VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH

Transcription

1 VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH vetaawild.org Volume 14 Number 2 I Fall 2013 Morig Fog, Big Sur Acrylic paitig by Father Arthur Pouli, 2000 I fatherarthurpouli.org Celebratig Our Voluteers Special Map Isert Big Sur Vista Trail Network Voluteer Spotlight Ae Caright Protectig the Big Sur Backcoutry

2 V E N T A N A W I L D E R N E S S W A T C H I V o l u m e 1 4 N u m b e r 2 I F A L L Vetaa Wilderess Watch Newsletter of the Vetaa Wilderess Alliace PO Box 506 I Sata Cruz, Califoria (831) I vetaawild.org The missio of the Vetaa Wilderess Alliace is to protect, preserve ad restore the wilderess qualities ad biodiversity of the public lads withi Califoria s orther Sata Lucia Moutais ad Big Sur coast. Board of Directors Tom Hopkis, Presidet Deis Palm, Vice Presidet David Jacobs, CPA, Treasurer David Kapp, Director-At-Large Betsy MacGowa, Director-At-Large Esperaza Heradez, Director-At-Large Al Budris, Director-At-Large Staff Mike Splai, Executive Director Richard Popchak, Commuicatios ad Developmet Director Stacey Iverso, Youth i Wilderess Program Maager Bryce Witer, Youth i Wilderess Field Maager Greg Meyer, Youth i Wilderess Director Julie Ae Hopkis, Botaist/Biologist David Kapp, Trail Crew Chief Betsy MacGowa, Assistat Trail Crew Chief Steve Beoit, Lead Wilderess Rager ad Trail Crew Leader Mike Heard, Trail Crew Leader Newsletter Productio Editor: Richard Popchak Desig: Ly Piquett Pritig: Commuity Priters, Sata Cruz Prited o 60% post cosumer waste recycled paper with Agri-based iks. O the Cover Father Arthur Pouli is a Camaldolese mok, priest ad artist. His ladscape paitigs reflect the beauty, harmoy ad uity of creatio. Fr. Pouli s paitigs echo the Impressioists, yet he has developed his ow origial style. Whe asked about his paitig he speaks i terms of movig from the ukow to the kow, from chaos to uity, which he sees as a sacred jourey ot to be feared. Visit fatherarthurpouli.org to lear more. Executive Director s Message I spet a lot of time o the road this past year ad, betwee the traiigs, briefigs, paels ad plearies, made sure to stop ad smell the flowers alog the way. Despite a warm, dry witer ad a raiy seaso that ever quite caught its stride, Mother Nature put o a glorious show. Naturally, the most aromatic gardes were scattered alog the slopes of Califoria s stuig wilderess areas. From the limestoelovig mustards of Death Valley s high coutry to the delicate mariposa lilies withi the piey Chumash Wilderess, from the getia ad pestemo of the Asel Adams High Sierra to the mosoowatered idigo bush of the Mohave Desert s Newberry Moutais, spledor ad solitude reiged supreme. Of course, there was oe place that topped the list, feelig somehow grader, rougher ad wilder tha all the rest, but I ll get to that. At this writig, Califoria has 149 federal wilderess areas, represetig 15% of its total lad mass. Nevertheless, we are by far the most populous state i the uio, a fact that raises questios ad speaks to our collective values. How ca all of us get by with so much of the ladscape locked up for coservatio? The aswer is, of course, that these lads are t locked up at all. True, wilderess desigatios protect watersheds, air quality, polliators ad other ecosystem services, but Califorias are amog the heaviest wilderess users i the atio. Here hikers, youth groups, equestrias, researchers ad just about ayoe else seekig solitude or a glimpse ito ufettered evolutio ca simply take a short drive to the trailhead. I d like to thik that our fair state is perched o the cuttig edge of coservatio ad that others have much to lear from our farsightedess. But there s a catch with so may people usig our public wildlads, we eed people to keep these lads wild. I a perfect world, agecies would be sufficietly fuded to get the job doe. Ufortuately, we do t have the luxury of that perfect world we eed you. Ascedig through shrublads high above the Arroyo Seco o a trail umarred by huma footprits, my thoughts wader to the wisdom of those who champioed the Wilderess Act early 50 years ago, ad had the visio to protect the Vetaa Wilderess ot log after. It s up to us to hoor their legacy. Whether you pick up trash o your ext backcoutry hike or voluteer o a VWA Trail Crew; whether you joi us as a sustaiig VWA member or ivest i the future through the Vetaa Trails Forever edowmet; whether you cotribute oe dollar or a thousad is up to you. But whatever you do, please, get ivolved. Thaks ad happy holidays, Mike Splai I Executive Director

