Serving Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and San Luis Obispo Counties
USDA official ends 43-year career
PV Water appoints interim general manager
By TODD GUILD Of the Land
WATSONVILLE — As early as kindergarten, Richard Casale knew he wanted to help people and the environment. That desire never left him, even as he graduated from Santa Barbara City College and Humboldt State University. He retired Jan. 3 after a 43-year career in natural resources with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Capitola. He joined dozens of friends and colleagues for a celebration at the Heritage Hall at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. With an office in most counties, the mission of the NRCS is to address natural resource use – such as soil, water, air, plant and animal – on private lands. He has guided landowners through such disasters as earthquakes, floods and storms, and he most recently helped with the after effects of the Soberanes Fire in July. According to Casale, his more than four decades in the agency puts him in the top one percent for employee longevity. “When you’re doing what you’ve always wanted to do, why would you stop,” he said. He is also proud of his work with the NRCS Earth Team Volunteer Program, having signed up the first three official NRCS volunteers in the nation in 1981. Casale started in the Santa Barbara office in the spring of 1974, when the agency was still called the Soil Conservation Service. In 1978, the struggling Redwood and Pajaro Resource Conservation Districts of Santa Cruz County reorganized to form Please turn to Page 4
Lockwood to fill position following Bannister’s retirement Staff report
A network of fences criss-cross the land on Larkin Valley Road in Watsonville. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land
Local solar projects help the city By KELLIE HICKS Of the Land
GONZALES — For the City of Gonzales, the words “Gonzales Grows Green” (G3) and ‘The Gonzales Way” are not mere mottos. They describe
FEBRUARY 2017
programs that help the environment and save the city money. Businesses in the city have embraced both mottos. The wind turbine at the Taylor Farms plant and the solar array on their roof offset plant power usage by a megawatt.
The solar array on the Gonzales Police Department will supply 40 percent of the power load for the building.
Now, the city boasts four solar projects that each will bear at least 40 percent of the power needed to run the site. The four sites are: the Gonzales Police Department, The Gonzales Pool, The City Corporation Yard and City Water Well Number Six. In 2005 the Gonzales City Council and City Staff had a dialogue about bringing solar into the city. Two years later the council completed a study about the cost and benefits of solar in areas within the city, but the market collapse placed the idea on the backburner. The cost of the system, coupled with a 30-year payment plan, meant that there would no power savings and no gain to the city’s coffers. But times change. OpTerra contacted the Gonzales Unified School District about ways to bring solar to the school sites within the city. The company has been working with several cities and school districts within Monterey County, and recently installed the solar awning system at Hartnell College campuses. City officials decided to sit in on the presentation, and, after seeing the new technology and reexamining the Please turn to Page 4
WATSONVILLE — The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency named Brian Lockwood as interim general manager beginning Jan. 1. Lockwood, a senior water resources hydrologist who started with PV Water in 2005, succeeds retiring General Manager Mary Bannister. Bannister, a certified engineering geologist, was with PV Water for 17 years. “Given his considerable knowledge, and experience gained working for us over the last 11 years, including in a leadership role as senior water resources hydrologist, the Board of Directors is confident in its choice to have Brian lead the agency,” Board Chair Rosemarie Imazio said. Lockwood will serve a six-month term as interim general manager, after which the Board of Directors will consider making a permanent appointment. “I’m thankful and excited about the opportunity to work with PV Water’s dedicated board and staff to build on Mary Bannister’s vision and hard work on behalf of the agency,” Lockwood said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us to ensure our local groundwater supply is protected and sustainable.” Ongoing implementation of the Basin Management Plan (BMP) will be a major project for Lockwood and PV Water over the next several years. Groundwater, the primary source of water in the Pajaro Valley, has been overdrafted from the aquifers beneath the valley during the past several decades, resulting in falling groundwater levels and seawater intrusion within the Basin’s aquifers. The BMP includes three main components, comprised of seven programs and projects, to address groundwater over-pumping issues in the Pajaro Valley. Lockwood, 40, has provided technical analysis, review and oversight for BMP programs for the past eight years. His work has included capital improvement projects, aquifer recharge, recycled Please turn to Page 5
Inside ... Ocean mural
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Lockwood 4H
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USDA news
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National monument
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2 The Land - February 2017
PVHS students complete ocean mural
Vanessa Jelmyer works on a colorful new mural at Pajaro Valley High School. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land
By TODD GUILD Of the Land
PUBLISHER John Bartlett publisher@register-pajaronian.com
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The Land is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. The Land made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. The Land is a division of the Register-Pajaronian and South County Newspapers.
