Lakeview
Ashton Mini Park
is a rocky outcrop at the dead end of city streets. The NAP proposal plans to
designate .4 of the .5 acres of Lakeview Ashton
Mini Park as a “natural
area”. The rationale for this designation is NAP’s desire to convert
grassland to coastal scrub. There is no Federal or State listed endangered or
threatened animal or plant in this area. This area has no important bird habitat
and no birds that are even considered “sensitive” by local native bird advocates.
The only possible rationale would be to protect one species of plant found in the southwest corner the local Native
Plant Society considers “sensitive”. To this end, NAP proposes:
· Destruction of non-native plants
and shrubs at NAP discretion.
· Reduction in “predation
pressure”. This would refer to the killing of feral cats and any other
wildlife NAP deems unacceptable.
· Augmentation and reintroduction
of “sensitive” species of plants.
This NAP proposal for Lakeview Ashton Mini Park violates the underlying premise for
NAP. As stated by NAP Director Lisa Wayne, “preserve what is left of the original habitat and protect it from further degradation…enhance these little remnants
that are degraded”. Not only does the current status of this park NOT
qualify as a habitat that requires protection, NAP does not intend to protect or enhance the current habitat, they want to
change it! How much further from their stated goal can they get? Does this desire to create habitat justify the destruction of wildlife and plants?
NAP
has refused to disclose the cost to create this habitat. Are these funds that
could better be spent elsewhere in the park system? Will there be the manpower
and funds to maintain this new habitat? Will it be sustainable?
