Public comment is needed at the State Parks hearing in Pleasanton on Thursday, February 16th to make sure that Henry Coe State Park is protected as a non-motorized park. Please join us for this important public hearing.
When: Thursday, February 16, 2023, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Pleasanton Marriott, 11950 Dublin Canyon Rd, Pleasanton, CA 94588
RSVP HERE!
In 2021, following many years of lobbying by conservationists, the State finally made the 3,100-acre biodiversity hotspot commonly known as Tesla Park ineligible for designation as an off-road vehicle park. Unfortunately, the budget language also set aside funds for the acquisition and development of alternative OHV recreational facilities, and now Henry Coe State Park is a target of OHV advocates.
Given Henry Coe's biodiversity and importance to indigenous people, this area is no place for an OHV park. But the threat is persistent, with lobbyists funded and backed by Honda, Firestone, Yamaha and other companies arguing that because it is the largest state park in Northern California, it has plenty of room to share with OHV.
However, the park’s size (87,000 acres) is specifically what makes it an important intact refuge for at-risk species, including Mountain Lions, at a time when a combination of regional development pressures and climate change impacts make such wild places necessary for survival. Preserving Coe as a non-motorized park is consistent with the state’s commitment to 30x30 preservation designed to protect biodiversity. Finally, introducing OHV into an area with sensitive sites with indigenous artifacts and that hold special value to indigenous communities will likely lead to damage to those sites.
It will be imperative that the Club, including and particularly people that benefit from Coe, have a good showing at the February 16th meeting to push back on the notion that Coe should be considered for OHV. RSVP here for the hearing!
For more information on the ongoing work to preserve these areas (including Tesla Park) or for questions about the upcoming budget bill and this hearing, Friends of Tesla Park will be hosting a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 1:30 pm. You can join the meeting here.
"Henry Coe State Park" by David Baron on Flickr is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.