firemanagement fmp scoping pacifica

BEFORE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA PUBLIC MEETING Pacific City Council Chambers 2212 Beach Boulevard Pacifica, California 94044 Tuesday, September 16, 2003 REPORTER: JAMES W. HIGGINS, CVR 2 GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA - - - PUBLIC MEETING - - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2003 - - Pacifica City Council Chambers 2212 Beach Boulevard Pacifica, California 94044 The meeting was convened, pursuant to Notice, at 7:00 p.m., Tina Stott, Moderator. For the Golden Gate National Recreation Area: MAI-LIIS BARTLING, Acting Superintendent NANCY HORNOR, Director of Planning STAFF LIAISON: MICHAEL FEINSTEIN, GGNRA 3 C O N T E N T S PAGE OPENING REMARKS, TINA STOTT, FACILITATOR OPENING REMARKS, MAI-LISS BARTLING, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT GGNRA DRAFT FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN (SCOPING) Alex Naar, Fire Management Officer. PUBLIC COMMENT STATEMENT OF:. Mary McAlister Nancy Wuerfel Jackie Johnson Suzanne Valente Vi Gotelli Stephen Golub Carolyn Blair 20 22 24 25 27 28 29 6 12 13 20 6 UPDATE STATUS OF PLANNING AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LAND ACQUISITION IN SAN MATEO COUNTY (MORI POINT, PICARDO RANCH, PEDRO POINT HEADLANDS, CATTLE HILL AND OTHER SITES 33 Nancy Hornor, Director of Planning, GGNRA PUBLIC COMMENT STATEMENT OF: Lisa Vittori 41 33 41 4 PRESENTATION OF NEW STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM AT MORI POINT Sue Gardner, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy PUBLIC COMMENT STATEMENT OF: John Keating, Esq. Jeri Flinn Lisa Vittori 51 53 55 44 51 REPORT ON HABITAT RESTORATION FOR THE ENDANGERED SAN FRANCISCO GARTER SNAKE 57 Darren Fong, Ecologist, Natural Resources PUBLIC COMMENT STATEMENT OF: Frank Deering, Native Californians for Stream Fishing Ron Maykel Nancy Wuerfel Vi Vitelli Vern Smith 64 58 64 67 69 70 71 BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL OPENING IN SAN FRANCISCO WATERSHED Bob Power, South and East Bay Trails Director, 74 Bay Area Ridge Trail Council GGNRA TRAIL CAMPAIGN "TRAILS FOREVER" Kate Bickert, GGNP Conservancy Steve Griswold, Landscape Architect, GGNRA Scott Holmes, Coastal Trail 82 83 86 88 5 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT 89 Mai-Liis Bartling, Acting Superintendent, GGNRA OPEN COMMENT STATEMENT OF: Julie Lancelle Lisa Vittori Jon Rayner 92 94 97 92 6 P R O C E E D I N G S 7:00 P.M. MS. STOTT: Good evening. If everyone could to to sit down, please, we'll start the meeting. thank you for coming tonight, and I'd like you welcome tonight's GGNRA Public Meeting. I'd like to say that we're very pleased to be here GGNRA in Pacifica and to hear your comments about the in and the projects and activities they're doing the region. I am Tina Stott, and I will be your meeting facilitator tonight. My role will be to help us stay on schedule and also to help the meeting run smoothly. I would also like to introduce two who representatives from the GGNRA: Mai-Liis Bartling, is the GGNRA Acting Superintendent; Nancy Hornor, who is the GGNRA Chief of Planning. I of words think Mai-Liis would like to say a couple before we start. ACTING SUPERINTENDENT BARTLING: I'd also in San of like this to welcome you and thank you for your interest meeting. This It's important that we be here is going to be increasingly an in area Mateo. emphasis for the park. And I'd like to encourage you to have call, call our park, if you have questions, if you 7 concerns, issues, and talk to staff. And Tribune, I'd also like to thank the Pacifica and the San Mateo County Times for continuing to report on park issues. Thank you. MS. STOTT: You Thank you, Mai-Liis. to may notice -- although we don't come notice Pacifica as often as we might -- you might we are continuing to use an interim that meeting format, which that appears a bit different from Advisory was meeting last year about this time. Commission But the give meeting you serves a similar purpose. We are here to the opportunity to provide public input on pending projects affecting the GGNRA, and also to allow staff to give you information on those projects. be Staff will are not here making and decisions at this meeting, but just to take your comments. We while we will be following this of meeting the format await reauthorization Advisory will these every San the the Commission. And, so far, we don't know when that be. So, lieu of the Advisory Commission meetings, meetings other will be held on the third And we rotate Tuesday of month. locations between So Francisco, next San Mateo County, and Marin County. meeting will be held in November, on Tuesday 8 eighteenth, Francisco.. at Building 201 in Fort Mason in San At the back of the room, there are agendas, and there's