When I came here in 1885, the Santa Ynez Valley, viewed from the Ballard Valley eastward looked very much like a huge grove of valley white oaks. In my 52 years in this valley, fully 70 percent of the valley white oaks and 50 percent of the coast live oaks have been destroyed wrote a former district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service. This was the cost of development and agriculture- the biologic cost of progress.

Between October to December of 1997, the Kendall-Jackson Company bulldozed 900 mature Valley and Coast Live Oak trees. In the last 18 month Santa Barbara County Planning and Development (P&D) estimates 1,800 to 2,100 mature oak trees have been removed to clear approximately 2,600 acres of land for grapevines as part of the expanding vineyard industry. To put this in perspective, these last 18 months of vineyard development have caused the removal of more mature oak trees then the combination of all urban development and rural subdivisions within the County over the last 10 years. But this is only the beginning of the destruction as P&D estimates that 7,000 new acres of grapes may be planted within then next few years which is expected to equate to the removal of approximately 5,000 additional mature oak trees.

Oddly, we environmentalists have the laws and ordinances that have strongly supported the Agricultural Community to thank for protecting the scenic character and biologic diversity of Santa Barbara County. With agriculture a viable option through out the County, there still exist ranches and large tracts of agricultural lands that have remain relatively undisturbed when compared to a mall or subdivision.

Santa Barbara County has supported the economic viability of agriculture through various means. The first Goal of the Santa Barbara County Comprehensive Plan Agricultural Element (Adopted September 3, 1991) states: Santa Barbara County shall assure and enhance the continuation of agriculture as a major viable production industry in Santa Barbara County. Agriculture shall be encouraged. Where conditions allow, (taking into account environmental impacts) expansion and intensification shall be supported. As part of this encouragement of agriculture within the County, a substantial amount of agricultural development has been exempted from the need for a permit which frees it from the rigors and cost of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA requires the full disclosure of potential impacts and mitigation for any significant impacts. CEQA is designed to inform and involve the public, and most discretionary projects subject to CEQA require a noticed public hearing before the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors. Additional support to the Agricultural Community also exists in the form of the Williamson Act that allows for the creation of Agricultural Preserves which reduces the tax liability on property owners that agree to maintain their Agricultural Preserve status for the next ten years. As payment for this support from the people of this County, Santa Barbara County has remained predominately rural with wide open grasslands and tree covered hillsides. That is until recently.

With the loss of these 2000 majestic Valley and Coast Live Oaks, an already damaged and degraded ecosystem takes another couple of steps toward collapse. These two species of trees are the cornerstones of two distinct ecosystems- the Valley Oak Savannah and the Coast Live Oak Woodland- and are an integral and essential part of the county's environment and landscape.

The Valley Oaks are a California endemic species (found only in California) and their historic range was from the Sacramento Valley to Los Angeles. These trees thrived in the flat valley bottoms but can survive on the more exposed hillsides. The present typical habitat of the Valley Oak is that of a single large tree surrounded by open grassland. In contrast, the Coast Live Oaks form dense woodlands in the stepper and less sunny regions along the coasts from the Bay Area into Baja California. P&D states in the Staff Report on Tree Removal in Rural Areas; Options for Tree Protection (January 14,1998) that Native oak woodlands provide habitat for 2000 species of plants, 170 birds, 100 mammals, 60 amphibians and reptiles, and 4000 species of insects. Fully one-third of all mammals found in California depend on oak habitat. The species of birds within Santa Barbara County that utilize the Valley Oak Savannah and/or Live Oak Woodlands include:

White-tailed Kite; Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, and Ferruginous Hawks; Golden Eagle; American Kestrel; Merlin; Prairie Falcon; California Quail; Band-tailed Pigeon; Mourning Dove; Barn, Western Screech, Great Horned, Northern Pygmy, and Northern Saw-whet Owls; Common Poorwill; Black-chinned, Anna's, Costa's, Rufous, and Allen's Hummingbirds; Lewis's, Acorn, Nuttall's, Downy, and Hairy Woodpeckers; Red-breasted and Red-naped Sapsuckers; Northern Flicker; Olive-sided, Pacific-slope, and Ash-throated Flycatchers; Western Wood-pewee; Western Kingbird; Purple Martin; Tree, and Violet-green Swallows; Steller's Jay; Western Scrub-jay; Yellow-billed Magpie; American Crow; Oak Titmouse; Common Bushtit; Red- breasted, White-breasted, and Pygmy Nuthatches; Canyon, Bewick's, and House Wrens; Ruby- crowned Kinglet; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; Western, and Mountain Bluebirds; American Robin; Hermit and Varied Thrushes; Northern Mockingbird; California Thrasher; Cedar Waxwing; Loggerhead Shrike; Solitary, Hutton's, and Warbling Vireos; Orange-crowned, Yellow, Yellow- rumped, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's, Hermit Warbler, and Wilson's Warblers; Western Tanager; Black-headed, and Blue Grosbeak; Lazuli Bunting; Spotted, and California Towhees; Chipping, Lark, Grasshopper, Fox, Song, Golden-crowned, and White-crowned Sparrow: Dark- eyed Junco; Western Meadowlark; Bullock's Oriole; Purple, and House Finches; Lesser, Lawrence's, and American Goldfinches

Many of these species of birds are identified by the California Department of Fish and Game's Species of Special Concern May 1990 (SSC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Migratory Nongame Birds of Management Concern 1995 listings (BMC). The BMC was prepared to, identify species, subspecies, and populations of all migratory nongame birds that, without additional conservation action, are likely to become candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The BMC goes on to state, The underlying philosophy behind this report is that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". We fervently believe that a well-designed program that addresses resource-management issues at an early stage, thereby preventing species from having to be listed as Threatened or Endangered, will be more cost-effective that a full blown recovery effort required once a species is Federally listed. We also hope that this list will promote greater study and protection of the habitats and ecological communities upon which these species depend.

Quoting from the May 16, 1990 SSC cover letter, This list has been prepared to help land management agencies, developers, landowners and the general public take action to protect declining bird and mammal populations before they become endangered. ...by giving special consideration to species of special concern whenever possible, we can avoid the costly recovery efforts that might otherwise be required to save these species.

The species that can be found within Santa Barbara County that are included in either or both of the lists that would be adversely impacted by the loss of oak woodlands include: White-tailed Kite Prairie Falcon Olive-sided Flycatcher Yellow Warbler Sharp-shinned Hawk Costa's Hummingbird Pacific-slope Flycatcher Hermit Warbler Cooper's Hawk Rufous Hummingbird Purple Martin Lark Sparrow Ferruginous Hawk Allen's Hummingbird Bewick's Wren Grasshopper Sparrow Golden Eagle Lewis's Woodpecker California Thrasher Lawrence's Goldfinch Merlin Red-breasted Sapsucker Loggerhead Shrike

If any of these birds are listed as Threatened or Endangered, then State and/or Federal agencies will become involved in the permitting process for all projects that could have a significant adverse impact on that species. Not to mention that any project that could have an adverse impact of any Threatened or Endangered species is subject to CEQA with its length and often costly review. This would create a greater burden on the smaller farms in our County and could force them out of business. In addition, the whole of the State and/or Nation would be saddled with the further financial burden to develop and implement a recovery plan for the threatened or endangered species. All because of poor resource management.

Since the turn of the century the Valley Oak Savannah ecosystem has been heavily impacted be clearing for agriculture and development. With the intensive grazing these trees have had very little reproductive success and are now falling to a new treat- the vineyards. The Coast Live Oak Woodlands have faired better over time but they too will fall with the intensive wave of vineyards that threatens to engulf our County. Mitigation (10 oak seedlings for each 200 year old oak) can not recoup the loss of habitat that the numerous species depend on for their survival and reproductive success. And if the whole sale slaughter of the Valley and Coast Live Oaks and associated habitats is not arrested before major ecological damage is done then a number of bird species will take a few more steps on the very short path toward extinction. Oddly enough, our local farmer and cattle rancher may just join them on this little jaunt into oblivion as we trade oaks for vineyards.

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Updated: July 2, 2002