Ellwood Mesa Has Been Saved! ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 2/05
Thanks to the generosity and commitment of many individuals and organizations, both public and private, Ellwood Mesa is now finally and forever protected. The city of Goleta assumed public ownership of the mesa on February 4th, 2005, ensuring that this beautiful place will be preserved in its natural state for the enjoyment of future generations. The 137-acre mesa will be dedicated as the Sperling Preserve at a community celebration on March 4th, 2005.
Read Article
Surprise Coastal Commission Condition ^ top
Friends of the Ellwood Coast, 2/12/05
The January 12 Coastal Commission hearing did indeed see approval of the land swap development needed to secure the public acquisition of the Ellwood Mesa. However, at the last minute, the Commission Chair added a motion prohibiting Ellwood beach access to dogs.
Please be assured that Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) does not support this last minute condition or the way it was introduced. FOTEC fully supports the City of Goleta's request for an amendment to modify this condition, by either revoking it completely, or revising it in a way that restores access for people with dogs. FOTEC will work with the City of Goleta and the community to preserve beach access while maintaining effective environmental protections.
For inquiries about the City of Goleta's response, please go to:
http://goleta.govoffice.com
Planning & Environmental Services Department
Phone: (805) 961-7540 Fax: (805) 685-2635
For inquiries about the Coastal Commission, please go to:
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/meetings/mtg-mm5-1.html
South Central Coast District Office
Chuck Damm, Sr. Deputy Director
Gary Timm, District Manager
89 South California Street, Suite 200, Ventura, CA 93001-2801
PHONE (805) 585-1800 FAX (805) 641-1732
Donation Closes Gap to Preserve Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 12/14/04
SANTA BARBARA, CA, 1/4/2005: The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that it has received a $307,000 gift from a private donor who wanted to ensure the success of the Ellwood Mesa acquisition. The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has lived in the Santa Barbara area for over ten years and has visited Ellwood Mesa on numerous occasions.
In giving the final $307,000, the donor said, “The Ellwood Mesa property is one of the brightest jewels of the Central Coast. It's the winter home for thousands of Monarch butterflies and a wonderful place for people to take a walk and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. There's no question that such a unique part of our coast should be saved. Now, the public can enjoy its beauty for generations to come.”
This donation follows the recent approval of $400,000 by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors which brought the total needed down to $350,000. Additional contributions of $43,000 left the balance at $307,000 at the time the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa was contacted by the donor.
“I am extremely excited about this incredibly generous contribution,” stated Jean Schuyler, a member of the TPL-CA Advisory Board and the Ellwood Mesa fundraising committee. “It is wonderful that there are people in our area that believe so strongly in saving open space that they are willing to make a major personal commitment such as this to reach that goal.”
"If pennies are from heaven, then donations for the acquisition of Ellwood Mesa come from earthbound angels. Friends of the Ellwood Coast is extremely grateful for this timely gift. FOTEC can now look forward to its next task – looking at all the details of well-funded management that will preserve the "Ellwood Experience" that this donor, like us so enjoys," said Chris Lange, president of Friends of the Ellwood Coast.
While this latest contribution ensures that the Mesa will be preserved in perpetuity, TPL will continue to accept new donations and collect pledges from anyone wanting to participate in the acquisition until January 31, 2005. Gifts of $1,000 or more received by the January 31, 2005 will be listed on a central donor recognition marker.
In the event that the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa raises more than the amount of funds needed to acquire and convey Ellwood Mesa to the City of Goleta, additional funds will be used to develop signage on the site and potentially seed an endowment for the long term stewardship of the mesa. The City of Goleta will ultimately own and manage the property in conjunction with the remainder of the existing Santa Barbara Shores Park.
“On behalf of everyone working to save Ellwood, I want to thank the remarkably generous donor who has ‘closed the gap’ and ensured that the natural beauty of the mesa will be enjoyed generations to come,” said Reed Holderman, Executive Director of TPL-CA. “The untiring dedication and commitment of our volunteers and the entire community show just how deeply people care about preserving this magnificent coastal resource.”
Ellwood Mesa is located at the eastern gateway to the Gaviota Coast, one of the most significant biological transition zones in the world. This property maintains numerous environmentally sensitive coastal resources onsite, including monarch butterfly habitat, vernal pools and native grasslands. In addition, it is a cherished community asset and is used by local residents to walk, jog, bike, horseback ride, bird watch and to gain access to the beach.
With an initial challenge grant from the Goleta Valley Land Trust, TPL and its local partner, Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) launched a private fundraising drive in January of 2003. Over the past two years, more than 3800 contributions were received, including $1 million from the Goleta Valley Land Trust, $1 million from Wendy McCaw, and $5 million from Peter and Stephanie Sperling.
All gifts to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa will be used specifically on this project, and are fully tax-deductible. Anyone wishing to make a contribution can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to the Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.9 million acres nationwide. The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.tpl.org/cal.
Contact:
Suzanne Moss (415) 495-5660 x402
Mary Menees (415) 594-5660 x375
Carla Frisk (805) 350-3811
Santa Barbara County Awards an Additional $400,000 for Ellwood Acquisition ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 12/14/04
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY AWARDS AN ADDITIONAL $400,000
FOR ELLWOOD ACQUISITION - ONLY $350,000 LEFT TO RAISE!
SANTA BARBARA CO. CA, 12/14/04-The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has announced that, earlier today, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an additional $400,000 towards TPL's efforts to save the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property in Goleta. Building upon a $367,963 Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund (CREF) grant approved last year, the County has now allocated a total of $767,963 towards the Ellwood Mesa acquisition. Approval of these funds, a combination of CREF and state AB 1431 grants, brings the total funds raised by TPL and Friends of the Ellwood Coast to $20.05 million, with $350,000 needed to reach our $20.4 million fundraising goal.
"I am extremely pleased that the Board of Supervisors voted to approve these critical grants for Ellwood Mesa," stated Supervisor Gail Marshall who has championed the efforts to acquire the spectacular coastal bluff top property for years. "The protection of this remarkable mesa as public open space will be a great testament to the community's tireless work for more than two decades," she concluded.
The first of the two grants, $50,000, came from CREF and the second, $350,000, came from AB 1431 - a Coastal Resources Grant. AB 1431 was enacted by the State Legislature in 1996 to provide funds for coastal counties and cities to undertake preservation and restoration efforts and contains funds earmarked for land conservation projects on the Gaviota Coast. The funds are a portion of excess Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act royalties from existing offshore leases. CREF was set up in 1988 to alleviate the adverse impacts of offshore oil and gas development on coastal resources and can only be used for this purpose. Since 1988, over $14 million in CREF grants has been approved by the County Board of Supervisors.
Located on the Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is currently zoned for residential use. In July 2002, TPL entered into an agreement with Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners to acquire Ellwood Mesa property for permanent protection as public open space. Once acquired, Ellwood Mesa will be transferred to the City of Goleta and will be maintained and operated in conjunction with the remainder of the existing Santa Barbara Shores Park.
"The continued support of the County of Santa Barbara has been critical to the effort to save Ellwood Mesa once and for all," stated Reed Holderman, Executive Director of TPL-CA. "The County provided our first public funds for Ellwood last year and has once again shown its unwavering commitment to protecting this jewel of the Gaviota Coast."