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WATSONVILLE — For two days, students at Pajaro Valley High School painted a seascape on the side of one of the buildings there. The mural is meant to approximate the watershed that begins in the school’s backyard, and ends in the Monterey Bay. All that was missing Dec. 16 were the animals and plant life. That is, until groups
The outdoor mural is starting to take shape at Pajaro Valley High. Katelyn Byrne (right) is helping head up the project. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land
of students showed up to pick up a brush and add their own biotic touch. The mural is a collaboration between the school and Mariposa’s Art, which is a program of Arts Council Santa Cruz County. Monterey Bay Aquarium funded the supplies and art teachers that coached the young artists. The mural is meant as a reminder to students to help save water resources, and to protect the natural resources of
the Pajaro Valley, said Mariposa’s Art coordinator Emmanuel Garcia. “It’s a celebration of the abundance of life, and how we interact with the watershed,” she said. Watsonville Wetlands Watch students also participated in the creation of the mural. The work is an addition to the dozens of murals that surround the school’s quad area, which have been painted throughout the years since the school opened in 2004.
State agency claims most produce is safe from pesticide Activists skeptical about claims By TODD GUILD Of the Land
WATSONVILLE — A report released Dec. 21 by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation shows that a majority of fruits and vegetables tested by that agency had little to no pesticide residue. Pesticide activists, meanwhile, are skeptical, saying that any level of pesticide residue found on produce for sale is unacceptable. According to the 2015 Pesticide Residues in Fresh Produce report, 97.3 percent of California-grown produce meets DPR’s pesticide safety standards. “These results demonstrate California’s commitment to food safety,” said DPR Director Brian Leahy. “Our scientific program ensures that growers continue to produce fresh fruits and vegetables that consumers can safely enjoy.”
The report is based on year-round collection of approximately 3,600 samples of 145 different types of produce, including those labeled as “organic,” conducted by DPR scientists at grocery stores, farmers markets, food distribution centers, and other outlets throughout California. DPR’s Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program is based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concept of a tolerance, which is the highest residue level of a given pesticide that is legally allowed on a commodity. It is based in part on the potential risks to human health posed by the pesticide. Of the samples collected, about 58 percent were domestic, and about 42 percent were imported. Produce that most frequently tested positive included ginger from China; cactus pads, cactus fruits, and limes from Mexico and spinach and kale from the
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United States. The produce is tested for more than 350 types of pesticides by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The DPR notes that a sample with an illegal pesticide residue does not necessarily indicate a potential health concern. Tainted produce is quarantined, and the owner can either dispose of the tainted produce or “recondition” it, which typically involves triple-washing it, according to the DPR. The reconditioning option requires the owner to have it retested by a private laboratory, and to dispose of it if it tests positive for pesticides again. Businesses that violate California pesticide residue laws also face fines. In September, DPR imposed a $10,000 fine against a California grower after an illegal pesticide was detected on his grapes in the marketplace and on the crop in his 43-acre vineyard.
Highlights from the report
• 39.8 percent of all produce samples had no detectable residues at all, while 55.8 percent had residues detected within the legal level. • 1.2 percent of the samples had pesticide residues in excess of the established tolerance level. • An additional 3.1 percent of the samples had illegal traces of pesticides that were not approved for that commodity. Organic produce fared slightly better. A little more than 85 percent of that tested was pesticide free, while nearly 12 percent contained residue acceptable under the California Department of Food and Agriculture Organic Program. The results are not comforting for Californians for Pesticide Reform codirector Mark Weller, who pointed out that more than 60 percent of the produce tested had some level of pesticide. “I don’t know why these odds are acceptable to the DPR,” he said.
