Douglas Family Preserve preservation gets underway
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-It looks like a superbloom at the Douglas Family Preserve.
Mel Sahyun said people are coming from all over to the see the flowers.
He loves them and hopes they are left untouched.
But at the community meeting locals learned that some of the flowers including purple and white wild radishes and other plants that are invasive non-native species reduce biodiversity.
That is why a plan is in the works to preserve the preserve.
Second District City Councilmember Mike Jordan invited locals to a community meeting on Wednesday evening to hear about the plan and to asked questions.
Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary and her staff explained how some plants would be removed.
Deadwood and unstable trees will also be removed.
Secondary trails may also be closed.
Santa Barbara City Fire Wildland Specialist Mark vonTillow said crews have already started creating defensible space.
They will also make sure their is a path for their fire trucks to respond.
"You look around in the park you will see that some of the non-native stuff is over my head tall and within a couple months of wind and heat that is going to be like a grass field right so grass is very vulnerable to fires," said vonTillow.
Longtime locals including Kathleen Magugno said the property that used to be a nursery had caught the eye of developers with plans to build a retirement community
Madugno said people of all ages started collecting donations to buy it.
Oscar winner Michael Douglas, who recently taped an interview with at the preserve, named after his family, made the final major donation.
That helped the Trust for Public Land to buy all 70-acres.
The park is known for dog walkers.
One young man said he got poison oak by petting his dog after a walk in the park.
Locals are park officials if they would remove poison oak, too.
The answer was only if the plant was growing on the trail.
Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Jazmin LeBlanc said poison oak is native.
Thanks to an endowment and grant funding the city can move forward with park projects.
For more information visit https://www.sbparksandrec.santabarbra-ca.gov
Your News Channel will have more on the information shared at the meeting.