Ellwood Mesa is the gateway to the Gaviota Coast, one of the most significant biological transition zones in the world. Consistent with the use of CREF funds, this coastal property maintains numerous environmentally sensitive coastal resources onsite, including monarch butterfly habitat, vernal pools and native grasslands and roosting and foraging for numerous resident and migratory raptors, including the White-tailed kite. The property is a cherished community asset and is used by local residents to walk, jog, bike, horseback ride, bird watch and to gain access to the beach.
TPL and Friends of the Ellwood Coast are accepting donations through January 31, 2005 to purchase Ellwood Mesa and make it available for the public to enjoy as open space. Gifts of $1,000 or more received by the January 31 deadline will be listed on a central donor recognition marker. All gifts to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa will be used specifically on this project, and are fully tax-deductible. Anyone wishing to make a contribution to save Ellwood Mesa can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to the Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.9 million acres nationwide. The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.tpl.org/cal.
Contact: Suzanne Moss or Mary Menees (415) 495-5660 x402 or x375
100K Foundation Grant for Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 12/3/04
GOLETA, CA, 12/3/2004 -- The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to TPL to help purchase and protect Ellwood Mesa. The gift, made in honor of the late Pierre Claeyssens, a beloved local philanthropist, will help protect Ellwood Mesa and is part of a local effort to name the mesa’s Monarch Meadow in memory of Mr. Claeyssens.
Just two years ago, TPL and Friends of the Ellwood Coast launched a major fundraising effort to buy and protect Ellwood Mesa forever. Since that time, a phenomenal $19.54 million dollars has been raised toward the $20.4 million necessary to protect the mesa on behalf of the public. TPL and the community have until December 15, 2004 to raise the final $860,000 to save this bluff for all time.
Pierre Claeyssens cared deeply about protecting the coast and gave quietly and significantly toward the efforts to preserve the Douglas Family Preserve, El Capitan Ranch and Ellwood Mesa. Pierre grew-up in Belgium in a family of modest means and spent his childhood living in apartments with no garden or yard. He was always grateful for public parks, gardens and open space that he could visit and enjoy as a small boy. Through his philanthropy, saving land as public open space was one of the ways he chose to give back to the community and to make the world a better place for future generations.
Larry Crandell, who helped spearhead the community effort to name the Monarch Meadow in Pierre’s honor, remarked, “We are so grateful to Pierre’s family and trustees of his foundation for their extraordinary generosity. We are honored to be able to name the meadow adjacent to the Ellwood Main butterfly grove as a beautiful and spectacular tribute to a remarkable man.”
“We are so pleased to be able to permanently name the Monarch Meadow—a remarkably beautiful outdoor environment—to honor an individual who contributed so remarkably to this community. We are profoundly grateful to Pierre’s family for their generosity, and for honoring Pierre’s commitment to environmental preservation,” said Derek Westen, a member of the Trust for Public Land’s Fundraising Committee.
Ellwood Mesa is an extraordinary 137-acres coastal bluff located at the eastern gateway to the Gaviota Coast in the City of Goleta. The property includes nearly a mile of coastline and is one of Santa Barbara County’s last undeveloped coastal bluffs in a major urban area. It is exceptional habitat for monarch butterflies, hosts a wealth of plant, bird and animal species, and is a haven for people.
Peter and Stephanie Sperling, the Santa Barbara Foundation, Andrew H. Burnett Foundation and the Hutton Foundation have made significant contributions in order to designate the Monarch Meadow in honor of Pierre. Anyone wishing to donate can send a tax-deductible contribution to: Pierre Claeyssens Meadow, The Trust for Public Land, P.O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA. Or call Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811.
Two years ago TPL completed a successful campaign to save the 2,500-acre El Capitan Ranch further west along the coast and transferred the land to the State of California as an addition to El Capitan State Beach. In 1997 TPL bought and protected the 70-acre Douglas Family Preserve, also known as the Wilcox property, and donated the prime coastal bluffs to the city of Santa Barbara for public enjoyment.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.9 million acres nationwide.
Contact:
Suzanne Moss 415/495-5660 x402
Second $4M Grant Approved for Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 6/30/04
GOLETA, SANTA BARBARA CO. CA, 6/30/04-The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that the State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), at its meeting in Eureka this morning, unanimously approved a $4 million grant toward TPL's efforts to save the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property, located in the City of Goleta at the eastern gateway to the Gaviota Coast. The SCC grant brings the total funds raised to date for the Ellwood Mesa purchase to more than $17.3 million. The SCC approved the funds from voter-approved Proposition 40, the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhoods and Coastal Protection Act of 2002. In February of this year the California Wildlife Conservation Board granted $4 million towards the Ellwood Mesa purchase from voter-approved Proposition 50 funds.
"Approval of these funds by the Coastal Conservancy is particularly significant because it brings us much closer to the dream of securing the entire Mesa," stated Assembly Member Hannah-Beth Jackson, a member of the Conservancy's legislative board and a staunch advocate for preserving this spectacular bluff top property. "The extraordinary community effort is now being matched with a total of $8 million from the state, thereby doubling the state's strong financial commitment to preserving the integrity of the undeveloped natural resources and coastal watersheds of Ellwood Mesa, which are of local, state and national importance," she concluded.
"The Conservancy is pleased to support this terrific opportunity to add nearly a mile to the California Coastal Trail and protect valuable wildlife habitat and extraordinary coastal scenery," stated Sam Schuchat, the Conservancy's Executive Officer. "Once again the Trust for Public Land has demonstrated its skill in bringing together local communities, landowners, and government agencies to achieve our common goals."
"This grant from the Coastal Conservancy is an incredibly significant boost that will act as a catalyst to raise the remaining $3 million needed to complete this acquisition," stated Debra Geiler, Program Director for the Trust for Public Land. "We are all incredibly grateful to the Conservancy for its generosity in helping us to preserve the monarch butterfly groves, critical grasslands and foraging areas and spectacular vernal pools that make Ellwood Mesa. We also want to express our sincerest appreciation to Assembly Member Hannah-Beth Jackson who has worked, and continues to work, so diligently to ensure that people from all over California will be able to enjoy and appreciate these resources in perpetuity," she concluded.
Currently threatened by development, Ellwood Mesa is zoned for residential use. A total of $20.4 million in public and private funding must be raised to purchase the property and make it available to the public. But because $20.4 million is only a portion of the estimated value of the mesa, the City of Goleta is completing the acquisition package by exchanging 36 acres of the adjacent City-owned property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa. Once acquired, Ellwood Mesa will be transferred to the City of Goleta to be managed together with the remainder of the existing Santa Barbara Shores Park.
At the eastern gateway to the Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is part of one of the most significant biological transition zones in the state. This past winter, over 40,000 Monarch butterflies clustered on the Eucalyptus groves in the Ellwood Main butterfly grove on the property, as part of their annual over wintering visit. The property is a cherished community asset and is used by local residents to walk, jog, bike, bird watch and to gain access to the beach. School children from all parts of the state also made their annual migration to the Mesa, to observe this real life phenomenon up close.
