Wonders of The Gaviota Coast and the Dangers Posed by Development

The Gaviota Coast town of Naples is one of the most beautiful tracks of land on the southern Pacific coast. This area is home to not only breathtaking natural sights, but it also is the home for many different plant and animal species. The biodiversity of the Gaviota Coast is quite diverse and this geographic area represents one of the five intact Southern California Mediterranean coastlines left (Save Naples, 2006). The development of this land could be quite problematic to the wildlife and natural occurring landmarks of the area. Currently, the coalition known as the Naples Coalition is fighting for the responsible development of this area. Their aims are to “promote the broad interest of the public,” (Save Naples, 2006). The land of the Gaviota Coast must be protected and responsibly used as it is one of the last environments of its type and offers many natural wonders for both mankind and the natural world.

The general issue at hand for this land is that of development. The land of this area is owned in part by large development companies. Owning several ranches that are situated on the coastal terrace, these companies are proposing major developmental projects that could threaten the natural coast habitat (Gaviota Coast Conservancy, 2012). One such plan calls for the creation of 54 new homes, which would impede on the habitat of many threatened or endangered species. Though this plan seems relatively small, the homes proposed to be built will be mega-mansions that on average are over 8,000 square feet (Save Naples, 2006). Some of these homes would even be “situated near the bluffs overlooking the famed Naples Reef,” (Save Naples, 2006). By constructing on such an important natural track of land, these homes could potentially upset the delicate ecosystem that has been created by the land of the Gaviota Coast.

One of the most important facts to consider is the significance that the land of the Gaviota Coast offers. This stretch of land is the healthiest example of a coastal ecosystem that remains in the Southern California area (Gaviota Coast Conservancy, 2012). Not only this, but this particular ecosystem exists as a transitional zone between that of northern and southern California’s environment, meaning that certain species of both plants and animals can only survive and thrive in the specific conditions that are found in this type of environment. Research has shown “1400 plant and animals species are found in the broad Gaviota Coast, 24 of which are listed as threatened or endangered,” (Save Naples, 2006). Factors such as this have prompted groups such as the Naples Coalition to form in order to attempt to stand up for the protection and responsible use of land tracks such as the Gaviota Coast.

Formed in 2000, the Naples Coalition is a means to ensure that the land area of the Gaviota Coast is protected. Their main focus is to “develop an independent, community-based alternative,” (Naples Coalition, 2006). This group wants to protect the rural nature of the land in question, by forcing development companies to move their projects away from the coastline and back into the hills farther inland from the coastline. This will serve the function of both protecting the wildlife of the ecosystem such as sharks and keeping the natural beauty of the area for the general population to enjoy. With many legal battles fought over the rights companies and individuals have to the use of this land, the Naples Coalition continues to fight for the safe and responsible use of one of the rarest ecosystems in all of California.

To further understand the effects that development may have on the land and to offer recommendations of the studies performed, the Gaviota Coast Study Group released a report in September 2005 to inform both the government and general population of the significance the land holds. The report offers several recommendations that those who have the ability to develop the land should abide by. The report offered recommendations for “protecting agriculture, stewarding the land, developing land-use policy, creating public access, and providing effective local governance,” (Gaviota Coast Study Group, 2005). One of the largest pushes that this study makes is for the use of land in an appropriate manner. The agricultural land is a prime example of this. The study notes that the land that has been zoned for agricultural use should be developed for that specific purpose. Moreover, there exist areas that are currently zoned as developmental land properties for residential use that should be used for agricultural purposes. The report states, “agricultural production should be the priority for agriculturally zoned land, integrated with clear, practical resource management practices for mountainous and environmentally sensitive habitat areas,” (Gaviota Coast Study Group, 2005).

One of the other recommendations that the study makes deals with regulating the use of the land in question. Calling for strict regulations and standards for environmental reasons, the group’s recommendation is aimed to protect the delicate ecosystem that the Gaviota Coast provides for the wildlife. They state, “regulatory agencies should asset standards that retain or enhance the environmental quality of the coast and its rural/agricultural character, water, and coral reef quality, and scenic views consistent with landowner rights,” (Gaviota Coast Study Group, 2005). The group notes that these changes will make a lasting effect to keep the environment safe and suitable for both humans and wildlife to live around and enjoy.

As suggested by Randolph, there are alternatives to developing fields of land such as that of the Gaviota Coast. By definition, the Gaviota Coast fits into that of a Greenfield. A Greenfield is a tract of land that is open, natural, or agricultural in principle and is bad for development because of the loss of the ecosystem that can result from the development (Randolph, 2012). Instead of developing on land that can be classified as a Greenfield, such as the Gaviota Coast, developers should look for land areas that are more closely related to Brownfields. These tracts of land are the vacant bits of land within urban centers that are much more suitable for developing because they do not offer the same sort of ecosystem losses that developing on Greenfields possess (Randolph, 2012). However, in an area such as that near the Gaviota Coast, it may be more difficult to find Brownfields, so developers should instead look to redevelop the areas that are falling into disrepair that have already been developed. Many of these so-called Greyfields or In-fields already exist and they do not pose the environmental risk that developing a Greenfield has (Randolph, 2012).

The land area of the Gaviota Coast faces an issue with growth management. This term is defined as the “government policies, plans, investments, incentives, and regulations to guide the types, amount, location, timing, and cost of development to achieve responsible balance between the protection of the natural environmental and the development to support growth, responsible fit between development and necessary infrastructure, and enhanced quality of community life,” (Randolph, 2012). The land offers a unique challenge to those that are involved in its development. The area legally can be developed however those that own it deem they want their projects to be handled, but the environmental consequences they face are very high as well. The land of the Gaviota Coast has been the home to many species of both plants and animals that can only thrive in a specific type of environment that is provided by the coast. What is more, this particular type of environment is increasingly rare to find, and the Gaviota Coast is the largest of the five remaining Southern California Mediterranean coastlines left. Any and all attempts to develop the land of this area must take that into consideration. The level of development that is performed to this land must remember that the 1400 different plant and animal species of the area depend on the land for their survival. The development of the land should never put at risk the continued existence of many species that are listed as either threatened or endangered. A developmental plan must be put into place that allows for the safe and responsible use of the land of the Gaviota Coast so that the naturally occurring beauty of the land is preserved for generations to come.

References

Gaviota Coast Conservancy (2012). Endangered landscapes the Gaviota coast - California, scenic America. Gaviota Coast Conservancy, Retrieved from http://www.gaviotacoastconservancy.org/GCC2012-landscape.html

Gaviota Coast Study Group. (2005, September). Respecting our heritage determining our future. Retrieved from http://ocpc.msi.ucsb.edu/pdfs/GCSG.pdf

Naples Coalition. (2006). Our background. Retrieved from http://www.savenaples.org/about_us.htm

Randolph, J. (2012). Environmental land use planning and management . (2nd ed.).

Save Naples. (2006). Overview. Retrieved from http://www.savenaples.org/naples.htm