The US Forest Service has announced that federal law enforcement officers are now enforcing the closure of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary, including Tar Creek. This unofficial trail once attracted hundreds of weekend visitors to Tar Creek Falls, a roosting and bathing site for endangered California condors. Trash, human food, and graffiti all began to take their toll on the area, and in 2008 the body of Condor #358 was found entangled in rope that was left behind at the falls. This tragic event was a tough reminder of why the area had been closed to the public more than a half-century ago, and why that closure still needed to be enforced today.
With the closure now being strictly enforced, entry into the sanctuary can result in a $5,000 fine and/or six months of jail time. People cited for entering the sanctuary must report for a “mandatory appearance” before a federal judge in U.S. District Court.
The Sespe Condor Sanctuary was established in 1947 to set aside a safe, protected area for condors to breed, nest, roost, and forage. Once extinct in the wild, condors were reintroduced in 1992 and their population has grown to over 230 birds in the wild. Today, the greatest threats to condors in the wild are lead poisoning from animals shot with lead bullets and then left in the field, microtrash which condors may feed to their young, and associating people with food which negatively impacts their natural behaviors.
This is one of the few remaining places of high-quality habitat left for the California condor, and despite the setbacks associated with public intrusion, it has been a pivotal area for condor recovery.
Four narrow corridors through the sanctuary (Sespe Creek, Agua Blanca Creek, Alder Creek Trail, and Bucksnort Trail) will remain open to public access. Other creeks popular with swimmers remain open as well — when visiting them, please remember to practice Leave No Trace ethics and be respectful of our shared public lands.
ForestWatch strongly supports the Forest Service’s decision to enforce the closure for the betterment of our critically endangered condors. Also in support of the closure are the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Los Padres Forest Association, the Santa Barbara Zoo, Friends of California Condors Wild and Free, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
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Visit the links below to find additional information about the closure:
US Forest Service: Protecting the Sespe Condor Sanctuary
US Forest Service Informational Pamphlet
For all other inquiries, please contact the Ojai Ranger District at (805) 646-4348.
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