Edhat Reader
UCSB’s Coal Oil Point Reserve is one of the most productive habitats for threatened Western Snowy Plover.
Cooperation from our local community has helped the recovery of the breeding population. Unfortunately, despite requests for leashing, impacts from dogs have persisted.
Starting in April 2024, we will implement the state-wide effort to protect Snowy Plover, with pet-free beaches in breeding sites. Please plan your dog walk on the many alternative beaches and trails.
For more information see CA State Parks and Ventura County guidelines. Thank you for helping keep Sands Beach Wild.
Which agency issued this press release? Which agency is authorized to enforce it?
UCSB’s Coal Oil Point Reserve issued the release. The agencies authorized to enforce the Endangered Species Act include the US Fish and Wildlife Service and CA Department of Fish and Wildlife. The California Coastal Commission is responsible for enforcing the policies set at the UCSB’s Long Range Development Plan, which includes this dog policy.
Coal Oil Point Reserve staff works with these agencies regularly to ensure that the sensitive resources are protected.
The current LRDP does not prohibit dogs on state, county, or city beaches. Can you link to any official document that corroborates your claims here, or any UCSB sanctioned press release or public communication to that effect?
Hi, the new policy was approved in 2017 in the Amendment No. LRDP-4-UCS-16-0001-1.
LRDP Policy LU-33 h: “ Dogs are not permitted on the Reserve including on the Pond Trail.”
Unable to find an official press release/communication, I did come across the Coal Oil Reserve 2023 Newsletter which has the following information (page 3) which is interesting. “The Western Snowy Plover population at Coal Oil
Point Reserve had an exceptional nesting season
this year with above average hatching rates (72%)
and fledging rates (61%)” and “Plover nests and chicks experienced notably low
levels of predation in 2023, compared to previous
years in which crow and skunk activity has had a
significant impact on nesting success. In fact, the
primary cause of nest failure this year was high
tides. Fortunately, many of the eggs that washed
out of their nests were recovered and transferred
to our partners at Santa Barbara Zoo to be raised
in captivity and returned to Sands Beach for
release back into their natural habitat. In total, 11
additional fledged plover chicks that would have
otherwise not survived the elements were
released this year from the zoo’s rehabilitation
program.”
https://copr.nrs.ucsb.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/COPR_2023_Newsletter.pdf
Indeed 2023 was a great year for chick survival. The storms brought a lot of debris to the beach and the chicks could hide from predators. Every year is different.
Good question. Looks to be reader-submitted but is written in an authoritative tone as if it’s from a public agency.
The links included don’t provide specific reference to Sands/Coal Oil Point but does state that there will be a crackdown on enforcement. Since UCSB researchers are always monitoring the area I’d assume they will be the ones enforcing or calling authorities.
One of the links is to the state guidelines for protecting snowy plovers. Do you only do the right thing if there is a regulatory consequence for not doing the right thing?
No. Coal Oil Point Reserve was the first site to evr recover a breeding population of Snowy Plovers. There were no regulatory agencies forcing this to be done. The reason we waited so long to implement the pet free policy is because we were trying to obtain 100% compliance with the leash law.
Reads like it came from a sneaky snowy plover loving Edhat reader, and that’s about it. Zero UCSB association.
You say that like it’s a bad thing. Screw endangered species, right? Please tell us how you know this person is not affiliated with your “employer.”
I think this is a person who wants to look like an authority that they’re not. Reread my original comment if you want. UCSB is very careful with how they associate and put out press.
LOL, you’re hysterical.
So matter of fact and always so very wrong. Truly comical!
You are correct that there are many plover loving people around. This post is from UCSB’s Coal OIl Point Reserve. All landowners that have critically designated habitat for Western Snowy Plovers must protect them, by federal law.
4Nature – I appreciate your input! So, can you confirm that this release was in fact associated with UCSB?
Yes
Well, BASIC UCSB Doc, there you have it. Once again, your absolutist and simplistic proclamations of “fact,” are anything but.
I don’t see anyone from the university with their name on this. An anonymous person called 4nature answered yes to your also anonymous post and suddenly you think you nailed it! My oh my! I really got burned…not. Looks like fake news.
Hell, anyone could’ve posted this. Sad that you really bought into it so hard as to argue over it.
Here’s a tip – don’t believe everything you read. Ever heard that? It’s a thing.
