The National Park Service released its final Rim of the Valley Corridor study this week. Read it [here].

In their previous study release, the NPS supported alternate C, which did not include Santa Clarita and many other places in Los Angeles County. Basically, it included El Pueblo in Los Angeles, the Verdugo Mountains and the San Fernando Valley areas.

Overwhelmingly, during the release of the previous study, 95 percent of the population of Los Angeles and Ventura counties supported Alternate D, which was a much broader alternative, and the very best alternative for preservation of habitat and the major animal corridors – one of which is in our area, connecting the Sierra Pelona and the San Gabriel Mountains, allowing safe passage for ungulates and predators alike.

This corridor is getting smaller and smaller all the time, and negative animal-human interactions are becoming more common. It is important to keep this area open for animal migration, to avoid conflicts.

The NPS agreed that Alternate D was the best of all of the alternatives – best not only for humans, but also for animals.

However, their final study again put forth Alternate C as their preferred alternate, with a few additions from Alternate D.

As stated, 95 percent of the people who attended their public meetings in good faith were hoping for a better deal than “C” had to offer. They all lobbied for Alternate D.

Alternative C adds approximately 170,000 acres to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). Excerpted from their report:

“The National Park Service’s final study recommendation, or ‘selected alternative,’ is essentially a combination of possible alternatives proposed in the Rim of the Valley Corridor Draft Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment released in April 2015. The selected alternative proposes a 170,000-acre boundary adjustment to SMMNRA, which would include portions of the Los Angeles River and Arroyo Seco corridors, the Verdugo Mountains-San Rafael Hills, the San Gabriel Mountains foothills, the Simi Hills, the Santa Susana Mountains, and the Conejo Mountain area.”

Alternative D would add approximately 313,000 highly critical acres of land to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This does not mean the National Park Service or the federal government would appropriate this property. There will be no eminent domain.

Take a look at the homes and other private property and city property that is inside the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area now. Property values have risen higher than average.

The NPS cannot tell them what gate to put on their property or anything else. The benefits are many. There is more open space and parkland, and things of historical or cultural value are preserved. The animals, such as mountain lions, are tracked, and corridors remain open and are being improved. Law enforcement is readily available. Habitat is improved. Non-native, invasive plants are removed, and habitat restoration is underway.

Under Alternate D, our animal corridors would be made safer for people living nearby, and safer for animals crossing from one habitat to another.

In addition, the Rim of the Valley will bring us a huge multi-use trail. By multi-use, I mean it would include equestrians, mountain bikers and hikers.

I have recently done a re-map of a large portion of trail, which would bring it into the Santa Clarita Valley and allow us access from the Dagger Flat Trail, the future Crest to Coast Trail, the Condor Trail, Placerita’s Los Pinetos and Manzanita Trails, Elsmere Canyon and Weldon Canyon.

Without the adoption of Alternate D, none of this will happen.

The final study that was released this week completes the input from the National Park Service. The next step will be for U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff to introduce legislation. Schiff is a huge proponent of Alternative D and always has been. He was pleased to see that 95 percent of his district as well as the population of the rest of Los Angeles County was in agreement with his assessment.

In order for him to introduce Alternative D – the alternative that all the communities around the proposed Rim of the Valley Study Area requested – he needs your help.

He will be working with the community over the next several months, asking for your support. Every letter of support, every phone call, and every emailed comment is important to this legislation.

You can drive what happens here. I love the fact that we, the public, are in control of the outcome of this great legislation. I am asking you please to contact Schiff’s office with your support and tell them you support Alternative D.

Here is Rep. Schiff’s just-released [press statement]. Please send your comments to him at SchiffROTV@mail.house.gov.

If you want to see a map of Alternative D, please go to our website www.rimofthevalleycoalition.com. Click on “Alternatives” and you will see the Alternative D map. Note the corridor in our district.

Please “cc” Rep. Steve Knight in your letter so he knows our district supports Alternative D, as well: Congressman Steve Knight, U.S. House of Representatives, 1023 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D. C. 20525.

Thank you for your support.

Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel is executive director of the Community Hiking Club and president of the Santa Clara River Watershed Conservancy. Contact Dianne through communityhikingclub.org or at zuliebear@aol.com.