also a sign-up sheet. a If you didn't receive the if up notice for this meeting in the mail, please sign and we will add you to the mailing list. But sheet you did get something in the mail, please don't sign again. A couple of logistical items: First, all our scoping to be agenda items tonight, except Item 1, the public for the Draft Fire Management Plan, are items; but we will be going taking informational comment on public make all the items. So you're welcome to comments, or ask questions of the presenters, after each agenda item. But what we'd ask you to do is to sign up in the back on a sign-up sheet so we can call your and have you come up to the front and speak and name state your name. So, if you hear a presentation and then to speak, it would be great if you could sign up; we'll also take a show of hands if you want but, want otherwise, to speak that way. There is also an opportunity to comment at the very end, during the Open Comment Period, on topics So that we aren't -- that aren't on the agenda tonight. 9 you can sign up to do that. Also, the scoping period for the Fort Mason Center Long-term Lease Assessment you want Environmental So, on if closes on September twenty-second. to make any other scoping comments that the project, you can do that, as well, by signing up on sign-up sheet in the back. We have a few guidelines for public comments. I will call your name from the sign-up sheet when turn to speak. So, if you could come to it's this your podium -- Is that where you want people to come? -- and then address your comments to the staff of the park, and the presenters, and state your name before you start speaking, so we can record the comments. To save time, I will also call the subsequent speaker, who can just wait in the wings until it's turn to speak. If you prefer not to speak, you your can write your question or your comment on one of the in the back of the room, and then identify your on that card. I will read the questions cards agenda item end, at the and following the presentation or the comments, I'll make -- you can make your comment that way. Each speaker has three minutes to speak. group I'll let you know when your time is up. And if a of you have a common issue, if you could pick one or two spokespersons who can present your suggestions, that 10 will help the meeting move along smoothly. concur that well. Also, we love to get written with the previous speaker, a Also, if you statement going, as simple you concum helps us keep the meeting correspondence. So if It's very effective, and we can refer back to it. you would like the will to write any letters be or comments Each and that following presenter e-mail way. meeting, give that would great. tonight, comments mailing addresses addresses, if you want to submit Let's see? Similar to the Advisory Commission Meetings, this meeting is being recorded by a court reporter and will transcribe it for public and staff use. Then, in terms of just general ground please, only one person talking at a time. opinions you rules, the if Respect of others and be courteous to others, even with what is they have Do to say, disagree because the everyone's opinion valid. not criticize speakers or make personal attacks. A are little bit about the room: The restrooms in behind this wall. Also, to park in the lot out front, in the you need a parking permit, which there are back of the room on the table, and some some 11 downstairs by the elevator. So, if you didn't put one in your car dash, you should probably do that now. [Several speakers made comments regarding the parking rule.] MS. STOTT: So skip that directive. So, I want to, first, just quickly review the agenda. We have six agenda items, plus the public-comment period. scoping Plan. comments The first thing we'll do is take Draft Fire Management on the on the GGNRA That will be preceded by a presentation future plan. Then we'll talk about the status of planning Mateo New and National Park Service land acquisition in San County. Then we'll do a presentation of the stewardship program at Mori Point, followed by a on habitat restoration for the endangered San garter snake. Trail we'll opening talk report Francisco A fifth agenda item is the Bay Area Ridge on the San Francisco Watershed. Then is at the about the GGNRA trails campaign, which called "Trails Forever." Then we'll follow that up, the very end, with the Superintendent's Report, and open-comment period. also talk about Again, during that period, you can comments on the Fort Mason your long-term lease. So, what I'd like to do now is to turn it 12 over to Mai-Liis Bartling, again, who is the acting opening Fire Superintendent, comments on and she will present, or scoping for the give the GGNRA Draft Management Plan. GGNRA DRAFT FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN (SCOPING) MAI-LISS BARTLING, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT, GGNRA ALEX NAAR, FIRE MANAGEMENT OFFICER, GGNRA ACTING SUPERINTENDENT BARTLING: just say a few words before we get I'd like with to the started specifics of this agenda item. First, I just want to acknowledge the might Fire draft have been a little confusing. Management plan. Plan." It's says agenda "Draft a We're not here to present This is very early in the process. We're here for scoping. The other thing is: little I think there might be a Fire a bit of confusion as to why we need to do a Plan. So let me just address that, Management moment. for The Management Park Service is required to do Fire Plans wherever there is vegetation that's Plan are capable of burning. is old. It Our exisiting Fire Management the plans was written in 1993, and supposed to have a life of 5 years, and it's out of date and in need of updating. Not considered to mention 13 that our guidelines and rules for Fire Management have changed in between. Many of you may remember the Los Alamos several Service for years ago. That very much sensitized the Plans Fire Park and to the need for Fire Management its responsibilities, Planning, as meeting relates Our main of and particularly to the Wildlife Urban Interface. concerns are the public's safety, the protection property, as well as the protection of park natural cultural resources. As What input the you that I said a minute ago, we are in scoping. to your and means is, is we're here to listen about the issues, the range of alternatives, We and important environmental considerations. know, we need the public's comments, need, that's really what we're here to do tonight. I Fire that want to introduce Alex Naar, who He will introduce is our team as Management will Officer. the be working on the Fire Management Plan, well as lead off the presentation. MR. NAAR: Management only Officer. Hi! I'm Alex Naar, the Fire Not we're Mai-Liis is quite correct: don't we have a Draft Fire Management Plan, at the ground floor of our plan, and really planning process, I should say. 14 August published process. our This sixth, in the Federal Register, the was notice of intent to being is, indeed, the first planning meeting. public Next Wednesday, the twenty-fourth, we have a two-hour -or is it an hour? -- an hour-and-a-half meeting, 7:00 to 8:30 in the evening, in Sausalito, at the Bay Model. And that is devoted entirely to public scoping. Then, in November we'll there. All national parks, with burnable vegetation, are going through this process across the country. So -is the 18th, the next public talk about the Fire Management meeting? Plan -- also again Several we're hundred the parks have burnable only vegetation. gathering in process of not public of, also comment perhaps, and ideas, and thoughts, and criticisms our old plan, or other park's plans; but internal input. We have held two gathering internal scoping sessions for park staff. from different divisions come. We had about 60 people Some of the documents, or posters, that you see, with issues and goals, are the result of that. The park decided that the planning process be made, whole or the planning group, the core team, for this of Fire Management Plan, represent all divisions the park. So I'd just like to point out a few people in 15 the room. Right compliance person. just Paul here, Wendy Poinsot is our fire has her, And, in the back, Carrie Robin, Next to joined us as a planning consultant. McLaughlin, Then who represents the Jen Vick, also Natural the Resource Planning superstar And Division. Division. intern who from Behind her, in the yellow, is our from the Student Conservation Association. is here? Steve Haller represents And Rudy else Cultural Evenson, So is and Resources. back He's our park historian. here, is from the Division of Public Affairs. Somewhere. is Alanna Donohoe coordinating -- also, where's Alanna? our fire program assistant, and tracking all the documents. Not only are we capturing public and internal input, we will be having an agency scoping session. So, for instance, the fire chief and his deputy, in the back of the room, and fire chiefs from all the towns and San cities next to the GGNRA, and the counties, Marin, and San Mateo, as well as CDF, Francisco, California Department of Forestry, will be meeting at some point in the next six weeks, or so, to discuss issues connected to the Fire Management Plan and planning process. One which thing that Mai-Liis mentioned was WUI, just is Wildlife Urban Interface. I thought I'd 16 clarify what we mean by that. wildland and urban meet. It's the interface So where even So Urban structures. single-family homes are considered an urban area. where GGNRA land, or other non-GGNRA land that is wild, meets residential or commercial, or even park structures