3 Everythig is So Beautiful, It Looks Fake The VWA s Youth i Wilderess program cotiues to provide much eeded opportuities for youg people i the area to experiece the beauty ad woder of our public wildlads. O a recet outig to the Little Sur River, studets from Racho Cielo Youth Campus i Salias explored the towerig redwoods, widig trails, ad clear, cool waters of this magificet valley. For may of the studets it was their first time campig ad a welcome reprieve from the daily routies of urba life. Studets were amazed to lear that coast redwood trees ca live over 2,000 years ad reach heights of over 350 feet. Examiig the thick, fire-scarred bark ad bured out goose-pes, studets observed a remarkable example of the resiliece of ature. Sleepig out i the quiet of the forest i the cool fall air provided a challege to studets who came o the trip seekig the teachigs of ature ad to lear somethig more about themselves. Jeivie of Racho Cielo takes i the beauty of the Little Sur draiage, Fall As oe studet put it, I realized I am idoors all the time. I actually like beig out i ature much more. Studets relished the opportuity to explore a pristie watershed ad ejoyed lookig for steelhead i the deeper pools of the river. Everythig is so beautiful, oe studet remarked, it looks fake. This tellig remark demostrates the dire eed to provide these types of experieces for youg people. They do t really kow that this wild beauty exists util they experiece it first-had. Supporters of the Youth i Wilderess program recogize the importace of providig these opportuities to area youth, especially those who are at-risk. Thaks to the geerous support of our members ad grat providers, we are able to make these trips easy for studets ad schools by providig gear, food ad leadership at o charge. Youg people ituitively kow the joy ad importace of these experieces ad catch o quickly to the simple pleasure of breathig deeply the sweet moutai air ad sittig aroud a campfire at ight sharig stories. The goal of these trips is to provide youth with a welcomig outdoor experiece that leaves them with a icreased desire to sped time outdoors, cofidece i practical outdoor skills, ad effective kowledge of local atural history ad wilderess ethics. Studets from the UC Sata Cruz Recreatio Departmet helped istall sigs o Pie Ridge trail last sprig o a hot ad suy weeked i the Vetaa. Studets ad staff from YES High School i Sata Cruz take a break o the East Molera Trail i Big Sur. Please joi VWA members ad the followig major fuders i supportig the Youth i Wilderess program i : Arkay Foudatio Commuity Foudatio of Sata Cruz Couty Foudatio for Youth Ivestmet Moterey Peisula Foudatio Youth Fud Save the Redwoods League 3 Studets from Racho Cielo smile o the hike out of the Little Sur River, Sprig 2013.

4 V E N T A N A W I L D E R N E S S W A T C H I V o l u m e 1 4 N u m b e r 2 I F A L L Sawyers, Grubbers ad Swampers Uite!* Whe we looked at the VWA s stewardship trackig data, we were astoished to see that i the past year 84 differet people voluteered with the VWA Trail Crew! That s seve doze fu-lovig wilderfolk who gladly took o the challege of maitaiig ad restorig trail access i the Vetaa regio. These folks came from far ad wide to trudge deep ito the backcoutry. Besides their essetial gear, they carried loppers, had saws, crosscut saws, Pulaskis, McLeods ad other tools. Ad you kow what? They were havig fu! These itrepid voluteers uderstad the rewards of trail work. They relish the satisfactio that comes with removig obstacles, repairig tread, ad expertly cuttig back ecroachig brush. Ad i the eveig, after a day s work is doe, the voluteers share food ad stories as they rest their weary boes. VWA Trail Crew veteras who are readig this kow the glories of trail work. For those of you who have bee thikig about joiig a crew, but have t yet, the fall ad witer field seaso is upo us. Please joi the raks of the amazig 84 who worked the trails i No experiece is ecessary. Tools ad traiig are provided by our experieced ad certified Trail Crew Leaders: Betsy MacGowa, Mike Heard ad Steve Beoit. Ad for those of you who wish you could joi a crew but ca t, there are, of course, other ways to support this effort. Your doatios provide the ifrastructure for the program ad pay for tools, gear ad traiig. The VWA has established the Vetaa Trails Forever fud at the Commuity Foudatio for Moterey Couty. Please call us at the VWA office at to lear more about this restricted-use fud. *I case you were woderig, sawyers do the cuttig, grubbers dig ad clear shallow roots ear the groud surface, ad swampers move debris. VWA Trail Crew voluteer Ly Mocher provides perspective for these before ad after photos of work doe o the Vetaa Double Coe Trail. 4 More tha 30 VWA Trail Crew voluteers tured out for Natioal Public Lads Day 2013.