TPL, a national nonprofit land conservation organization, and its local partner, Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC), launched a private fundraising drive in January of 2003 and are continuing to accept donations towards the purchase. The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.tpl.org/cal. Those wishing to make a contribution to save Ellwood Mesa can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to the Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
Contact:
Mary Menees 415/495-5660 x375 OR Carla Frisk (805) 350-3811
Environmental activist Michalenko dies ^ top
Santa Barbara News-Press, 1/28/04
Wanda Michalenko, who taught Goleta's leading environmentalists, spearheaded efforts to restore local creeks and marshaled the marathon fight to preserve scenic Ellwood Mesa, died Monday at age 68.
The president of the Urban Creeks Council, Mrs. Michalenko had been ill for some time, said her daughter, Tatiana Michalenko.
Mrs. Michalenko was known for decades on the South Coast as an outspoken and expert legal, fiscal and political tactician for local environmental causes, from launching clean water and creek-restoration projects to pressing for better solid-waste policy.
She was a Pasadena native, graduate of UCSB in environmental studies, a longtime UCSB employee and Isla Vista resident, and founder of the Isla Vista Credit Union.
Early in her activism, she was a leader in the fight against construction of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, writing the movement's manual on nonviolent protest.
Loving nature and questioning authority, "that was my mom's thing," said her daughter. Mrs. Michalenko lived her philosophy, even turning her yard into a nursery for native plants such as baby oak trees and rare native grasses.
"She was our mentor and matriarch," said Brian Trautwein, an Environmental Defense Center official and former president of the Urban Creeks Council.
Many remember her best for holding together the movement to preserve Ellwood Mesa.
Goleta Mayor Cynthia Brock said Mrs. Michalenko rallied local homeowners to hold out in 1997 against a settlement that would have seen housing on the scenic seaside property in exchange for preservation of some sensitive acreage.
"Her conviction was that we shouldn't give up and there was hope if we'd just hold fast," said Mrs. Brock. "It seemed crazy at the time, but it was convincing enough to bring a lot of people in that belief. She had an expert sense of what fight to pick and what deal to make."
Her can-do attitude "kept us all moving forward together," said Chris Lange, a friend and leader in efforts to preserve the famous Ellwood groves that are the winter home to thousands of monarch butterflies.
Last January, Mrs. Michalenko celebrated the success of the Save Ellwood Mesa campaign as the first private citizen to contribute to the Trust For Public Land's fund to purchase the 132-acre coastal property and donate it to the city of Goleta as a nature park. "This is a dream come true," she said at the time.
Mrs. Michalenko is survived by her daughter; her son, John Michalenko of Australia; her father, Johnny Kuypers of Carpinteria; and two sisters, Suzanne Irion of San Jose and Jonnie Kuypers of Oregon.
Friends have scheduled a public memorial service for 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at Ellwood Mesa.
$367K Grant Approved for Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 12/8/2003
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a $367,963 grant from the Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund towards TPL's efforts to save the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property, the gateway to the Gaviota Coast, in Goleta. This brings the total funds raised to date to $8 million.
"Purchasing Ellwood Mesa for protection in perpetuity has been a long standing priority for the Goleta Valley," stated Supervisor Gail Marshall who has championed the protection of the spectacular coastal bluff top property for years. "Approval of this significant CREF grant is clearly an affirmation of the priceless habitat on Ellwood Mesa, as well as its value as a haven for people. I am pleased that the Board of Supervisors voted to approve this grant." she concluded.
Located on the Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is currently zoned for residential use. In July 2002, TPL entered into an agreement with Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners to acquire the much-beloved Ellwood Mesa property for permanent protection as public open space. Once acquired, Ellwood Mesa will be transferred to the City of Goleta and will be maintained and operated in conjunction with the remainder of the existing Santa Barbara Shores Park.
"The approval of this CREF grant is so very important to our efforts to save Ellwood Mesa for two reasons," stated Reed Holderman, Executive Director of TPL-CA. "By approving such a significant grant for Ellwood Mesa, the County of Santa Barbara has become a partner in our efforts. This is the first public funds grant we have received for this project and we are grateful for the continued local commitment to this project."
A total of $20.4 million in public and private funding must be raised to purchase the property and make it available to the public. But because $20.4 million is only a portion of the estimated value of the mesa, the City of Goleta is completing the acquisition package by exchanging 36 acres of the adjacent property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa.
Earlier this year, TPL and its local partner, Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC), launched a private fundraising drive to raise as much private funding as possible. The community successfully reached the private support goal by raising $7 million by June 30, including generous gifts from the Goleta Valley Land Trust, the Peter and Stephanie Sperling family and the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation. The Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa is still accepting donations for the purchase.
"Friends of the Ellwood Coast is extremely pleased San Barbara Board of Supervisors kicked off the first public funding to Save Ellwood Mesa with this grant from the local CREF funds. The 5-0 Board of Supervisors vote speaks volumes about how important the Save Ellwood Mesa Project is to Santa Barbara County residents and visitors," said Kevin Barthel, president of Friends of the Ellwood Coast.
The Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund was set up in 1988 to alleviate the adverse impacts of offshore oil and gas development on coastal resources and can only be used for this purpose. Since 1988, over $14 million in CREF grants has been approved by the County Board of Supervisors.
Ellwood Mesa is the gateway to the Gaviota Coast, one of the most significant biological transition zones in the world. Consistent with the use of CREF funds, this coastal property maintains numerous environmentally sensitive coastal resources onsite, including monarch butterfly habitat, vernal pools and native grasslands and roosting and foraging for numerous resident and migratory raptors, including the White-tailed kite. The property is a cherished community asset and is used by local residents to walk, jog, bike, horseback ride, bird watch and to gain access to the beach.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.5 million acres nationwide.
The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at
www.tpl.org/cal. Anyone wishing to make a contribution to save Ellwood Mesa can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to the Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
Contact:
Suzanne Moss or Mary Menees (415) 495-5660 x402 or x375
Press Release - Wildlife Conservation Board Approves $4 Million Grant ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 2/19/04
GOLETA, SANTA BARBARA CO. CA-The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), at its Sacramento board meeting this morning, unanimously approved a $4 million grant toward TPL’s efforts to save the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property, located in the City of Goleta at the gateway to the Gaviota Coast. The WCB grant brings the total funds raised to date for the Ellwood Mesa purchase to more than $13.3 million.
"The preservation of Ellwood Mesa has been a longtime priority for South Coast residents, as well as one of my top priorities," stated Assembly Member Hannah-Beth Jackson who is a Legislative Advisory Committee member of the Wildlife Conservation Board. "This WCB grant represents a tremendous commitment of state bond funds towards what has already been an extraordinary community effort to preserve the integrity of the undeveloped natural resources and coastal watersheds of Ellwood Mesa, which are significant at the local, state and national levels," she concluded.
The WCB approved the funds from the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Fund of 2002, Proposition 50, under Section 79572 (a), Chapter 10, Coastal Watershed and Wetland Protection, which provides funds for the acquisition, protection and restoration of coastal wetlands, upland areas adjacent to coastal wetlands, and coastal watershed lands. Subject lands must be in or adjacent to urban areas.
