Keep Sespe Wild handover
By John Hankins
Long-time advocate for Keep the Sespe Wild (KSW), Alasdair Coyne, is handing over his leader’s baton to Peter Deneen, an award-winning writer and a guy who snatched his friend’s 50-pound dog from a cougar’s jaws while running in Sisar Canyon.
As for his environmental chops, he has studied climate science at Columbia and permaculture design at Cuyama Quail Springs. “It’s design science for regenerative human resettlement,” he explained, “which focuses on mimicking nature; I really liked that, and its focus was on water, which is limiting in our area.” But it could be helped by re-introducing beavers, an idea pondered by our Ventura Sierra Club.
A resident of Ojai after moving from New York, Deneen has a vision for a more modern and public persona for KSW. That means creating a modern website and social media presence. Interactive maps, advocacy, robust search engines along with educational qualities would follow along.
He would continue the ongoing defense of Pine Mountain and the Sespe’s watershed, which means steelhead passages from the sea to fresh water, amphibians, frogs and toads. He also envisions a more active relationship with schools and non-profits.
Meanwhile, Coyne is going out on a roll, living his legacy. KSW started in 1988 to preserve Sespe Creek, one of Southern California's last free-flowing rivers. Of the Sespe's 55 miles, 31.5 were given federal Wild & Scenic River status in 1991.
“I’ve been doing it for 35 years, it’s time to pass the baton on,” said the 70-year-old.
The activist group has had success. Its latest venture was to appeal the approval by a lower court of the U.S. Forest Service’s plan to log hundreds of acres of old-growth conifer forests along the ridge of Pine Mountain, at the high point of the watershed of Sespe Creek.
“We have had a wonderful response to our online appeal to protect 423 acres of the old-growth forests atop Pine Mountain from the U.S. Forest Service's ill-advised logging and thinning proposal,” Coyne said, adding “This marks the FIRST time in our 35 years that we have asked our supporters to fund a specific appeal.”
Previously, Coyne became celebrated when he fought hard against the Forest Service’s Adventure Pass. Courts decided the Forest Service could charge for developed sites, but allowed free access to all undeveloped forest areas. He is also proud that “I led over 90 trips into the Sespe to get rid of Tamarisk, and I recently saw no new Tamarisk in the Sespe Gorge area.”
The hand-off comes at a time when much of the Sespe was closed due to weather damage, notably Highway 33, which is now open but with three sets of traffic signals between Ojai and the Rose Valley turnoff.
“After a year of no access to the upper Sespe, it is a joy and delight to be up there again!” he said.
Deneen envisions KSW modifying from being a 501c4 activist group (donations not tax deductible) to adding a 501c3 foundation that could accept donations for its work.
KSW’s board on June 4th accepted Deneen as its chief executive officer and conservation director.
He wasn’t exactly a stranger having gone out to the Sespe with Alasdair and ten other people on an annual hike. Alasdair slipped after jumping in the creek. He managed to hike back without a helicopter rescue. "It took 2 days, so we got to know each other," Deneen said.
Peter’s background shows his grit and determination: 12 years in US Coast Guard, with a specialty of maritime enforcement, like high seas drug, piracy and counter terrorism. “It gave me experience in managing stakeholders and situations,” which he certainly will find in his new work with the wilderness of the Sespe and developed areas.
“I feel well prepared.” he concluded.