[EBasil]

The Friends of Los Pensaquitos have published a plea, below, for volunteers to help address a habitat-damage issue that's being characterized as primarily "bicycle-caused", since the largest user group of the Carmel Mtn Preserve (way west Del Mar Mesa, near Torrey Hills, and the new, unbuilt park site)is bicylists.

The issue is that a "genuine" endangered species lives in the rocky, flat ROAD section ofterrain up on top of the mesa, and is so small (and unmarked by any signs or fences) that runners, cyclists and equestrians don't even see it as they ride or run across the very wide, usually dry TRAIL. This is not a situation where users are going "off trail", but rather one where a very wide section of trail must be either narrowed or closed off to protect a plant about the size of your thumbnail, and that only lives in a few places in the world (as I hear it). So, if you have time to come out for a few hours to "represent", please do:

------------
"Volunteers needed Sat., Feb. 5. Emergency to save “Dudleya
brevifolia” plants.

We have an Emergency Fence Building project this coming Saturday, Feb.
5, from 8-noon or so. One of the most endangered plants on the planet, our local dwarf Dudleya, is being hammered by bike, equestrian and perhaps foot traffic on Carmel Mountain. Despite the area being closed because of the recent rains and poor condition of the trails, there's lots of traffic up there.

The Friends of Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve will be paying for peeler pole fencing from funds earmarked for Carmel Mtn. We'll meet at Fairport and Shorepointe Dr. Call Mike Kelly if you need more info at 858-566-6489.

Directions: From Carmel Valley take El Camino Real south. At its
intersection with Carmel Mountain Road, proceed straight on what has become Carmel Mountain Road. Go up the hill several blocks to East Ocean Air Dr. Go left and park at Fairport and Shorepointe. Wear hiking boots, bring water and sun protection.

Moderate hill to climb. See Thomas Guide p. 1208, C2.

-- Mike Kelly, Friends of Los Penasquitos"

 

[EBasil]

Project has been changed:

After spending several hours on Carmel Mountain yesterday
to locate the best location for putting in fence around the Dudleya population, I determined it would be best to wait a little while on that particular project. Without a definite trail reroute, the fence will most likely be torn down within a few days. I will work with the MSCP and others to determine a workable solution.
However, I was able to locate a vernal pool area that is being severely trampled on and that can also be easily diverted with a run of fence. So we will still meet at 8:00 am at Fairport Way near the future community park and install 80+ feet of fence. We will work until 12:00 pm. See you all there.


Gina Brown, Senior Park Ranger
Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve
Open Space Division
City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department
858-538-8066
gbrown@sandiego.gov

 

[-BB-]

Up in Annadale S.P. (Santa Rosa, CA) they converted fire roads to singletrack by putting some boulders along the 2 edges of the road. The boulders/rocks are about 50 feet apart (on a side) and alternate sides.
This effectivly narrows the area impacted by traffic, and it does it in a natural looking way. (w/o a fence)

Like this:

 

[EBasil]

Well, the crews met and installed fencing to save the little Dudleya plant and to cordon off some areas of ponding water also known as vernal pools. In addition to some volunteers from The Friends of Los Penasquitos, a few SDMBA trailwork pros showed up, the very-anti-bike member of the Del Mar Mesa CPB came, and I showed up about halfway through. The new, second, Ranger at PQ came out, too.

Ranger Brown reconsidered her posting I put above, and chose to have us block off a massive section of the CMM, but one that should resolve the need for future closures. The "closed trails" are fire-road width stuff that had ponding water or the Dudleya growing on them, and only one singletrack connector is "lost" by the closure. Since that singletrack goes directly onto the owned property of a notable anti-bike family...it may not be all that bad. (Besides, it's so freakin' steep I can only walk down it while weeping, so it's no big loss to ME). Riders & hikers lose the ability to loop around the ridge of the CMM, but can still get to the other, open singletracks, and we can still ride around all sides of the new, unbuilt park.

Be nice to the fences.