Point Reyes Light- April 27, 2000

Woolsey announces loss of more housing

Rangers are converting yet more housing in West Marin to park use.

Despite a desperate shortage of reasonably priced homes on the coast, another loss is underway in the Olema Valley where three Hagmaier Ranch buildings - one of which formerly housed a park employee - are being turned into office space and overnight lodgings for researchers affiliated with a new Pacific Coast Learning Center.

Given the super-abundance of nature facilities already operating on the coast - e.g. Audubon Canyon Ranch, Slide Ranch, the Marine Mammal Center, the College of Marin Marine Station, the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, the Clem Miller Education Center, the Walker Creek Education Center, Cypress Grove research center, two National Seashore visitor centers, Marconi Conference Center, and numerous conference facilities at the park's headquarters - why take away more housing from permanent residents?

Park Service's record

Indeed, the park has also announced plans to evict residents from Rancho Baulines, as well as the towns of Jewell and Tocaloma, in order to turn some of these homes into government facilities. Unfortunately, the Park Service has a dismal record when it comes to maintaining buildings from which it evicts residents - such as the Victorian Randall House in the Olema Valley and homes in Hamlet near Marshall.

Both have been become eyesores as rangers allowed vandals to desecrate historic structures.

Nonetheless, John Dell'Osso, chief of Interpretation for the National Seashore, said the Hagmaier Ranch's three buildings will be used as a "learning center" which, he claimed, is a new concept for national parks.

"The Learning Center will link critical research and scientific studies with school children," said Dell'Osso. "It will link university and partnership organizations with national park sites," he added - although at least six organizations in the immediate area are already doing almost exactly that.

Developments at Hagmaier

The three buildings on the Hagmaier Ranch that will be converted to office and short-term housing include a large house, which was occupied by park employee Lanny Pinola until four years ago when a fire left it uninhabitable.

The gutted building has now been stabilized, walls are back up, and the house is being used for office space. A steel barn nearby is being used for fire-management office space and equipment storage.

A small two-bedroom house will be used to house researchers.

Why provide additional housing for researchers while reducing the supply for West Marin residents?

Dell'Osso said there will actually be a net increase in West Marin housing because some researchers would otherwise use rental homes. And the refurbished complex will provide office space for researchers as well as overnight accommodations.

As it is now, said Dell'Osso, a scientist from Stanford working on a project has to commute home each night or pay for commercial accommodations in West Marin.

Permit situation unclear

As to securing permits for these conversions, Dell'Osso was unclear as to how the county and federal governments worked it out.

The Point Reyes National Seashore is receiving federal funding for resource management and education. The Point Reyes National Seashore will use its allocation of $180,000 to $200,000 for research, and to continue rebuilding Hagmaier Ranch.

Two employees will be hired to work at the ranch. A scientist will organize field research while a resource educator will develop and test a curriculum based on local resources that include elephant seals and birds.

Woolsey enthusiastic

Said Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, who is helping line up federal funding, "The Pacific Coast Learning Center at Point Reyes will teach and encourage the next generation of scientists and educators. This will give our children direct access to scientific information collected in the parks."

The Pacific Coast Learning Center will research coastal ecosystems, preserve Point Reyes cultural history, provide information on fire ecology, and create educational training materials and programs for the San Francisco Bay Area, she said.

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