Wild places > Central Coast: Regional Map

New wilderness for California's central coast!

In November, U.S. Representative Sam Farr's "Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002" passed both the House and Senate, and on December 19, 2002, President Bush signed it into law.

From the rugged slopes of Monterey County’s highest mountain, 5,862' Junipero Serra Peak, to the lush redwood forests of the Big Sur coast, a great diversity of wildlife and vegetation is sheltered by these wilderness additions. Threatened steelhead trout are present and the re-introduced California condor is often observed soaring high above the wilderness.

Along with redwoods, chaparral, pines, ancient oaks and grassy meadows, several additions also include significant stands of rare Santa Lucia fir. The Native American archaeological sites found within many of the additions will benefit from the protection afforded by wilderness designation.

"I am thrilled we've been able to expand the reach of nature in Monterey and San Benito counties," Rep. Farr said of his bill. "This new wilderness designation for the Los Padres Forest in Monterey County guarantees unspoiled beauty for the enjoyment of generations to come and ensures that the pristine wilderness lands in our region will stay open and wild.''

"By protecting this extensive pocket of land as a national wilderness, we are securing the future of an area that is already considered one of the most fabulous in the country. People will always be able to enjoy the treasures of the Big Sur region,'' Farr added.

The 8,820-acre Willow Creek addition to the Silver Peak Wilderness was never inventoried as roadless by the Forest Service and features the largest Douglas fir forest found in central California. With its old-growth redwood forest, expanses of meadow, and stunning mountain top views of the Pacific Ocean, it makes a spectacular wilderness addition.

Other additions display a variety of features including segments of the Little Sur River, the sandstone monolith of Wagon Caves Rock, and the enormous ancient oaks found along the San Antonio River. Also included in the legislation is the Bureau of Land Management’s Black Rock Wilderness Study Area. This parcel adjoins the northernmost region of the Ventana Wilderness and features two perennial streams with lush riparian corridors.

The "Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002" has expanded the Ventana Wilderness for the fifth time since its original designation, adding nearly 35,000 acres. Originally set aside as a 55,884-acre Primitive Area in 1929, it was subsequently expanded and given wilderness status in 1969.

The 14,500-acre Silver Peak Wilderness, created in 1992 by the "Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act," is to be more than doubled in size to 31,555 acres by the Big Sur Act. Also, 2,715 acres of the Chalone Creek watershed are to be added to the Pinnacles National Monument Wilderness, located in San Benito County.

The Big Sur bill had its beginnings in the summer of 1998 when the Ventana Wilderness Alliance began an inventory of roadless areas in the Monterey Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest and adjacent Bureau of Land Management lands. These public lands were surveyed and mapped and their wilderness values documented. The results of this effort helped to lay the groundwork for the Congressman’s important wilderness expansion legislation.

Passage of the Act would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of both Representative Farr and Senator Barbara Boxer. On the evening of the final House session, Mr. Farr spent many hours on the House floor gaining the support necessary to discharge his bill from the House Resources Committee. His efforts were rewarded, and in the waning hours of the session, his legislation was passed by voice vote. In a late night session in the Senate, Senator Boxer’s firm insistence that the legislation be included with other bills to be voted on as a package led to its Senate passage.

The Act also authorizes the expenditure of $1,000,000 per year for five years for a pilot program to combat invasive plant and animal species.

For more information on the areas protected as wilderness by the bill, see the following pages: