Action Alert: Protect Trail Access at UCSC! Ask UCSC to plan for trail access in 2040 Long Range Development Plan!

Is trail access at UCSC something you value? If so, please speak up to help MBOSC ensure that it is protected as UCSC expands.

Who: Mountain bikers and all trail users What: Tell UCSC that you want to see trail planning incorporated into Long Range Development Planning Where: Public meetings in Santa Cruz, Capitola, and Watsonville (more info below) Can’t make the meetings? Send an email to [email protected]. When: March 5-8 Why: UCSC is planning how it will increase enrollment in the coming decades. Future growth will likely compromise existing recreational trail access on campus. The community needs to speak up to encourage UCSC to manage, improve, and protect public access for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking! UCSC will be hosting three community forums related to the development and preparation of its 2040 Long Range Development Plan. The forums will take place from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm on the following dates and locations:

• March 5 - Hotel Paradox (611 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz)
• March 6 – Watsonville Community Room (275 Main Street, Watsonville – Tentative Location)
• March 8 – Mid County Senior Center (829 Bay Avenue, Capitola)

They are designed to be interactive and ensure that attendees can spend their time learning about and giving feedback on the topics of greatest interest to them. They are structured to accommodate a variety of schedule constraints so individuals can come and go at their convenience. Please help MBOSC speak up for trail access on campus by attending one of these meetings. If you are not able to attend in person please send an email to [email protected] to express your support.

Sample talking points:

• Mountain biking is popular on campus with students, faculty, and the local community.
• Trails provide recreational opportunities and a training venue for UCSC’s championship-winning mountain bike team.
• Legal, safe, and sustainable trails will reduce user conflict, environmental damage, and improve public safety.
• Trails on campus would provide connectivity with trails in Pogonip and Wilder Ranch State Park to create a legal regional trail network.
• Trail planning, construction and maintenance in adjacent State and City Parks has been facilitated by skilled volunteer labor and can similarly be done on campus at little or no cost to UC.

There is an extensive existing network of trails on campus, many of which have been created by users and are not maintained nor managed. The future of this trail network is very uncertain as planned expansion into upper campus currently does not take into account public access to trails. The UCSC 2040 Long Range Development Plan is a unique opportunity to protect, improve and manage this beloved community resource, much as we do in Pogonip, Wilder, Soquel Demonstration State Forest, and other public land in the area. Please end your commentary with a request that UCSC add recreational trails, and specifically mountain bike trails, as an element in the LRDP. Please share this with everyone you know who can help.