HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/9/2021 Item 4a, Sletteland
Delgado, Adriana
From:Holly H. Sletteland <hslettel@calpoly.edu>
Sent:Tuesday, November
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:OPEN SPACE WINTER EVENING HOURS OF USE AT CERRO SAN LUIS
This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond.
I hope this email reaches you in time for consideration at your meeting tonight. I just learned that you will be
discussing the potential environmental impacts of permanently opening the Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve to
hiking and biking after sundown, when wildlife is most active. I opposed the original approval of a pilot
program to open the reserve to the public for evening use and I am even more convinced now that it is not a
good idea. An increasing number of studies are being published documenting the adverse impacts recreation
can have on wildlife, many of which have been authored by our own California Department of Fish and
Wildlife. Key findings include:
Changes in patterns of animal movement are common in response to disturbance by people (e.g.
traveling further to find food, shelter, mates; fleeing from people)
Encounters with people during recreation tend to greatly increase animal movement, causing undue
stress and forcing them to expend more energy than they would otherwise
Such encounters also disrupt natural hunting and foraging activities, and sometimes result in complete
avoidance of preferred habitat due to human use
Encounters may also cause reductions in movement, when animals hide from people or are afraid to
travel far from their dens
Human-wildlife encounters are increasing due to the increases in our population as well as increased interest
in the outdoors. These effects are compounded by extended recreational hours into the evening. Wildlife
populations are declining almost everywhere, including species that we used to take for granted as being
common. We need to be seeking better ways of sharing our open spaces with wildlife, not imperiling their
populations further. Please vote against opening any of the city’s open space to recreational use after
sundown.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Holly Sletteland
1