Sierra Club Position Paper on the China Camp State Park Crisis
Overview
China Camp State Park offers spectacular bay vistas, oak forested hills, meadows, beaches, extensive salt marshes, wildlife, and an historic Chinese fishing village museum. All of this will be endangered if the Park is closed.
SCMG Position
The Sierra Club Marin Group would like to see China Camp State Park kept open.
Current Status
Various proposals are being made to try to help ameliorate the impact of the State closing this park, but as of now this State Park is scheduled to be fully closed by July 2012.
Closure is Unrealistic
Because China Camp State Park is so widely utilized with easy access from urban centers, and with a county road going through it, realistically it cannot be safely closed. Even if it were to be officially closed, people will continue to come to hike, bike, picnic, camp, kayak, swim, and fish. The threat posed by uncontrolled regulation of large numbers of mountain bikers regularly transversing single trails, alone could result in major erosion. Situated right on the bay, with fragile salt water marshes, wildlife habitat, meadows, and forests, China Camp requires careful protection.
Financial Considerations
The main reason China Camp State Park has been slated for closure appears to be financial. However repairing the damage that could result from closure may potentially be far greater than what could ever be saved by trying to close it. Exploring ways to generate more income for China Camp State Park would seem the preferable way to proceed. Possible suggestions include eliminating free county road parking, enforcing fee lots, and issuing permits for mountain bikers.
What You Can Do
Ideas for improving the financial solvency of China Camp State Park are most welcomed. An open space coalition group is being formed to try to help with the State Parks crisis, and will be providing opportunities for public ideas and involvement.
Supportive letters to politicians are encouraged. Please check out the China Camp State Park Flyer for information about contacting them. Please remind our politicians that no California State Park was ever closed during the great depression in the 1930's and none should be closed now. And please encourage Governor Brown to save the park he originally created back in the 1970's.
The Friends of China Camp welcomes your support – please check out the below sites for more information about joining this group.