Forest in the Crosshairs
A report released by Los Padres ForestWatch identifies unregulated target shooting as one of the most serious threats to natural resources and public health and safety in the Los Padres National Forest. The report recommends that the U.S. Forest Service close the forest to target shooting, consistent with how the other three national forests in southern California are managed.
Wildfire in Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub: An Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography exploring wildfire in chaparral and coastal sage scrub ecosystems, with research papers examining everything from natural fire regimes to the impacts of human development and fuel treatments. The papers collectively show that large, infrequent fires are natural in these ecosystems, but human activities have increased fire frequency, leading to ecosystem conversion, and suggest that communities should focus more on fire-safe building practices and land use planning rather than extensive fuel treatments.
Wildfire Basics: Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub
This document explains how chaparral and coastal sage scrub ecosystems naturally evolved with periodic large, intense fires occurring every 30-150 years, with native plants having special adaptations to survive and regrow after fires. However, human activity has increased fire frequency and spread invasive plants, leading to ecosystem degradation, which is why scientists recommend focusing on making homes more fire-safe and preventing development in fire-prone areas rather than extensive vegetation removal.
Oil Waste Dumping in a Sespe Aquifer: An Analysis of Public Input
This report analyzes public input on an oil company’s application to dump toxic wastewater into an aquifer beneath the Los Padres National Forest, finding that 97.3% of the 670 public comments opposed the exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act. The overwhelming opposition included local governments, farmers, scientists and community members concerned about water contamination, while the small number of supporting comments came primarily from those with direct ties to the oil industry.
10 Lost Trails of the Los Padres Forest
This report documents ten historically important trails in the Los Padres National Forest that have become inaccessible to the public due to private property restrictions, gates, and changing land ownership. While some trails like the Hot Springs Trail and Franklin Trail represent success stories where public access was preserved through community action, many others remain blocked, highlighting the need for securing permanent public access rights to these cherished wilderness areas.
Trashing the Sespe: How the Oil Industry is Littering Our Public Lands and Endangering Wildlife
This 2013 report documents extensive microtrash contamination at oil drilling sites in California’s Sespe Oil Field, where inspections of twelve well pads revealed over 1,700 pieces of small debris that pose serious risks to endangered California condors. The investigation found that oil companies were failing to comply with wildlife protection measures, as the sites contained dangerous items like broken glass, bottle caps, and metal fragments that condors often collect and feed to their chicks, along with other hazards like exposed chemicals and strangulation risks from loose cables – putting the entire California Condor Recovery Program at risk.
