In 2005, the District began a 15-month master planning process to develop a resource protection and visitor use plan for Sierra Azul-Bear Creek Redwoods Preserves. Through this process, the District aims to provide the public with greater opportunities for recreation access, interpretation, and education, while protecting the natural, cultural, and historic resources of the combined 18,000 acres that comprise this area. The third public planning workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, December 5, 2006. Check the Sierra Azul-Bear Creek Redwoods Master Plan project Web page for updates.These two preserves total roughly 18,000 acres, or 1/3 of the land the
district currently manages. Four out of five of the areas are
currently closed to the public, or by permit only. For comparison, the
35 miles of trails at ECDM fit in 2300 acres.
A third public workshop will be held on December 5, 2006 at the Los
Gatos Neighborhood Center from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. This is your
opportunity to provide your input about how this
preserve, as well as Bear Creek Redwoods should be managed.
10 reasons why you should come to the meeting and/or what you might want to say:
1) Open the preserves to the public!
2) Build more contour line single track multiuse trails, exploring the
diverse habitats that these preserves have to offer, and providing
educational opportunities.
3) Be a part of the democratic process. Get the voice of mountain bikers heard.
4) Open regional trail connectors. Are we strong enough to ride from
Los Gatos to the Demo Forest on dirt? If not, maybe it would be good
to be able to camp with your dog there.
5) Maybe if more people had access to Rancho Guadalupe area of Sierra
Azul, there would be less pot growing going on there . . . Where’s
that?
http://www.openspace.org/preserves/maps/sierra_azul_map.pdf
6) Maybe you’d like to see some technical trails – Doubtful, but it
does not hurt to ask.
7) More trails like Moody! . . . or just re-open moody
8) get a better understanding of what MROSD is all about
9) Meet other like minded people
10) What else are you gonna do on a Tuesday evening?
If you cannot make it, please send you comments about the Sierra Azul
Master Plan to
aruiz@openspace.org. More information:
http://www.openspace.org/plans_projects/sierra_azul_bear_creek_mp.asp
