Coastline Pilot

December 20, 2002

 

Chasing the Muse

By Catharine Cooper

 

I dream of open spaces.  Large tracts of land unencumbered by roads, housing, skyscrapers or the pollution of industry.  I dream of rivers that run freely without the stricture of dams.  I dream of palm covered islands fragrant with frangipani and plumerias.  I dream of desert dunes resplendent in wind swept formations.  I dream of the earth in harmony and balance with its wild creatures:  the fox, the lion, the deer, the mouse, the gnatcatcher and others.

 

I dream these things because they feed my soul.  Mine and the soul of mankind.  Henry David Thoreau wrote, "In Wildness Is the Preservation of the World," and his words speak to us all. 

 

What wonder.  A walk in the woods.  To clear the mind of worry and strain.  To stretch the legs and limbs and bring fresh oxygen deep into the lungs.  To listen to the soft calling of the canyon wren or the overhead cry of a red-tailed hawk.  This possibility, this satisfied yearning, found here, in our own backyard.  For, we Lagunans have a rich luxury, the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, in the midst of our periphery.  We have trails to hike or bike or ride, wildlife to observe and coastal fauna to enjoy. 

 

Dedicated in April, 1993, the 6,600 acre Laguna Wilderness Park lies at the heart of the 19,000 acre South Coast Wilderness system of parks, preserves and marine sanctuaries.  The first lands were purchased with funds the Laguna voters committed through the passage of a $20 million tax bond in 1990.  Other lands have been transferred to the system through development agreements.  

 

The park is managed by the County of Orange, Harbors, Beaches & Parks, and supported by three nonprofit organizations, Laguna Greenbelt, Inc., The Nature Conservancy and Laguna Canyon Foundation.  The park shares contiguous borders with Crystal Cove State Park (managed by the state of California) a spot of Laguna Open Space, and
the Irvine Company Open Space Reserve (managed by the Nature Conservancy of the park include).

 

As the first in a flurry of winter storms edged in on Saturday afternoon, Steve and I enjoyed the company of Park Ranger Barbara Norton on a brief tour of the park.  Barbara, a local resident, has what she describes as a “dream job.”  A former PTA mom with the Laguna School system, she turned her love of the outdoors into a successful ranger application.  After earning her stripes in the Huntington Beach system, she was rewarded with her current assignment when an opening occurred.  Barbara has cropped sandy hair, a wide inviting smile and an infectious love of ‘her’ park.

 

Barbara works with Senior Park Ranger, Larry Sweet and grounds keeper, Ray Davis.  Their job is multi-faceted and all encompassing.  Besides manning the visitor’s center at the Park Office, they oversee trail maintenance and rehabilitation, signage and directional issues, first aid concerns, enforcement of regulations and stewarding of wildlife and the coastal plant community. 

 

Wildlife corridors – underpasses beneath the hulking concrete frame of the 73 toll way are one of the areas of their concern.  These corridors are basically designed to prevent road kill.  Walking an area known as the El Morro sliver with Barabara, we were stunned to see that residential development combined with Caltrans fencing has narrowed the corridor to less than ten feet.   Terrified deer have been seen bashing themselves against the fence with little to no room for escape.  It is hoped that an agreement between the transportation agencies to move the fence and allow a wider berth can be completed quickly.

 

Barbara dropped us on the ridge and we headed down Emerald Canyon to a misty vista of the Pacific.  Screeching blue scrub jays danced between the canyon trees.  Stately sycamores, some more than 125 years old, dropped their golden leaves onto our path.  An acorn woodpecker, his brilliant red head stark against the deep green of the wild oak, hammered against its woody trunk.  Crossing Old Emerald to Bommer Ridge, tracks of deer, coyote and rabbit mingled with hiking boot prints and bike tires, proof of the nature of the shared space.

 

Heavy clouds darkened the horizon as we edged ourselves back to the park headquarters.  A flutter of wrentits chased tiny insects on tree branches and an Anna’s hummingbird swooped down to eye level.    Magic so close to home.

 

May your holidays be filled with the love of family and friends, and perchance, the wondrous gift of a walk on the wild side.