HomeMy WebLinkAbout3/16/2021 Item 12, Naficy (2)
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Babak Naficy <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Item 12, Open Space Study Session
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Honorable Council members
I am opposed to any extension or expansion of the night-time hiking pilot program at this time because of the impact on
wildlife. Despite the relatively limited amount of data, Terra Verde concluded that night-time hiking, particularly the
unauthorized variety, is having a negative impact on wildlife. Of particular concern to me is the fact that Terra Verda was
not provided access to the results of the City's wildlife camera monitoring, which was intended to play big part in
advancing our understanding of the potential impact of night hiking.
When the Council approved the pilot program in 2018, staff recognized that the impact of night hiking could not be
adequately evaluated because the concentration and diversity of wildlife is not adequately understood. To remedy this
data gap, it was proposed that Staff and qualified biologists would monitor the open space on a weekly basis, and
wildlife game cameras would be deployed to better understand the diversity and abundance of resident and visiting
wildlife.
yet, the March 9 and March 16 staffs report do not include any analysis of the effects of night-time hiking on wildlife.
The March 9th report explains that qualified biologists were engaged to study the issue, but these surveys were not
conclusive because they were based on limited surveys and data. Included with this report is a 2019 Terra Verde Report
which concluded that "The results of the October 2018– February 2019 surveys provide a small sample of wildlife
utilizing Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve. A true inventory of species would require a long-term survey and monitoring
effort occurring over multiple seasons and conditions to thoroughly understand and document wildlife usage of the
Reserve." Likewise, a 2021 Terra Verde Report states: "The results of these limited survey efforts, primarily outside of
the breeding, nesting, and rearing season for wildlife, does not provide a robust analysis of wildlife usage of the
Reserve."
It appears that the results of the game camera data and any monitoring by staff were not provided to Terra Verde
because Terra Verde Report explains that "The City has set up remote sensing camera stations and they intend to
monitor those over a period of time. The results of species captured by these cameras will further inform the City
about the diversity of wildlife using the Reserve."
The staff report acknowledges that the data was collected, but explains that "Wildlife species observations captured on
the City’ s cameras over the course of the Pilot Program were similar in composition to that observed by Terra Verde
Environmental during their field work." It does not provide any more detail. Staff's explanation does not meaningfully
contribute to an understanding of the diversity of wildlife species that use the open space, and does not help the public
or the council in the policy debate over the future of the program.
Despite the relative lack of data, the 2021 Terra Verde Report concluded that "it is likely that nighttime use will have an
effect on wildlife occurring on the Reserve, but the extent and severity of that effect is unknown." They also indicated
that they encountered large mammals when the number of hikers were down.
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The foregoing make is it appear that the City is poised to debate this issue in an informational vacuum of its own making.
Babak Naficy
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Babak Naficy
Law Offices of Babak Naficy
1124 Nipomo Street, Suite C
San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401
babaknaficy@sbcglobal.net
www.naficylaw.com
805-593-0926 phone
805-593-0946 fax
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