and properties. We have, we think, between 50 and 60 miles of interface in GGNRA. So from Point Reyes, below Point all Reyes, somewhere in the Stinson Beach-Bolinas area, the way down to Half Moon Bay. Is that right? Different points, the Phleger Estate. Our '93 plan called primarily for suppression -well, actually, completely for suppression fire. And it also called for, in of any wildland mostly places, of to fire the in Marin, I believe, the what we application fire, deliberately, landscape. now come call prescribed This plan, the one we're working on right to -- and our target date is December '04, really, up with a draft. Is that correct, Wendy? When will our draft be out? MS. POINSOT: out in August '04. MR. MAAR: will be then. we'll Okay. So August '04, our draft We're expecting a draft to be But in that draft, and in the planning to use process, look at how, if -- how we want 17 fire, if at all, on the landscape. be letting a wildland fire burn. along the fires. coast. And using fire might We have very few natural starts fires natural Lightning get much typically lightning. We don't However, for the last month, the Bay Area has seen quite a bit of lightning. We cultural might use fire to achieve natural or resource goals. We might use fire to achieve fire goals, putting fire on the landscape to reduce what we call "fuel buildup," where vegetation -- or we not do that. mechanical fire might We also might use mechanical, what we call So going in and that mowing have along spread treatments. roads, removing certain trees across fire roads and present a hazard to or -to the public, or to our park staff. firefighters, Everything grabs, is if I guess my point is everything is up for you will. for We have no projects planned for San Mateo, or process. members of It's the Marin, at the end of this planning up to you, to us, and other really public. We Certainly, have several ways that you can comment. November tonight and next Wednesday, and in at the public meeting. handout that. You can e-mail us, and there's a to do in the back that has the e-mail address Or, you can write the Park Superintendent, with 18 the Fire Management Plan, you know, in the subject heading, Attention: Fire Management Plan. What else should I talk about? I published something. end of mentioned August that the Notice of fifth. Steve's Intent was at The this on pointing The goals. I'll get there in a second. fifth of the comment period is December Okay. year. Is that right? So I'll just quickly run through that which from might I'm sure some of you can't see. here, but I have a cheat sheet. I can't And I chart, see it it the think be valuable to just read the nine goals that core team, after three weeks of debate and deliberation, came up with. 1. is the Insure that public and firefighter safety priority for all fire management highest activities. 2. Reduce wildland fire risks to private and public property. 3. Protect natural resources from adverse use and effects of fire and fire management activities, and fire management wherever appropriate to sustain restore natural resources. 4. Preserve historic structures, landscapes and archeological resources from adverse effects of fire 19 and fire management activities, and use fire wherever appropriate to rehabilitate or management these restore cultural resources. 5. Refine management practices by improving knowledge and understanding of fire through research and monitoring. 6. Develop and maintain staff expertise in all aspects of fire management. 7. Effectively integrate the fire management program into the park and park-partner activities. 8. Foster informed public participation in fire management activities. 9. management fire-fighting level. I think what's unique, or what differentiates this planning process from the '93 plan -- and I here for that -- but that we are working at it in the park. My office, the Fire Management wasn't Foster and maintain and interagency to fire the partnerships contribute and effort at the local, state national together Office, will really do, what is not pushing this plan forward. What we do, at the end of the planning process, is the rest of the park, the folks, natural law again, and cultural resources maintenance folks, enforcement, public affairs, what they feel are the important goals. 