News Release

Point Reyes National Seashore issues a final decision on the Tomales Point Area Plan

An aerial photo of a narrow grass-covered peninsula with beige cliffs rising above the ocean in the lower left. A narrow bay separates the peninsula from the mainland, which stretches into the distance.
Aerial photograph of Tomales Point.

NPS Photo / Anela Kopshever

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News Release Date: December 2, 2024

Contact: Melanie Gunn, 415-464-5131

POINT REYES STATION, Calif. – Point Reyes National Seashore has released its final plan for the management of the Tomales Point area.

The plan calls for removal of a tule elk enclosure fence and all temporary water systems installed during the most recent drought. It also includes future opportunities to improve recreational uses and the visitor experience at historic Pierce Ranch, new approaches to preserve and maintain wilderness character in the Phillip Burton Wilderness, and methods to better protect natural and cultural resources.

Under the General Agreement for a government-to-government partnership, Point Reyes National Seashore consulted and collaborated with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria throughout this planning process. The park is incorporating the Tribe's views and traditional ecological knowledge into the management of Tomales Point.

"We analyzed three alternatives and incorporated feedback from over 35,000 public comment letters gathered during three comment periods," said Anne Altman, park superintendent. "The benefit of removing this enclosure is to allow elk to access additional habitat, increase the species’ population resilience during drought, and promote a more natural population cycle."

The decision, which the National Environmental Policy Act calls a Finding of No Significant Impact, represents the final stage of an environmental assessment that began in 2023.

The selected alternative is consistent with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s management of tule elk outside of Point Reyes National Seashore.

For more information, please visit the park’s Tomales Point Area Plan webpage: go.nps.gov/pore/tpap

-NPS- 

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Last updated: December 2, 2024

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