By Save Cuesta Inlet
At a time when our environment is under siege, it is particularly uplifting to have a community come together to save a treasured piece of open space. As reported in the September 2024 Santa Lucian, and described more recently at the Sierra Club’s July General Meeting, the Save Cuesta Inlet (SCI) nonprofit is vigorously raising funds to purchase the 13-acre Cuesta Inlet to preserve for the public to enjoy. Located in Los Osos, the inlet is part of the larger tidal wetland that makes up the Morro Bay National Estuary. Residents began their fundraising campaign when the inlet was put up for sale three years ago. Earlier this year, a private buyer stepped in with an all-cash offer and the community almost lost this park-like property to development. Fortunately, the potential buyer backed out and SCI was able to convince the inlet’s owners to give the group 6 months to raise the necessary funds to purchase it. SCI’s goal is to ensure the land remains undeveloped and wild, and accessible to the public.
Preserving the Inlet with its access to the bay and trails is also the shared goal for over
480 individuals and businesses that have contributed anywhere from $10 to $100,000. The group has raised over $500,000 towards the negotiated $735,000 purchase price, which must be raised by the close of escrow in November.
The purchase would guarantee that the public can continue to access the inlet and enjoy its scenic views of the estuary, sand dunes and Morro Rock. SCI’s vision includes being a part of the efforts to protect the environmentally significant estuary that is home to many threatened and endangered wildlife species. They want to keep the area unfenced and free of light pollution so wildlife can continue to pass through the wildlife corridor that crosses the land.
If successful in purchasing the inlet, they would transition the organization to the “Friends of Cuesta Inlet” to maintain the property, using the successful example of the Friends of the Elfin Forest. After purchase, they plan to create a habitat conservation plan that will include removing abandoned boats on the property and replacing invasive non-native plants with plants native to the area.
Margarete Schmidt, SCI’s volunteer Executive Director, says the beauty of nature drives their effort, “We know that people only conserve what they love. If they don't get to experience the bay, the birding, the open spaces, they aren't going to love it and want to protect it. Our vision is that Cuesta Inlet will be a space that people can walk or ride their bikes to access the bay, sit on a bench, go birding, walk its trails, go for a paddle, and enjoy the outdoors. We hope it will lead to a deeper appreciation of the natural world.”
Learn more at Save Cuesta Inlet.org