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Dear Friends,

Thursday night, the Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS) Association hosted new Park?Superintendent, Craig Kenkel, at?an online event to introduce him?to the community.?I was hoping?that it would be a chance for Park supporters?to ask questions and make comments about how we could improve the situation in Point Reyes. But as many of us?quickly realized, the local PRNS Association?had other ideas.

Instead of using the Superintendent’s?valuable time to have a heathy exchange of ideas, staff spent the first half-hour asking?Superintendent Kenkel about?his favorite food, favorite song, favorite color and other trivialities. Despite this excess of small talk, we did eventually learn?a few items of importance, listed below.?

Key Take Aways Include:

1. The?California Coastal Commission (CCC)?meeting to review National Park Service (NPS) plans for Point Reyes?will be Thursday, April 22 — you read that right, Earth Day — so please mark?your calendars to attend that CCC meeting online

2.?Superintendent Kenkel predicted?that NPS would win CCC approval for?their land management plan?and, once they?do, he expects?NPS to?finalize the legal document?featuring 20-year lease agreements with local ranchers?in “early July”

Supporters of native wildlife and ecosystems have already submitted?tens of thousands of letters?to NPS and the Coastal Commission, and we’re not stopping here.?Mr. Kenkel acknowledged that he is not a Tule Elk expert and therefore he’s been relying on the advice of others for specifics, at least until he learns more. This is where we can help him.

When Mr. Kenkel spoke about?the General Management Plan Amendment (GMPA) Thursday night,?he had a slip of the tongue and said?he was supportive of Alternative F — removing?ranching from PRNS —?but he quickly changed that to?Alternative B, the proposed path?to expand?ranching leases for 20 years and add new?farming in the national park. This is not why we have national parks.?

I was briefly encouraged by his accidental support of Alternative F, or as my?friend Matthew?wrote in the online comments of Mr. Kenkel,?“it’s where your heart is.”?Yet I know we have to keep up the pressure on?NPS staff and CCC Commissioners if we’re going to successfully compete against the pressure from cattle ranchers. We want these?decision makers to?follow their?hearts and restore and rewild Point Reyes.?I don’t know if Superintendent?Kenkel is?willing to hear us out on our concerns, but I want to give him the opportunity to do so.?

Mr.?Kenkel describes himself as a “consensus builder.” In that spirit, I?invite?him to?sit down with For Elk and other local environmental and conservation leaders?to discuss how we can protect?the Tule Elk and restore the?native ecosystem in PRNS.?

The Superintendent is new here, as is the Biden Administration in Washington, DC. This is not the time to rubber stamp the work product of the Trump years. So I’ve asked Superintendent Kenkel to meet with us, hear us out, take note of the consensus that exists among thousands of Park lovers, and then proceed from there?with his eyes open.?

I will let you know how it goes.?

Thank you,
Diana, Founder of For Elk

Robbing the Corcovado Foundation of its only vehicle stole from the hearts of all Costa Ricans.

Costa Ricans and people around the world have collaborated to bring support to vulnerable older people, endangered sea turtles and priceless tropical forests. On March 5, a critical line was broken. The only vehicle that the Corcovado Foundation had to deliver food, carry volunteers, and ferry supplies to the many remote areas — was stolen after getting long-needed repairs in San Jose.
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As a non-profit organization advocating for wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, and community economic development, our efforts are supported by the generosity of donations and our volunteers' commitment. Our 4x4 vehicle was how we delivered your support and your love to the Costa Rican residents, both human and non-human, who call the Osa their home.?
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The Foundation's ability to properly supply people and programs has now been severely hurt, and the schedules for reaching those in need have already been disrupted.

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