Corrected Order & Map issued on Forest Closure for Monterey Ranger District

View Comments

• I received a lot of angry and accusatory comments both here and on FB regarding my delay in publishing the actual order and map last Thursday. I had already been informed that this corrected version was being issued. I explained that in to those commenters by private email to the account they used here, and got some replies. I assured them that I would publish the corrected order as soon as it was received. “Alladin” or “BigSurAlladin” never did reply, which means he either chose to ignore me or he chose to use a bogus email account, which I do not allow on my blog. Alladin is free to contact me with a valid email address if he so chooses.

• No personal complaint. But a general complaint. Los Padres forest roads and trails have been closed more often than not for the last three years. Why does the state parks system close at the drop of a hat? First it was the Soberanes fire. Then the clean up after the Soberane's fire. Now it is the Coronavirus. It is always one excuse after another. There is no reason to close down Andrew Molera, Garrapata, Soberanes or even Point Lobos. All the Monterey regional Park system remains open.

  They have actually been trying to close the entire state parks system for the last 5-10 years. Why

  • They have been closed so often due to humankind’s stupidity and lack of respect for the land, the critters, and the flora. It is almost always human caused, as was the Soberanes Fire.

• Kate, thank you for posting that. Interesting that they did not simply close the forest except for the few principal roads. So it means in can still walk in the adjacent untracked LPNF meadows. I'd wondered.

• Hawkwatcher -- I think the idea is that yes, the entire forest is closed.

  Kate, thanks as always for keeping our community so well informed! Relieved to see this happen while hoping that this is a short-term arrangement and not a long-term one.

• RL- Re-opening will be just until fire danger escalates, as is usual in these parts.