Los Padres National Forest
coastal zone Visitor Use Management strategy
Los Padres National Forest officials, Monterey Ranger District, hosted a public workshop on June 8th as part of its development of a Visitor Use Management strategy to address recreation trends and visitor use of coastal areas managed by the Forest Service along the Big Sur coast and California State Highway One.
The visitor use management project is focused on National Forest System lands that are accessed from Highway One from Andrew Molera State Park in the north to San Carpoforo beach in the south and stretching inland to approximately the Nacimiento Summit. This includes portions of the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness areas and the Big Sur Wild and Scenic River that are accessed from the coast.
Big Sur is a national and international travel destination that is experiencing unprecedented visitation resulting in traffic congestion, expanded levels of dispersed/concentrated camping on previously undisturbed areas, and an increased potential for an accidental wildfire ignition.
There are the 4 Elements of the Visitor Use Management project underway in Big Sur:
1. Define Existing Conditions.
2. Define Desired Conditions.
3. Identify Management Strategies to achieve the desired conditions.
4. Implementation of management strategies.
The first Element was completed successfully at the June 8th meeting. Next up is Element 2, defining the “Desired Conditions”. Please participate by following the link below. Comments must be submitted by October 5th.
You may use the “Get Involved” tab to comment on a specific point on the map. Note, you may need to click on the “right arrow” above the map to see the “Get Involved” tab.
Coastal Zone Visitor Use Management – ArcGIS StoryMaps
or comment by e-mail to SM.FS.BigSurVisUse@usda.gov.
Questions may be directed to Monterey Ranger District Resource Officer Fin Eifert by e-mail to john.eifert@usda.gov or by calling (831) 385-5434.
There should be limited reservation access only for tourists, with checkpoint kiosks at key northern and southern points on Highway One. There should stepped up employment of Park Rangers and law enforcement to monitor access and fines should be steep for trespassing and illegal campo fires.