A federal judge will decide later this month whether the Bureau
of Land Management is doing enough to protect the endangered San
Benito evening primrose, which grows in the asbestos-laden soil of
the Clear Creek Management Area, a popular spot for off-road
vehicle drivers.
Hollister – A federal judge will decide later this month whether the Bureau of Land Management is doing enough to protect the endangered San Benito evening primrose, which grows in the asbestos-laden soil of the Clear Creek Management Area, a popular spot for off-road vehicle drivers.
In November the Center for Biological Diversity and the California Native Plant Society filed suit against the BLM, claiming that its management plan for Clear Creek – which cut the 400 miles of off-road routes by nearly half – did not go far enough to protect the primrose, which was listed as endangered in 1985. A federal judge will rule on the case Sept. 30.
“We never wanted to take this to court. Our volunteers and staff have worked with BLM for decades to fix the problems at Clear Creek,” said Brian LeNeve, vice president of the Monterey chapter of the California Native Plant Society, at the time of the filing. “Meanwhile, damage to the area, the only place in the world where this primrose lives, has only escalated.”
Off-road enthusiasts have said that they understand that a compromise may be necessary, but they feel that they are losing the ability to enjoy their favorite form of recreation.
In addition to off-roaders, campers, hikers and hunters of wild pigs all recreate at Clear Creek, which is located about an hour south of Hollister and consists of about 75,000 acres of barren terrain and abandoned mines.
George Hill, field manager for the BLM’s Hollister office, said he belives that his agency has taken adequate steps to protect the primrose while at the same time balancing the concerns of environmentalist and off-roaders by fencing areas where the primrose grows and directing off-road routes away from the flower’s habitat.
“I think we’ve done a lot,” he said.
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected].
