It sure is looking like the start of fall out there. And that means backcountry (and TRAIL WORKIN’) season is right around the corner….
Hi Friends,
We’re kicking off backcountry season with LPFA’s 10th Annual Used Gear Sale! This year’s sale will be on October 18th from 10am – 12pm at Tuckers Grove Park, site 2. As always, the sale features new and used backpacks, tents, and more from Gossamer Gear, as well as tons and tons of other lightly-used backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, pads, outdoor clothing, shoes, campware…. you name it. If it’s for spending time in the forest, we’ve got it!
Lots of happy campers at last year’s gear sale….
LPFA is looking for more donations to the sale! If you have any lightly-used outdoor gear you’d like to find a new home for, consider donating it to LPFA. We’re accepting donations at TWO locations: Patagonia, Ventura from October 1 – 11th (during store hours) and Captain Fatty’s, Goleta on October 6th from 5 – 7pm. Clean out your gear closet and help the trails.
LPFA
All donations are tax-deductible and 100% of proceeds support trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest
Areas in Grade Valley, like the un-trailed flats around Halfmoon Campground, are currently protected by the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
Protecting the Roadless Rule
The final day to submit a comment against the rescinding of the Roadless Rule is October 6th. We’ve all learned a lot about the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule recently. It protects 58.2 million acres of public land to safeguard drinking-water sources, sensitive ecosystems, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities while allowing the Forest Service to manage these landscapes for multiple uses.
What Would Rescinding the Rule Mean for the Los Padres?
The Los Padres National Forest contains approximately 635,000 acres of Inventoried Roadless Areas. Rescinding the Roadless Rule could make these lands more vulnerable to road construction and development. What are the consequences?
- Greater impacts to drinking water: Road construction can increase erosion, sedimentation, and other impacts to forest watersheds that provide clean drinking water.
- Less protection for sensitive ecosystems: Roadless areas provide large, relatively undisturbed landscapes for wildlife, native plants, and natural ecological processes.
- Greater wildfire exposure: Many wildfires start from human activity on roads. More roads does not inherently reduce wildfire risk and can create additional opportunities for human-caused fires.
- Reduced recreation opportunities: Roadless landscapes provide exceptional opportunities for multi-use recreation. The existing framework allows these lands to be managed for multiple uses that benefit all forest user groups.
- Loss of long-term public value: Opening additional roadless lands to logging and road construction could permanently alter landscapes for future generations.
If you have not done so yet, remember to submit your public comment to make your voice heard. Make sure to share your own experiences with the Los Padres National Forest and why protecting its roadless areas matters to you.
Saturday, Oct 10 – Wheeler Nature Trail, Ojai Area
Saturday, Oct 17, Blue Canyon Connector Trail, Upper Santa Ynez Rec Area (with our partners at RPL)
Saturday, Oct 24 – Little Falls Trail, SLO County
Nov 5 – 15 – Alamar Saddle Working Vacation, SB County
It was a successful National Public Lands Day last Saturday on the Hot Springs Trail with the City of Santa Barbara and our partner orgs! Volunteers in our group helped remove graffiti along the trail.
