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National Park Unit Profiles

When people think of national parks, names like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon often come to mind. However, not all parks in the system receive the same amount of popular attention that these very famous places do. The National Park System includes a wide range of resource types, management approaches, and ownership patterns. Here are profiles on several parks that may be appropriate for conditions along the Gaviota Coast.

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The 17,400-acre Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve was intended by Congress to remain largely under private ownership. The Reserve is protected for future generations through National Park Service purchases of development rights to key sites, including a portion of the original Ebey donation land claim. The Park Service continues to work cooperatively with Washington State Parks, Island County and the Town of Coupeville for the on-going protection of the historic rural landscape. Most of the land in the Reserve is privately owned.

Some of the techniques used to preserve open space, farmlands, and historic sites within the Reserve include purchase of scenic easements, land donations, tax incentives, zoning, local design review, and purchase or exchange of development rights. This strategy reduces the cost of protection, keeps the land productive and on the tax rolls, and allows for private stewardship to continue as it has for generations.

Ebey's Landing NHR is managed by a volunteer trust board. The trust board members each serve a four-year term, which is staggered so there is continuity on the board. The Reserve manager is the only full-time staff member. There are seven local residents on the trust board (three appointed by the Town of Coupeville, four appointed by Island County), one representative from Washington State Parks, and one from the NPS.

Location
Whidbey Island, Washington.

Visitation
Over 500,000 people visited Ebey's Landing NHR in 1999.

Management
Land Protection Methods:

About 90% of the reserve is privately owned. Only 12% is directly affected by the federal designation through such protections as scenic easements. The remaining lands rely on local zoning for protection. 

Other methods:

• Scenic easements purchased by NPS; 
• Scenic easements purchased by The Trust for Public Lands or other land trusts; 
• Scenic easements created and donated by subdividers, to limit visual impacts of future builders; 
• "Down-zoning": properties can be rezoned to be more compatible with park goals (such as from Residential to Forest Management) in exchange for Transfer of Development Rights that can be sold to developers; 
• Detailed, site-specific development restrictions purchased by the NPS to protect viewsheds.

Fees:
There is no entrance fee.

Management Issues:

• Recent population growth occurring in Central Whidbey Island has placed an added importance on protecting the character of the rural landscape within the Reserve from incompatible development. However, land protection efforts at Ebey's Landing NHR have been hampered by several factors. Due to the state's Growth Management Act finalized local zoning regulations do not exist, causing some ambiguity regarding land use controls. 
• The Trust Board does not have the jurisdictional authority to implement Reserve goals and must rely upon applicable laws and ordinances and landowner cooperation. 
• Congress intended that the Reserve would remain largely under private ownership. To ensure that the land within the Reserve is protected, the NPS has been purchasing conservation and scenic easements. Despite recent appropriations, a need remains for additional funds for acquisition to buy conservation easements on parcels within the Reserve. 
• "Environmental Brinkmanship": when funding is scarce, inholders can announce intentions to develop their land in order to pressure the NPS to purchase lands or easements; 
• County government does not want to always be the nay-sayer to local development; 
• Development pressure continues to threaten the resource, and more money for acquisitions will be required; 
• Monitoring scenic easements requires constant vigilance: there must be enforcement of regulations and penalties for violators. New buyers are often unaware of easements.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains rise above Los Angeles, widen to meet the curve of Santa Monica Bay and reach their highest peaks facing the ocean. Established in 1978, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a cooperative effort that joins federal, state and local park agencies with private preserves and landowners to protect the natural and cultural resources of this transverse mountain range and seashore.

Location
Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

Visitation

Santa Monica National Recreation Area received over 550,000 visitors in 1999.

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is composed of a mosaic of varying land ownerships and land uses spread over 150,050 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains.
 

The area's Land Protection Plan examines a broader range of protection strategies than simple fee acquisition. Better understanding of resource and recreation values at risk enables the National Park Service to better assess possible uses of alternative approaches such as conservation easements, transfer of development rights, land exchanges and habitat conservation banking.

Fees:
None.