5 Voluteer Wilderess Ragers A Baselie Workforce i the Backcoutry Oe elemet emphasized by the Forest Chief i the 10-year Wilderess Stewardship Challege is the presece of a baselie workforce i the backcoutry. As couterituitive as it seems, whe people visit wild places, it takes people to keep them wild. I the Vetaa, this is most evidet alog major river corridors like the Big Sur ad the Carmel ad at popular backcoutry camps like Vicete Flat ad Pat Sprig. Careless visitor use without maagemet places the health of our wild places at risk. Sice the federal govermet does ot prioritize ad properly fud the maiteace of backcoutry recreatio sites, the VWA has stepped up to the challege. The Voluteer Wilderess Rager iitiative was desiged to address the eed for a baselie workforce ad has sice morphed ito oe of our most essetial programs, with a emphasis o campsite clea-up ad public cotact alog the most heavily used backcoutry corridors. The program is workig. Sice the begiig of 2013, 15 Voluteer Wilderess Ragers have made 1,139 visitor cotacts, impartig fire safety ad Leave No Trace iformatio, while cleaig 160 campsites ad removig 599 pouds of trash from the wilderess. The commuity has take otice; the amazig work of our voluteers has garered maistream media coverage i the Moterey Couty Weekly ad the Carmel Pie Coe. VWA member cotributios help provide the critical fudig for this importat program. Please joi us i salutig ad supportig our Voluteer Wilderess Ragers! Rager Adam Wachtel refurbishes sigage o the Pie Ridge Trail. A overly modified campsite before VWR rehabilitatio. This program is also made possible by grats from these major fuders: Natioal Forest Foudatio Patagoia Sata Cruz Outlet A wilderess-appropriate campsite after VWR rehabilitatio. 5

6 V E N T A N A W I L D E R N E S S W A T C H I V o l u m e 1 4 N u m b e r 2 I F A L L

7 V E N T A N A W I L D E R N E S S W A T C H I V o l u m e 1 4 N u m b e r 2 I F A L L We Love ad Appreciate Our Voluteers! For most of its early 15 years as a 501(c)(3) oprofit corporatio, the VWA was a all-voluteer grassroots orgaizatio. We were so busy workig towards our missio that we sometimes forgot to take the time to ackowledge the voluteers that make this orgaizatio so efficiet ad effective. Well, ot this year! Thaks to all the folks listed below for givig your time ad expertise to protect, preserve ad restore the wilderess qualities ad biodiversity of the public lads withi Califoria s orther Sata Lucia Moutais ad Big Sur coast. 8 Office Support Gabrielle Carroll Aaro Cole Paul Daielso Peggy Dilfer Kim Gal Erik Gadolfi Jack Gledeig Mike Heard Tom Hopkis David Jacobs Tamara Joes Jo Libby Greg Meyer Sharol Sevilla Stephay Subdiaz Tracy Wood Trail Crew Casey Adrews Chris Areds Joel Baker Moica Ball Robert Barriger Beth Beoit Steve Beoit Kitty Bolte Justi Broso Richard Burto Ae Caright Agel Castro Cesar Castro Karla Craves Tom Craves Taylor Davis Miriam Ege Laurie Fai Loga Fai Maria Ferdi Alexadra Flores Nick Flores Sadra Flores Kirby Frakli Marta Frakli Da Frost Amada Garcia Lisa Garder Paul Gareau Jake Goetz Robert Goetze Dick Graybill Daw Hartsook Christopher Hauser Mike Heard Esperaza Heradez Joh Hickey David Hirsch Tom Hopkis Leslie Hvozda Joh Ivery Robert Jaramillo Kathy Kardos Jacob Koff Daiel Lautzeheiser David Lautzeheiser Rachel Lawto Jea LeBlac Philippe LeBlac Jerry Lee Vice Lewis Chris Lorec Joatha Luxto Betsy MacGowa Frak Marti Mark Maslow Matthew McGurk Ly Mocher Robert