20 Where overlap, we have areas that coincide and and fire priority-wise -- again, natural resources cultural resource -- and, then, maybe there's some goals reducing the threat to public property, that's great. Those might be the projects we move forward on. I comment now. think we can take a few moments to get Is that right? Or questions? I know it's How a lot of information, but is there a sign-up list? does that work? Tina has it, okay. Anything from the team members, real quickly? (No response.) PUBLIC COMMENT MS. STOTT: this topic. The We have about ten commenters speaker if Mary on first McAlister, wait followed by Nancy Wuerfel. And if you could just in the wings. You have three minutes. STATEMENT OF MARY MC ALISTER MS. MS ALISTER: I Francisco, Pacifica. and the live we in Thank you. Sunset District in in San with the and have many things common We're drenched in fog about half of the year; other half of the year, we're bombarded with high winds. Fire hazard is not an issue for us. In fact, 21 your fire history map sort of substantiates that. another County thing that we have in common with is that the native plant San But Mateo has a movement stranglehold on our public lands. Thousands of our non-native trees have been destroyed in San by the native plant fanatics, many in the Francisco dark of it night. could The Fire Management Plan looks as be another means to destroy more though non-native trees using fire hazard as an excuse. I hope the good people of San Mateo understand that their trees are in jeopardy. County I hope they realize that the loss of their trees will expose own them to uncomfortable winds and the loss of their trees on their own property because of the exposure of their trees to the winds. Thank this you very much. I hope you'll take into consideration in evaluating the proposals that you hear. is getting I think that the native-plant movement and better is what at cleaning looks up its better message, and this this like, superficially. Thank you. MS. STOTT: And our Thank you. is Nancy Wuerfel, next speaker followed by Jackie Johnson. 22 STATEMENT OF NANCY WUERFEL MS. WUERFEL: Good evening. My name is Nancy Wuerfel, and I also live in San Francisco. My concern about this program in San Mateo, and in Marin County, had to do with is the no precedent-setting excuse most nature of this plan. There for fire in San Francisco. packed city in the We are the United second I densely States. would like to suggest, right now, that any plans the National Park Service has for any kind the City and County of of that fire San I management Francisco. consider exclude And that includes the Presidio, because part of my city. It that geographically belongs there, even though it's owned by other people, called the Federal Government. So I want to talk about the precedent-setting nature of what we're doing here, the copycat nature of -- you talk about restoring resources. restore we If this becomes some sort of natural plan to wild seeds of grasses, then, all of a sudden for it have deal with copying this in San Francisco own natural areas, I'm going to be very upset that started in the hinterlands and crept into a major metropolitan area. 23 There's areas it's they program another problem that our natural up, and and crap So have this they the brush a in San Francisco has brought called "debris." do They cut down these trees leave fire their hazard. severe pruning, and they This is what we call a around. they're creating a problem that I don't want to spontaneous combustion, then, say to people like plan: started Oh my God! We got fire they did here! not Well, it because maintain grasslands properly, and they didn't take their away and dispose of it appropriately. They created problem, which is a self-fulfilling prophecy. So my concern is that there is going to some creeping trying into San Francisco in a program in be that the want you're to intend in the hinterlands, wildlands, outside of an urban city, and I don't it to come into an urban setting by any remote sense. in a my is And I'm not condoning any kind of tree destruction the wildlands. I consider everyone of our tress is natural resource. Everyone of the eucalyptus resource. Everyone of the pines. Everything that non-native is just as beautiful to me as the natives. Thank you for your time. MS. STOTT: Our next Thank you. speaker is Jackie Johnson, 24 followed by Suzanne Valente. STATEMENT OF JACKIE JOHNSON MS. JOHNSON: I specifically other Hi! I'm Jackie Johnson. they've are just want people to notice that mentioned invasive species. besides the invasive There species, ones, which probably should be under fire management, too. And was sent the other thing is: on the thing mentioned Funston that Fort is the go out to us, it specifically and Alcatraz. Well, Funston Fort surrounded ocean. any by two major roads, a golf course and wouldn't is If a fire got started there, it What Fort Funston needs place. normal that maintenance. They have trees that have branches are just stuck in there, that have already fallen off, but haven't hit the ground yet. And they have a lot of dead wood out there. Therefore, something, I think, if you're going to do out do it where it will do some good, not at Fort Funston. Thank there. MS. STOTT: Thank you. you. They need normal maintenance Suzanne Valente, followed by Vi Gotelli. 