The Land - February 2017 3
Community forum highlights immigration By KELLIE HICKS Of the Land
SOLEDAD – With the upcoming change of the administration, many people are worried about the future for themselves and their family members. People who have been in the country for years are scared they may have to leave their homes. Many of these people attended an immigration forum at Soledad’s Our Lady of Solitude Catholic Church recently. People of all ages attended, with grandparents, parents and their children looking for answers. During the elections, the different parties said many things about immigration. Some were realistic changes, some could happen in the next few years and some will probably never happen.
The community forum was a way to tell the people that they were not alone, and that they have support. The forum included several speakers, including Hartnell Governing Board President Erica Padilla-Chavez, Soledad Police Chief Eric Sills, Soledad City Councilmember Anna Velazquez and Immigration Case Specialist Paz Padilla. Sills spoke to the people about their rights to protection and the police’s role in the community. He told them not to allow themselves to be come victims of crime because they are afraid of their status. “Most people think we will ask for your papers or documents, that is not our role,” said Sills. The only time they need to find out about their papers or documents is if the person is being arrested and taken to the county jail system. But if someone is the victim of a crime
they need to report it, Sills said. “We are here to help you,” he said. The forum’s next speaker was Paz Padilla of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey. An immigration case specialist, she has been working in the field for more than 16 years. The people in attendance were warned about going to places that charge for immigration information. Some places are legitimate, but there are many that are charging for information that can be obtained for free. Paz also warned about paying too much attention to what is being said in the news. Usually the person reporting it is only telling one side or part of the true issue, or facts as they know them. Padilla explained that at this time no laws have changed, and everyone needs to be educated, and prepared. At this time it is unsure what will become of Deferred
Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) but Padilla recommended that the people continue on that path. She recommended that parents make an appointment with a office such as Catholic Charities to make sure that their children are taken care a of, like designating a guardian if something should happen to them. The hour-long meeting ended with a question and answer portion to help explain parts of the immigration law to the people. Padilla and two other case specialists can be reached through Catholic Charities. They are located in Watsonville at 656 Main St., or by phone at 536-4235. Their website is www.CatholicCharitiesCentralCoast.org.
Lockwood 4H Fashion Aggrigator Marketplace Revue Junior Leader to power ALBA Organics & Paint Party food hub participant Contributed article
On Dec. 22, a paint party for Lockwood 4-H members (taught by Julie Hood) was held in the San Antonio School Cafeteria. Through the course of this project, students (members) painted a portrait of Santa Claus’s coat. They learned all about shading, structure, drying, and toning paint. Afterward, paintings were left to dry and soon were safely taken home by their owners. Submitted by Penny Riley, Lockwood 4H
SALINAS — Aggrigator announced the agreement to partner with and operate ALBA Organics in the Salinas Valley. This partnership will connect small farmers to restaurants and groceries through the Aggrigator Farm to Shelf Marketplace. The partnership will enable small farmers to connect directly with consumers of fresh produce. It will also give them access to the tools and technology of large distributors allowing them to better manage online order processing, inventory flow, transportation and delivery. “We started using the new Aggrigator Marketplace and found fresh organic produce from local farmers at costs on par with traditional produce,” said Fernando Reynoso, general manager of Reynoso Supermarket in Castroville. The current trend is to “buy local” produce, which creates a core challenge of connecting small farmers to commercial customers while giving them access to critical services including cooling, quality and food safety, inventory control, and distribution with online ecommerce solutions. The Aggrigator Marketplace overcomes this challenge and enables farmers, food hubs, coolers, warehouses and transporters to access
sub-pallet scale distribution via marketplace technologies. “ALBA’s partnership with Aggrigator and its ecommerce platform is our first use of agricultural technology,” said Edward Moncrief, Chair of the Board of ALBA. “It’s a great opportunity for our small-scale farmers to connect directly through the platform to the broader fruit and vegetable marketplace.” The ALBA Organics food hub will be a standard for Aggrigator in how to operate food hubs and build better connections for other food hubs to emulate. It will also serve to connect new farmers and food hubs in the region to the Aggrigator Marketplace. For information, visit www. aggrigator.com. ALBA (Agriculture and LandBased Training Association) generates opportunities for farm workers and limited-resource farmers to grow and sell crops from two organic farms in Monterey County. ALBA aims to contribute through 1. human resources; 2. growing marketing alternatives for small-scale farmers; and 3. the enhancement of biological diversity and protection of natural resources. For information, visit www. albafarmers.org.
