The Big Sur Land Trust and the 2008 Fires
The Big Sur Land Trust (BSLT) responded quickly to the summer 2008 wildfires in Big Sur and Carmel Valley, making its properties available to firefighting personnel, offering assistance and relief to displaced community members, contributing to a scientific assessment of potential further damage from the coming rains, and funding the creation of a Big Sur Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Within days of the fire’s outbreak, as the fire’s severity and impact on the Big Sur community grew, BSLT contacted Big Sur’s Coast Property Owners Association (CPOA) to inform them of an immediate $100,000 donation from the Land Trust’s David Whitney Legacy Fund to the CPOA’s fire relief fund to support evacuated residents. The checks that resulted from this promising and historic alliance proved to be a lifeline for hundreds of Big Sur individuals and families, providing for temporary housing, gasoline, and restocked refrigerators and freezers.
Soil erosion is a paramount concern after a fire. BSLT handpicked a group of top watershed scientists, introduced them to Big Sur stakeholders, and funded an initial assessment on watershed conditions post-fire. We are also assisting the community to plan for the long-term future by funding the preparation of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for residents and associated wildlands in the Big Sur area. Crafted with the collaboration of professional forestry and resource management experts, this plan will reduce the likelihood of future wildfires, identify areas that need appropriate post-fire restoration, and develop a community-based incident management strategy to assure local participation in the case of a natural disaster.
For all their devastation, the summer 2008 wildfires brought to the fore Big Sur’s enduring community spirit and the deep connectivity between its land and people. The health of the land and its communities is at the heart of the Land Trust’s commitment to service and stewardship, and we will continue to work with the Big Sur community for a safer and more sustainable future.
For more information about our stewardship work in Big Sur, please contact Donna Meyers, BSLT Director of Conservation, at dmeyers@bigsurlandtrust.org
