Dave Nelson, and others have been trying to get Caltrans to address their contributions to bringing invasive species into the Big Sur area. Toward that end, Dave recently wrote this to the District Landscape Engineer, Scott Dowlan:
Hi Scott. I wonder if you have any furthur thoughts about the subject. I realized requesting steam cleaning of equipment coming to Big Sur was the wrong term but pressure washing is realistic. I’m sure they have the equipment on hand.
Couldn’t that specification be added to all bids to outside contractors? Specifically, that all earth moving equipment brought to Big Sur be thoroughly pressure washed first. I’m sure they do it occasionally anyway. It’s a small thing to ask of the companies who are making plenty of money and might well prevent further habitat degradation.
Also who in SLO Caltrans responsible for managing vegetation along the right of way? I’ll be surveying sites on Big Sur’s south coast where I know Papich had projects. Will this be a waste of my time?
Thanks, dave nelson
Scott’s response was:
Hi Dave,
Thanks for reaching out with your concerns. I think this issue would be best handled at the Caltrans Invasive Plant Subcommittee meeting that is part of the Big Sur Byways Organization. It’s a public meeting and you are welcome to join.
The next meeting date hasn’t been set but the County website to track it is:
Hope that helps.
Thanks, Scott Dowlan | District Landscape Architect
Given that the BSBO is not currently meeting, Dave sent this follow up email, cc’ing our state representatives, Dawn Addis and John Laird as well as Mary Adams, and Kate Daniels, our county supervisors, current and future. Invasive species do not take a hiatus while governmental agencies try to figure out meeting schedules. They drop their seeds and invade the freshly turned landscape and take off.
Scott,
The next BSBO meeting has not been scheduled so that referral is not appropriate at this time. This is a time critical request for an internal CalTrans practice to be implemented. Please let me know the correct CalTrans process for moving it forward now. The discovery of Stinknet (Oncosiphon pilulifera) in South Big Sur is just one more problem compounding the pending explosion of invasive plants in the numerous storm repair sites.
I’ve not gotten anywhere with Caltrans. Other concerned locals who have attended BSBO meetings tell me:
“BSBO is nonfunctional. Even when they do have a meeting (I go to all of them) I’ve never gotten a straight answer about invasives. I’ve been trying to find the person in charge of plants on the Caltrans right of way since forever and have only gotten a series of evasions.”
As Kevin Drabinski told me in June 2023, CT has $$ to repair highway 1 storm damage and provide erosion control but the emergency funding doesn’t provide follow up to control invasive plants that often outcompete natives propagated by hydro mulching. This negligent plan guarantees furthur negative impacts on the scenic viewshed.
At Rat creek, where the highway completely disappeared in January 2021, there was good recruitment of natives after the repair was done. Of course, pampas grass invaded. I pulled or sprayed over 200 pampas plants (and sticky eupatorium) and I’m keeping an eye on the area. If a 70-something retiree can successfully remediate a Caltrans project can’t Caltrans find funds for the other storm repair sites?
I can envision local resident ‘scouts’ like myself observing invasive problem areas that develop at the sites and directing spray crews to them. I’d guess this would need to happen 2-3 times per year for 3-5 years. The task would become progressively easier.
Caltran’s failure to deal with invasive plants is particularly striking when I observe State Parks in Big Sur implement a vigorous and thorough anti invasive plant program. BLM at the Fort Ord National Monument has a full-time weed eradication crew protecting thousands of acres of wildlands.
JP Burns slide April 1983 created a scar on our beautiful highway that still dominates the viewshed. Same with MM 5.21 Redwood gulch and other smaller sites. Let’s come up with a way to stop this from happening again. Something has to change!
dave nelson
More resources and money need to be put towards eradicating invasive plants that are completely destroying the natural landscape and critical viewshed here in Big Sur. Thank you Dave for all your work on this important issue!🙏
Big thanks to Dave for doing this thankless work.
I recall being on an engine in southern california for a fire and being required to clean the engine after coming from areas that had things like sudden oak death spores….it can be done with heavy equipment…Cal Fire and USFS were the joint command on the fire I was on.
Great job David. Keep bignsur wild has been trying to clean pampas’s where we can but it seems cal trans won’t assist. People being it up every BSMACC yet nothing!!!
Would like to invite anyone interested in learning more about some of our local invasive species to join us at a State Parks volunteer day. The Andrew Molera project is on pause until the road opens, but we’re still working out at Garrapata and other parks to the north. More info here: https://sites.google.com/view/mdnrvp/upcoming-volunteer-events
IMHO: I know that CalTrans does their best to keep the transfer of “invasive species” to a minimum. For example, during the St. Francis log jam remediation the contractor brought in BRAND NEW equipment (seats were still in plastic) to prevent any water contamination and transfer of invasive species.
My concern is not so much the occasional contractor but the 100s and 1000s of cars that pull off to the side of the road. What are THEY brining into Big Sur on their tires? Or what about the soles of the SHOES of visitors that may be walking on trails and off paths. There are folks that come from different countries that may carry “invasive species” on their shoes.
Let’s use convicts. Get them out in the sunshine exercising, learning and perhaps the magical energy of the Sur will help them! And we get rid of our invasive weeds.
Thank you Dave. As Michael said, thankless work! Except by all of us who thank you. Just returned from camping at Kirk Creek this past two weeks, I’ve been so distressed at all the pampas, thistle everywhere in camp and of course all along the Hwy and Naci Rd and in the hillsides. And now broom at Mill Creek Trailhead, not to mention all the rest of the invasive weeds. Along with loss of the big trees along the highway and in the campgrounds at Kirk and Plaskett, without replanting. PMC has let Kirk completely overgrow. It hadn’t been properly mowed this year, tall grass in campsites and the chaparral/poison oak closing off views as well as access to the beach. Camp hosts change every year, there’s no institutional memory nor committed caring from those hosts passing through for a season. And apparently no oversight. I wondered if removal of the damaged trees simply spreads more disease. It’s scheduled to be done on some at Kirk soon.
Maura
This is a prime example of CalTrans’ “superiority complex”. They are above all regulations, CEQA, EIRs etc etc. They don’t care and they don’t comply and just try, like Dave, to get a response much less any action to remediate the messes they and their contractors make. They have complicit partners in the Coastal Commission who rely on CT’s $M payments for staff salaries yearly. They just removed sensitive and endangered plants up here on the Mendocino Coast even *knowing* they were endangered! They’ll be replaced by pampas grass …
Then latest new one down here is “Beggar’s Ticks”. They spread very aggressively and glom onto your socks gleefully.