If UC wants to put out something it won’t be labeled as “Edhat reader” doing the writing. Cmon man
Psssst…. hey UCSB “Doc”….. lookee here:
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and UC Santa Barbara Police are the enforcement agencies with the public in these posted protected areas.” https://keyt.com/news/santa-barbara-s-county/2024/03/21/dogs-even-on-leash-will-be-banned-from-two-ellwood-area-beaches-to-protect-the-snowy-plover/
LOL! You couldn’t be more wrong if you tried! Make an effort next time.
I was never wrong. The article wasn’t written by anyone other than an anonymous person with zero credentials. And that’s what I said.
for a city that claims to be very dog friendly, this has got to be the least dog friendly city. oh no snowy plovers! survival of the fittest. if they are dying out, perhaps there is a reason within nature itself, rather than blame a dog. that is just dumb. if they truly want/need to protect the snowy plovers, the public as a whole would be banned. this is just targeting dog owners. there are programs in place along the central coast that have bans on entering specific parts of beaches or a full stretch of beach as well. not all dogs are out to kill things, and not all dog guardians are absent minded.
KNEIN – I get it, but humans don’t go rambling through plover nests with zero understanding of what the are or what all the signs and warnings mean. Well, maybe a few have trouble understanding simple words – a few here I can think of – but you know what I mean. I used to fish off of Sands with my dog all the time, but always kept him on leash until we got way past the reserve. Not everyone is that responsible/respectful.
We monitor the Snowy Plovers three times a week and record their numbers, causes of death of eggs and chicks, survival rates, etc. We also record the number of people and dogs and weather the dogs are on or off-leash, and if they chased birds and trespassed into the nesting area. This is done every two hours. This is to say we didn’t take this decision lightly because we recognized the effort of so many supportive dog owners who leashed their dogs.
This makes no sense. Humans have been walking dogs out there for years and the snowy plovers have made a comeback. Why is this change necessary given the comeback of the birds? It is working as-is.
Hi sb0408, that is a good question. You are correct that the Snowy Plovers at COPR have successfully recovered a breeding population since 2001, which dogs on the beach. There are 2 reasons to answer your question. 1) to increase the population of Snowy Plovers to the point that they are no longer endangered, breeding sites along the pacific coast need to maximize the production of chicks. A large effort has been done in the last 20 years all along the coast and the plovers increased in numbers, but reached a plateau. Agencies are now looking at what else can be done to continue increasing plover numbers. 2) Dogs and people are not allowed to kill or harass plovers, it is actually a crime under the Endangered Species Act. Several plovers were killed and harassed by dogs at Sands Beach. When this happens, a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) may be triggered by federal and state agencies. This is a not a good solution because an HCP may include closing parts of the beach. The COPR team’s goal is to protect the plovers AND keep the beach open for people. We need the cooperation of dog owner to achieve this. Please help inform dog owners and thank you. Remember Devereux Beach and Ellwood West are still open to dogs on leash.
The real answer is that UCSB is going to keep metastasizing further and further into the surrounding communities unless the locals start pushing back. These people have their beachfront caretaker residence, and they don’t want you around.
The snowy plover scam has been disproven since DNA testing somewhere around 1996.
There is no “Western” snowy plover.
Been to Cape May in NJ?
Closure there as well for the SNOWY PLOVER.
Only difference is a different feather and that is no shit.
ALL SNOWY PLOVERS ARE THE SAME from east to west.
Here is where science gets tossed for “Feelings’ about a bird.
Idiots.
Want some Plovers?
Go to The Great Salt lake, there are 1000’s of them.
Just like people from there , I’m sure they would like the better weather.
TNKY – so much wrong. Education.
The are different species and sub-species of Snowy Plovers that look alike. The eastern Snowy Plover is a different species called Pipping Plover . The ones at COPR are part of the Pacific population of Western Snowy Plover. The DNA study did not reject the fact that the Pacific and inland populations are separate.
Yea yea.
That is the truth and its THE TRUTH.
Not your “truth”.
Seems to be a “social truth”. Do try to apply some BS filters to what you read.
The weird thing about this announcement is that “East Ellwood Beach” otherwise known as Sands Beach, has the surf running at high tide right up to the edge of the sand, then a shelf of non native ice plant and other non native weeds. The earlier restricted area (in front of Coal Oil Preserve) has dunes and habitat. How can plovers nest in an area where tides will wipe them out regularly? Do the folks behind this pronouncement ever walk the beach?