Community Corner

Recreationists React to Crack Down on Unauthorized Trails Near Santee

Runners, equestrians, hikers and bikers have long used areas in the hills north of Santee, but new signs recently went up blocking illegal trails and and ranger enforcement is now active.

AKA: Recreationists (and Other Endangered Species) in Mission Trails Regional Park

Written by Robert Craddick

I went walking I saw a sign there. And on the sign it said "No Trespassing." But on the other side it didn't say nothing. That side was made for you and me. 

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-From This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie

Runners, equestrians, hikers and bikers have long used areas of East Elliot north of Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP), largely without complaints. The park area seems open and welcoming with its dirt roads, paths, and trails. 

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Riding the crest between Oak and Spring Canyons, it is easy to find rusted sign stems emerging from scat-covered detritus. This signage dots areas off trails and dirt roads. The sign meanings are long forgotten as their denotations are erased by time or by human hand. 

Following the ridge, and looking east past the growing landfill, clouds can be seen rising over the mountains 40 miles away. Rains will push to this area soon and awaken the golden hills with vibrant greens and bright flowers in the spring. Fairy shrimp will come to life for a couple weeks before they reproduce and die again.

Tree limbs and branches recently laid upon the ground look foreign and artificial, like elongated pit traps for catching wild pigs versus a restored area, or like an Andy Goldsworthy artwork that is fallen and about to disappear back into the environment. This work is a first attempt at blocking access and is accompanied by clear signals to stay off the terrain. In the contested fields of MTRP, new signs rise through this kindling and they warn people to stay out.

This week’s popular response to signage finds trail users taking Guthrie’s advice by skirting around the blockage and creating collateral damage. New signage and brush laid down is being ignored by runners, hikers, bikers, and the curious as if the in-your-face signs ‘didn’t say nothing.’ The result of ignoring and bypassing recent signage is that illegal trails are starting to widen around the brushing and creating new unwanted damage on the sides of the areas.

Senior Park Ranger Matt Sanford is two years into his role as land manager for the area and is actively engaged in the MTRP restoration efforts. Ranger Sanford shared that rangers are “not actively closing trails… they are actively restoring unauthorized building.” He continues: “Unauthorized trail building has caused damage and walking around the barriers out there causes even more damage. Park priority is to restore, block access to illegal areas, and provide education.” Rangers will be out in the area at trail junctions to educate citizens and ask that users respect their instructions. “Our priority is to educate people and seek voluntary compliance.”

If park users are building illegal trails they are also breaking municipal codes founded in 1991 that intend to prevent the destruction of plants. Trail users wanting to learn more can talk with rangers at the MTRP equestrian center. One word of warning… if damage continues there will be active monitoring. If people are found building illegal trails they will be subject to the municipal codes broken.  If damage escalates in the park areas then Fish and Wildlife Wardens would be included in future restoration efforts.

MTRP is one of few open spaces in San Diego where people can recreate among the canyons and hills, but those with occupational reasons for being on the properties (military, property owners, Rangers) have a different set of priorities and expectations on how users should be using this open space, if at all. 

Its rolling hills serve as a Strava battlefield for runners and cyclists in spandex or oversized shorts. ‘Stravaholes’ plotting courses on unsanctioned/illegal trails and cutting through endangered habitats to decrease their race times are problems at MTRP and other parks around the county.  MTRP is viewed as an area key to national security and military training by those hidden in tactical camo as well as their base commanders. They do not appreciate trespassers on their federally-owned base properties.

Trail users in MTRP and areas north of HWY 52 may or may not realize they are illegally trespassing on private, military, and city properties including Multi-Habitat Planning Areas. Prohibitions may be clearer now that signage expresses closures at recently constructed trails such as ‘Deer Dancer’.

Those charged with assessing the damages caused by illegal trail construction are not happy. USFW and CAFW recently sent a joint letter (Aug 1, 2013) to the City of San Diego stating the need to manage illegal access to the land and discourage ‘bad behavior’ of trail users through enforcement and education. There are trails selected to become legal elements of the forthcoming MTRP Master Plan. A Master Plan Update (MPU) is to be made available to the public mid-November. Illegal trails will not be part of that plan. In a bureaucratic sense, trails used by people for decades do not even exist since they have never been legally recognized.

The City of San Diego, in analogy, views unapproved trail building as it does graffiti. Illegal marks through its lands, especially those protected by Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) agreements, are equivalent to vandalism made to historic buildings or preservation sites. The city does not see graffiti as art nor do they view unauthorized, unplanned trail building on their turf as legal no matter how aesthetically pleasing it may be to trail users.

The City has not developed a trail plan or effective management system for the area, and now the lack of structure means the City must demonstrate that they are effectively preventing destruction and enforcing policies based on commentary from federal state fish and wildlife agencies. If they do not, then the City may lose its developer-friendly MSCP.

Mountain bikers, hikers, runners, and animals know a trail when they see one. City staff is reticent to describe illegal trails as trails at all. They cannot ‘close’ what is not technically recognized as a trail, but the signage posted this week carries a clear message. Park Rangers are actively enforcing these areas and beginning management efforts with a focus on restoring habitats damaged over the last three years.

In contrast to the City stance, the USFW and CAFW appear to understand that trails exist but are either "authorized" or "unauthorized” and that the "unauthorized" situation needs to be "remedied"  through various means including "reroutes", controlling "various points of access," "restricting direct human impacts to approved/designated trails," and rerouting legal trails outside of "endangered species and conserved habitats.” The USFW and CAFW also require the City to provide "specific management directives" for review by those wildlife agencies. The new version of the MPU is anticipated to expand on the specifics of management, express those directives, and provide a trail system for MTRP.