Parks Gary Patto Philips Patto Richard Popchak Elizabeth Proctor Joh Radford Christia Riderma Gary Robiso Robi Roby Joyce Sampso Sharol Sevilla Vice Silva Mike Splai Morga Stryker Arvi Temkar Cole Thompso Keith Traior Lois Va Bure Keith Vadevere Vasiliki Vassil Fracesca Verdier Adam Wachtel Dave Wachtel Chris Wahl Derek Williams Mike Wolf Wilderess Rager Program Beth Beoit Steve Beoit Ae Caright Agel Crivello Paul Daielso David De La Paz Marc Eldridge Maria Ferdi Kirby Frakli James Garcia Mike Heard Esperaza Heradez Robert Jaramillo William Kirkpatrick Rachel Lawto Betsy MacGowa Ly Mocher Joe Radoslovich Burk Siedhoff Vice Silva Mike Splai Daiel Waage Adam Wachtel Dave Wachtel Fabiaa Zambrao Youth i Wilderess Casey Adrews Humberto Agulo Courtey Arel Chris Areds Malek Ascha Dey Aseltye Tracy Balliger Beth Beoit Steve Beoit Kitty Bolte Max Brixey Joshua Brow Rosly Caldwell Brya Casey Agel Castro Cesar Castro Rachel Croft Daish Cushig Taylor Davis Camero Du Melissa Edwards Peter Fabia Christie Fai Maria Ferdi Kim Gal Isaac Garcia Brooke Gilsea Amada Guzma Marielle Haley Da Hartma Mike Heard Da Heasto David Heradez Esperaza Heradez Markus Hische Waye Hollad Moica Holqui Marcos Holqui Paul Hopper Alla Isbell Althea James Thomas Joes Natalie Keedy Mike Kim Jacob Koff Kyle Koerma Julia Kusel Richard Lake Christia Lamoea Lucie LeBeau Jea LeBlac Philippe LeBlac Jessi Leoard Tova Lichma Jessica Little Betsy MacGowa Ia Mahaffey Victoria Martiez Jack Mazza Rya McLeod Greg Meyer Ly Mocher Sam Moo-Harrigto Nick Mora Abraham Moreo Kathry Nagi Thomas Ng Rebekah Nili-Howard Chad Oliver Robert Parks Eric Pratt Kirste Prigle William Pulle Kevi Qua Rachel Qui Jack Rega Courtey Richard Sophia Rose Haah Sample Jaime Sease Marcos Soto Mike Splai Cory Steimetz Naomi Ster Stephay Subdiaz Cassidy Trier Lois Va Bure Austi Va Der Woude Carme Villaceva Eli Votaw Nicholas Vots Chris Wahl Kevi Weatherwax Ariel Wexler Bryce Witer Veroica Yates Fabiaa Zambrao Evets Beth Beoit Steve Beoit Pete Carley Gabrielle Carroll Katia Chaterji Kate Cuigham Taylor Davis Eri Deleissegues Maria Ferdi Katie Fly Tia Fuller Kim Gal Erik Gadolfi Morga Harris Jeifer Hewitt Todd Hewitt Tom Hopkis Robert Jaramillo Steve Kerrick Sea Kilby Jo Libby Kirste Liske Chris Lorec Debi Lorec Betsy MacGowa Madi McKay Greg Meyer Lea Moliari Ly Mocher Nikki Nedeff Deis Palm Ollie Palm Gary Patto Gia Peters Richard Popchak Ja Shrier Mike Splai Alyssa Traube Adam Wachtel Bryce Witer Tracy Wood Recreatio Site Ivetory Demia Keller Ae Caright Aaro Cole Taylor Davis Sam Ellis Fi Ellis Jack Gledeig Ly Mocher Nikki Nedeff Bryaa Smith Mike Splai David Sussberg Adam Wachtel Bryce Witer Board of Directors Al Budris Esperaza Heradez Tom Hopkis David Jacobs David Kapp Betsy MacGowa Deis Palm

8 Voluteer Spotlight I Ae Caright Q: First off, please tell us a little about yourself ad your family. Where were you bor ad raised? I was bor i Los Ageles. My father was a professor of orgaic chemistry at UCLA, my mother was a jouralist-tured-housewife. They were from the Midwest ad came to Califoria i 1939 ad felt like they d foud the Promised Lad. My father was especially i love with the Califoria deserts, ad whe I was a kid we spet quite a bit of time at Joshua Tree ad Aza Borrego. We also spet summer vacatios o the Medocio coast or at Mout Lasse NP. I ve gaied a huge appreciatio ad love for the varied ladscape of Califoria as a result. Because of my father s positio, we also spet time overseas i