25 STATEMENT OF SUZANNE VALENTE MS. VALENTE: Valente. Hi! My name is Suzanne I live here in Pacifica. I read the plan, the Fire Management Plan, that, that's on your web site, and my conclusion was at least here in Pacifica, I feel like your addressing a problem that is of minor significance. Wildfires are not a pressing matter here in Pacifica. I consulted our Fire Department to find out how many wildfires they respond to. In 2002, only were in 5,000 other fact, of the calls they had were for fires that than structures, and not all of those -- none of them -- they couldn't tell me for sure -- were wildfires. humidity here. what there you're I We have a lot of moisture, fog and But that since much That's not a major thing for us. I think noticed is, in looking at it, is some huge downside to this plan; and, addressing a minor problem, I don't see advantage. The downsides I see are that controlled get burns create air pollution. out of control. Controlled burns can We know San For example: Bruno Mountain had a huge problem recently, where private to and public property was damaged. There was danger 26 and destruction of wildlife there. trees will predispose us to And elimination of here in landslides Pacifica, which is a big deal in the Pacifica. lost far more lives in Pacifica to landslides, We've since I've lived here for the last 20 years, than we have to wildfires. Subjectively, people We I think the majority of the who live here in Pacifica want trees to They stay. value every tree in our landscape. improve So the few our air quality, and we visually appreciate them. to eliminate of any trees is a downside for us, a majority people people. probably I will admit there have issues of are who native versus non-native, and discriminate in that manner. My conclusion is that I think your wildfire plan, of just watching and waiting, is a good one, the one you had in 1993. Here in Pacifica, if you were to on a implement wildfire management plans, such as I saw your web site, I would conclude thay it really was thinly veiled plan to create more native plant areas. Now project remember over of I know native plant areas are But I wish you not a pet GGNRA management. would turn that Pacificans, as a whole, did Golden Gate these properties to the Area -and I National the word Recreation emphasize 27 "recreation" -- to create habitats. Because those habitats eliminate people and their pets. to recreate in the entire areas of the Area. That's why And we like Golden Gate our National Recreation we gave properties to you. So, that's what I have to say. [Applause.] MS. STOTT: Thank you. Thanks. Our next speaker is Vi Gotelli, followed by Stephen Golub. Sorry if I messed up your name. STATEMENT OF VI GOTELLI MS. GOTELLI: I'm about never Vi Gotelli. they talk I've create concerned, too, about what when they call it "controlled burning." seen any controlled burning that didn't some kind of a problem. In eucalyptus one Oakland, they took down a bunch of months, the had trees there; and, within two of the biggest landslides you ever saw. Because it takes time for rooting. Our 40 trees are beautiful. I've lived trees here burn. years and I've yet to see any of our When a eucalyptus tree burns, it explodes; it burn. Because of the oil content, it doesn't So explodes. 28 you'd have to have a heck of a parameter around the land to protect all that is around it. So I would hope, very deeply, as the last speaker said, that we go on using this as recreational land, enjoying those trees. Enjoying what we gave you, as a gift from this city, to take care of, not to create a problem with. I'm We've never had a problem, and very carefully eucalyptus and it's care hoping that you look at it very, before you think of burning down all those trees still up there. Because this is our land in our city. It's a gift for you to take of, not to destroy. Thank you. MS. STOTT: Thank you. Stephen, followed by Carolyn Blair. STATEMENT OF STEPHEN GOLUB. MR. GOLUB: Yes. I would like to echo I we the sentiments of some of the previous speakers. they here, were right on the money. I think what think have clearly, is another case of a solution looking for a problem. Statistics Department provided by the Pacifica Fire been in really confirm that there really has no past, present, or no future danger of wildfires 29 Pacifica. case areas So I think what we really have here is a of GGNRA ignoring the historical usage of with an agenda we of creating formerly natural these areas, As museums, examples, and it where used to recreate. we saw that at Fort Funston, Crissy And these Field, areas goes on and on with GGNRA. become closed off to humans and humans' best friend. So I find that unacceptable. I position venture. Thank you. MS. STOTT: Thank you. on would like GGNRA to for reconsider this their this and the need particular Our last speaker is Carolyn Blair. STATEMENT OF CAROLYN BLAIR SAN FRANCISCO TREE COUNCIL MS. BLAIR: Tree Council. It is our experience that the natural areas cause fire hazards, with the debris, with the Carolyn Blair, San Francisco unnatural barriers that they create for their We had physical reality of that fire destroyed acres in of plants. Park, Also McClaren trees. where the mentioned, just prior, at San Bruno, we lost 55 acres. 