Local Leaders Applaud Obama Administration’s Visit to Central Coast to Consider National Monument Action

From Sempervirens Fund:

LOS ALTOS, CA – A variety of local community leaders praised the announcement that Bureau of Land Management Director, Neil Kornze, is planning to visit Cambria, California, to hear firsthand why people want to expand the California Coastal National Monument to include the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property in Santa Cruz County. The public meeting is scheduled to be held on Friday, September 16, 2016, from 2:00-5:00pm at the Cambria Veteran's Memorial Building, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428.

The Cotoni-Coast Dairies property is an iconic 5,800-acre property offering rugged, beautiful and ecologically diverse terrain, including vast coastal views and terraces, rolling hillsides and open grasslands, and redwood forest ridge lines that plunge into deep, steep riparian canyons. Six critical watersheds flow through the property and into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Pacific Ocean.

The Coast Dairies lands were inhabited for thousands of years by Native Americans known as the Cotoni (pronounced 'Cha-toni'). Four registered ancient ancestral Native American archaeological sites have been documented on the property.

“The Cotoni-Coast Dairies area is an important place for our tribe. For thousands of years our Cotoni ancestors raised their families, gathered plants for food and ceremonies, and stewarded these lands. Since 2006, our tribe has been working to restore our indigenous knowledge regarding land stewardship,” stated Val Lopez, Amah Mutsun Tribal Leader, and Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Land Trust. “We are asking President Obama to use his authority to include the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property as part of the California Coastal National Monument to both protect these lands and help highlight the untold stories of America’s cultural heritage.”

The campaign to have President Obama directly expand the California Coastal National Monument builds on efforts, by Senator Boxer and Representatives Eshoo, Huffman, and Capps to advance legislation that would offer similar protection to these lands. The campaign to protect the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property has strong support from elected officials, including the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, as well as dozens of business and community leaders including the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce.

“Santa Cruz County residents have a history of supporting stewardship of environmentally sensitive local resources,” stated Maggie Ivy, President and CEO, Visit Santa Cruz County. “Our community recognizes that protected lands enhance our local quality of life and are attractive to visitors. This is why the Visit Santa Cruz County Board of Directors enthusiastically supports the addition of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property to the California Coastal National Monument.”

“The Cotoni-Coast Dairies property is extraordinary and warrants national recognition and protection. We are delighted it is being considered for addition to the California Coastal National Monument,” commented Sara Barth, Executive Director of Sempervirens Fund, the organization that has led the Living Landscape Initiative and a diverse coalition of interests in support of Cotoni-Coast Dairies. “We’re grateful to Senator Boxer and Representatives Eshoo, Capps and Huffman for championing a statewide effort to protect key coastal landscapes and extend our thanks to the Obama Administration for listening to the input of our communities.”

More information can be found online at www.cotonicoastdairies.org.

Photo via Sempervirens Fund.