Trails must be deemed as ‘legal’ to have a place in the MTRP Master Plan. Chris Zirkle, Deputy Director of Open Space, explained the reasoning for this in an informational meeting at his office downtown and at well-attended San Diego Mountain Biking Association Advocacy meeting at MTRP in mid-September stating the belief “legal use deters illegal use.”

Richard Julien, a mountain biker and long-time resident of San Diego County was in attendance at SDMBA's Advocacy meeting to hear from Mr Zirkle about plans for MTRP. Rich understands why illegal trails are flourishing “Why? Because as the population grew the trails available to us were starting to be cut off to mountain biking and the user conflicts on the few available trails became intolerable." Julien, a mountain biker since 1990, believes MTRP has "many roads disguised as trails... and that is not an outdoor experience." Rich considers the illegal trails to be "symptoms" of having poor recreational options available in our county.

One major problem stated by the City in developing a trail plan is MTRP’s ‘trails to nowhere’ scenario. The City is not interested in developing trails that are dead-ends to private properties. A workable solution must be established with the small number of land owners in question.

Property owners have a hold over recreational options for San Diegans but also a chance to make beneficial changes for our population and perhaps some stewardship to the planning process. MCAS MIRAMAR could modify their borders a neighborly fraction or allow passage for trail users through property outside of the line of fire. Trail access could be closed off when necessary. Local utility companies could allow their roads to be traversed by trail users and allow trails to connect. Additionally, there are five tiny parcels of land owned by local individuals or trusts scattered through the area north of HWY 52 that if turned over to the city would assist efforts to plan a complete, flowing, and functional legal trail system.

In October, the International Mountain Bike Association released figures showing a growth of 16 percent in mountain bike sales over the last year. Mountain Biking and other forms of outdoor recreation are increasing while recreational opportunities are shrinking. 21 percent of households in San Diego bicycle on a frequent basis, 5 percent enjoy equestrian pursuits, 13 percent spend time in the wilderness, and 19 percent of our people run or jog [source: 2008 Lifestyle Market Analyst]. Many of these individuals and families use MTRP and other open spaces in our county.

Recreational mountain bikers want more than wide DG trails suitable for pushing triple-wide strollers while walking dogs and playing Candy Crush. There are golf courses scattered all over San Diego County to support the 16 percent of households that swing clubs on a regular basis. Some of these golf courses are not doing so well financially and are actively considered for development opportunities. This reflects a change in public recreational habits.

San Diego has 37 skate parks, multiple dog parks, tennis courts, swimming pools, places to fly remote controlled planes or drive mini-monster trucks, and a planned half-million dollar equestrian amenity at MTRP. As City recreation plans progress it is clear that mountain bikers do not want the kind of ant-farm outdoor experience found on already overcrowded hiking areas such as Cowles Mountain. They are seeking pump tracks, tot-friendly bike courses, advanced jump areas, skills areas, and singletrack in urban and open spaces in San Diego County.

Change is necessary to avoid trail congestion and conflicts between agencies, trail users, and park staff.  The issues surfacing at MTRP and some other spots around the county such as Del Mar Mesa reflect a change is needed to support recreational opportunities in balance with the need to protect habitats. There are a lot of eyes waiting to see a new Mayor, a new MTRP MPU, and a new direction from City leaders to support changing and growing needs of recreational users in San Diego County.

If people from San Diego’s inner city and suburbs are cut off from experiencing recreational opportunities in places like MTRP, who will defend and work to better our parks in the future? If trail users do not participate in developing solutions by voicing ideas and participating in meetings, there are not many others who will step forward other than developers seeking to build in open space or to take over an 18 hole course near you. If you do feel that MTRP is your land then this is the time to respect the Rangers’ current efforts but also a time to make your thoughts known through your representatives or associations that share concern for this open space.

How you can help:

  • Learn more: Join concerned recreational associations, or attend upcoming November meetings with other interested parties concerned with the area and its future.
  • Talk/write/e-mail: Voice your concerns to local, state, and US representatives.
  • Donate your time to actions: Give 20-40 volunteer hours a year back to your community through an association you want to support or to a political candidate supporting your views. 

Attend an upcoming advocacy meeting:

Related reading:

MTRP: general news and information including updates to trail restoration efforts   http://www.mtrp.org/

 1985 MTRP Master Development Plan Update:  http://www.mtrp.org/master_plan.asp

 San Diego City’s Developmental Services Planning Division FAQ: http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/programs/mscp/faq/index.shtml

San Diego’s Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP): http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/pds/mscp/

Recreation-related local associations 

San Diego Mountain Biking Association (SDMBA) : information for mountain bikers www.sdmba.com SDMBA holds monthly advocacy meetings open to the public. Visit their website for calendar and location.

Dirt Devil Racing: information for trail and ultra runners http://www.dirtdevilracing.com/

San Diego Ultra Runners: www.facebook.com/SanDiegoUltraRunners

Contact Political Representatives:

City:

San Diego Mayor: TBD! Ask candidates about their stance on promoting increased vs. decreased recreational trail access in San Diego and San Diego County!

http://www.kpbs.org/news/election/mayoral-candidates/ 

Find and Contact your City Council Representatives: http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/

State:

Find your State Senate Representative : (search by your address) http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

San Diego area State Assembly Representative: Assembly Member Shirley N. Weber-DEM 

Congressional Representatives:

United States House of Representatives - Find and contact your representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ 

Senators:

Boxer, Barbara – DEM  (202) 224-3553

112 Hart Senate Office Building    

Washington DC   20510

Contact: www.boxer.Senate.gov/en/contact/

 

Feinstein, Dianne - DEM            (202) 224-3841

331 Hart Senate Office Building    

Washington DC  20510

Contact: www.feinstein.Senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me  


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