"With its spectacular vernal pools and other upland areas adjacent to Devereux Creek, and its proximity to an urban area, Ellwood Mesa is the perfect fit for these Proposition 50 funds," stated Reed Holderman, Executive Director of TPL-CA. "We are thrilled to have the cooperative partnership of the WCB on this most worthwhile project. We want to express our appreciation to the WCB Board members for this generous grant and our gratitude to Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson for her unwavering support for the acquisition of Ellwood Mesa," he concluded. (More)
The Trust for Public Land, Press Release, February 19, 2004
The Wildlife Conservation Board was created by legislation in 1947 to administer a capital outlay program for wildlife conservation and related public recreation. It is the responsibility of the Board to select, authorize and allocate funds for the purchase of land and waters suitable for recreation purposes and the preservation, protection and restoration of wildlife habitat.
At the eastern gateway to the Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is part of one of the most significant biological transition zones in the state. This coastal property, located in the City of Goleta, sustains numerous fragile coastal environmental resources, including monarch butterfly habitat, vernal pools and native grasslands and roosting and foraging for numerous resident and migratory raptors, including the White-tailed kite. The property is a cherished community asset and is used by local residents to walk, jog, bike, bird watch and to gain access to the beach.
Currently threatened by development, Ellwood Mesa is zoned for residential use. A total of $20.4 million in public and private funding must be raised to purchase the property and make it available to the public. But because $20.4 million is only a portion of the estimated value of the mesa, the City of Goleta is completing the acquisition package by exchanging 36 acres of the adjacent property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa. Once acquired, Ellwood Mesa will be transferred to the City of Goleta to be managed together with the remainder of the existing Santa Barbara Shores Park.
For the past three months, over 40,000 thousand Monarch butterflies have clustered on the Eucalyptus groves on the property, as part of their annual over wintering visit to Ellwood Mesa’s Ellwood Main butterfly grove. School children come from all parts of the state, especially at this time, to observe this real life phenomenon up close.
TPL, a national land conservation organization, and its local partner, Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC), launched a private fundraising drive in January of 2003 and are continuing to accept donations towards the purchase. The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.tpl.org/cal. Those wishing to make a contribution to save Ellwood Mesa can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to the Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
Contact: Debra Geiler or Mary Menees 415/495-5660 x496 or x375
Lois Capps Secures $800K from Federal Government ^ top
Capps to Announce Major Federal Funding for Purchase of Ellwood Mesa on Gaviota Coast
GOLETA - On Wednesday, December 17, 2003, at 10:30 a.m. Congresswoman Lois Capps will announce $800,000 in new federal funding for the acquisition of the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property, in the City of Goleta, gateway to the Gaviota Coast.
Capps secured this funding in the fiscal year 2004 Omnibus Appropriations bill that passed the House on December 8, 2003. The funding will become final when the bill is passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President, which is expected early next year.
This federal funding will be used with local, state, and private funds to purchase the property for permanent conservation ownership. The coastal bluff property, which has significant wildlife habitat as well as one of the most important monarch butterfly overwintering sites on the entire West Coast, has been recognized as having regional, state, and national significance.
Santa Barbara Foundation Approves $75,000 Grant ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 12/10/03
Butterflies Return as Acquisition Campaign Progresses
SANTA BARBARA CO.-CA-Thousands of Monarch Butterflies have recently returned to one of their most important over-wintering sites in California, if not the West Coast, Ellwood Mesa, as the Santa Barbara Foundation approved a $75,000 gift toward the purchase of the mesa.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that it has received approval from the Foundation for a $75,000 grant to be used for TPL’s Ellwood Mesa acquisition project. This approval follows an action on Monday by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, approving a $367,963 Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund grant, bringing the total funds raised to about $8.1 million. A total of $20.4 million in public and private funding must be raised to purchase the property for preservation. The City of Goleta, who will ultimately own and manage the property, will complete the acquisition package by exchanging 36 acres of the adjacent property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa.
"TPL couldn’t be more pleased with this generous expression of support from Santa Barbara’s most respected community foundation," stated Reed Holderman, Executive Director of TPL-CA. "The fact that the Santa Barbara Foundation has chosen to support the Ellwood Mesa acquisition with such a large grant reaffirms the steadfast commitment that this special community has for preserving its important open spaces," he concluded.
Ellwood Mesa is the gateway to the Gaviota Coast, one of the most significant biological transition zones in the world. This spectacular 137-acre coastal bluff-top property provides a home to numerous coastal resources, including Monarch butterflies, vernal pools and native grasslands and a variety of resident and migratory raptors. The property is a cherished community asset, used by local residents to walk, jog, bike, horseback ride, bird watch and to gain access to the beach.
"Support from The Santa Barbara Foundation is always deemed special for any project in our county. There are so many worthy causes and for The Foundation to single out the Ellwood Mesa project reaffirms what a unique opportunity it is to save this extraordinary place for future generations," stated Tom Parker, President of the Hutton Foundation and a Santa Barbara Foundation Board Member.
"We shouldn't be surprised when public minded citizens band together to ensure a glorious future for the next generation," concluded Larry Crandell, resident of Montecito.
Last month, thousands of Monarch butterflies began to arrive for their annual visit to Ellwood Mesa’s Ellwood Main butterfly grove. December and January are ideal months to visit the Monarchs as they cluster on many of the trees in the Eucalyptus groves on the property. The site is often visited by schoolchildren from all parts of the state so they can observe this real life phenomenon up close. Butterfly enthusiasts report that the numbers of butterflies visiting the grove this year have increased significantly over last year.
The Santa Barbara Foundation is a community foundation established in 1928 by Major Max Fleischmann to enrich the lives of the people of Santa Barbara County through philanthropy. The Foundation awards grants in the areas of education and personal development, health and human services, culture and recreation, and community enhancement and environment and has returned more than $75 million to the people of Santa Barbara County over the past seven decades.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.5 million acres nationwide.
The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.tpl.org/cal. Anyone wishing to make a contribution to save Ellwood Mesa can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to the Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
Action Alert - Comments due Sept. 4 for Scope of Ellwood-Devereux EIR ^ top
Environmental Defense Center, 8/26/03
Be sure to submit your comments on this important proposal.
The Joint Proposal sponsors (City of Goleta, University of California, Santa Barbara, and County of Santa Barbara) seek your public input on what issues should be included in the Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) for the Ellwood-Devereux projects.
The deadline to submit comments on the scope of the Environmental Impact Reports for the Ellwood-Devereux projects has been extended to September 4. The projects include residential development at the Santa Barbara Shores Park property in Goleta, student and faculty housing on UCSB's North and West Campus properties, and a residential development on Ocean Meadows Golf Course under the jurisdiction of the County of Santa Barbara.
See http://www.ellwood-devereux.org for more information about the projects and for copies of the EIR Notices of Preparation.
Scoping comments should be sent to the City of Goleta, County of Santa Barbara, and University of California at the addresses listed below and should address any issues that you would like to see analyzed in the EIRs, including:
- potential impacts resulting from the proposed development projects,
- possible mitigation measures to reduce or avoid those impacts, and alternative land uses that you believe would lessen the environmental effects on these properties.
