For Immediate Release, January 9, 2025
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Contact: |
Ken Bouley, kbouley@tirn.net |
TULE ELK TO ROAM FREE: COMMERCIAL CATTLE RANCHING TO LEAVE POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE
CALIFORNIA — After a decade of tireless advocacy from Turtle Island Restoration Network and many others, the National Park Service announced a settlement to remove commercial ranching from Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS). The agreement was reached between plaintiffs (Center For Biological Diversity, Resource Renewal Institute, Western Watersheds Project), The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the ranchers, who were interveners in the case. This is not only a major win for the tule elk, but also the entire coastal ecosystem and the waterways dependent on it. The settlement signals a critical return to national park values for the Seashore, and a turning of the page for commercial ranching, which has impaired the land for so long.
Twelve lessees have accepted buy-outs, including 6 dairy ranches and 6 beef ranches, removing 4,729 Animal Units (AU) and ultimately retiring 12 ranches and 15 allotments that cover an astounding 16,756 acres in PRNS. Departing lessees will have 15 months to terminate operations, remove personal infrastructure and property, and vacate the premises. The land will be rezoned from Ranchland to Scenic Landscape, prohibiting commercial livestock grazing.
Removal of the controversial elk fence, a 2-mile long by 8-foot high fence designed to confine tule elk to a 2,600-acre preserve on Tomales Point, will take priority within the Scenic Landscape Zone, now encapsulating 17,400 acres of PRNS.
“The deal is not, of course, perfect, but it’s significant and durable progress towards restoration in the Seashore,” said Ken Bouley, Executive Director of Turtle Island Restoration Network. “Turtle Island Restoration Network thanks everybody who worked tirelessly to make this happen, especially the plaintiffs, and applauds the park service for this hard-fought accomplishment.”
As detailed in the settlement terms, all but 2 beef operations are set to leave the park over a 15-month period. In exchange for surrendering any rights to remain in or return to PRNS, each leaseholder will receive a cash buy-out —- funded by The Nature Conservancy, said to total more than $40 million. There is also an understanding to set aside $2.5 million to ensure transition support from public and private funds for former ranch workers, housing location support, and a severance agreement with the ranch operators.
A facet of this deal includes the ability for the Nature Conservancy to operate seasonal, rotational grazing in the scenic landscape zone, with an expected average of 600 animal units. However, wild tule elk grazing will be prioritized over cattle grazing. Any new fences will be wildlife friendly or virtual.
Turtle Island Restoration Network will continue to monitor the remaining activities in the Seashore, and most of all, roll-up our sleeves and report for restoration duties! We are committed to protecting the biodiversity of PRNS, restoring cattle-devastated expanses back to the iconic land on Northern California’s Pacific Ocean.
To learn more about our fight to protect the tule elk, please visit https://seaturtles.org/save-californias-tule-elk/
Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity and the oceans that sustain all life on Earth.
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