Year: 2010

More Mesa Preservation Coalition Celebrates 10th Anniversary
This month the More Mesa Preservation Coalition celebrates its 10th anniversary!  In this very eventful decade, we have grown from a tiny cadre of less than 10 concerned neighbors in the More Mesa area, to a supporter base of 1000 community members from all over Santa Barbara county, as well other areas in Southern California.

To commemorate this landmark, we have created a timeline that features the major milestones MMPC has achieved, as well as important events concerning More Mesa.  This timeline can be found in the “Events” Section of this web site at  Timeline.

We are very proud of our accomplishments, and trust that this 10-year body of work will lay the foundation for the preservation of all of More Mesa—forever.

Farewell
Sadly, we have to say farewell to one of the photographers, Yuji Kozaki, featured on the “People > Photographers” page. Yuji is returning to Japan after spending a year at the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB. Yuji was chosen by the Japanese government to attend university as a graduate student in the United States.

While he was in Goleta, Yuji explored the wonderful fauna and flora to be found in many places in Santa Barbara County, including More Mesa, where he captured many excellent photos such as the one above of a Common Buckeye. Thanks, Yuji, for sharing the photos of your adventures – you had many followers including those on Flickr, and will be missed. Wishing you the best in your future activities.

Russian Knapweed
Last fall the More Mesa Preservation Coalition reported that we were cooperating with County Parks, Channel Islands Restoration and Santa Barbara’s Agricultural Commissioner, David Chang, in a process to remove an extremely harmful invasive, known as “Russian Knapweed”, from More Mesa.

At the time of the first phase of the eradication process, there was about ¼ acre of this weed on County owned sections of the northwest part of More Mesa.  However, since the weed is known to spread easily and rapidly, the eradication of this relatively small area was very important.

Recently, we received some encouraging news from David Chang.  He reported that the infestation was reduced somewhat and that, in keeping with the original plan, the second phase of eradication would take place in early June.

Russian Knapweed, is a noxious weed, that is toxic to horses, and since it is generally difficult to eradicate, it is likely a third application will be needed next year as well.  The More Mesa Preservation Coalition is proud to be an integral part of this important work on County owned environmentally sensitive land, as well as preventing the spread of Russian Knapweed all over More Mesa.

Photographers of More Mesa
Through the decade since our formation in 2000, our web site and publications have been graced with hundreds of images, images both scientifically important and amazingly beautiful.  All of these images have been generously donated to the More Mesa Preservation Coalition by many extremely talented photographers.

Today we are proud to introduce a new feature in our “People” section that recognizes some of this body of work.  It is titled “Photographers of More Mesa” and can be found at
here.

The display on this page shows a representative image from each of the four photographers, and provides a link to additional More Mesa images/video captured by each photographer. Thanks to these, and all the other many photographers, who have contributed their passion, enthusiasm and beautiful work toward the preservation of More Mesa … forever.

“Soft” Solution Offered to Solve Goleta Beach Erosion Problems
Since 2003, the County of Santa Barbara has been investigating ways to mitigate the loss of beach area at Goleta Beach.  These losses are attributed to natural erosion that occurs during winter storms, and especially, severe ones.  Both “hard” solutions, which employ structures and/or rockwork, and ”soft” solutions, which do not, can be used.  In 2008, the County settled upon a “hard” solution, in the form of a permeable groin, and went forward with that approach.

However, last November, the Coastal Commission, in keeping with it’s mission and policy, overwhelmingly rejected the “permeable groin” and directed the County to come up with a “soft” alternative; one that would both protect Goleta Beach, as well as eliminate any down-current erosion.  MMPC has been very involved in this process for more than six years, as the beach that is immediately down-current of Goleta Beach lies beneath More Mesa’s bluff top.  Proponents of the permeable groin project admitted that there would definitely be additional erosion to More Mesa Beach, and that it could also be very pronounced.

We are extremely pleased to report that the County has proposed an excellent “soft” approach, one that would protect both Goleta Beach, and More Mesa Beach.  Further, it would meet other important environmental needs.  This concept was unveiled at a meeting held on February 16, 2010.  The details of this initial phase, called “Goleta Beach 2.0” may be found at here.

More Mesa cliffs from Goleta Beach, photo center in the distance.

Goleta Bay and Pier from More Mesa cliffs.