By Susan Hopp
When you look across the Bay to Marin, it is the iconic and majestic Mount Tamalpais and its vast watershed that defines a magnificent view. While very popular to hikers, mountain bikers, and nature lovers, few realize how very special Mt. Tam is: recognized globally, it is a United Nations-designated biodiversity hotspot due to its abundance of plant and animal species. The watershed has more plant species than all of Yosemite, and is home to 97 endangered, protected, or threatened species, including the coho salmon, the spotted owl, the California red-legged frog, and the marbled murrelet.
This priceless, rare slice of nature is why the Sierra Club is ready to become a plaintiff and join Watershed Alliance of Marin (WAM) and Friends of Muir Woods Park in a lawsuit that seeks to protect key ecosystems within Mt. Tam. The proposed “Dipsea Ranch” development, above Muir Woods and subdividing a key parcel of land adjoining Redwood Creek, was approved without the full protection, under the law, of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Rather, Marin County issued a short-circuited approval based on a "mitigated negative declaration". It is the potential for irreparable harm to the critical Redwood Creek ecosystem and habitat that is the Sierra Club’s concern.
Surprisingly, the developer has objected to the addition of Sierra Club as a plaintiff in the case, despite there being “no legal prejudice” to the developer. Why would the developer try to exclude a valued stakeholder from participating in this challenge to the County’s actions? The Sierra Club’s great history of protecting the environment may be a factor. Still, what does the developer have to fear from more community participation?
Regardless, the legal team's motion is underway to appeal directly to the judge. Please add your support to our legal fund either by directly donating to WAM or by contributing to our GoFundMe page.
We must fight to conserve this biologically rich natural area and the endangered wildlife within its ecosystem.
Susan Hopp is the vice chair of the Sierra Club Marin Group Executive Committee.
Photo credit: Juvenile spotted owl in Muir Woods by Aaron Dollar via Flickr Creative Commons (CC BY 2.0).