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On Dec. 21, a Lockwood 4-H Fashion Revue project meeting took place at San Antonio School. Kathy Beaver taught the members of this project how to properly iron. After she’d exampled twice, members began ironing clothing. Once each member was finished ironing, the members collected scrap pieces of fabric and folded the ends twice and Kathy Beaver then taught them how to sew a blind-stitch. The meeting ended and members went home, now knowing how to iron and sew a blind-stitch. Submitted by Penny Riley, Lockwood 4H
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4 The Land - February 2017
Solar
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financial benefits, decided Gonzales could now afford it. The system installed on the police department roof covers 40 percent of the
building’s usage. The system at the city pool covers 60 percent of the power usage, and gives people using the pool an awning to sit under.
Submitted photos The solar array that supplies power to city water well number six on Katherine Street.
Richard Casale
The system at Well Six covers 40 percent of the power needed to supply water to the city while the system at the City Corporate Yard will soon be transferred to a new city
well and supply 50 percent of its needs.
Taylor Farms has embraced sustainable energy power with the use of their solar array and the wind turbine.
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the RCD of Santa Cruz County. The new RCD opened an office in Soquel, and was serving Santa Cruz County by May 1979. Casale said he applied for and was offered the District Conservationist position for the new office. He developed a national NRCS Earth Team volunteer program, and signed up the first three volunteers in the nation in 1981.
To date, more than 400,000 individuals have become Earth Team volunteers, contributing more than 15 million hours of conservation work. He was honored for those efforts by the USDA secretary in 2010 in Washington D.C. In addition to his work in Santa Cruz County, Casale also served as District Conservationist for San Mateo and San
Francisco counties from 1990-2005. Casale said he plans to stay involved, volunteering with the Earth Team program and with the Community Water Dialogue of the Pajaro Valley. He explained that he wants to put to use more than four decades of experience. “I can still take that knowledge base and information and continue to give with it,”
he said. In a speech at his retirement ceremony, Casale said it is the people he will miss the most. “All of you, everyone, it really does takes a village, and I’m so blessed to be a part of this village,” he said. “I am eternally grateful to you all.”
Rich Casale (right) talks to an attendee of his retirement party. Casale ended a 43-year career with the Natural Resources Conservation Service on Jan. 3. Photo by Todd Guild/The Land
The Land - February 2017 5
USDA office expands to help women and Hispanic farmers Contributed article WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Office of the Ombudsperson is helping women and Hispanic farmers and ranchers with accessing Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Rural Development (RD) programs. The Ombudsperson seeks a fair process for everyone involved and helps USDA identify and address issues relating to program access by women and Hispanic producers, focused strategically on FSA, NRCS and RD programs in California,
Missouri, New Mexico and Texas. “I strongly support this office and its functions in ensuring civil rights at USDA and continuing to improve service delivery to our stakeholders,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The Ombudsperson is another avenue for producers to highlight their shared concerns, while also allowing key issues to be brought to USDA’s leaders as early as possible and to help identify solutions to these shared concerns.” The office was created as part of the Keepseagle v. Vilsack settlement to serve Native American farmers and ranchers before directing efforts to serve women and Hispanic farmers. The Ombudsperson serves as an independent, neutral,
confidential and informal resource and advocates within USDA for changes when the process, supporting information and data demonstrate a need. However, the Ombudsperson will not advocate for individuals, groups or entities or take sides in an issue or advocate for a particular outcome. During his tenure, Vilsack built a new era for civil rights at USDA to ensure that all customers and employees are treated fairly, no matter their race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, or age and consistently supported efficient delivery and coordination across all of USDA’s programs. The Ombudsperson: • listens to concerns as a confidential
neutral person with no agenda or bias; • facilitates early calls with USDA program staff and managers; • makes the connections with the right individuals who can answer the questions or address the concerns raised; • shares systemic issues with the USDA managers and senior leaders; and • helps identify recommendations on shared concerns. More information about the Office of the Ombudsperson is available at www.usda. gov/ombudsperson. The Ombudsperson, Joanne Dea, can be reached by phone at (202) 205-1000 or via email at ombudsperson@usda.gov.