Key points to raise include:
1. The need for complete mapping of natural resources and ecosystems on all properties.
2. Analysis of coastal land use and environmental laws and policies that apply to these areas.
3. List of both direct and indirect impacts that may result from these development projects.
4. Proposals to mitigate or avoid impacts.
5. Alternatives that would reduce or avoid impacts.
Send your comments to:
Rob Mullane, Senior Planner
City of Goleta
6500 Hollister Avenue, Suite 120
Goleta, CA 93117
rmullane@cityofgoleta.org
Shari Hammond, Senior Planner
Office of Campus Planning and Design
1325 Cheadle Hall
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Shari.hammond@planning.ucsb.edu
Peter Imhof, Project Manager
County of Santa Barbara
Planning & Development Dept.
123 East Anapamu Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
pimhof@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Goleta Valley Land Trust Doubles $500,000 ^ top
Pledge to Save Ellwood Mesa from Development
The Trust for Public Land, 8/21/03
GOLETA, SANTA BARBARA CO. CA-The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today that the Goleta Valley Land Trust (GVLT) has pledged an additional $500,000 to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa in the effort to purchase and protect the 137-acre coastal bluff top property. The GVLT helped launch the fundraising campaign last January by offering an initial challenge grant of $500,000, which has been met. This second pledge brings the GVLT’s total donation for this project to $1 million.
"The magnificence of Ellwood Mesa, with its sweeping ocean views, vernal pools, native grasslands and critical monarch butterfly groves can never be overstated," said Harriett Phillips, President of the Goleta Valley Land Trust. "This once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire it, and the incredible community efforts over the past six months, has motivated the Goleta Valley Land Trust to double its commitment towards the purchase of Ellwood Mesa," she added.
Earlier this year, TPL and its local partner, Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC), launched a private fundraising drive. The community successfully reached the private support goal by raising $7 million by June 30, including generous gifts from the Peter and Stephanie Sperling family and Wendy McCaw. This recent GVLT grant brings the total raised by private citizens to $7.5 million.
The Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa is now launching phase two to secure the government grants necessary to reach the total fundraising goal of $20.4 million. However, because $20.4 million is only a portion of the estimated value of the mesa, the City of Goleta is completing the acquisition package by exchanging 38 acres of the adjacent property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa. The GVLT Board has made this second grant of $500,000 to help the efforts to attract and secure local, state, and federal government funds.
"We are incredibly grateful to the GVLT Board members for their vision, leadership and generosity," said Reed Holderman, Executive Director of TPL-CA. "The news of this $500,000 grant couldn’t come at a better time for our representatives and colleagues in Sacramento and Washington D.C. trying to secure government funds. This is a difficult time to secure government funds and the more local funds we bring to the project, the better."
Although the widely publicized campaign closed on June 30, TPL and FOTEC are still soliciting funds. The Campaign hopes to reach the $8 million mark for private support and is, therefore, continuing its fundraising efforts through the end of the year. "The residents of the South Coast owe a debt of gratitude to the Goleta Valley Land Trust for taking a leadership role in the campaign to save Ellwood Mesa," said Kevin Barthel, President of Friends of the Ellwood Coast. "Just as the GVLT kicked off our fundraising drive with its initial $500,000, its second gift will make it even more possible to hit our mark. We couldn’t be more pleased."
Several local foundations have also donated to the Campaign. Most recently, the Andrew H. Burnett Foundation pledged $30,000 and the Hutton Foundation pledged $25,000 towards the effort, with local philanthropist Pierre Claeyssens in mind.
"We were incredibly pleased when the Sperling Family graciously designated $500,000 of their total pledge towards naming a meadow in honor of Pierre Claeyssens," stated Tom Parker, President of the Hutton Foundation. "Mr. Claeyssens is an extraordinary individual and has given generously to a multitude of causes in our community. Not only does the Hutton Foundation want to be part of saving this very special property, but it also wants to acknowledge this very special person in our community."
Located on the Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is currently zoned for residential use. With urging from the community, in July of 2002 TPL struck a deal with real estate developer Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development partners to acquire the property. On June 27th, the developers signed a six month extension to that option agreement.
In addition to local environmentalists and philanthropists, elected officials and business leaders, including the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce, are supporting the purchase of the Ellwood Mesa property which will ultimately be owned by the City of Goleta.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution to save Ellwood Mesa can contact Carla Frisk at (805) 350-3811 or send checks to Trust for Public Land, Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P. O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116. Checks can be earmarked for the Pierre Claeyssens Meadow by writing "Pierre Claeyssens naming" on the envelope or check.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.5 million acres nationwide. The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.trpl/cal.org.
Contact: Mary Menees (415) 608-2645 cell or
Carla Frisk (805) 350-3811 cell
Community Reaches Fundraising Goal to Help Save Ellwood Mesa ^ top
--Government Dollars Now Needed to Complete Purchase
The Trust for Public Land, 6/27/03
GOLETA, Santa Barbara County, CA—The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) gathered with residents and elected officials on Ellwood Mesa today to announce the success of the $6 million community fundraising campaign to help purchase the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property, the eastern gateway to the renowned Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County. "We are elated to announce that the community has raised $7 million to date. Once all the local fundraising efforts underway are complete, we hope to reach $8 million," said Suzanne Moss, TPL’s Campaign Director.
"We shouldn't be surprised when public minded citizens band together to ensure a glorious future for the next generation. Such was the case with Ellwood Mesa. This is one of the most dramatic conservation campaigns in Santa Barbara County history," said Larry Crandell, resident of Montecito.
Threatened with development, the Ellwood Mesa property is zoned for a large residential subdivision. In January, TPL and FOTEC challenged the community to raise at least $6 million by June 30—TPL’s option agreement expiration date with real estate developers—to demonstrate its commitment to protecting Ellwood Mesa and to leverage the public funding necessary to complete the purchase. Today, because of the successful fundraising effort, the real estate development company, Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners, extended the purchase option agreement with the Trust for Public Land until December 31, 2003.
"More than 3,500 donations from community members have raised more than $7 million toward the total fundraising goal of $20.4 million. The community has given us the best chance ever of protecting a critical part of the Gaviota Coast. We are very grateful to Peter and Stephanie Sperling, Wendy McCaw, and the Goleta Valley Land Trust for their especially generous donations," said Reed Holderman, Executive Director of the Trust for Public Land–California. "We are continuing to accept private donations because every dollar we raise in the community will help secure the public funding necessary to complete the purchase and protect this incredible property. We are committed to working with local, state, and federal officials to raise the balance of the $20.4 million needed from government grants. Every donor counts and every dollar strengthens our chance of attracting these funds in this highly competitive funding climate."
"I have seen an unprecedented outpouring of public support for this project and applaud the community on its successful fundraising efforts. Now I will lead the charge in Sacramento to find and commit the funds necessary for the ultimate purchase of this spectacular coastal property," said State Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson.
A total of $20.4 million in public and private funding must be raised to buy the property. But because $20.4 million is only a portion of the estimated value of the mesa, the City of Goleta is completing the acquisition package by exchanging 38 acres of the adjacent property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa.
In July 2002, TPL entered into an agreement with Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners to acquire the Ellwood Mesa property for permanent protection as public open space. Once TPL’s public and private fundraising efforts and the City’s land exchange are complete, the entire Ellwood Mesa will be transferred to the City of Goleta to be managed in conjunction with the adjacent city park.
