Table Of Content29.79/3:SA 5/3
ClemsonUniversit
U.S. Department of the Interior
3 1604 015 769 781
National Park Service
California State Parks
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
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GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area • California
FEDERAL
PUBLICATION
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/generalmanagemen03santa
Management
General Plan
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
~ California ~
March 5, 2003
United States Department of the Interior- National Park Service
^ PUBLIC DOCUMENTS l
California State Parks
DEPOSITORY ITEM lO
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy CM
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Summary
The Santa Monica
Mountains National
Recreation Area is
a cooperative effort
by the National Park
Service, California State
Parks, and the Santa
Monica Mountains
Conservancy, as
well as private
landowners and city
and county
governments.
SUMMARY
The Santa Monica Mountains National RecreationArea (national
recreation area or NRA) is one ofthe world's largest urban recreation
areas.The Mediterranean-type ecosystem ofthis open space preserve
northwest ofLosAngeles offers visitors a multitude ofnatural, cultural,
and recreational experiences. Its more than 150,000 acres ofmountains,
valleys, and coastline are surrounded bya megalopolis of 17 million peo-
ple, yet 90 percent ofthe land is free ofdevelopment.
The national recreation area is home to significant archeological and
cultural sites and provides a haven formore than 450 animal species.
More than 20 federal or state-listed threatened or endangered plants and
animals find protection here. Another46 animal and 11 plant species are
federal or state species ofconcern At least 1,000 archeological sites are
within the NRA boundaries. Three structures are listed on the National
Register ofHistoric Places, and more than 73 archeological/historic sites
are potentially eligible for listing on this register.
The U.S. Congress created the Santa Monica Mountains National
RecreationArea in 1978 and granted the National Park Service the
authorityto promote a level ofshared management for the park. The
National Park Service, California State Parks, and the Santa Monica
Mountains Conservancyjointlyadminister the public parklands within
the national recreation area, and are referred to as the administering
agencies in this document.
When the national recreation areawas established in 1978, the state of
Californiawas the largestpublic landowner, with more than 28,000 acres
ofland in four majorparks. Federal land acquisition began in 1980 with
an authorization of$155 million.
The area's first GeneralManagementPlan (GMP) was completed in
1982. In the last fewyears these administeringagencies have joined
togetherto assess the 1982 management plan and review the mission and
Viewof
Santa Monica purpose ofthe national recreation area. Although many ofthe issues and
Mountains goals for the national recreation area remain the same, the magnitude of
(NPS photo).
J
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATIONAREA—GMP
use has changed dramaticallyand environ- national recreation areain local general plans
mental impacts had to be examined.This was and coastal programs, the general manage-
done inthe Draft (NPS 2000) andFinal(NPS mentplan has no authority overlocal land
2002) GeneralManagementPlan I use decisions.
EnvironmentalImpactStatements.The The development ofspecific facilities is
"Record ofDecision" on the Pinal General also discussed at a conceptual level. Itis not
ManagementPlan IEnvironmentalImpact known atthis time whetherimprovements
Statementwas signed on March 5, 2003, and such as modifications to historic structures
is on file atthe NRA headquarters.The pre- or otherbuildings, site plans fornew
ferred alternativewas selected as the facilities, location and layoutofparking
approved plan. improvements, etc.,will occur. Many ofthe
This documentpresents the approved future actions, such as facility development,
general management plan for managingthe will require additional environmental
national recreation area duringthe next 15 to analysis before implementation. Manyitems
20 years. As detailed in the Final General will also require additional compliance with
ManagementPlan IEnvironmentalImpact federal biological and cultural resources laws
Statement, this plan was developed with a and regulations.
comprehensive public involvement process. The approved planbestmeets the goals
and objectives ofthe SantaMonica
Mountains National RecreationArea. It
designates about 80 percent ofthe total
acreage for preservation, 15 percentas
moderate intensityuse areas, and 5 percent
as high intensityuse areas. All new facilities
will be developed within the high intensity
use areas and focused in already disturbed,
nonsensitive areas.
View of Sycamore Canyon (NPS photo).
This managementplanpresents
conceptual visions for the national recreation
area in several levels ofmanagementareas:
low intensityareas, moderate intensityareas,
and high intensityareas.The management
areas ofcommunitylandscapes and scenic
corridors are also addressed.These five
managementareas outline the existingand
desired resource conditions and visitor
experiences that should be achieved and
maintained overtime in specific areas under
the approved plan.Although this plan
designates management areas that differ
from land uses planned for areas within the Visitorsenjoying Pumpkin Festival at Paramount Ranch (NPS photo).
VI
Summary
OVERVIEW OF WHY SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL RECREATION AREA IS EXCEPTIONAL
A
NUMBEROF FACTORSsetSantaMonicaMountainsNational RecreationArea apart. Forone,itisthe
*
*" nation's largesturban recreationarea. Comprisingmorethan 150,000 acres,itisovertwicethesize of
the secondlargestnational recreationarea,Golden Gate National RecreationArea.
SantaMonicaMountainsisdistinguishedfrommanyothernationalparks/recreationareasinthatitisasingle
expanseoflandratherthanaseriesofpocketparks.Thisisimportantbecauselargeblocksoflandsustainthe
habitatorlivingspacerequiredbynativewildplantsandanimals.TheareaisalsotheNationalParkService'sbest
mainlandexampleoftheMediterraneanBiome (landtype),oneofthesmallestbiomesfound onthefaceofthe
earth,withonly 18percentleftundisturbed.Anendangeredcollectionofplantsandanimalsisfoundhere.
AnotherdistinguishingfactoristhatthecityofLosAngelesispossiblythe onlycityintheworlddivided bya
mountainrange ornational recreation areaand one ofafewcitiesthathasanationalrecreation areaso readily
accessibletosomanypeople- 17 million.
ThesignificanceofSantaMonicaMountains National RecreationAreahasbeenfrequentlyoverlookedor
misunderstoodbutthatneedsto change.Thepurpose ofthisgeneralmanagementplan istoplotacourse into
thefuture—onethatensuresthattheSantaMonicaMountainsNational RecreationAreaispreservedforall
people,foralltime.
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