrapata, Highway 1 Coast Route |
The USFS should not acquire more lands. They already have
billions of dollars in deferred maintenance. |
Melinda |
Douglas |
Palo Colorado Canyon |
|
Anonymous |
Big Sur |
||
Conor |
McCullough |
Palo Colorado rd, Greenridge |
|
peter |
evans |
8 acres in the Rocky Creek area, two miles back on the dirt road. |
Having lived there for almost 50 years with several fires that had threatened my home until the Soberanes fire finally burn it all. |
Corinne |
Colen |
Coastlands, Big Sur |
|
Anonymous |
White Rock |
||
Anonymous |
North Big Sur |
||
Barbara J. |
Evans |
Upper Rocky Creek, Palo Colorado Canyon where our homestead was destroyed by the fire. |
|
Jahre |
Carver |
King Road, Garrapata Ridge |
|
Anonymous |
Carmel, CA |
||
Elizabeth |
Withrow |
Mill Creek, Big Sur |
Thank you. |