"This community is visionary and generous. They have opened their hearts and wallets and worked tirelessly to save Ellwood Mesa. Success is within our reach. We are thankful to Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners for extending our agreement until December 31. We must continue our fundraising efforts as we push into phase two: finding and securing public funding. This is our last chance to save this property. Now is the time," said Debra Geiler, TPL’s Gaviota Coast Project Director.
"This community has fought for years to prevent development on Ellwood Mesa to protect the sensitive natural resources, including the monarch butterfly aggregation, and to preserve the stunning mountain and ocean views for future generations," said Kevin Barthel, President of Friends of the Ellwood Coast. "This unique opportunity for the public to acquire this land is at hand."
To make a tax-deductible contribution to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa, the public may call Suzanne Moss at 415/495-5660 ext. 402 or Carla Frisk at 805/350-3811 or send donations to The Trust for Public Land - Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P.O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
TPL recently completed a successful campaign to save the 2,500-acre El Capitan Ranch further west along the coast, and transferred the land to the State of California in October as an addition to El Capitan State Beach. In 1997, TPL bought and protected the 70-acre Douglas Family Preserve, also known as the Wilcox property, and donated the prime coastal bluffs to the city of Santa Barbara for public enjoyment.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.5 million acres nationwide. The public can find more information about TPL and the Ellwood Mesa property and campaign on-line, at www.tpl.org/cal.
Contact: Suzanne Moss (415) 307-3559 cell or Mary Menees (415) 608-2645 cell
Action Alert - Help Secure Funding to Purchase Ellwood Mesa ^ top
Environmental Defense Center, 6/27/03
Although the campaign to protect the Ellwood Mesa has met its initial fundraising goal, the campaign is not over. Please read on to find out how to further support this important effort:
This year, the City of Goleta has an opportunity to permanently protect 137 acres of wildlife habitat and recreational open space along the Gaviota Coast from development. An appropriation of $2 million from the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program in the FY 2004 Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations bill is essential.
It is very important that you continue to urge your members of Congress to weigh in with their support for this project. Congressional funding requests for various projects have been submitted to the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate. Committee members are evaluating thousands of requests right now and preparing to write the Appropriations bills for FY 2004.
DON'T LET FUNDING FOR ELLWOOD MESA FALL BY THE WAYSIDE!
Nestled on the eastern edge of the resource-rich Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is one of the most scenic open spaces and natural assets in Santa Barbara County. The 137-acre property encompasses nearly a mile of shoreline, including pristine beaches and a bluff-top coastal trail. The mesa's groves host as many as 60,000 monarch butterflies each year during their winter migration, making the site world-renowned among butterfly enthusiasts. Expanses of sensitive native grassland and vernal pools provide critical roosting and foraging grounds for a variety of resident and migratory birds, such as white-tailed kite and great egret. Devereux Creek runs along the northern edge of the site. With open space lands to its east, west and north, and the Pacific Ocean to the south, Ellwood Mesa is the heart of a coastal corridor with tremendous scenic, natural resource, and recreational value. All this will be lost to a luxury residential subdivision unless we act now to purchase the land. Today, for the first time in two decades, a developer exists who is willing to work with the conservation community and the City of Goleta to achieve a broadly supported conservation vision for the property. More than 30 national, regional and local groups have officially endorsed the current effort to save Ellwood Mesa. This is our last chance to ensure that this special landscape is preserved forever.
PLEASE ACT NOW!
Contact Senators Feinstein and Boxer and Representative Capps and thank them for their support for Ellwood Mesa. Encourage them to continue supporting $2 million from the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program in the FY 2004 Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations bill. Please write or call now as immediate action is essential to help secure this important funding during the upcoming Appropriations markup.
PLEASE CONTACT:
(NOTE: Remember to include your mailing address within the body of any email or fax communication.)
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202 224-3841
Fax: 202 228-3954
The Honorable Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202 224-3553
Fax: 415-956-6701
The Honorable Lois Capps
1216 State Street, Suite 403
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: (805) 730-1710
Fax: (805) 730-9153
Sperling Family Pledges $5M to Save Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 6/20/03
GOLETA, CA, 6/20/03- Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sperling have pledged $5 million to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today.
Ellwood Mesa, with its renowned monarch butterfly site and wildlife habitat, is a crucial piece of the Gaviota Coast. As the last undeveloped coastline in Southern California, the spectacular Gaviota Coast is of statewide and national significance.
Mr. Sperling stated, "My wife Stephanie and I are delighted to have this opportunity to join hundreds of other citizens in the community wide effort to preserve Ellwood Mesa as open space for future generations. The Mesa is the gateway to the magnificent Gaviota Coast and is the home of California's largest Monarch butterfly aggregation site. We believe the preservation of the Mesa's sensitive habitats and open space is essential, and my family is pleased to do our part to help protect this unique portion of the coast from development."
"The commitment of the Sperling family to land conservation is tremendously inspiring. Their gift guarantees the campaign will meet the immediate June 30th deadline for raising $6 million dollars. This success is a significant factor in helping to ensure that we reach our ultimate goal of saving this property forever," stated Reed Holderman, Executive Director of The Trust for Public Land-California.
To date, more than 3,000 people have contributed to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa. Local volunteers, led by the Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC), have been working around the clock to raise awareness and funds through editorial pieces in the local press, property tours, tabling, art shows, special events, business outreach, and t-shirt sales.
"For over two decades, citizens have fought long and hard to save this special place as a sanctuary for wildlife and a haven for people," said Reed Holderman, "Mr. and Mrs. Sperling indicated that they are able to make this gift in large part because others have created the opportunity to preserve Ellwood Mesa through years of hard work, sweat and tears. The gift is made with a genuine appreciation for all of those efforts."
Kevin Barthel, President of Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) said, "Never in our wildest dreams did we expect such a large gift from one family. We appreciate the Sperlings' generosity and we are honored by their recognition of the countless hours of the grassroots volunteer efforts over the years."
In July 2002, TPL entered into an agreement with the real estate development company Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners to acquire the Ellwood Mesa property for permanent protection and public enjoyment.
A strong up-front show of local support is critical to TPL's efforts to secure public funding for this conservation acquisition. TPL has scheduled a press conference for June 27, 2003, to announce the total progress toward the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa, the status of the conservation project, and the remaining financial needs to achieve success.
A total of $20.4 million in private and public funding is needed to purchase and protect Ellwood Mesa from development. Because the value of the property far exceeds the amount of funds that could be raised, the City of Goleta is completing the acquisition package by exchanging 38 inland acres of the adjacent property for the developer's remaining interest in the mesa. Once TPL's fundraising efforts and the City's land exchange are complete, the entire Ellwood Mesa will be transferred to the City of Goleta to be managed in conjunction with the adjacent city park.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sperling's gift will help save a spectacular outdoor classroom, and is helping to give our children the lasting gift of open space. I can't imagine a better investment in our children's future," says Tad Buchanan, a resident of Montecito and local advisor to the Trust for Public Land.