Australia, Japa, ad Germay. I got a bad case of waderlust at a youg age ad have traveled to all the cotiets but Atarctica, photographig, moutaieerig, trekkig ad simply explorig. Q: Please tell us about your educatio ad career. I eared a BA i geography at UCLA ad a MS i cartography at the Uiversity of Wiscosi i Madiso. I wet back to LA to secure a PhD i geography at UCLA ad a MFA i creative ofictio writig at Atioch Uiversity-Los Ageles. I m a freelace editor for uiversity presses, mostly Uiversity of Califoria, though I ve worked for close to a doze differet publishers. I edit ofictio books. I was also a cotributig editor of Coast & Ocea magazie for a good fiftee years, cotributig stories quarterly o subjects ragig from sakes to oceaic upwellig, codors to islad fox restoratio. Ad I m a photographer ad make a (very) modest icome from that pursuit. Q: How did you first come to be ivolved with the VWA? I voluteer o the Moterey Couty Search ad Rescue team. Ofte we go ito the Vetaa lookig for lost hikers o trails that may appear o a map but do t actually show up o the groud. After these sorts of searches I would ofte check the VWA website ad the trail reports to cofirm my ow impressios of the area. After doig this ofte eough, I realized what a treasure trove the trail reports are ad decided to doate to the VWA. The ext day I got a call from Mike Splai. He ivited me to help with a Recreatio Site Ivetory ad asked me to atted the aual board retreat/voluteer workshop. I was very impressed with the commitmet of the board members ad the eergy of the RSI voluteers. After goig out o a few ivetory outigs, I got a call from oe of the Wilderess Ragers ivitig me to do some trail work. I was hooked. I love that voluteerig for the VWA gets me out ito the wild of Big Sur AND that I get to do good work besides. What a great combiatio. Q: What is it that attracts you to these moutais? I love to walk: I could walk all day, every day, just movig through the world, ad be completely cotet. I especially love to walk o groud rather tha cocrete. I love to walk i a place where I m surrouded by atural beauty. I love to walk where magificet vistas ope out before me. I love to walk to a place where I ca set up my tet, throw dow my sleepig bag, the go sit by a rushig stream ad watch dippers duck i ad out of the glisteig water, liste to the tumblig rocks ad rattlig tree braches. I love all this i the Vetaa. There, too, I love the way the vegetatio chages as you move through the lad ad the variety of ladscapes, from redwood cayos to hot chaparral to grassy meadows full of wildflowers. I love the forbiddig ruggedess of the Vetaa, which is cotrasted by so may welcomig flats ad sprigs, its embracig oaks ad huge ocea views. Goig ito the backcoutry allows me to slow dow ad feel at peace, givig me at least a mometary respite from my mokey mid. It works my body ad it soothes my soul. I feel so fortuate to have the Vetaa ad Silver Peak Wilderesses i my ow backyard. Q: What do you fid most rewardig about your work as a Voluteer Wilderess Rager? I especially ejoy cleaig up campsites: dowsizig fire rigs (tossig rocks, shovelig ash) ad clearig debris, makig the site pleasat ad safe for the ext camper. I also like keepig trails clear, whether it s with had clippers or with a saw. Util I started ragerig I took trail access for grated. It ever occurred to me how much hard work goes ito that! If it were t for the dedicatio ad hard work of so may voluteers, this wilderess would close up ad become barely, if at all, accessible. Ad we do t wat that. We wat to ecourage people to experiece this special place ad also to treat it with proper respect. That s aother thig I ejoy about beig a VWR: talkig with people, hearig about their experieces ad excitemet about the place, ad helpig them become stewards of the wilderess as well. 9

