Save Mount Diablo
Celebrating 25 Years of Protecting Mount Diablo Summer 1996, No.19
Blackhills/Sycamore Canyon 252 ACRE
PARCEL TO
BE ADDED TO
STATE
PARK
3a:
Forthefirsttime,Save
Save Mount Diab lo in the 1980's -
25th Anniversary Part II
g Mount Diablo can an-
,,ffi nounce the near ~ completion of a nine iii year effort to protect ~ Sycamore Canyon be§ a: low Mt. Diablo State Park's Southgate Rd. Toll Booth. The parcel is an incredible stream canyon draining from the State Park to Blackhawk below, and is surrounded on 80% Neighboring residents aided SMD in preserving the 252 acre Blackhills dedication ofits border by the Park. above Blackhawk. Bounded by high hills on the east and west and the sheer rock face of Devil's Slide to the north, the canyon is an integral part of the chaparral and rock communities that make up the mountain's southern Blackhills. <D
In addition to a robust riparian corridor, diverse plant communities and beautiful displays of wildflowers, the Blackhills parcel includes several threatened or endangered species. A fire road parallels Sycamore Creek and will be accessible to the public from Southgate Road's Curry Point by way of the Devil's Slide trail or Blackhawk Ridge Road. 252 acres have been agreed upon for dedication to Mt. Diablo State Park at no cost to the public. The State Dept. of Parks and Recreation has agreed to accept the parcel. Final approval by the State Dept. of Finance could come by the publication date of this article or within the next few months. One of SMD's most important programs involves monitoring and responding to development plans proposed around the mountain. When Blackhawk was approved by the Board of Supervisors in the mid 1970's it included the most significant dedication of open space in the County's history, a promise of almost 2100 acres to be added to the State Park as five phases of development were completed. It also set the tone for preservation when development is proposed adjacent to park boundaries. Almost every large development approved since then has included significant dedication, or' gifting' of open space as a condition of approval. continued on page 8
Excerpted from an article written by Robert Doyle 2 5 YEARS Save Mount Diablo's work has SAVE MOUNT DIABLO taken place during the most hectic period of Contra Costa County's growth. Soon after the group was created, the number of major developments affecting the mountain skyrocketed. New cities were being created around the mountain. By getting involved at the right time, SMD has successfully undertaken one of the biggest conservation projects in the State. This was accomplished despite the area's development orientation and without opposing growth. During this time public land was added at an impressive rate. Most of all, SMD has served as a catalyst in turning the public's great love for the mountain to its support. Had we not
~
continued on page 4
i
n
2
s
i
Park Disf
d uses Aswad
;;.
Board ( 't~
3 4 5 6 7
SMD Rec ~-
itt Award ~ory
•
ikes- • .. ~ . : '"' ~;S~~-<
!:,,;i
..,,
D
,s -
H
iamond Wa~ '
p
ws
e