The coastal bluff-top land, currently zoned for a large residential subdivision, overlooks the Pacific Ocean and includes nearly a mile of coastline. Once protected, it will link two publicly owned properties and create nearly 2 1/2 miles of continuous open space beginning at Coal Oil Point Reserve and defining the eastern gateway to the Gaviota Coast.
Mr. and Mrs. Sperling have been strong supporters of land preservation efforts on the Gaviota Coast, including the successful efforts of the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County in creating the Arroyo Hondo Preserve and the Trust for Public Land's purchase of 2,500 acres to augment El Capitan Beach State Park. Mr. Sperling, a graduate of UCSB, is founder and chairman of the local Internet telephone service provider, CallWave, Inc.
In recognition of the gift, the Sperling family will be offered the park naming opportunity, when the campaign is successful and the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa is acquired and protected as public open space.
The Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa still needs your financial support to buy and protect Ellwood Mesa forever. To make a tax-deductible contribution to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa, please call TPL's Suzanne Moss at 415/495-5660 ext. 402 or Carla Frisk at 805/350-3811, or Kevin Barthel at FOTEC 805/685-7778, or send donations to The Trust for Public Land - Ellwood Mesa Campaign, P.O. Box 1244, Goleta, CA 93116.
TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic, and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.5 million acres nationwide.
FOTEC raises $33,000 at May fun run ^ top
Friends of the Ellwood Coast, 6/3/03
Friends of the Ellwood Coast Raises $33,000 at the Save Ellwood Mesa Run/Jog/Walk-a-thon
Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) has announced that they raised over $33,000 at their Run/Jog/Walk-a-thon last Saturday. The event was held at Ellwood School in Goleta, and registrants brought pledges and donations to raise funds for the Save Ellwood Mesa campaign. Over 300 people of all ages participated, and runners/walkers had the option of running a 1.5 mile or 3 mile loop on the scenic Ellwood Mesa property.
The top pledge earner, Rachel Cohen of Goleta, is just 14 years old and managed to raise over $2,000 from friends and neighbors. Mike & Terry Fealy with baby Liam, also of Goleta, was a close second with over $1500 raised. One runner was so dedicated that he ran a marathon, and another, Kelly Knowles, "ran her age" of 36 miles. The Mayor of Goleta, Jack Hawhurst & Council members Cynthia Brock and Margaret A Connell all participated in the event. Council member Jonny Wallis volunteered by handing out the new Ellwood Coast t-shirts to the walkers. The event was followed with music and live entertainment, and prizes will be awarded to the highest earners.
About FOTEC
Friends of the Ellwood Coast is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Ellwood Mesa in Goleta. They are currently joined with the Trust for Public Land in a campaign to raise $20.4 million dollars, and a minimum of $6 million must be raised by June 30, 2003.
Please visit the Calendar section to view ongoing and upcoming events.
$1 million donated to save Goleta coast ^ top
McCaw gift brings Ellwood campaign total to $2.3 million
by Scott Hadly, staff writer, Santa Barbara News Press, 5/11/03
A grass-roots effort to preserve 137 acres of pristine Goleta coastal property from development received a major boost today, when it was announced that the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation pledged $1 million to the Campaign to Save Ellwood Mesa.
Launched in January by the Trust for Public Land and Friends of the Ellwood Coast, the campaign is working to raise $6 million in private donations by June 30 to buy the land, which is now zoned for a large residential development.
"There are so few places like this left," said Mrs. McCaw, who also owns the Santa Barbara News-Press. "This is a great opportunity to provide coastal open space for the people of the South Coast and to protect habitat for butterflies, hawks, owls and other wildlife of Ellwood Mesa."
The blufftop land with expansive views of Sands Beach, Devereux Slough and the Pacific Ocean includes an annual roosting site for up to 60,000 monarch butterflies.
It is also home to white-tailed kites and burrowing owls and is dotted with small vernal pools.
Mrs. McCaw's gift brings the total money raised so far in the campaign to $2.3 million. With the June deadline fast approaching, campaign organizers are hoping it will prod others to come forward and help.
"It is my hope that Mrs. McCaw's generosity and commitment to community will spur others to dig deep and give generously to meet our June 30 deadline," said Reed Holderman, executive director of the Trust for Public Land-California. "If we are unable to meet the $6 million goal by that date, the property will be lost forever."
The $6 million does not approach the market value of the land, but state and local money would boost the total to about $20.4 million.
In addition, the city of Goleta has pledged to swap 38 acres of adjacent property to complete the purchase.
The complicated land deal was drawn up between the Trust for Public Land and the property owners, Comstock Homes and Santa Barbara Development Partners, in July of 2002.
"Mrs. McCaw's gift is helping to bring to reality this community's 20-year dream of protecting Ellwood Mesa," said Suzanne Moss, campaign director for the Trust for Public Land. "This level of philanthropic support is extraordinary and it is crucial to our ability to leverage the public funding necessary to complete the purchase."
If the fund-raising goals are met, the Trust for Public Land, a national, nonprofit conservation organization, will transfer ownership of the Ellwood Mesa to the city of Goleta, which would then manage the property.
Currently, officials from the city of Goleta, the county and UCSB are negotiating to move long-planned housing development inland and, if that effort also succeeds, the Ellwood Mesa would become part of more than 600 acres of contiguous coastal open space.
Save Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Davis Family, 5/8/03
(Letter to the Editor, Santa Barbara Independent)
Open spaces make Goleta unique, but we must act now to save them. We have the chance to save one of our most accessible and awesome open spaces by giving to the Campaign to Save the Gaviota Coast’s Ellwood Mesa.
The Ellwood Mesa is an unspoiled place of natural beauty and is all of the following:
1) A place of spectacular panoramic views encompassing the shimmering blue Pacific, the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains, and the vibrant Goleta Valley.
2) An unrestricted recreation area for young and old, human and canine, to walk, run, bike, and play.
3) A place to activate our senses: the smell of the ocean, the touch of the breeze, the call of a hawk, the sight of dolphin, and the taste of clover.
4) A bird watcher’s paradise to admire a multitude of colorful and talented fliers.
5) A greeting place to say hello to your neighbors.
6) A place to pursue your hobby, be it painting, horseback riding, or model airplanes.
7) A breadbasket for a variety of critical wildlife species in our area.
8) A study place where school children can marvel at the clusters of monarch butterflies, and university students unravel the intricacies of our ecosystem.
9) And last but not least, a place to lay down our troubles, to renew our sense of peace and calm, and to know we are blessed.
We are not activists; just an average Goleta family that knows the actions we take today will have an everlasting impact on the quality of life tomorrow. The Ellwood Mesa is privately owned, leaving it vulnerable to development. The Trust for Public Land has brokered a deal to save Ellwood Mesa from development, providing sufficient funds are raised in time. Please consider learning more, giving generously, asking others to give as a present to you, or spreading the word. We now have a way to save Ellwood Mesa, but do we have the will?
Opinion Editorial - Help Save Ellwood Mesa - Act Now! ^ top
Kevin Barthel, FOTEC President, 3/24/03
Recently volunteers for Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) polled visitors to Goleta’s Ellwood Mesa, the local 137-acre haven for rare plants, wild animals, numerous birds monarch butterflies, all much-loved by local residents, and visitors. The polling showed that most people believed the privately owned Ellwood Mesa is already permanently protected. They had no idea a luxury subdivision still threatens this beautiful bluff top property, and that it could be lost forever. Many thought the land swap to shift development away from the Mesa and the famous monarch site is a done deal. In fact, it is entirely dependent on the "Save Ellwood Mesa!" fund raising effort. And perhaps most importantly, many of those surveyed didn't know that they could personally help save Ellwood Mesa.