9 V E N T A N A W I L D E R N E S S W A T C H I V o l u m e 1 4 N u m b e r 2 I F A L L Special Places of the Sata Lucias/Escodido Camp by Mike Splai Havig asceded southward from Hagig Valley, our adveture alog the proposed Arroyo Seco-Idias Natioal Recreatio Trail cotiues. Soo we eter the deep cayo of Eagle Creek, ofte referred to by its more colorful pseudoym, Sky Rach Creek. Amogst a particularly aromatic stad of chaparral, attetive travelers will recogize Arroyo Seco bushmallow (Malacothamus palmeri var. luciaus) cloakig slopes above ad below the route. This particular bushmallow ca oly be discered from its closest relatives with a had les. Focus i o the leaves ad its stellate (star-shaped) hairs are umistakable. At oe time this locatio was thought to be this bushmallow s oly stroghold, but eterprisig botaists have sice located several more remote populatios. Not a quarter mile beyod, we cross the cayo s amesake stream. This time of year, Sky Rach Creek is barely a trickle i the culvert below us; evertheless, a little exploratio up or dowstream might reveal pools, sprigs, waterfalls ad myriad other woders alog a geuiely magical watershed that drais the highest peaks of the Sata Lucia Rage. But those exploratios will have to wait for aother day as our destiatio lies miles to the south. Oce agai we asced, this time alog a dividig ridge to Vaqueros Sadstoe outcrops with remarkable views ecompassig the yawig gorge of the Arroyo Seco ad much of the Vetaa Wilderess. Maitaiig our elevatio as we traverse aroud a uamed tributary, the coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) of Escodido Camp soo come ito view. Extremely steep terrai divides the ext two miles ito massive side hill traverses across stacked switchbacks. The extesive chamise-domiated chaparral is puctuated by at least four species of ceaothus ad ihabited by dusky-footed wood rats (Neotoma fuscipes) ad the grey foxes (Urocyo ciereoargeteus) who so ardetly hut them. O a warm autum eveig it s ot uusual to see half a doze of these tiy foxes i a sigle mile. Evetually our slope levels ad we eter a sparse woodlad puctuated by blue witch (Solaum umbelliferum) ad yarrow (Achillea millefolium), itertwied i a post-fire tagle of morig glory (Calystegia spp.), Califoria blackberry (Rubus ursius) ad poiso oak (Toxicodedro diversilobum). Aptly amed Escodido Camp is ideed hidde uder a cover of live oaks, perched o a terrace just ahead. A small expase of adjacet grasslad has log bee feced ad coverted to a stock corral. This etire area was groud-zero for the 2008 Idias Fire, igited by a careless camper well before the summer solstice, ad burig log eough to meet the lightig-sparked Basi Complex that same year. The result was a perfect storm of fire that blackeed much of the Vetaa Wilderess ad fueled the aggressive retur of shrublads that have reclaimed so may backcoutry trails. For ow, we sip the sweet sprig water at the west ed of this lovely camp ad rest up i aticipatio of the jourey ahead. ABOVE Arroyo Seco bushmallow (Malacothamus palmeri var. luciaus). Photo: Day Slakey 10 Aptly amed Escodido Camp.

