Henry Cowell Tent Cabins - 1995

by Jessica Carver

In 1995, The California Department of Parks and Recreation proposed a campsite project that included constructing 35 tent cabins and a new restroom in an existing picnic area along the San Lorenzo River. The CA Department of Parks and Recreation adopted a Negative Declaration for the proposed project declaring that there was no substantial evidence that the project would have “significant” environmental impacts. As President of the California Native Plant Society Santa Cruz Chapter, Fred McPherson organized a letter-written campaign against this proposed project. He argued that there would be a number of significant environmental impacts involved and that a full Environmental Impact Report should be prepared before beginning the project. 

This project would risk the health of Henry Cowell’s sensitive riparian area. Fred argued for the largest contiguous remnant of riparian vegetation remaining in Santa Cruz County to be preserved. It is characterized by western sycamore, black cottonwood, white alders, box elder, four species of willows, and California bay trees. He estimated that only about 5-10% of the original riparian forest is still remaining. He believed, “If there were to be any redesign and change usage of this area, it is our position that it should include less utilization of the heart of this riparian area for picnicking and vehicles, control the removal of of the spreading invasive non-native plants, and greater use of the riparian area for low-impact interpretive purposes.”

Fred reached out to San Lorenzo Residents, colleagues, and members of environmental organizations to stand with him in opposition of the tent cabin project. Numerous concerned residents and established people joined him in the fight by giving their opinions on the foreseeable negative impacts associated with this project. Majority believed there must be efforts made towards protecting the precious and unique ecological areas within our beloved San Lorenzo Valley. 

The Park system was facing economic pressure and the purpose of this project was to increase revenues. The Department believed that by converting an already developed picnic area into an overnight campground there would not require an Environmental Impact Statement. However, Fred strongly believed that preserving native wildlife and plants should take precedence over developing new campsites. He wrote, “we cannot afford to have the natural resources that are entrusted to the state park system for protection and proper resource management degraded and liquidated for apparent short term revenues”. In response to their Negative Declaration, Fred created a fact sheet of possible impacts to make people aware of the consequences of this project. He also sought out legal advice by consulting James F. Mosher, an attorney at law, who’s professional, legal opinion was that the project would violate multiple state laws. Most notably, the project consisted of six violations of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 

Fred shared his thoughtfully prepared report with George Cook, the Superintendent of the Santa Cruz District Department of Parks and Recreation, Henry J. Mello, the Senate Majority Leader, Donald W. Murphy, the Director of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Robert Ueltzen, from the Northern Service Center of the Department of Parks and Recreation, and others. He gained the support of political leaders and the community which led to the disbursement of the unearthly project.