USDA provides new cost share opportunities for organic producers and handlers Contributed article
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that starting March 20, organic producers and handlers will be able to visit more than 2,100 USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices around the country to apply for federal reimbursement to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic or transitional certification. “USDA is committed to helping the organic sector grow and thrive through a wide variety of programs, and part of that commitment is making it easy for stakeholders to access our services. That’s why, starting March 20, producers will be able to visit their local FSA offices to access organic certification cost-share reimbursements for up to 75 percent of the cost of organic certification,” said FSA Administrator Val Dolcini. “This will provide a more uniform, streamlined process nationwide; and it will give organic producers a chance to learn about
Brian Lockwood
other valuable USDA resources, like farm loans and conservation assistance that can help them succeed.” USDA is making these changes to encourage increased participation in the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) and the Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share Program, and at the same time provide more opportunities for organic producers to access a full range of USDA programs, such as disaster protection and loans for farms, facilities and marketing. Producers can also access information on nonfederal agricultural resources, and get referrals to local experts, including organic agriculture, through USDA’s Bridges to Opportunity service at the local FSA office. In the past, state departments of agriculture administered the cost share programs. States that still want to administer the program will have the opportunity to do so by applying for funding by Feb. 17.
fees related to equivalency agreement/ arrangement requirements, travel/per diem for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage are all eligible for a cost share reimbursement from USDA. Once certified, producers and handlers are eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 75 percent of certification costs each year up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope — crops, livestock, wild crops and handling. To learn more about organic certification cost share, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/organic or contact a local FSA office by visiting offices.usda.gov.
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Continued from page 1
Brian Lockwood has been named the interim general manager of Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency. Contributed photo
water, groundwater quality, seawater intrusion, conjunctive use, hydrologic modeling, groundwater production, land use, water conservation, and funding and rate setting. He also has worked with PV Water staff and consultants to secure nearly $8 million in grant funds over the last five years to support basin management activities, and has overseen the installation of eight monitoring wells and three production wells.
“The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the National Organic Program look forward to this exciting opportunity to leverage the Farm Service Agency’s rural footprint to reach more organic producers and handlers,” said AMS Administrator Elanor Starmer. “At the same time it is important to recognize and continue the valuable partnerships with states that remain at the core of the program.” Eligible producers include any certified producers or handlers who have paid organic or transitional certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Application fees, inspection costs,
Lockwood is serving on a Sustainable Groundwater Management Act advisory panel administered by the California Department of Water Resources, and is responsible for PV Water’s information technology and outreach programs. Lockwood earned a master’s degree in Earth Science at UC Santa Cruz, is a licensed professional geologist and certified hydrogeologist in the state of California.
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6 The Land - February 2017
Begonia Festival to end after 65 years Last event set for Sept. 1-4
A begonia-covered float moves slowly along Soquel Creek during the annual Capitola Begonia Festival’s Nautical Parade in 2016. This year’s festival, taking place Sept. 1-4, will be its last. File photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land
By ERIK CHALHOUB Of the Land
CAPITOLA — The Capitola Begonia Festival will return for its 65th annual event from Sept. 1-4, but it will also be its last. The festival’s committee made the announcement Jan. 10. Golden State Bulb Growers, which grows the begonia blossoms in Marina, is retiring from the business of growing begonias, but has agreed to donate the blossoms for the festival for one last time. “We are grateful that the Brown Ranch Family (Golden State Bulb Growers) has agreed to grow begonias for the festival for one last year, our 65th anniversary,” said Begonia Festival President Laurie Hill.