10 Support the VWA We would like to thak the CPA firm of Chiorii, Hut ad Jacobs for supportig the VWA at the Busiess Beefactor membership level. Sice 1938 the professioals at Chiorii, Hut & Jacobs have advised busiesses, private cliets ad ot-for-profit orgaizatios i the commuity. The eviromet of the cetral coast has provided a uparalleled quality of life for humaity for thousads of years. Our atural resources are both the egie of our ecoomy ad a source of reewal for each geeratio. says CH&J Presidet David Jacobs. Supportig the Vetaa Wilderess Alliace is a shrewd ivestmet i our most edurig ad valuable resource. The VWA welcomes other busiesses i the commuity to become members of our Busiess Coucil. Demostrate to the commuity that protectig our public wildlads is importat to you ad your customers ot just today, but for geeratios to come. Please call for more iformatio. Your Wilderess, Your Legacy Please cosider icludig the Vetaa Wilderess Alliace i your will, trust or estate pla. With thoughtful plaig, you ca create a wi-wi situatio for yourself ad the VWA. Ejoy the satisfactio of kowig that your legacy will help protect cetral coast wildlads i perpetuity. See this lik for the VWA s Plaed Givig pages or cotact Tom Hopkis at tom@vetaawild.org to lear more: There are May Ways to Help Protect Our Precious Public Lads Sice we re talkig about givig, let s review some other ways we wilderfolk ca help protect our precious wildlads today, ad for geeratios to come. Gifts of appreciated stock are always welcome. The VWA maitais a Schwab accout specifically for this purpose. A doatio i memory of a loved oe is a great way to celebrate the life of a fried or family member. A doatio i hoor of someoe is a ice way to recogize the efforts of someoe special. I either case, we will provide a letter of ackowledgemet to the etity of your choosig. Gift memberships are fu ad easy. Just provide us with a ame, mailig address ad address ad we ll let your chose fried or family member kow that you made a doatio to get them i the Alliace. Doors providig gifts of $1000 or more to the Vetaa Trails Forever fud are recogized o a commissioed fie-art piece (above) at Big Sur Statio desiged by Big Sur artist ad sculptor Greg Hawthore. Reewig your VWA membership each year is importat i several ways. Not oly do you help fud programs ad keep the lights o, you also help to positio the VWA for grat fudig. Grat makers use membership umbers to gauge the support of the commuity. By keepig curret, you help the orgaizatio to secure critical grat fudig. Makig a year-ed gift to the VWA provides critical dollars where they are eeded most ad leverages the orgaizatio s effectiveess i the year ahead. Best of all, you ca double your cotributio by makig a year-ed gift through the Moterey Couty Gives! campaig. A geerous door has agreed to match your gift, up to $10,000 betwee November 14th ad December 31st, Fid out more at Ad fially, ad we ca t say it eough, thak you to all of the amazig people who voluteer with the VWA each year. Please see page 8 for the ames of the 210 people who gave their time, eergy ad expertise to the VWA over the past year. Thaks agai! 11

11 Post Office Box 506 Sata Cruz, CA NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SANTA CRUZ, CA PERMIT NO. 150 Address Service Requested Wild & Sceic Film Festival 2013 O Saturday, September 14th, 270 Vetaaphiles packed the Hery Miller Memorial Library i Big Sur to hear great music ad watch amazig coservatio ad adveture films. Thaks are i order to the may woderful folks who made the evet possible. Thaks to our MC, Natural Resource Secretary Joh Laird, to filmmaker ad co-host Erik Gadolfi, to Hery Miller Memorial Library ad to Sogs Hotbox Harry Taught Us. Thaks to the local media who reported o the evet: KUSP Radio, Moterey Couty Weekly, the Carmel Pie Coe ad the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce. Special thaks to the geerous sposors who provided great raffle prizes: Big Sur River I, Big Sur Roadhouse, CLIF Bar, Frame Circus, Julie Himes, Juiper Ridge, Lucia Lodge, Marie Gabrielle, Moterey Pie Forest Watch, Mother Joes, Nepethe Restaurat, Patagoia, Poit Sur Lighthouse Tours, REI, Sierra Nevada Brewig, ad Vetaa I. Most of all, big thaks to our stellar voluteers ad to all of you who atteded the festival. We hope to see you ext year!