Friends of Oceano Dunes Defends Public Access at Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area
OCEANO, Calif.--Oct. 8, 2001--Friends of Oceano Dunes today announced that after sacrificing more than 1,000 miles of beach, they intend to fight for the last five-mile stretch of beach reserved for motorized beach access.
Currently, less than one half of one percent of the 1,100 miles of California coastline remains open for multi-use access. Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (ODSVRA) is the recognized leader for producing constructive and enforceable standards for protecting wildlife. In spite of that fact, extremist groups continually provide misleading information regarding the park in an effort to inflame the public. This tactic was successful in closing the beaches at Lompoc and Vandenberg. Beach closure of this kind affects everyone: local families, business owners, equestrians, surfers, fishermen, elderly, and the disabled.
"These extremists manipulate the Endangered Species Act to selectively control public access to California beaches," said Mark Meupolder, Friends of Oceano Dunes vice-president. "Our objective is to keep the park open for the over one million people who visit Oceano Dunes each year and to promote responsible recreation."
Adjacent to the ODSVRA is an 11 mile wilderness preserve consisting of over 13,000 acres of beach and dunes -- land previously accessible by vehicle. Today, the ODSVRA is less than ten percent the size of the wilderness preserve. Friends of Oceano Dunes strives for a more balanced approach to the protection of threatened and endangered species. A map of the area can be viewed at www.oceanodunes.org.
About Friends of Oceano Dunes
Friends of Oceano Dunes, a 501(c)(3) California Not-for-profit Public Benefit Corporation, is the first organization of its kind to include representation from all forms of responsible recreation. Over ten thousand strong, the group's membership is comprised of local residents, business owners, equestrians, surfers, fishermen, off-roaders, elderly and disabled; all of which enjoy the benefits and usage of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area (ODSVRA). Friends of Oceano Dunes is headquartered in Oceano, California, 805/788-4926, www.oceanodunes.org.