According to Golden State Bulb Growers, its AmeriHybrid Begonias are the only begonia tubers presently bred and produced in the United States. “For me, nothing can replace the excitement of bringing begonias to Capitola,” Hill said. “Anyone can throw a party of events to fill the Village, but only the Begonia Festival can fill it with begonias and six decades of memories. “I am grateful for the friendship, memories and everything that this festival has taught me about Capitola and the value of community.” Hill said she joined the festival board in 2002, during a time when the all-volunteer festival committee planned to end the festival at its 50th anniversary. “They assigned me to work in the Soquel Creek to help direct the Nautical Parade of
begonia-covered floats. I was hooked,” she recalled. “Three of us — Eddie Ray Garcia, Lin Banks and myself — along with a trace few others, vowed to energize and continue the tradition.” While many things have changed about the festival over the years, one thing has not. “Our focus has always been the joy of bringing begonias to Capitola and the Nautical Parade,” Hill said. Capitola Mayor Stephanie Harlan said she is “very sad” about the ending of the festival. “I think we are all feeling a loss at this point,” she said. “It was really a wonderful activity for a lot of families.” Harlan said it is too early to say if another event would replace the Begonia Festival in Capitola for Labor Day Weekend,
but added that festival organizers were unwilling to continue the event without begonias. The four-day event, held during Labor Day Weekend, typically features a horseshoe tournament, a fishing derby, a sand castle building contest, activities with begonias and more, capped off with the Nautical Parade, where begonia-covered floats drift along Soquel Creek. For the final festival, Hill said organizers are looking to use the 65th anniversary as a way to thank all the volunteers who “have worked tirelessly over six decades to perpetuate this unique community tradition for Capitola.” Organizers are also collecting attendees’ memories of the event. Comments can be submitted at begoniafestival.com or by email at begoniafestival@gmail.com.
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The Cotoni-Coast Dairies property, north of Santa Cruz, has been named a California Coastal National Monument. Contributed photo
Staff report SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — President Barack Obama expanded the California Coastal National Monument by adding the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property, north of Santa Cruz, on Jan. 12. “The national monument designation is a smart, effective way to ensure the Cotoni-Coast Dairies land is protected in perpetuity and gets the resources and attention it deserves,” said Sara Barth, executive director of Sempervirens Fund. “This designation is now a reality thanks to the strong and diverse support that came from the local communities and political champions like former Senator Barbara Boxer, Representative Anna Eshoo, California Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird, former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, and the President, all of whom understand the importance of land conservation and the preservation of cultural resources.” The Cotoni-Coast Dairies addition to the California Coastal National Monument consists of 5,800 acres of federally owned land in Santa Cruz County, south of Davenport, and encompasses numerous watersheds, critical wildlife habitat, vistas and cultural resources. Cotoni-Coast Dairies is part of a statewide campaign to designate six land-based additions that can serve as gateways to the existing California Coastal National Monument (Cotoni-Coast Dairies, Piedras Blancas, Lost Coast Headlands, Trinidad Head, Orange County Rocks, and Lighthouse Ranch). “This is the ‘stuff’ of a dream come true. After years of hard work by so many, this majestic property will be protected in perpetuity,” Eshoo said. “I salute our region’s environmental leaders and conservationists, the dedicated work of thousands of local citizens, local elected officials, conservation advocates, and tribal leaders who have worked so hard to secure this designation. And I thank President Obama for his extraordinary leadership of environmental conservation. Today’s proclamation ensures that this jewel will forever remain a part of
California’s coastal crown, allowing future generations to learn from its history and enjoy its beauty.” Sempervirens Fund has conserved lands in the Santa Cruz Mountains for 117 years. The organization has a long history of establishing protected public lands such as Big Basin, Castle Rock and Butano State Parks. “This is a historic day for Cotoni and Amah Mutsun descendants,” said Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman Valentin Lopez. “Our Cotoni ancestors lived on these lands for thousands of years as they raised their families and stewarded the lands so they provided for all living things. The National Monument designation will protect and conserve the beauty and spirituality of this land for all future generations. We thank those who supported this effort.” Currently, four registered ancestral Native American archaeological sites have been documented on the property, and many more may still be identified through formal archaeological surveys. “We are celebrating this day, but understand this is just the beginning. We look forward to continued engagement to ensure Cotoni-Coast Dairies is properly stewarded,” Barth said. “Monument status will ensure this landscape is wellmanaged and restored, and that a nowclosed area will eventually be opened to the public so they can enjoy this special place responsibly and sustainably.” “We are fortunate to live in an area of our country with such a spectacular beauty and precious wildlife,” said Laura Kasa, who was community engagement director of Sempervirens Fund in 2015 when the project was kicked off. “We are also fortunate to live in Santa Cruz County where there are people who realize this.” Kasa added that the land is not yet accessible to the public. “Once they are finished with the management plan, they will aim for making it public accessible,” Kasa said. Residents and others interested in the future of the national monument can stay abreast of developments by joining the Sempervirens Fund email list at sempervirens.org/ccdnm.
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