Friends of Oceano Dunes will be holding a meeting in the Central Valley to inform citizens of the current lawsuit against the California State Parks. This lawsuit has very strong implications and may result in closure of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreational Area (ODSVRA).

When: April 6, 2002

Where: Kern River Park (more details to come)

Time: 1:00PM - ~3:00PM depending on Questions/Answers

More information: http://www.oceanodunes.org/bakersfield.asp

11 protest on behalf of snowy plovers

By Jasmine Marshall / Times Staff Writer

OCEANO -- The rolling crests of sand and waves here at the Oceano Dunes are nearly empty on the first day of March. A few campers, two or three ATV riders and a trio on horseback appear to be the only visitors this windswept morning.

But they are not alone. Searching for food near the high-tide mark are several tiny visitors whose family life and offspring will be closely scrutinized over the next five months. Breeding season for the endangered Western snowy plover is officially under way.

Here at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, where 1.2 million recreational enthusiasts visit each year, park rangers are working with biologists to ensure survival of the shore bird whose numbers have dwindled. Only about 2,000 now breed along the Pacific Coast from southern Washington to Baja California. But some environmental activists say State Parks has not done enough.

Eleven protesters lead by retired biologist Bill Deneen picketed the dunes Friday afternoon with signs bearing slogans including "plover lover" and "beach not road."

The Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Environmental Defense Center filed a lawsuit in late November agaist state parks, claiming mismanagement of the plover's habitat led to the loss of 67 out of 68 chicks hatched at the Oceano Dunes.

At the time, State Parks officials they were working to integrate recommendations of both a recovery plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service and the scientific subcommittee of the park's new technical review team required by the California Coastal Commission. But the EDC had lost patience.

"They've been working on some plan for years -- we had no confidence in them," EDC Attorney Babak Naficy said the day the suit was filed.

As plover breeding season begins, changes have been made for their protection by State Parks at the Oceano Dunes in accordance with the recommendations of the scientific subcommittee.

"Their protection is vital. We constantly seek a balance to keep Oceano Dunes open to the public while at the same time increase the protection of wildlife," said Steve Yamaichi, district superintendent for the Oceano Dunes.

As of Friday, the 53 plovers in the park between Grand Avenue and mile post 4 are just beginning to pair up, said Laura Gardner, ecologist for state parks. While there are no "active" nests yet, the male plovers have begun to exhibit "territorial behavior".

Once the plovers set up nests by mid-march, a team of biologist including plover experts from the Point Reyes National Bird Observatory will carefully monitor the eggs each day to determine when the chicks will hatch. The chicks will then be banded so they can be tracked to provide data on the success of this year's breeding season.

This year, State Parks has posted new signs in both English and Spanish posted warning visitors to keep out parts of the dunes used for nesting by plovers. The interpretive signs definitively spell out that no hikers, equestrians, ATV riders, or pets are allowed in the plover exclosures. Illustrations help visitors recognize plovers.

"There should be less confusion," said Andrew Zilke, head ranger at Oceano Dunes. "The new signs are intended to make the rules plain and clear."

The park's rangers are carefully monitoring four-legged visitors to the dunes. Dogs can frighten nesting plovers, who equate them with coyotes, Zilke said.

Equestrians must now traverse down the Arroyo Grande Creek levee to the beach and stay off the dunes. The buffer zone for the park's southern plover exclosures has been extended from 50 feet to 100.

Park visitors will be afforded more liberty in one area: Between Grand and Pier Avenue, kites can now be flown. No plovers have nested there for several years, Zilke said. Last year, kites were banned in the park when it was found they frightened nesting plovers who perceived them as predatory birds.

So far, Zilke described the reaction of visitors to the changes as very positive."There's a great deal of incentive to get the word out on protective (the plovers)," he said. "The steak-holders are taking responsibility and promoting good ridership."

Another new improvement is spiky topping for signs and fence posts to keep predatory birds such as loggerhead shrikes away from plover fedglings. Last year, shrikes (known as butcher birds for the way they impale their prey) cut into the survival rates of plover chicks at the park.

Predatory bird experts hope to help capture and relocate several shrikes to the Sierra Nevada prior to the start of nesting season. Shrikes, who have a wide habitat range throughout the western U.S. are not endangered but are considered a species of special concern.

"We had to take special care in deciding what do with them," Gardner said, adding the their removal from the park provides the "best alternative."

Roughly the same area as last season is fenced off to protect plover nesting sites. But officials with the EDC said fencing off a greater area would lead to better chances of survival for this year's chicks.

Gordon Hensley, the EDC's biologist said state parks should follow the recommendations of a report from Point Reyes biologists that the fencing should expand to mile post six.

Joe Rosato, a spokesman for State Parks said the technical review team had determine expansion was not necessary at this time, and should be reexamined after this year's breeding season data is calculated.

The EDC also maintains State Parks does not have an adequate conservation plan in place.

"We are following all protocols of the Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," Rosato said in response.

* Staff writer Jasmine Marshall can be reached at (805) 739-2219, or by e-mail at jmarshall@pulitzer.net.

March 3, 2002
To see picture of protestors click here:

http://www.santamariatimes.com/