Issues:

• Implementation of an effective land management strategy involves over 70 government entities that share jurisdiction of land within the park boundary.

Point Reyes National Seashore

The 71,000 acre Point Reyes National Seashore, established by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, contains unique elements of biological and historical interest in a spectacularly scenic panorama of ocean breakers, open grasslands, bushy hillsides and forested ridges. Open coastal grasslands are used by dairy farms and beef ranches in an area known as the Pastoral Zone. These working ranches continue their operations under special use agreement with the National Park Service. 

Location

Point Reyes Station, CA 

 

Visitation

2.6 million annually.

Management

Land Protection Methods:

• Scenic easements have been purchased to freeze development along ridge lines and to protect the viewshed; 
• Informal "good neighbor" relations are encouraged with inholders to promote compatible uses and limit conflicts of interest.

A transportation use fee has been implemented for shuttle services on weekends and holidays.
 

Ranching: 
Legislation creating the park provided funds to purchase ranch lands and then lease the land back to the existing ranchers. Today there are thirteen operating ranches in the park. The 5-20 year leases partner the National Park Service and the ranchers as stewards - protecting the natural landscape as well as the rich cultural landscape of agricultural history. 

Preserving and protecting the Pastoral Zone is essential. In addition to providing scenic vistas, this sustainable agricultural landscape provides fresh and healthy food to the nearby urban population.

Canaveral National Seashore

Canaveral National Seashore is part of a barrier island offering 24 miles of undeveloped beach and wetland environment encompassing over 57,600 acres, protecting the largest stretch of open coastline on the east coast of Florida.

Location
North District - New Smyrna Beach, Florida
South District - Titusville, Florida

Visitation
1999: 846,512 visits

Management
Land Protection Methods:

The National Park Service and NASA own and manage the land within the Seashore.

Visitor Experience:

• Seasonal hunting of migratory waterfowl is allowed in the Seashore and neighboring Wildlife Refuge and is part of the Refuge's waterfowl management program; 
• Seashore areas are closed when parking lots are filled or during shuttle launch activities at Kennedy Space Center.

Fees:
$1 walk-in fee.
$10 vehicle entry fee.
$20 annual park pass.

Issues:

• NASA retains priority in management of its 40,000 acres of the Seashore. Beaches in the South District are closed 3 days prior to launches, which have recently been occurring approximately 5 times per year.

Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore encompasses 133,434 acres of America's vanishing barrier islands. It is the longest remaining undeveloped barrier island in the world. While white sand beaches, interior grasslands, ephemeral ponds and the Laguna Madre provide habitat for a multitude of diverse wildlife, the seashore remains a popular destination for tourists who make use of the many recreational opportunities at the Seashore.

Location
Padre Island, Texas (Gulf Coast).

Visitation

Padre Island receives an average of 800,000 visitors per year, mostly from the regional area.

Much of the land was donated to the federal government by the State of Texas. The remaining private land was obtained by fee acquisition.
 

Oil and Gas Resources:
At the time of the park's establishment, surface ownership was held by the State of Texas or by private landowners. In 1973, the surface estate owned by the State of Texas was conveyed to the U.S. Government, while those surface rights held by private landowners were acquired by the federal government. All subsurface mineral interests underlying the park were retained by private owners. Those underlying the submerged lands under the Laguna Madre and Gulf of Mexico were retained by the State of Texas and are administered by the Texas General Land Office. However, Congress directed in the park's enabling act that nonfederal oil and gas development be regulated. Nonfederal oil and gas development has occurred at Padre Island National Seashore since the early 1950's, prior to the establishment of the park. Out of 52 wells drilled, 23 (44 percent) were placed in production. Currently, there are 6 oil and gas well operations, 1 salt-water disposal well, and 7 pipelines in the park.

Fees:
$10 vehicle entry fee.
$20 annual park pass.

Management Issues:

• The National Park Service has the legislated duty to manage the surface activities of subsurface mineral owners 
• Elimination of commercial fishing activities within the park's jurisdictional boundary (approximately 30,000 acres of submerged lands) has met with local resistance.