BLM's management plan for the King Range, completed in 1974 along with an environmental impact statement, is designed to meet the Act's charge "to consolidate and manage the public lands in the area with the purpose of developing for the use and benefit of the people of the United States the lands and other uses therein under a program of multiple usage and of sustained yield." BLM started to acquire land within the area while the final plan was being completed so that values in key areas could be protected. When the program began, 30,427 acres out of a total of 54,199 acres to be included in the area were national resource lands administered by BLM. By late 1975, BLM had acquired an additional, 6,715 acres in 16 transactions including 11 exchanges, four purchases and one condemnation action. An additional six transactions to acquire 2,752 acres are being processed. Completion of the program will leave approximately 6,500 acres of private land inside the conservation area, including an existing subdivision at Shelter Cover. The single condemnation resulted when BLM acquired 360 acres to stop logging on the fragile seaward slope of the King Range. The logging was in conflict with the management plan. Ed Hastey, BLM California State Director said "... while timber harvest and intensive forest management will take place in other zones on the landward side of the range, the planned harvest above Big Flat would clearly be inconsistent with BLM's management objectives for the area." BLM's program divides the King Range into seven management zones to meet a provision of the Act which requires "... the plan will indicate primary or dominant Seen from the north is King's Crest, now inside the Conservation Area. The King Range rises to a height of 4,087 feet only three miles from the beach. uses which will be permitted in various portions of the area." The Punta Gorda, Pacific Slope north of Shelter Cove, and Point No-Pass zones have recreation as their primary use; Shelter Cove and Whale Gulch will remain primarily residential; the Bear Creek Zone will have intensive forest management and timber production as its primary use; and Honeydew Creek's primary use will be for wildlife habitat. Wildlife in the King Range includes blacktail deer, black bear, California or Valley quail, blue grouse, grey squirrel and bush rabbit. Several rare or threatened species including the peregrine falcon, spotted owl and California brown pelican have also been seen in the area. Sea lions, seals and numerous sea and shore birds are found along the beaches. Sa- One animal that was native but The King Range was dedicated as a national conservation area September 21, 1974. Roland G. Robinson, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Public Land Management, said in his dedicatory remarks, "We pledge ourselves to the policy of wise use that will assure the protection and productivity of these lands, resources and environmental values." Norman B. Livermore, Jr., then Secretary for Resources, State of California, commented on the close state-federal working relationships involved in bringing the conservation area into being. "Use of this area has not been decreed by Washington fiat but decided only after a positive merging of Federal, State and local goals. Equally important, its use has been decided only after BLM listened attentively to many Californians and to their expression of their goals." One of those goals designation of the Chemise Mountain Primitive Area was achieved one year after the dedication. State Director Ed Hastey designated the 3,941-acre area overlooking the ocean to be managed for its primitive and wilderness qualities. Congressman Clausen summed up the challenge of the King Range Designation in these words: "The challenge of the past was to bring the area into being. The challenge of the future is to manage the area in a way that will permit a wide variety of activity to take place in the area to bring aesthetic and recreational pleasure to those who will come to visit and enjoy this remarkable setting." |