30 We really do question your using the word burn," the "controlled when we find that the physical reality is that not control fire experts, from the state, could this burn in San Bruno Mountain. And, like I said, we lost 55 acres of trees and put the threat of residents at risk. I'd like to say to you that our trees are to or this like We'd to of the way, as a to a our No. 1 source of resource that is very valuable us, regardless of whether they are native in non-native. news And I noted in your list here, that you list several -- article, looks about 10 -- native trees that are prone to fire. like to say, basically, almost all trees are prone fire. the What is really needed is better maintenance If there was maintenance of understory. understory in the Oakland Hills -- which, by the without maintenance, took 100 years to catch fire, well fire the as the San Bruno Mountains, there was never there for 135 years. eucalyptus, for but All of this is due not lack of money, due to the of budget, maintenance the understory, for clearing, which should properly be done. We'd ask you to carefully consider this: When you remove trees, you create other problems, such as winds; and, when you remove trees, that causes the 31 rest of the forest to be at risk due to erosion, water runoff. exposure are to so winds, I mean, there many valuable resources that trees bring in comparison to little native plants. Thank you. MS. STOTT: Does Thank you. anything staff have any comments, or you want to say to wrap up? MR. NAAR: One of the things we're certainly considering is exactly what the last speaker was referring to, which is maintenance. So not clearcutting areas of trees, whether they're native or non-native, whether indeed, which trees, fallen. or removing acres of shrubs or grasses But, they're, again, native or not creating be what we call shaded the native. fuel breaks, under have we're might removing some of litter that removing the limbs at Fort Funston That's exactly one of the things that looking at doing, and not putting -- it's just as much of an option, as a prescribed fire, or other treatments, which may be no treatment. [Unrecorded voice.] MR. NAAR: certainly our web I think it's there, but we'll on -- your comments tonight will be posted site, I believe. Is that correct? Yeah, 32 that's right. Anything else? MS. POINSOT: for all your comments. a plan yet. I Wendy. just wanted to thank you, we you As we explained before, that as don't have So all the things brought up this evening will be considered we're kind the formulating the plan. of comments And those are exactly the from that we would like to receive public. So based on your familiarity with the land, not just in San Mateo County, but GGNRA lands in the City and in Marin County, please send us your comments on areas that you consider to be important, you think we should approach fire on ways that management, issues reduction of fire risks, and any environmental that you think should be covered in an Environmental Impact Statement. So this is a good example of public We do want to hear what your concerns are. And input. those were definitely some very important concerns expressed tonight. together. Those will be considered as we put the So I want to thank you very much. You have, listed on the flyer, the means to submit you. additional comments, and we hope to hear from plan 33 MS. STOTT: That thank does Thank you. it for tonight. We'd like that to our you all for coming. Just a reminder next meeting will be Tuesday, November 18, at 7:00, at Fort Mason, Building 201. If you're on the mailing list, you will receive a notification of this meeting. You can also check the web site for And, if meeting you're information, which www.nps.gov/goga. not on the mailing list, you can sign up in the back. So thanks again for coming. [There were 60 members of the public in attendence at this meeting.] (Whereupon, meeting Tuesday, was at 9:15 p.m., at the 7:00 public p.m., adjourned, to reconvene 188, 2003, GGNRA November Headquarters, Building 201, Fort Mason.) 99 C E R T I F I C A T E This proceedings is to certify that the of attached Interior, therein before the Department National Park Service, of the meeting held as appears, thereof and for that this is the original transcript National the files of the Golden Gate Recreation Area . James W. Higgins, CVR Official Reporter