Left Alone
During our AZAD-2012 National Conference, we took a side trip to the Santa Cruz Island to see the endangered Island Fox. There were a few other sights besides the wildlife. This is an old rusted out tractor or truck (?) left behind for many years after the island was no longer privately owned by a rancher.
The island is now a National Park. There are no vehicles allowed. (except of course for the minimal number of maintenance vehicles.) Visitors who come to the island for swimming, hiking, camping, must take everything they brought with them to the island back to the mainland when they leave. There are NO trash containers on the island. This should be a given in all public places. In most camping areas, you must hike in your water.
Santa Cruz Island was the largest privately owned island off the continental United States, but is currently part-owned by the National Park Service (NPS owns 24%, and the Nature Conservancy owns 76%). The island, located off the coast of California, is 22 miles (35 km) long and from 2 to 6 miles (3.2 to 9.7 km) wide. It is part of the northern group of the Channel Islands of California, and at 61,764.6 acres (249.952 km2) is the largest of the eight islands in the chain.
Santa Cruz has many species found nowhere else on earth, including for instance the Island Scrub Jay and the Island Fox.
Left Alone
During our AZAD-2012 National Conference, we took a side trip to the Santa Cruz Island to see the endangered Island Fox. There were a few other sights besides the wildlife. This is an old rusted out tractor or truck (?) left behind for many years after the island was no longer privately owned by a rancher.
The island is now a National Park. There are no vehicles allowed. (except of course for the minimal number of maintenance vehicles.) Visitors who come to the island for swimming, hiking, camping, must take everything they brought with them to the island back to the mainland when they leave. There are NO trash containers on the island. This should be a given in all public places. In most camping areas, you must hike in your water.
Santa Cruz Island was the largest privately owned island off the continental United States, but is currently part-owned by the National Park Service (NPS owns 24%, and the Nature Conservancy owns 76%). The island, located off the coast of California, is 22 miles (35 km) long and from 2 to 6 miles (3.2 to 9.7 km) wide. It is part of the northern group of the Channel Islands of California, and at 61,764.6 acres (249.952 km2) is the largest of the eight islands in the chain.
Santa Cruz has many species found nowhere else on earth, including for instance the Island Scrub Jay and the Island Fox.