A voice for the tule elk

The Tule Elk are a protected species and they are endemic to California (found only in California). Tule Elk are the smallest subspecies of the North American Elk.

Happy Earth Day everyone!  Today, I spoke for the Tule Elk, for the environment, for vulnerable species, and for the land of the Point Reyes National Seashore to remain protected for wildlife.  Today is a hearing before the California Coastal Commission to see if they will object to the National Park Service proposal to continue to lease out the national protected lands to dairy farmers and cattle ranchers.  (And continue to allow the "management" of Tule Elk, which includes but is not limited to preventing Tule Elk from water sources on federal land and shooting them.)  I sit here listening to some amazing and passionate speakers before the Commission urging them to be on the right side of history and comply with laws.  Thank you to all those who spoke today to the Commission who were voices for the earth, animals and clean water.  Let's see what the CA Coastal Commission does with the data and information provided to them.

Rare Tule elk are imprisoned and dying without access to enough water. The most precious herd remaining of this native Californian species are inside a fenced-in reserve managed by the National Park Service (NPS) in Point Reyes National Seashore.

Here was my two (2) minute speech:  

My name is Christine Garcia-Kelly and I am the founder and president of Possums Welcome, a nonprofit whose mission statement includes the preservation of wildlife and open space, and protection and care of vulnerable species.

This proposed amendment before the Commission today - with lease renewals -will have a detrimental impact on wildlife, vulnerable species and water quality as it is written today.

I also have practiced animal law with The Animal Law Office for over 20 years and have drafted and passed legislation when I sat on the SF Animal Welfare Commission.  Decisions were never hard for me to make.  They were quite easy.  My vote was always on the side of animal protection and I had ample legal authority and evidence to support my vote.

Today, so do you.

Each member on this Commission has ample evidence and statutory authority to oppose the proposal from NPS.

On page 5 of your report, I read, “staff did not find evidence of a spillover effect onto coastal resources”…and…”staff believes the …measures proposed .. won't cause effects on coastal resources that conflict with the Coastal Act”

Your staff needs some assistance if they could not find evidence.

If you are seeking data and analysis of the negative impact on water into the coastal streams, you don’t need to go far.  Resource Renewal Institute corres page 5-to 14 of 98 articulates this science .  If you are looking for legal authority, go to the Turtle Island’s Restoration Project correspondence or talk to Jim Coda who has a wealth of information.

Reducing the zone by 2000 acres isn’t good enough.  And nowhere in any law from 1960’s or prior does it say that fences should be erected and elk should be prevented from sources of water on these lands.

Please exercise your duties under Coastal Act Section 30320(a), and do not sign off on a plan which ignores science, data on water quality and the laws regarding the protection of wildlife.

Point Reyes National Seashore released their 2020 census count of the three Tule elk herds yesterday: the population of the Park’s largest herd plummeted from 445 to 293 individuals—152 elk have died in one year. This huge death toll is in the largest of three herds — and the only captive herd, held without adequate food or water behind an 8-foot-tall fence. For more info, visit: www.forelk.org