In January, Friends of the Ellwood Coast (FOTEC) and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) launched a local fundraising campaign to raise $6 million from the community by June 30, 2003. This local commitment contributes to the agreement made with the developer to acquire the land as public property in perpetuity. Reaching the local goal will empower the City of Goleta to carry out their promise to complete the land swap portion of the deal, which involves compensation to the developer for giving up the right to develop highly valuable coastal land.
Starting with just $30 per person, the people of the south coast communities of Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito & Carpinteria can make a real dent in the $6 million. Donors of $251 and up will receive a personalized honorary Ellwood Mesa Deed of Preservation by a local artist. This local grass root fund raising will help convince major donors that Ellwood Mesa is a good investment and lasting legacy. Locals can meet the challenge put forward by Goleta Valley Land Trust. At the campaign launch, the Land Trust pledged a $500,000 matching grant. Lessons learned from the successful campaigns of the Wilcox Property (now the Douglas Family Preserve) and the Carpinteria Bluffs make it clear that many individual donors help to generate large dollar gifts that are essential to make the June 30th deadline. Strong local support also provides the message the developer needs to hear, that the locals embrace this win-win solution to protecting the Ellwood Mesa.
Decades of volunteer effort have culminated in this rare chance to save Ellwood Mesa. This is the first time ever that a willing seller has come forward. However, without assurance that the local community is behind the land acquisition, without $6 million in place by June 30th, Ellwood Mesa's spectacular bluff top acres will be replaced by luxury housing. FOTEC is working hard, along with TPL and the Goleta City Council to make sure this special open space remains just that. Please consider a generous donation today.
Click here to donate now.
Ellwood School kids say
"Save the Ellwood Mesa!"
|
Fundraising Campaign Kickoff! ^ top
Friends of the Ellwood Coast, 1/29/03
The Friends of the Ellwood Coast and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) joined the City of Goleta, local residents, and federal, state, and local elected officials to launch a multi-million dollar fundraising campaign to purchase and protect the magnificent 137-acre Ellwood Mesa property. The deadline is June 30th, 2003, to raise $6 million to preserve this land, which is one of the last remaining coastal open spaces in Southern California.
Ellwood Mesa hosts more than 60,000 monarch butterflies during their annual winter migration and is a beloved community resource. Failure to reach declared goals will risk development of a large residential subdivision on the property. The Goleta Valley Land Trust immediately came forward with a $500,000 challenge grant to get the campaign rolling.
The City of Goleta has agreed to help facilitate a 37-acre "Land Swap" to move proposed luxury houses off the mesa to an area near Ellwood School and closer to Hollister Avenue. To make this happen the public needs to raise the money to compensate the developers for the loss of ocean front building sites and to purchase the other 100 acres.
Supervisor Gail Marshall
and Bob Comstock
|
Effectively this will save and permanently protect the 137-acre Ellwood Mesa which includes the Ellwood Main Monarch Site for future generations to enjoy as we all have.
The Ellwood Mesa property is currently owned by Santa Barbara Development Partners, a subsidiary of a Canadian holding company. The developer, Comstock Homes based in Manhattan Beach, holds an option to buy the property.
In Attendance at the Press Conference: U.S. Congresswoman Lois Capps, State Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Gail Marshall, Goleta Mayor Jack Hawxhurst, Local schoolchildren and community residents, Friends of the Ellwood Coast, Goleta Valley Land Trust, The Trust for Public Land, Gaviota Coast Conservancy, Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, The Environmental Defense Center.
Details of the Land Swap ^ top
The Trust for Public Land
The deal to protect Ellwood Mesa in its entirety is complex: We need to raise $20.4 million by December 2003. Because $20.4 million is only a portion of the estimated value of Ellwood Mesa, the city of Goleta will complete the acquisition package by exchanging 38 acres of an adjacent property for the developers’ remaining interest in the property. Raising $6 million by June 30, 2003 from private donors is absolutely necessary to reach our fundraising goal. If we fail, the developer will move forward with the final stages of a luxury subdivision plan.
Click here to view the land swap map.
Campaign Launched to Save Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land, 1/29/03
A $6 million effort will help protect 137-acre Ellwood Mesa in Santa Barbara. Currently zoned for residential development, this magnificent coastal bluff is a winter roosting site for 60,000 monarch butterflies. Meeting the goal by June 30, 2003 is critical to TPL's efforts to secure public funding to help purchase the property.
Read Article
We Need Your Help to Protect the Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land
Every year in early October, monarch butterflies begin to gather at Ellwood Mesa. As many as 60,000 of the golden-winged insects travel from as far afield as Canada, across the Sierra Nevada to the sheltered eucalyptus groves at this 135-acre bluff-top site. Nestled on the eastern edge of the Gaviota Coast, Ellwood Mesa is graced with panoramic views of enchanting beaches, the Santa Ynez Mountains, and the Los Padres National Forest. The mesa is a haven for butterflies and other special flora and fauna, and for the many families who visit the property to picnic, hike, and enjoy the view.
Ellwood Mesa is privately owned. If we don't act quickly, we will lose it to development. Your donation, large or small, will help the Trust for Public Land and the Friends of the Ellwood Coast leverage public funds and raise the money needed to protect this spectacular property for all to enjoy.
The Butterflies of Ellwood Mesa ^ top
The Trust for Public Land
As you follow winding trails through majestic eucalyptus groves, into open meadows full of native grasses, and onto a bluff overlooking the coastal cliffs and sandy beaches of the Gaviota Coast, stop occasionally and close your eyes. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the gentle, almost musical, fluttering of thousands of monarch butterfly wings. Each year in early October, monarch butterflies flock to Ellwood Mesa in the course of their winter migration. As many as 60,000 golden-winged insects travel from as far as Canada, across the Sierra Nevada, to the shelter of the eucalyptus groves on this stunning 137-acre bluff. And each winter, thousands of two-legged visitors follow them to see the wondrous display.
Nestled on the eastern edge of the Gaviota Coast—the last undeveloped coastline in Southern California—Ellwood Mesa is graced with views that stretch from Coal Oil Point to Point Conception. From the edge of the bluff, the lush and verdant Santa Ynez Mountains rise up above the treeline unobstructed by cityscape. A popular coastal trail runs along the bluff for the length of the property and continues into the open space on Ellwood Mesa’s eastern and western boundaries, spanning a two-mile corridor of undeveloped coast. Ellwood Mesa, although privately owned, has been open to the public for years to enjoy. Year round, hikers, painters, wildlife enthusiasts, and picnickers come to walk the trails, witness the magnificent monarchs, or simply enjoy the extraordinary views. But if we fail to act now to save the beloved mesa, we will lose it to development.
See also, Explore Ellwood.
State of the City: Land swap moves forward at Council ^ top
The Goleta ValleyVoice, 1/24/03
Read Article
