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Case Study:
What resource professionals have said about the ecological achievements at Liberty Garden
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Inclusion does not indicate support by the individuals quoted for Free World Ecology concept
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- "Lush multi-species 'gardens' have sprung up in places formerly monopolized by... aggressive plants."
Randall Morgan, past president of Santa Cruz Chapter of the Native Plant Society and noted local botanist
- "Ecological restoration of native grasslands has progressed very rapidly -- at least 100 fold..."
Craig Dremann, Native grass expert and owner of Redwood Seed Company
- "The regeneration and restoration of the oak woodlands and native grasslands on the site is quite impressive... The restoration is likely improving habitat values on the site by increasing native food plants of high value and the complexity of habitat structure.
Bryan Mori, Biological Consultant
- "Today the land continues to recover under the careful management... All stages of land, water and plant restoration can be observed throughout the property."
Stephen G. Smith, Forester, November 1995 under the auspices of the California Department of Forestry
- "Your particular low-tech, slow and steady, weeding only system of habitat enhancement takes a very different approach and has been, to my eyes, more successful and "cleaner" in every way than any planting based project I know of ."
Randall Morgan
- "This type of management of natural areas within development areas is supported by the department as it respects the natural characteristic of the landscape. The needs of wildlife are incorporated into the project and should be viewed as an enhancement for future property owners. The development patterns that restore, enhance and provide ongoing stewardship of the vegetative and habitat conditions of wildlife areas should be encouraged as they will provide for resources of the State in this type of innovative residential development."
Ken Aasen, Acting Regional Manager, Region 3 California. Department of Fish and Game
- "The work that you have done on the property ... has greatly benefited the native plant and animal communities.
Richard Casale, USDA Soil Conservation Service
- "I personally viewed your property and observed the success you have achieved in reducing the long term accumulation of high fuel levels as well as non-native grasses and brush."
Phil Scofield, Fire Chief, Aptos/La Selva Fire Department
- "J.M. Management's 75 acre rural /urban interface parcel near La Selva Beach is another successful initiative. The accumulation of high fuel levels is reduced and the native vegetation and wildlife habitat are enhanced. Both are case studies of the right way to change fire risk and improve the natural and human environment in the process."
Dave Mack, retired Chief Deputy Director of Forestry and Fire Protection
- "Each year we benefit by seeing your gully, and each year the gully seems to be eroding less and less. Hats off to you for taking aggressive action to stop this gully! Kudos to you again for letting us use your property for educational purposes."
Steve Singer, Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District and Instructor at Cabrillo College
- "... the first in California ... to restore a property as part of a planned subdivision; a situation presenting unique opportunities and challenges!"
Jill Butler, Forest Assistance Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
- "I think the work you have been doing there over the past ten years has some major lessons for anyone interested in management of natural lands, and deserves to be more widely known."
Randall Morgan
- "In 1992, I visited your land and discussed with you the basics of managing native species richness in the grassland. I again visited in 1999 after seven years of management. The management you have been conducting has resulted in a dominance of native grass cover and has greatly reduced the cover of non-native grasses and herbaceous weeds. After having spent the last fifteen years conducting Daubenmire percent cover analyses on remnant prairies, I now wish I would have conducted before and after statistical comparisons, the differences made by your management is so remarkable [emphasis added]."
Paul Kephart, Ecologist
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Written by LibertyGarden.com |
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Now showing!
Shaw v Santa Cruz County: Shaw Appeals
Disincentives preclude innovation
“Because of the Endangered Species Act—what developer or land owner would want to purchase or own the land and do what we are doing? Disincentives preclude innovation. It is no wonder that no one else is following this common sense formulation for success: Pull the weeds and manage the plants and the hydrology.”
- Michael Shaw
Liberty Garden takes on confiscatory court ruling
“Twenty-five years ago, the Court posited that a regulation of private property ‘effects a taking if [it] does not substantially advance [a] legitimate state interes[t]... Today we correct course. We hold that the ‘substantially advances’ formula is not a valid takings test, and indeed conclude that it has no proper place in our takings jurisprudence.”
-Ron Zumbrun
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