Environmentalists celebrate Saving Naples

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The final Environmental Defense Center's TGIF of the season celebrated efforts to save the Naples property along the Gaviota Coast.

EDC Chief Counsel Linda Krop called the Surfrider Foundation and Land Trust of Santa Barbara County "indispendible" partners.

The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County has a purchase agreement in place for the thousand acres property.

Krop said developers once had the county's approve to put more than 70 mansions on the what some called the Santa Barbara Ranch.

Now there is a campaign to raise at least $16 million to preserve it.

"The purchase of Naples by the Land Trust of Santa Barbara County culminates 35 years of effort by local environmentalists including the Surfriders foundation the organization for which I have been involved and it took a lot of work by many people and other organizations over a long period of time to save this property and we are over-joyed," said Surfrider Executive Committee member Bob Keats.

"I think the most important thing that everyone needs to realize while this is a fantastic moment to celebrate, the work is not over we still have money that needs to be raised,"said Surfrider Executive Committee member Stephanie Boshers, " there are still properties that are not part of the purchase that will need to be addressed, and so while we take a moment while we take a breath and celebrate what has been accomplished we have to remember there is still work to do and we need people to be involved to support the efforts and we welcome people getting involved with Surfrider, the Land Trust and other organizations."

The band Brengrass performed at the EDC event on Friday night and Dave's Drip House served up free ice cream.

Organizers said people can donate to the Save Naples campaign.

For information visit https://naplescampaign.com